Narrative: III. b. 4. B.

Partner programs follow their respective federal requirements. At a minimum, each partner program is assessed according to federal guidelines. 

Department of Social Services Work and Community Programs 

A Performance Monitoring Unit was established in March 2018. This unit is responsible for monitoring employment and training providers to ensure providers are utilizing federal funds for their intended purpose and outcomes. In addition, programmatic monitoring is completed to ensure providers are adhering to their contracts and other program requirements. Providers are subject to self-monitoring, Department of Social Services (DSS) monitoring, and Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) monitoring.  

SkillUP and Missouri Work Assistance (MWA) providers must conduct self-monitoring on 20% of their cases. The DSS Work and Community Programs will make an on-site visit to review cases and office procedures. This monitoring may include, but is not limited to, auditing of participant case files (electronically or on-site), review of fiscal records and surveying of providers and/or participants. The fiscal monitoring of SkillUP and MWA providers has been contracted to a third-party agency. If deficiencies are found, the provider will be required to submit a corrective action plan to correct these deficiencies.  

In addition, the DSS Work and Community Programs conducts monthly focused case reviews. These reviews target a specific component or requirement to ensure that providers are correctly using the component or understand the requirement.

Federal reporting measures for the SkillUP program include:

• Number of participants that obtained unsubsidized employment in 2nd and 4th quarter after participation in an E&T program. 
• Median quarterly wages in 2nd and 4th quarter after participation in an education and training (E&T) program.
• Number of participants that completed educational, training, and work experience, or an on-the-job training component. 

MWA participants must engage in work activities, which lead to employment. Temporary Assistance (TA) recipients, age 18 or older and teen parents under the age of 18, receiving assistance are required to participate in the MWA program with a provision for good cause exemptions on a limited basis. Failure of these individuals to participate results in a 50% reduction in TA benefits. The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) /Office of Family Assistance (OFA) determines the work participation rate (WPR). With the caseload reduction credit, Missouri continues to meet the required WPR. ACF/OFA is reviewing the WPR policy and considering changes. Missouri has undertaken the best interest of the participant approach to help increase the possibility of economic stability.  

MWA also measures: 

•     number of persons employed, which resulted in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) case closing; 

•     average number of persons participating in a work activity; 

•     increase in the number of participants gaining education, credentials or skills training; and 

•     increase in the number of participants with a defined career pathway. 

Community Services Block Grant eligible entities are monitored triennially with a full onsite review and annually for organizational standards. Follow-up reviews, including return visits, are performed for those entities that failed to meet state goals, standards and requirements, and other reviews as appropriate. 

Jobs for America’s Graduates measures: 

•     number of students in the program; 

•     average number of contact hours per student; 

•     number of graduates; and 

•     number of students transitioned to postsecondary education and meaningful employment.

Jobs League currently has a requirement to provide work experience for up to 320 hours; however, there are no measurable goals. The administration changed from Office of Workforce Development to the DSS Work and Community Programs., DSS Work and Community Programs will add measurements to focus on the strategic priority of the program of moving families to economic independence.  

Excel Centers, began in 2018, and are reimbursed for tuition. The WIT in coordination with the Excel Centers will create measures based on completion rate and employment and/or postsecondary education rate.

The Jobs for Veterans State Grant Program (JVSG) works primarily from referrals from WP staff to provide intensive services to qualified individuals.  This is either done through direct referral from the State Labor Exchange MOJobs, or through a warm hand off at the AJC.  The agency utilizes a Veterans Triage Form to help identify qualified individuals for referrals to JVSG staff at the intake point.  Once a strategy has been developed to overcome the barriers of the qualified individual, referrals to supportive programs can be made through MOJobs or a warm hand off to other one-stop partners.

The JVSG program undergoes an audit of our case management system annually by the DOL-DVET to ensure programmatic compliance with regulations to include services to non-veterans, identification of barriers, and a plan to overcome those barriers.  They also perform site visits to the AJCs to interview staff in order to confirm compliance with Priority of Service.  DVOPs and LVERs are interviewed during the site visits to ensure role adherence.  Quarterly, Missouri sends a Managers Report to the DVET that outlines the responsibilities of the individual roles and what has been done to meet performance metrics.

Quarterly we submit a Technical Performance Narrative to DOL with our performance metrics in comparison to the negotiated rate.  

Missouri has also established an internal auditing process to occur monthly by the Intensive Services Coordinator as part of the Compliance and Monitoring Team.  We are using the same metrics established by DOL-VETS to ensure compliance with regulations