Welcome to Workforce 3 One U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration Webinar Date: March 20, 2014 Presented by: Kevin Nickerson & Mary Lynn ReVoir, NDI Technical Assistance Team U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration Workforce Employment Network Maturity Model

2# Enter your location in the Chat window – lower left of screen

Moderator: Randee Chafkin Title: Workforce Development Specialist Organization: Employment and Training Administration Moderator: Miranda Kennedy Title: Director of Training for DEI, NDI Technical Assistance Team Organization: National Disability Institute 3#

4# According to the SGA, DEI Projects at the state level and/or local level participating LWIBs are required to become Employment Networks (ENs) under Social Security Administration’s (SSA’s) Ticket to Work Program. Training and Technical Assistance to DEI Projects in attaining Employment Network status and implementing effective EN operations is provided under U.S. DOLETA contract with NDI Consulting, Inc. and the National Disability Institute (NDI). Evaluation of the impact of the DEI Projects implementation and outcomes as Employment Network will be provided under U.S. DOL ODEP contract with Social Dynamics.

5# Upon completion of this training webinar, DEI grantees and participants and partners from the public workforce system will have the following: An understanding of why becoming a Workforce EN is a promising practice for America’s Job Centers An understanding of why DEI requires state and/or local WIB to become a EN and so much attention is placed on SSA Disability Beneficiaries An understanding of the developmental stages an EN shall experience to become fully operational and successful as a mature EN

Presenter: Kevin Nickerson Title: Ticket to Work Subject Matter Expert for DEI, NDI Technical Assistance Team Organization: National Disability Institute 6# Presenter: Mary Lynn ReVoir Title: Ticket Coordinator for DEI, NDI Technical Assistance Team Organization: National Disability Institute

7# Why Employment Networks? Why Job Centers as Employment Networks? The Workforce EN Maturity Scale components Next Steps Q&A

Intent of Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999 Provides choice to SSA Disability Beneficiaries 8#

Poverty Rate 2011 (Source: 2012 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium) with Disabilities without Disabilities Poverty Rate of Individuals ages living in community 28.6%13.7% Median earnings for individuals ages 16 years+ that had earnings from work- $19,735$29,638 Employment Scene – December 2013 (Source: U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics) with Disabilities without Disabilities Labor Force Participation18.7%68.3% Unemployment Rate11.9%6.3%

Promising Practice stated by DOL DOL released 12/5/12 TEN plus 3 other TENs Mathematic Research 2010 demonstrated SSA Beneficiaries use Job Centers Aligns with the language and vision of WIA Workforce investment system to provide core, intensive, and training services to those with barriers Helps address budget crunches Untapped revenue: potential to generate EN funds to partially or fully sustain DRC positions. EN funds could support service gaps, such as additional training funds. Incentives for work already being conducted. 10#

11# Lessons learned from U.S. DOL’s Disability Program Navigator (DPN) Initiative Job Center staff AND job seekers with disabilities benefit from a subject matter expert (DRC) which improves overall services for customers The need to sustain DRC position Workforce is changing: growing customer base of individuals with a disability, including the aging baby boomers Diverse Workforce initiatives changing employer expectations Federal Hiring Executive Order to increase employees with disabilities within federal agencies New rules of Section 503 for Federal Contractors More private sector employers valuing a diverse workforce

Job Centers operating as Employment Networks (ENs) attract customers who are on SSA disability benefits and send a welcoming message to the disability community thus increasing access of American Job Center (AJC) services Strengthens partnership and collaboration with Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) and other agencies Promotes use of Integrated Resource Teams (IRTs) which increases successful employment outcomes for customer and Job Center programs Asset Development strategies & Ticket go hand in hand Contributes to the credit (data) of all programs involved in the employment outcome (i.e. WIA, Wagner-Peyser, VR) Provides a revenue stream to assist DEI projects to sustain DEI activities, including DRCs beyond the life of the DEI grant 12#

13# Unique elements of Youth –Today’s youth have higher expectations than previous generations –Obtaining work earlier in life reduces window of unemployment time –Transition planning is stronger working together “Most of the youth coming into the Job Centers are working with Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) and VR has their Ticket.” –Integrated Resource Teams (IRT) helps determine use of Partnership Plus gaining benefit to customer, VR and EN –The most appropriate, readily available services may initially be VR or it may initially be through the Job Center, especially in states where there is an order of selection (waiting list) for VR services

– The Employment Network (EN) is not a program or project. – The EN is not a stand alone component of the American Job Center (AJC) – The EN is not the Disability Employment Initiative (DEI) or the Disability Resource Coordinator (DRC) – The EN is marketed within the AJC public marketing efforts and also customized to the disability community 14#

Presenter: Mary Lynn ReVoir Title: Ticket Coordinator for DEI, NDI Technical Assistance Team Organization: National Disability Institute 15#

Patience with Ticket program design: Takes time to complete orientation Takes time to become fully operational Outcome based design / reap benefits with outcomes Investment: Increasing employment for job seekers with disabilities will be worth the investment Let’s take a look at the scale (available for download) The next five slides will be reviewed as we show the scale on the platform. 16#

4 categories of competency 1.Expertise 2.Operational 3.Problem-Solving 4.Sphere of Influence Progressive Phases Beginner Intermediate Advance Proficient / Mature Each phase builds upon the preceding phase Not necessarily at the same phase at the same time for each category 17#

Understanding the “big picture” Basics of Ticket and how to become an Employment Network (EN) Why Job Centers fit into the Ticket to Work program intent How Ticket fits into the DEI project Bringing the Ticket concept to state / local level EN development / infrastructure EN Business Model planning (refined over time) Learning Ticket Basics Applying and being awarded agreement as EN Let’s look more closely and review the scale 18#

Meeting your support team National Workforce EN Team and services offered Links to valuable resources Implementing your EN operations Security Clearance Infrastructure Set Up Individual Work Plan, assessments, Ticket assignments Internal marketing Tracking information Building your Expertise 19#

EN integrated into all Job Center operations Employment Network (EN) included in AJC marketing materials Expertise is broadened throughout the AJC Policy and practices include EN operations Practice of WIA and other case-management enrollment Building asset development coalition Benefits Planning & Work Incentive advisement is offered AJC has developed Asset Coalition with local partners Actively marketing your EN to disability community Jointly promoting employment for persons with disabilities with Vocational Rehabilitation (VR), other ENs, community providers 20#

Mastered and embedded into operations Providing a responsive system Able to continue operating even during changes Achieving Ticket desired outcomes Employment Network (EN) receiving Phase 2 and Outcome payments Study the ratio of EN payments received from achieving Milestones (Phase 1) versus Outcomes (Phase 2 and Outcome) Job center EN receiving regular payments Sustaining subject matter expert Increasing financial capability Securing the capacity to fill unmet service gaps Knowledge is wide spread and the job center is viewed as value-added service for the disability community 21#

In today’s presentation we covered the following: Explanation of why Employment Networks are needed Explanation of why Job Centers are a good fit as an Employment Network and how the Ticket program fits with the DEI project Introduced the Workforce EN Maturity Scale and the related components that identify beginner, intermediate, and advanced and proficient levels of maturity 22

1)Based on our review of the EN Maturity Scale today at what level would you rate your EN currently? a. Beginner – not awarded EN contract yet b. Intermediate – awarded EN contract but still figuring it all out c. Advanced – routinely assigning Tickets and a solid flow of operations d. Mature – hitting on all cylinders: assigning Tickets, offer Benefits Planning services, routine outreach, receiving handoffs from state VR #23

2)Based on our review of the EN Maturity Scale today please rank your highest priority for your EN one year from now? a. Conduct monthly eData Share files and as a result increase Ticket assignments b. Receive 10 payments c. Secure expertise of certified benefits planning offered by your EN d. Have a Partnership Plus agreement with VR and 10 handoffs assigned to your EN #24

25# Your thoughts or questions are welcomed…

26# Workforce EN Maturity Scale Available for download Bureau of Labor Statistics Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Disability Statistics and Demographics: 2011 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium pdf Executive Order (July 26, 2010): Final Rule: Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act

27#

Speaker:Kevin Nickerson Title:DEI Ticket Subject Matter Expert Organization:National Disability Institute Speaker:Mary Lynn ReVoir Title:DEI Ticket Coordinator Organization:National Disability Institute 28#

the 29# Tuesday - April 15, 2014

Thank You! Find resources for workforce system success at: 30#