Located in:
- III. Operational Planning Elements
The Unified or Combined State Plan must include an Operational Planning Elements section that supports the State’s strategy and the system-wide vision described in Section II(c) above. Unless otherwise noted, all Operational Planning Elements apply to Combined State Plan partner programs included in the plan as well as to core programs. This section must include—
- b. State Operating Systems and Policies
The Unified or Combined State Plan must include a description of the State operating systems and policies that will support the implementation of the State strategy described in section II Strategic Elements. This includes—
- 6. Program Data
- A. Data Alignment and Integration
Describe the plans of the lead State agencies with responsibility for the administration of the core programs, along with the State Board, to align and integrate available workforce and education data systems for the core programs, unemployment insurance programs, and education through postsecondary education, and to the extent possible, the Combined State Plan partner programs included in this plan. The description of the State’s plan for integrating data systems should include the State’s goals for achieving integration and any progress to date.
- A. Data Alignment and Integration
- 6. Program Data
- b. State Operating Systems and Policies
III. b. 6. A. iii. Explain how the State board will assist the governor in aligning technology and data systems across required one-stop partner programs (including design and implementation of common intake, data collection, etc.) and how such alignment will improve service delivery to individuals, including unemployed individuals
Current Narrative:
In 2016 the CWDC convened a Job Seeker Services Alignment Team that included staff from all core programs, TANF, JVSG, and TAA. This group mapped out the customer experience across all of these programs and identified places of redundancy or inefficiency. In order to address the identified issues and enhance the customer experience, action teams were established that included a Common Forms team. This team worked to compare all intake forms, identify the unique required section, and then design a common form that could be used for multiple programs. This work was then amplified at the local level and local workforce areas further customized their intake processes so that every door is the right door to access needed services from the public workforce system.
A cross-training team was also launched from this alignment process and more than 1,000 staff members of all partner programs were trained on the basic elements of other programs and coached on how to partner effectively. This work resulted in enhanced localized referral procedures that improved the customer experience by minimizing bad referrals and increasing the likelihood that customers would follow through on recommendations made by a case manager/program staff.
A shared Learning Management System has now been implemented across partner programs that allows for efficient and consistent staff training. When staff have completed training they are better able to serve customers, including unemployed individuals, because they each have more knowledge of how other programs in the system operate and they can braid together services plans to meet all needs of customers.
As Colorado moves into this PY20-23 State Plan, data will be further connected by the establishment of the Colorado Data Trust. The CWDC serves as the Trustee for this group that allows for dynamic data sharing and matching in a highly secured environment. Use cases can be identified for the Trust that analyze data and serve customers in new ways by establishing needed linkages across platforms. The Trust will be a key component in the workforce longitudinal data system being implemented through the recently awarded Workforce Data Quality Initiative (WDQI) grant to CDLE. Finally, the Data Trust is critical back-end component of the My Colorado Journey platform, which offers career and academic exploration, assessments, labor market information, and guidance to users--including unemployed individuals--on the their journey to gain employment and build a career path. My Colorado Journey is available to all core programs and workforce partners and through the Data Trust; results of training programs and career outcomes can be managed, analyzed, and reported.