Narrative: III. a. 2. A.

Strategy 1 - Utilize Partnerships to Provide High-Quality Customer Service

Strategy 2 - Create Sector Strategies

Strategy 3 - Develop Career Pathways

Strategy 4 - Leverage Leadership from Core Partners to Move Forward on Missouri Goals

Strategy 5 - Create Environments that Foster Local Partnerships

Strategy 6 - Devote and Reallocate Resources that Generate Partnerships

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Strategy 1- Utilize Partnerships to Provide High-Quality Customer Service

Missouri Job Center Activities

The strategic framework for Missouri’s workforce system includes the following:

1. Integrate Services to Better Serve Customers

a. Missouri’s Job Centers (MJCs) and partners will continue to move to true integrated service delivery for all customers.

b. The Adult, Dislocated Worker, Youth, Adult Education and Literacy, Wagner-Peyser, Vocational Rehabilitation, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program partners commit to a strengthened partnership so customers can easily reap the full benefits of the workforce system.

c. MJCs and partners utilize an integrated customer flow process that responds to customer needs.

d. Missouri partner staff focus on the service function and not on silo programs.

e. MJC staff will work with customers to provide a variety of options for career pathways, to include job matching, individual assessments, career guidance and counseling, registered apprenticeships, on-the-job training, short-term as well as postsecondary opportunities.

f. Enhanced opportunities will be provided for the customers of the Adult Education, Vocational Rehabilitation, and TANF to be easily co-enrolled in the Wagner-Peyser and/or the Adult programs, so customers can benefit from comprehensive workforce services.

2. Lean Processes and Streamline Service Delivery by Removing Bureaucratic Barriers and Waste

a. In order to serve customers better, reserve staff time for value-added service delivery, and make integrated services a reality, Missouri’s partners will continue to actively work to streamline requirements and alleviate bureaucratic barriers. Missouri will continue to look for opportunities to remove unneeded paperwork, move to paperless files whenever possible, reduce unnecessary documentation and reporting, and ensure all policies and requirements support integrated and efficient service delivery.

b. Missouri partners will focus on quality service delivery with compliance as a necessary responsibility. Local partners will continue to streamline their own policies, procedures and practices. Missouri will follow state policy regarding customer eligibility and data system management.

c. The Workforce Development Unit (WDU) under the Family Support Division (FSD) currently has partnerships with internal and external agencies and divisions to assist clients in obtaining family supporting employment. This includes receiving and tracking referrals from the FSD Information Centers (call centers) and the FSD Resource Centers. This formalized process will soon include Child Support, Responsible Fatherhood Programs and Vocational Rehabilitation. In addition, this will be expanded and offered to other divisions and programs such as Division of Youth Services (DYS), Foster Care Programs and Department of Corrections. The WDU is building strong partnerships with the local WDBs and is developing referral processes for Foster Care and DYS clients into Youth programs. The WDU is strategizing on the outcomes of the Missouri National Guard Foundation Report, developing referral processes from other SkillUP providers to the MJCs and the Registered Apprenticeship program. It will continue to engage in system innovations that improve the lives of Missouri citizens and reduce intergenerational poverty. The WDU and DOC continue to engage in a multitude of projects that impact shared clients. In addition, the WDU conducts bi-annual convenings focused on creating SkillUP partnerships through local planning. The WDU has relationships with community colleges, Community Action Agencies, community partnerships, various foundations and representatives from the federal government.

Effective Referral Activities

Missouri’s goal is to have an efficient and effective network, which allows both jobseekers and businesses to access all of their needed services in the state workforce system regardless of their agency access point.

The Service Design and Delivery Committee continues to work with partners to improve their referral processes. Partners have committed to collecting referral data for their customers. Quality referrals are assisted by the development and utilization of Missouri’s Services Navigator (mo.servicesnavigator.org), an interactive web-based site system to assist agencies to provide effective referrals. The navigator provides up-to-date information on services available and is searchable by location, category and keyword. 

The Service Design and Delivery Committee is developing an online referral system that will collect relevant customer information and direct them to services they may be eligible to receive. The system is intended to help customers find relevant services, collect referral information for referral tracking and co-enrollment, and provide a baseline education to new staff on services available in the state.

In order to meet the requirement to provide a direct connection from the MJC to each required partner’s services, Missouri will hold all MJC staff accountable for knowing enough about each available service in order to give an individual the information they need to make an informed choice. Following the development of the WIOA Services Navigator, the Service Design and Delivery Committee provided cross training and encouraged partner staff participation on local interagency teams.

OWD requires MJC staff to document every referral including the method of referral and subsequent follow-up. Each referral must include an initial assessment (to the degree information can be shared), listing of services already planned and the service requested of the organization receiving the referrals.

Combined and required partners have committed to using the WIOA Services Navigator to provide meaningful referrals to the local job center and increase staff knowledge of any other available and applicable service providers.

There are additional partner-based activities used to align the combined programs. Examples include:

• The FSD employment and training programs require an assessment and employability plan with steps to self-sufficiency, which is monitored for compliance by the WDU on a regular basis.
• The FSD utilizes OWD’s case management system, MoJobs, for the SkillUP program, which allows job center and WDB staff to have a “full picture” of the client services.
• The WDU regularly attends partner events to coordinate and explain the available employment and training programs.
• Title II is currently working with all WIOA partners to market Title II services to any clients needing educational services as well as researching improved ways to provide information and services.
• Title IV VR is actively participating with all local WDBs through disability subcommittees and working as a disability employment resource.

Strategy 2 - Create Sector Strategies

Sector Strategy Activities

Missouri recognizes effective sector-based strategies require an openness to a new way of doing business and new levels of cooperation among stakeholders in workforce, economic development and education. This expands efforts to ensure that the entire state is developing and implementing a more systematic and streamlined approach to sector strategies, while allowing regional flexibility in service design and delivery.

Tools developed after the passage of WIOA, including Talent for Tomorrow and Best in Midwest, enable regional teams to achieve a shared vision of building a talented and skilled workforce that meets employer needs and spurs economic growth.

Strategy 3 - Develop Career Pathways

Career Pathway Activities

Missouri’s career pathway model will focus on the jobseeker and the employer. Partners using sector strategies meet employers’ needs by providing qualified candidates for available positions.  Jobseekers will use the information to know which career cluster will have the best opportunities for finding self-sufficient employment and the pathways available to reach their goals.

Education and training are paths to better careers. Some customers need a combination of employment and education. Missouri will advise and encourage customers to manage their own careers with information on what services are possible. Missouri will also offer multiple entries and exit points for customers so they can access additional education, training, skills and employment until they reach a self-sufficient career.

The Talent for Tomorrow and Best in Midwest feedback clearly indicated that Missouri must look for new and flexible ways to provide customers opportunities for career pathways. The merger of the Department of Higher Education with the Division of Workforce Development has broadened the scope of services to not only include postsecondary career pathway attainment, such as online learning, but also to connect other participants with more nontraditional paths. These include registered apprenticeships and work-based learning, customized and supported employment, and short-term, industry-focused credential training. Employing these new sector strategies are intended to provide more opportunities for jobseekers to enter the market sooner and with the right preparation needed for the employer.

Jobseekers use the information to know which career cluster has the best opportunity for finding self-sufficient employment and the pathways available to reach their goals. Education and training are clear paths to better careers. There may be customers who need to have concurrent and in some cases consecutive sessions of education and skill attainment with employment. Missouri endeavors to offer multiple entries and exit points for customers who need additional skills and employment until they reach a self-sufficiency.

All partners are committed to support the efforts of the other partners by ensuring that their services are available to the referred participants. It is agreed that once an individual is on a career pathway, it is the responsibility of all partners to contribute as appropriate to the participant’s success along the pathway.

Missouri’s examples include:

• Scholars-to-Work: Title I and Title II are partnering to provide opportunity for those receiving both services. Participants receive Adult Education and Literacy (AEL) education classes concurrently with employment and employability skills. Youth earn a paycheck while pursuing their high school equivalency. This project overcomes one of the greatest challenges youth face in meeting a career goal. Through stipends to take care of financial needs along with individualized coaching and training, youth can earn the equivalent of a high school diploma on a pathway to success.
• Title I programs are developing new initiatives to expand apprenticeship opportunities for Adult, Dislocated Workers and Youth such as new contracts with the labor organizations and local employers to develop apprenticeship opportunities.
• In addition to training services, the Title I & Title IV partners have work-based programs such as on-the-job training, apprenticeships and work experience, which offer the customers the opportunity to combine education, training and employment services. MVR and RSB support career pathways by providing a variety of services to students, youth and adults with disabilities. Additional services may include assistive technology, case management and post-employment support to provide job retention.
• Missouri’s Title II local AEL programs have a designated staff person, who is a student advocate, responsible for connecting students with core and required partners, local employers, and postsecondary institutions. The student advocate connects targeted AEL students with available partners, services and opportunities to achieve employment and/or postsecondary enrollment, which focuses on student success and making the connections with available partners.
• Place a strong emphasis on employment retention - Missouri AEL currently provides services to employed/incumbent students. Studies show that those who improve their education also improve their employment and promotion opportunities. Missouri’s local AEL program staff will counsel students to determine their educational goals and assist them with obtaining pathway knowledge to help retain employment and continue to create promotional opportunities. If needed, they will connect these individuals with resources from the workforce partners.
• Major barriers to employment for all partners’ participants are a lack of a high school diploma, low educational skills and lack of English language skills. Missouri’s AEL funded classrooms are preferred providers in overcoming educational barriers. All partners have access to direct linkages to Adult Education.
• TANF, SNAP and WIOA partners provide supportive services that assist workforce customers with overcoming barriers to begin career pathways.
• TANF funds allow the Title I partners to provide subsidized employment to youth between the ages of 16-24 that are at or below the 185% poverty level.
• The FSD offers customers access to computers in their local offices to complete job searches using the workforce site, jobs.mo.gov. For TANF (cash benefit) recipients and Able Bodied Adults without Dependents, this activity is counted toward meeting their employment and training monthly hour requirements.
• SkillUP is offered by the local WDBs, which receive referrals from job center staff who conduct Wagner Peyser activities. In addition, the WDBs will receive a listing of SNAP clients who visited a job center to streamline processes and conduct outreach.
• The FSD employment and training programs require an assessment and employability plan, with steps to self-sufficiency. This is monitored for compliance by the WDU on a regular basis.
• The WDU administers the Jobs for Americas Graduates Program, which focuses on students with barriers graduating high school and entering postsecondary school, the military and employment. This program is a high school elective. High school staff are aware of the SkillUP program for referrals that will allow for continued wrap-around services and short-term training funding for eligible students.
• The Excel Centers offer the ability to gain high school diplomas and industry certificates. Clients who are also enrolled in SkillUP or Missouri Work Assistance (MWA) receive supportive services and case management from their case manager.
• Health Industry Training and Education (HITE) and the MWA program coordinate to ensure that TANF clients are recruited and engaged in healthcare training in high demand occupations.
• DOC is coordinating with a variety of entities through a client-based approach that includes Career and Tech Education programs to develop new career pathways for justice involved individuals.

Strategy 4 - Leverage Leadership from Core Partners to Move Forward on Missouri Goals

Missouri Public Workforce System Council, Steering Committee and Subcommittees

Missouri guides the combined partners in developing a vision, goals and activities for the state’s workforce system. Each combined partner has committed to consistent messaging toward aligning programs and has shared Missouri’s strategic vision and goals. Missouri has initiated a state-level Memorandum of Understanding, which illustrates the state values working together as a workforce system. 

Subcommittees were created to focus on aligning combined partners and strengthening workforce development activities. The subcommittees are Service Design and Delivery; Employer Engagement; Technology, Data and Outcomes; One-Stop Certification; and Infrastructure Cost Sharing. Areas of focus include:

• Service Design and Delivery: Programmatic descriptions for quality referrals and follow up, transition and youth, and assistive technology services.
• Employer Engagement: Services to employers, sector strategies and labor market information
• Technology, Data and Outcomes: Data sharing and reporting performance measures
• One-Stop Certification: Establish criteria and procedures for Local WDBs to use when certifying one-stop centers
• Infrastructure: Determine state agency partner infrastructure agreements

Strategy 5 - Create Environments that Foster Local Partnerships

Missouri participates in several issue-specific, national cohorts. These include topics on co-enrollment, employer engagement data and disability services. This has given Missouri the opportunity to showcase strong partnerships and work closer together on specific projects, share outcomes and apply knowledge gained from cohorts at the local levels.

Missouri fosters local partnerships with meetings and conferences to connect combined partners, required partners and additional partners, as well as other stakeholders.

Title I:

• Continue to hold meetings of stakeholders to address responsibilities, create opportunities for partnering, and enhance strategies for service delivery maximizing participant success.
• Encourage sector strategy meetings where stakeholders discuss data and targeted employment sectors.
• Host yearly summits to educate employers on the benefit of hiring jobseekers with disabilities.
• Formed NEXUS groups comprised of core, required and other interested partners in sharing local job opportunities and responding with one voice to area employers.

The FSD (TANF and SNAP):

• The FSD created a Workforce Development Unit (WDU) to laser focus on the employment and training needs of the hundreds of thousands of clients by concentrating on collaborations, employer needs and current job openings. The SkillUP program received TANF funding, which allowed an underfunded SNAP employment and training program to provide services to numerous clients who would not have been able to fund their non-credential programs. The FSD is comparing its program outcomes to WIOA outcomes to determine alignment opportunities. Providers engage in WIOA cost sharing and assist shared clients through blended funds. The FSD staff from the WDU serve on local WDBs, which allows the FSD to build relationships with the boards, local employers and other public and private agencies.
• Bi-weekly conference calls are held with local MWA/SkillUP and SkillUP providers to gauge program needs and successes, allow partners to share information on their programs, offer technical assistance, provide legislative updates and share available tools for serving clients and assessing programs.

• The WDU and local WDBs are coordinating on systems, processes and referrals to assist Department of Social Services (DSS) clients with available resources they may not know exist.

• The WDU attends a variety of conferences and local events including back to school fairs, job fairs, other state agency conferences, veterans events and homeless events to share information and create collaborations.

• The WDU contracted with Mississippi County Caring Communities who subsequently contracted with the Missouri National Guard Foundation to analyze reasons that clients are not engaging in employment, assist with statewide branding which is also being requested locally and pilot employability skills classes and the outcomes.

Title IV:

• MVR’s Business Services Team is involved with organizing and attending annual business outreach partner meetings for stakeholders who work with employers and employer engagement. The meetings offer presentations on partner services and employer engagement. The regional breakout sessions create an environment of collaboration.

Strategy 6 - Devoting and Reallocating Resources that Generate Partnerships

Missouri’s partners are dedicating resources to implement WIOA through improved communication and collaboration.

• Title II is allocating resources to each local provider to find successful processes to create linkages between combined and required partners, local employers, and postsecondary institutions. Best practices will be shared with all WIOA partners.
• Title III (Wagner-Peyser) is allocating resources to provide National Career Readiness Certificate testing.
• Title IV has used liaison positions for over 10 years to specifically focus on partnering with key agencies, including Missouri Department of Mental Health, Missouri Workforce Development Boards, Centers of Independent Living and the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Office of Special Education. These positions have been expanded to include all partners under WIOA and continue to create linkages enabling an effective coordination and delivery of services.
• The FSD has set aside funding from the TANF budget for various DOC projects. As projects are initiated, all partners will be invited to discuss resources and grant opportunities allowing for additional projects and programs. The FSD and MVR are collaborating to ensure clients, who are on SNAP, receive SkillUP services reducing the MVR wait list and allowing additional clients to be served. The FSD will continue to engage in discussions regarding employers’ and clients’ needs. The FSD will develop innovative programs and projects and continue discussing regional, systemic and generational barriers.