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

Updated Missouri Job Center Activities

In 2009, the Division of Workforce Development (DWD) and the Local Workforce Development Boards (LWDB) designed the Next Generation Career Center (NGCC) service delivery model, which was the original strategic framework of principles to streamline job center processes. WIOA required the Missouri Career Centers to be renamed Missouri Job Centers and the Local Workforce Development Board to be renamed Local Workforce Development Boards. It is in this same spirit of responding to both a changing economy and to the changing needs of the customers of the Missouri Job Centers that Missouri is working toward the new state vision of WIOA.

The new strategic framework for Missouri’s Workforce System includes the following:

1. Integrate Services to Better Serve Customers

a. Missouri’s Job Centers will continue to move beyond mere partnership to true integrated service delivery for all of our 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. Job Centers implement an integrated customer flow that responds to customer needs. Staff–supported services are emphasized and Job Center services are continuously promoted and provided until the customer’s goal has been achieved. This integrated flow has three major functions: welcome/assessment, skill development, and employment.

d. Cross–trained Job Center staff fulfills all of these customer flow functions. Staff focus on the service function and not on silo programs.

e. All Job Center customers are enrolled in the performance pool of both the WIOA Adult program and Wagner–Peyser program during the first Job Center visit. All Trade Act customers are enrolled in the performance pool of the WIOA Dislocated Worker program.

f. Enhanced opportunities will be provided for the customers of the Adult Education, Vocational Rehabilitation, and TANF program partners 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 ask no more than what is required by state policy regarding customer eligibility and data system management.

Effective Referral Activities

HUB Model

While the ultimate goal is to develop interconnections to and from all 19 required One–Stop partners, Missouri will begin this effort by using the MJC network as the central hub for interagency referrals and service integration.

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 as to whether or not to access the services. We plan to accomplish this through the development of local resource guides for each Job Center and significant staff training. The local resource guide developed by MJC staff will be shared with each of the 19 required partners in order to facilitate referrals to the MJC for direct access to any service in the system.

DWD will also require 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.

Core and mandatory partners have committed to using the provided resource guide to first provide good referrals to the local Job Center and also increasing their knowledge of any other available and applicable service providers. Each partner has also committed to using the model of documenting referrals and completing follow up of referred clients to be consistent in the activity. This information will be used to measure referral activity and success rates of co–enrollment and alignment of services.

There are additional partner–based activities that are being used to align activities across the core programs. Examples include:

• TANF: Any participant referred to Missouri Work Assistance (MWA) must complete the same assessment as required by Title I (Career Ready 101)

• TANF: Ability to apply for benefits online

• SNAP E&T program will be operated through the Missouri Job Center system. Each SNAP recipient will be co–enrolled in Title I and Title III services to provide them immediate access to career pathways information, training and employment services.

• FSD allows for the use of jobs.mo.gov for their clients job search. The time is counted towards their required participation hours for the respective programs.

• Title II is currently negotiating with all WIOA partners market Title II services to any client needing educational services as well as researching improved ways to provide information and services.

• Title IV: VR is actively participating with all local workforce boards and works closely with Missouri Job Centers to provide program accessibility, physical access to services, and assistive technology for people with disabilities.

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. Our approach 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. To assist in our efforts, Missouri has partnered with the consulting firm Maher & Maher, a specialized change management and workforce development consulting firm, to provide guidance during the launch year and establish a foundation to achieve transformative system change. Tools developed during launch will enable regional teams to embark on achieving a shared vision of building a talented and skilled workforce that would meet employer needs and ultimately spur economic growth in Missouri’s 10 Economic Development Regions.

Strategy 3 –Develop Career Pathways

Career Pathway Activities

Missouri’s career pathway model will focus on the jobseeker and the employer. The sector strategies developed in Missouri will satisfy employers by providing qualified candidates for available positions and the 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 clear paths to better careers. Ideally, it is optimal to first obtain all the needed education and skills and then find a career. Missouri realizes that there are also clients who need to have concurrent and in some cases consecutive sessions of education and skill attainment with employment. Missouri intends to offer multiple entries and exit points for clients who need additional skills and employment until they reach a self–sufficient career.

All partners are committed to support the efforts of the other partners by ensuring that their services are available to the participants referred by WIOA partners. It is our mutual agreement that once any partner sets an individual on a career pathway, it is every other partner’s responsibility to contribute, as appropriate, to the participant’s success along the pathway.

Missouri’s examples include:

• Scholars@Work: Title I and Title II are partnering to provide an exciting opportunity for those receiving both services. The participants in this pilot 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.

• Developing new initiatives to expand apprenticeship opportunities for Adult, Dislocated Workers & Youth such as new contracts with the labor organizations such as AFL–CIO and the UAW. We are working with 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 and work experience which offer the customers the opportunity to combine education, training and employment services. VR & Rehabilitation Services for the Blind supports 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.

• The Adult Education program is piloting a new staffing role within Adult Education local programs to connect students with core and required partners, local employers, and post–secondary institutions. Each local AEL local program will receive funding to participate in the pilot. Each pilot will hire a case manager/job coach to be responsible for connecting targeted AEL students with available partners, services, and opportunities to achieve employment and/or post–secondary enrollment focusing on student success and making the connections with available partners.

• Place a strong emphasis on employment retention – Missouri Adult Education 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 Adult Education program staff will counsel each student to determine their educational goals and assist them with obtaining pathway knowledge to help them retain employment and continue to create promotional opportunities. If needed they will connect these individuals with resources from the workforce partners to help them achieve their goals.

• The major barriers to employment for all partners participants is 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 provides supportive services that assist workforce customers the ability to remove barriers with overcoming barriers to begin career pathways.

• Using TANF funds, the Title I partners are able to provide subsidized employment during the summer months to youth between the ages of 16–24 that are at or below the 185% poverty level. Partnering with Vocational Rehabilitation, the partners may be able to place individuals with disabilities that need workplace coaches into positions.

• The Family Support Division offers customers access to computers in their local offices to complete job searches using the workforce site jobs.mo.gov, which is counted towards meeting the employment requirements for TANF.

• The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Employment and Training Program will be operated through the Missouri Job Center system. Each SNAP recipient will be co–enrolled in Title I and Title III services to provide them immediate access to career pathways information, training and employment services.

• Missouri Community Colleges and the Missouri Job Centers partner with the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) grant programs. This program targets Trade Act Assistance workers, veterans, unemployed, underemployed and low skilled workers and prepares them for employment in high–wage, high–skill occupations. The Community Colleges design programs that are responsive to the workforce needs of multiple employers within an industry sector by working closely with regional and national employers and industry groups. These employer and industry partners will help identify and map necessary skills and competencies, as well as assist in designing curricula, programs, assessments or credentials that will help quickly connect ready–to–work Americans with ready–to–be–filled jobs.

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

Missouri WIOA Steering Committee

State agency leaders from the combined agencies created a steering committee to guide Missouri’s combined partners in developing a vision, goals and activities for Missouri’s local workforce development boards. They were charged with providing consistent messaging from all partners. Each combined plan partner has committed to consistent messaging toward aligning programs and has shared Missouri’s strategic vision and goals. Missouri’s initiated a State–level Memo of Understanding that informed all partners Missouri values finding ways to work together.

Subcommittees were created to focus on aligning combined partners and strengthening workforce development activities. The subcommittees are: Administrative, Service Design and Delivery, Employer Engagement, Technology, Data and Outcomes, Youth Services, One–Stop Certification, Infrastructure

• Administrative: Core partner identification, State Interagency Agreements (Local MOUs), Agreements and MOUs with other Agencies/Institutions, Cross Training and Technical Assistance, Labor Market Information, State and Local Board Membership composition

• Service Design and Delivery: Programmatic descriptions for quality referrals, Referral and follow up, Transition and Youth, Assistive Technology Services

• Employer Engagement: Services to employers, Sector Strategies and Career Pathways, Labor Market Information

• Technology, Data and Outcomes: Data sharing, data fields, data collection points, confidentiality

• Youth Services: Develop methods and strategies to support collaboration between partner agencies, promote greater understanding of the services provided by each agency, discover methods to avoid duplication of services

• One–Stop Certification: Establish criteria and procedures for Local Boards to use when certifying one–stop centers

• Infrastructure: Determine state agency infrastructure costs to be shared with local WDB’s

Strategy 5 – Create Environments that Foster Local Partnerships

Missouri has begun the process of fostering local partnership with a series of meetings and conferences to connect Core Partners, Mandatory Partners, Optional Partners, as well as any stakeholders who can assist clients we serve.

Title I:

• Held a meeting of stakeholders to define the new law, new responsibilities, opportunities for partnering, and strategies to enhance service delivery within the Missouri WIOA system to maximize participant success.

• Held a Sector Strategy Meeting where stakeholders from WIOA as well as local Workforce Board regions (employers, etc.) to discuss data and targeted employment sectors.

• Hosted a joint youth summit with Title II and IV to inform Local Board and subcontractor staff of WIOA changes.

TANF:

• Offered a WIOA Partnership Meeting conference of all partners to describe the services offered, who is eligible, and how best to connect services. This conference used regional breakout sessions to allow stakeholders to meet and plan for implementation of WIOA.

Title IV:

• Hosted a business outreach partner meeting for stakeholders who work with employers and employer engagement. The meeting began with presentations on each partner service and a best–fit for employer engagement. The regional break–out sessions created 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 core and mandatory partners, local employers, and post–secondary institutions. The best practices will be shared with all WIOA partners.

• Title III (Wagner–Peyser) is allocating resources to provide National Career Readiness Certificate testing for all of Missouri’s Community Colleges.

• Title IV has used liaison positions for over 10 years to specifically focus on partnering with key agencies, such as Missouri Department of Mental Health, all 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 enhanced to include all mandatory partners under WIOA and continue to create linkages enabling an effective coordination and delivery of services.