Narrative: II. a. 2. B.

Employment Services - Core Partners

• Adult Program (Title I of WIOA),

• Dislocated Worker Program (Title I),

• Youth Program (Title I),

• Adult Education and Literacy Program (Title II),

• Wagner-Peyser Act Program (Wagner-Peyser Act, as amended by title III), and

• Vocational Rehabilitation Program (Title I of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by Title IV).

Strengths

• Partnership and Referral - The strengths of Missouri’s workforce development activities are based on the collaboration, cooperation and coordination of the workforce system partners. Partners have developed effective methods for appropriate referral. Each partner offers unique strengths and when in collaboration can further enrich service delivery. The partnerships being created through WIOA will engage the core agencies and programs in a manner never before attempted and serve to strengthen these workforce oriented services with better educational integration.

• Employer Services - Missouri provides great opportunities for local job centers to serve employers. Missouri’s workforce system uses an integrated partner approach to engage employers and provide resources for them to list jobs, reach qualified candidates and to assist in increasing the skills of the workforce.

• WIOA Implementation - Missouri has worked with combined partners from the beginning to launch an effective and efficient process in implementing WIOA. The process began with training and an MOU among combined partners. It has evolved into shared committees, planning and actions through the job centers. While the implementation is still in its infant stages, we are looking to the horizon for ways to meet future requirements that keep partners, jobseekers, employers and stakeholders engaged.

Weaknesses

• CTE Connections - The weaknesses within the current system are not that different from others across the nation in that better connections among the workforce system with Career and Technical Education, secondary and higher education are needed. Such enhancements are being embraced and significant role definition among the partners is being discussed and incorporated into the core focuses of sector strategy and career pathways integration to make systemic improvements.

Since the initial writing of the combined state plan, Missouri has bridged some gaps in planning and partnering on Career Pathways. The WIOA partners have connected with the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) Offices of Career and Technical Education and School Counseling that have already initiated Career Pathways within the K-12 school system. We are working to identify commonalities between WIOA Career Pathways and DESE and use them to strengthen the program within the workforce system. This new partnership will also allow us to fill needed gaps between programs and ensure that there is a meaningful referral process in place for school-aged youth transitioning into adult services.

• Incomplete Sector Strategies Facilitation - Specific to implementation strategies, weaknesses include moving forward with an incomplete Sector Strategies facilitation and the need for more fully developed Career Pathways environment. These efforts are also weakened because like every other State, legislators will continue to expect dramatic success in implementation, continuing to do more with less as the likelihood of general revenue funding for these things is very low.

• Data System Integration Challenges (Need for more time) - It is also true that while it may seem an advantage to have three highly credible data systems from AWARE in the Vocational Rehabilitation System, ACES in the Adult Education System and new case management database replacement in the workforce partners, this is a disadvantage to rapidly integrating the two. These systems will have to be amortized over some time in the future pushing out a time horizon that could be used to integrate them.

Employment Services - Combined Partners

CSBG

Strengths

• Community Action agencies are in continual contact with their communities and are regularly ‘brought to the table’ when issues regarding employment, disasters, and community planning arise. Their input is highly regarded, and some, such as Employment Security Corporation of Joplin, have become known nation-wide for their areas of expertise.

• Community Action Agencies (CAAs) do a Comprehensive Community Needs Assessment and Strategic Plan every three years, gathering both quantitative and qualitative data. They, in conjunction with Missouri Community Action Network, have developed a tool that has been held up as a model for collecting and mapping data elements to determine demographics related to needs and other issues.

• CAAs share their information with WIOA partners and other community partners to maximize resources available to assist in the mission of WIOA.

Weaknesses

• CSBG funding is limited with eligibility criteria and is needed for services other than WIOA-based activities.

• Some CAAs catchment areas are very rural and have limited access for employment-support related services (such as transportation and childcare assistance) as well as employers that provide steady and/or wage/benefit structures that meet the needs of a family.

SkillUP

Strengths

• In October 2015, USDA announced Missouri was chosen to participate in the SNAP 2 Skills initiative. The goal of this initiative is to leverage non-federal funds (match funds) to increase employment and training opportunities for Food Stamp recipients. This initiative has been instrumental in solidifying and building relationships with Missouri’s core group of the Family Support Division, Division of Workforce Development, Missouri Community College Association and the University of Missouri.

• The services offered under SkillUP have grown from four University of Missouri locations to include the 32 Job Centers. During FFY16, the service expansion continued to grow to include direct funding and enrollments with Community Colleges in Kansas City, Springfield and in FFY18 will include St. Louis. In addition, the University of Missouri expanded their program and services. An RFP is planned to be released in FFY18 to engage additional providers and provide additional services.

Weaknesses

• There is a limited amount of 100% funding which limits the number of Food Stamp recipients that can be served

• This expansion project is new to Missouri.

MWA

Strengths

• Many of the regions staff are knowledgeable of local resources and use those resources to assist in removing barriers.

• Many of the communities are engaged in education about the TA/MWA program and services. The program provides the opportunity for the participant to gain soft skill and attend job readiness classes.

• The new contracts that will be finalized in FFY18 require WIOA coordination including: MWA administering the same initial assessment tool as DWD; encouraging physical co-location with WIOA partners; focusing on career pathways, sector strategies, stackable credentials, short-term training and apprenticeships; and aligning the regions with WIOA regions.

• The new contracts also focus on the participant and allow participation in activities that move toward self-sufficiency; increase supportive services to continually assist participants, and require contractors to assist all clients (including those not required to participate and who have jobs). Performance incentives are based on meeting employment outcomes.

Weaknesses

• Child care and transportation availability in rural areas.

• Current marketing of the program which makes it seem punitive instead of an opportunity; however, Missouri is revamping MWA to show all of the program benefits.