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—
- b. State Operating Systems and Policies
III. b. 7. Priority of Service for Veterans
Describe how the State will implement and monitor the priority of service provisions for veterans in accordance with the requirements of the Jobs for Veterans Act, codified at section 4215 of 38 U.S.C., which applies to all employment and training programs funded in whole or in part by the Department of Labor. States should also describe the referral process for veterans determined to have a significant barrier to employment to receive services from the Jobs for Veterans State Grants (JVSG) program’s Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program (DVOP) specialist.
Current Narrative:
The Disabled Veterans Outreach Program (DVOP) and Local Veterans’ Employment Representatives (LVERs) are fully integrated into the Missouri Job Centers as detailed by the DVOP/LVER agreement with the Secretary (Veterans State Plan). The role of the DVOP staff will not be to supplant the Wagner-Peyser responsibilities for providing priority of service to veterans, but to assist veterans with significant barriers to employment (SBE) to overcome their barriers or mitigate their barriers so the veteran is job ready through case management. Once the veteran is job ready, the DVOP will work with all job center staff to create employment opportunities for job ready veterans. The DVOP/LVER will not be assigned duties that violate Title 38. The DVOP will share case management for veterans enrolled in WIOA and other programs with the providers of those programs. The LVER staff will work with employers to increase employment opportunities for veterans and all jobseekers.
The Jobs for Veterans State Grant requires compliance with Title 38, Chapters 41 and 42, in that all service delivery points of the grantee will provide veterans’ priority of service in the provision of all labor-exchange services, and specifically when making referrals for job openings and training opportunities.
Local service delivery points are monitored to ensure that programs provide the required priority of service to veterans. Whenever necessary, corrective action plans will be developed and appropriate technical assistance concerning priority of service to veterans will be provided. The agreement reached between Veterans’ Employment and Training and the state will be the governing agreement for veterans’ services within the Missouri job centers where funding is used to provide services to the state’s veteran customers.
When a veteran or covered person enters the AJC, they are met at the front desk via an AJC staff person or a check in consol. They are verbally or electronically asked specific questions to determine if they have veteran or covered person status, and from this triage stage they are placed in a que and seen and assisted by the next available AJC staff. An assessment is then conducted to determine if they have a Significant Barrier to Employment (SBE) and qualify for DVOP services, or if they should be served other appropriate AJC staff. Signage is also posted within the AJC making veterans and covered persons aware of Priority of Service. In the event that a DVOP is not available, those veterans/covered persons determined to have a SBE and qualify for DVOP services will be placed at the front of the line and seen by the next available AJC staff.
Missouri has implement the priority of service by issuing guidance to all Workforce System staff and providing regular ongoing training to all AJC staff. Priority of service is monitored by the Compliance and Monitoring team as well as office visits from the Veteran Program Coordinator, JVSG Regional Leads and State Regional Managers.
Other Eligibles:
DVOPs will work in a team approach to serve veterans with SBE’s. They will coordinate their efforts by communicated with other AJC staff if the veteran is enrolled in other USDOL programs in addition they will coordinate with outside service organizations to provide services to the SBE veteran.
Missouri will utilize a triage process to refer SBE veterans to DVOP and Consolidated staff. Once AJC conduct an initial assessment they are referred to the DVOP or Consolidated staff for individualized career services. DVOP and Consolidated will work with community partners to identify SBE veterasn when they are conducting outreach. Once a SBE veteran is identified they will work with them on an outstationed bases or at the AJCE to provide individualized career services.”
Missouri will provide regular quarterly updates to all offices to ensure that Missouri is adhering to priority of service guidelines. Missouri will monitor priority of service by our Compliance and Monitoring team as well as office visits from the Veteran Program Coordinator, JVSG Regional Leads and State Regional Managers. If any issues are discovered they will be addressed by the Veteran Program Coordinator and the Compliance and Monitoring team. DVOP and Consolidated staff will provide services to SBE veterans. LVER staff will work with employers and create job opportunities for veterans.