Located in:
- II. Strategic Elements
The Unified or Combined State Plan must include a Strategic Planning Elements section that analyzes the State’s current economic environment and identifies the State’s overall vision for its workforce development system. The required elements in this section allow the State to develop data-driven goals for preparing an educated and skilled workforce and to identify successful strategies for aligning workforce development programs. Unless otherwise noted, all Strategic Planning Elements apply to Combined State Plan partner programs included in the plan as well as to core programs.
- c. State Strategy
The Unified or Combined State Plan must include the State's strategies to achieve its strategic vision and goals. These strategies must take into account the State’s economic, workforce, and workforce development, education and training activities and analysis provided in Section (a) above. Include discussion of specific strategies to address the needs of populations provided in Section (a).
- c. State Strategy
II. c. 2. Describe the Strategies the State Will Use to Align the Core Programs, Any Combined State Plan Partner Programs Included in This Plan, Required and Optional One-stop Partner Programs, and Any Other Resources Available to the State to Achieve Fully Integrated Customer Services Consistent with the Strategic Vision and Goals Described Above. Also Describe Strategies to Strengthen Workforce Development Activities in Regard to Weaknesses Identified in Section Ii(a)(2).
Current Narrative:
Missouri provides progressive leadership at the state level to effect change. In order to align the core programs, Missouri set the stage by creating committees at the state level where each of the core partners were represented. The committees were to establish policy at the state level as well as provide guidance to the local partners to carry out the WIOA state vision.
Missouri has a Statewide WIOA steering committee, comprised of all core partners. VR is represented on all WIOA subcommittees at the state and local levels. The WIOA subcommittees are co-chaired by partner staff to ensure alignment with all core programs. VR brings a role of focused expertise regarding working with youth and adults with disabilities to overcome employment barriers.
Adult Education co-chairs the partner Service Design and Delivery committee for Missouri. This workgroup is charged with working with core, combined, and required partners on issues vital to successful WIOA implementation. Examples of topics covered in the workgroup are quality referrals, finding best-practices in local partnerships, and implementing Missouri’s Hub Model.
Leadership changes at TANF include use of the Job Centers as the resource for ABAWDs in Missouri, they are already aligned with the WIOA goals. As new providers are added, the WDBs are speaking at initial meetings on the importance of career pathways and sector strategies. In addition, new program contracts will require alignment with WIOA. The FSD conducts mailings to Food Stamp recipients on job fairs and apprenticeship opportunities. The workforce agency provides leadership and a collaborative role for the storefront for directing customers for services and brokering services in collaboration with the partners.
Strategy 5 - Create Environments that Foster Local Partnerships
Missouri continues to create opportunities where representatives from all available partners can meet, discuss their services and needs, and design new ways to partner motivated by new goal requirements. This has proven to be one of Missouri’s most effective strategies to create alignment across agencies. Missouri’s combined partners have committed to creating multiple opportunities to create an environment of partnership. Focusing on the five state goals, multiple meetings are being held for local partners to meet, learn about available services, and foster partnering opportunities.
VR brings to the table expertise regarding working with youth and adults with disabilities to overcome their barriers. VR serves on all local WDB boards. VR staff leads the disability subcommittees established by the local WDBs. VR has been engaged with local sector strategies planning as well.
Missouri’s Title II has set increasingly high goals for local Adult Education providers which necessitate them getting assistance from partner agencies. For example, the Adult Education state office has set employment and post-secondary goals for local Adult Education providers which require partnering with Title I providers in order to meet them.
Title II is setting apprenticeship goals for Adult Education providers in order to create an environment that requires them to find employer partners through their WIOA partners. There are not enough resources in Adult Education to recreate services provided by our partners, so setting expectations without providing additional resources engages the local provider to find partners.
The FSD in coordination with other partners hosted a WIOA convening in October in which partners from all Regions came to hear about the different programs as well as participate in breakout sessions to find out who the partners are, develop a vision, analyze strengths and weaknesses, develop next steps, etc.
CSBG: The contracts for CSBG will include language on complying with the requirements of WIOA. In addition, new State leadership will work more closely with the CAAs to encourage local involvement. CAAs already communicate and develop partner plans.
MWA is in the process of using the same assessment tool (Career Ready 101) used by the Division of Workforce Development. MWA applicants are required to register on jobs.mo.gov and information is provided to MWA contractors regarding the number of hours the participant has job searched. As the SkillUP and MWA are very similar, MWA staff will assist as liaison to the contracted staff, provide technical assistance and monitoring. MWA state staff are on the WDBs. The FSD conducts mailings to Food Stamp recipients on job fairs and apprenticeship opportunities. The workforce agency has assisted by securing a consultant contract for Sector Strategies and played a role in coordinating the discussion and formation of the Steering Committee and all other working committees.
Strategy 6 - Devote and Reallocate Resources that Generate Partnerships
WIOA is a call to partner in new and better ways. Missouri’s strategy to meet this call is to show our resolve to partnership by committing resources to create new or enhance existing partnerships. Missouri committed to using resources to benefit our mutual customers and provide funding to encourage partners to work together. Missouri is committed to finding connections between core partners, mandatory partners, and partners in each region. Missouri’s core and mandatory partners are reallocating resources to create environments to foster partnering
Missouri VR has the purpose of helping individuals with disabilities in preparing for and obtaining employment. VR provides this same expertise in working with employers. Missouri VR is located under the Department of Education and has a strong partnership with local school districts including career and technical education centers and can contribute this knowledge to address this deficit area.
Title II will rededicate resources by piloting a new role in local Adult Education providers, called an “Advocate”, which will help Title II students connect with WIOA partner agencies for supportive service, employment, and post-secondary assistance. Title II will incorporate infrastructure payment requirements into the upcoming competitive bid process.
The Family Support Division has contracted with the Public Consulting Group to provide assistance with WIOA implementation. PCG will develop a survey to gauge local involvement and technical assistance needed; conduct research on other states infrastructure and recommendations; provide information on potential referrals and assessments; and potentially other areas as they develop. These new investments are examples of reallocation of resources enabled by TANF.
Alignment for all of these will be achieved through collaboration, staff support of committees and accountability to the State Workforce Board.