Located in:
IV. Coordination with State Plan Programs
Current Narrative:
Missouri has a Statewide Steering Committee which consists of all WIOA core partners, with additional workgroups, which focus on: service design and delivery, business engagement, technology, data and outcomes, youth services, one-stop certification, infrastructure funding, and a state plan team. These teams initially included the core partners but have evolved to include the required partners, as well as additional partners such as the Department of Corrections, the Division of Mental Health and United Way, to assist in carrying out our vision and goals.
All core partners were involved in the writing of the Combined State plan and its revisions. Core partners have presented the plan collaboratively to the State Workforce Board for its approval and any suggested modifications.
Missouri partners have been involved in cross training activities among agencies and the partners have collaboratively reviewed all of the local WIOA plans.
The Division of Workforce Development has involved core, required and other essential partners in collaboration to apply for the Apprenticeship USA grant, which will necessitate participation both at the State and local levels. These partners include Missouri Chambers of Commerce, AFL-CIO, Missouri Community College Association, United Way, Missouri Department of Corrections and various unions and businesses.
The local regions have also extended their partnerships beyond just the core and required partner involvement. More than half of the local regions have already established disability or special population standing committees to address individuals with barriers. Several local regions have sponsored specific hiring and employer events targeted to the hiring of persons with disabilities. The St. Louis region has developed a unique partnership focused just on serving youth. The St. Louis Youth Interagency team incorporates many agencies which touch youth including VR, Job Corps, the Division of Youth Services, the Division of Workforce Development, the Department of Mental Health, Youth Build, and Paraquad, which is the local Center for Independent Living. This group focused initially on asset mapping and resource sharing but have evolved into cross training, job shadowing and replication to both another urban and rural location in Missouri.