1. Iowa: Workforce Integration, Disability Disclosure & Partnerships
October 14, 2014 – Todd Spencer

2. Sometimes it’s difficult to see the forest for the trees.
We get so wrapped up in the details that we forget to think about the big picture.
We become more compliant than committed.

3. Modern History with Disability and Workforce Initiatives
1998
SSA SPI
RSA SPI (5 State Agencies)
2000
DOL WIG (7 State Agencies)
SSA BPAO
HCFA MIG
2002
DOL Navigator (7 State Agencies) continued through 2010
ODEP Transition (7 State Agencies)
2005
SSA WIPA (8 State Agencies)
Don’t need to go into detail on any of these things in this slide and the next – the point is that Iowa State Agencies have been working together to address employment and disability on all of these initiatives –
The primary agency partners include:
Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services
Iowa Department for the Blind
Iowa Department of Human Services
Iowa Department of Education
Iowa Department of Human Rights
Iowa Developmental Disability Council
Iowa Department on Aging
Iowa Workforce Development
…and we’ve been gradually engaging other disability and advocacy organizations in the process -

4. Modern History – Cont. 2011 2012 Outcomes
AIDD – Transition and Employment
ODEP – State Leadership Mentoring Project
2012
DOL – DEI Round 3
Outcomes
8 State Agencies Coordinating Disability and Employment Efforts
Partnership Approach to Service and Access
Engaging RWIBs in Strategies
Building Culture of Sharing Expertise Across Agencies

5. House File
Coordinate the workforce delivery system in a more efficient, cost effective manner while improving services to customers.
Collocation and integration of workforce programs
Improve the effectiveness of the workforce system
Goal: at least one certified one-stop center in each of the 15 work force areas by 2012.

6. We Identified a Problem that Affects us Region-Wide, Nation-Wide
Source: Middle Skill Jobs in Iowa. Iowa Workforce Development .Labor Force and Occupational Analysis Bureau , May

7. CUSTOMER PRODUCT
Business
Job Seeker
Community
This doesn’t take away from working with the individual - it actually helps you visualize the PROCESS and your IMPACT.

8. DEVIL is in those details Efficient and Effective
Demand Driven
Efficient and Effective
Value Added
Iowans helping Iowans
Law

9. Integrated Customer Service
Integrated customer pool
Registered simultaneously when eligible
Maximize co-enrollment
Integrated customer flow
Sequence of skill based services
Initial service triage
Integrated staffing approach
Everyone coming in the door gets staff assisted (beyond self service) services
there are a number of states that have made a deliberate shift to an integrated service model – to our knowledge few of those actually include ALL who have come in the door in performance.
This is significant in that performance is no longer a subliminal question in considering intensive or training services – the only question is finding the right combination of services and supports for all of our customers.

10. WIA
wia

11. We are ALL WIA under the legislationWP JC
IVRS
wia

12. Integrated at the Door Wagner-Peyser
WIA Adult and Dislocated Worker Services
Trade Act Services
TANF Employment services
Veteran Services
And connection with Unemployment Services in the “Welcome Process”

13. As a Result of Initial Assessment
Connected with Other Regional One-Stop Partner Agencies
Includes:
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
Older Worker Services
Department for the Blind Services
Food and Housing Assistance Services
Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker Services
Native American Employment Services
…and other Agency Services determined by Local Board
Co-enrollment with these additional agencies is not automatic, but a result of closer coordination between staff.
During program monitoring reviews, we’ve noted that in most regions, co-enrollment between workforce and VR programs and others is also increasing as a result of the movement toward integration.

14. All Means All
Everyone coming in the door are offered the full range of IowaWORKS services (staff assisted core – what does that mean?)
Co-enrollment occurs at the door
ALL are in the performance pool
ALL are asked if they have a disability and if they are on SSA disability benefits
Disclosure of disability for all going through “membership” has remained consistently at 11% since launch in 2009

15. Impact for All Customers
Greatly Increased the level of service for those in staff assisted core services
All have a service plan
Enhance workshop opportunities developed by integrated service teams
Outcomes of all matter – all are in the performance pool
WIA Performance Measures now reflect “system” efforts – instead the “chosen ones” placed into training services
Success is dependent upon local –
Inspired leadership
Ability of teams of diverse agencies to work together
“can do” attitude

16. Impact for Job Seekers with Disabilities
Everyone is our customer
Everyone is automatically Co-Enrolled
Everyone gets an initial service plan
Everyone is asked about disability up front
“Disclosed” Disability of all One-Stop Customers is 11%
Local leadership teams established an understanding of the disability SME role on the service team through the navigator initiative.
We developed an integration policy on serving job seekers with disabilities (have this sent out in advance and refer to it) – in this policy – we referred to this role as a Navigator/disability SME/Disability Resource Coordinator (did not yet have a DEI grant, but had our sights toward development of this role through the ticket to work)

17. Access
Accessibility and Program Access is incorporated into the Regional Program Monitoring completed by IWD state staff
Technology is being reviewed by partner agencies facilitated through the DEI Grant. This process includes:
Development of team of disability experts from state agencies and organizations
Reviews with workforce IT staff
Field office visits
Recommendations to DEI Project Local Leadership teams
The State of Iowa has established a State Level “Mobility Manager” Position, through the Iowa Department of Transportation (a transportation Navigator)
For three years now, the review of physical and program accessibility has been a part of the monitoring process
Partner agencies are advising IWD on the potential of increased accessibility through assistive technology – result of DEI

18. Leadership State Level Local Level
State Level Staff from IWD working with other agency partners
State Stakeholders
Local Level
RWIB
Local Agency Managers and Directors
Local Leadership Teams for DEI
Implement DEI strategies
Oversee the use of flexible funding and Ticket Incentives
State Partner focus has been to establish resources for the local boards and partnership – along with encouragement to share customers, information and resources in order to strengthen service inclusion
Local Leadership is where all systems change in manifested – AND sustained.

19. Total Adults Served in IowaWORKS
PY09 – 24,521 PY10 – 46,404 PY11 – 43,337 PY ,344 PY ,833
Note rapid growth in those receiving a higher level of service (AND included in the performance pool)

20. Entering Employment Performance
Adult EER
PY % (933 / 1,546)
PY % (8,104 / )
PY % (6,787 / 11,375)
PY % (6,939 / 10,596)
PY % (13,095 / 22,308)
Adult w/ Disability EER
PY % (50 / 106)
PY % (257 / 728)
PY % (208 / 647)
PY % (205 / 499)
PY % (409 / 1200)
This is the leap of faith - Did not know how the increase in numbers of people in the performance pool would impact performance, but needed local leadership to see their guidance impacting a community rather than the few who get the training services.
PY09 was the first year that there were any offices that were integrated. Two launched the new model in July, 2009, and a third in September, 2009.

21. Partnership and a service model that engages all relevant agencies is the first step –
Developing shared resources that the partnership can invest to fill the gaps is the second.
Iowa’s state agency partnership became a statewide employment network on behalf of Iowa RWIBs to support their ability to grow in their partnership and generate resources that would support greater success. This slide shows the progress of the statewide Employment Network in terms of Ticket Assignments
It starts slow – with the effort required to help each understand what sharing customers, information and resources is all about
Once that is accomplished, the diverse expertise of the different agencies working together is going to lead to success.

22. Show me the money –
This is a measure of outcomes, really, not money – and it does not occur without the primary focus on customer success – the money has to come later.
Ticket to Work is fully integrated into our service model.
Integrated for us means collaborative oversight by board and partner agencies of the ticket assignments, services and investment of the incentives generated.
DEI pilot regions have made the commitment of using the Ticket to Work incentives to sustain the DEI strategies.
We believe that the combination of the integrated service model, DEI strategies and Ticket to Work will sustain the DEI activities in all 5 of the Iowa DEI pilot regions after 10/1/15.

23. Thank You!! Todd Spencer, Workforce Investment Act Administrator
Iowa Workforce Development