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:
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The Jobs for Veterans State Grant (JVSG) 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. Veterans and eligible persons are given priority over non-covered persons for the receipt of employment, training, and placement services provided under a qualified job training program. Only individuals that have identified Significant Barrier to Employment (SBE) will be referred to DVOP\CODL staff. All others will still be served using WIOA Priority of Service standards.
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 USDOL, Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) and the state will be the governing agreement for veterans’ services within the MJCs where funding is used to provide services to the state’s veteran customers.
When a veteran or eligible person enters the MJC, they are met at the front desk via an MJC staff person or a check in consol. They are verbally or electronically asked specific questions to determine if they have veteran or eligible person status. An assessment is then conducted to determine if they have a Significant Barrier to Employment (SBE) and qualify for DVOP/CODL services, or if they should be served by other appropriate MJC staff. From this triage stage they are placed in a queue and seen and assisted by the next available MJC staff. Signage is also posted within the MJC making veterans and eligible persons aware of Priority of Service. In the event that a DVOP/CODL is not available, those veterans/eligible persons determined to have a SBE and qualify for DVOP/CODL services will be placed at the front of the line and seen by the next available MJC staff.
Missouri implements the priority of service by issuing guidance to all Workforce System staff and providing regular ongoing training to all MJC 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 Operations Coordinators.
Other Eligible Individuals:
DVOPs and CODLs will work in a team approach to serve veterans with SBEs. They will coordinate their efforts by communicating with other MJC 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/CODL staff. Once MJCs conduct an initial assessment they are referred to the DVOP/CODL staff for individualized career services. DVOP/CODL will work with community partners to identify SBE veterans when they are conducting outreach. Once an SBE veteran is identified they will work with them on an out stationed basis or at the MJC 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 Operations Coordinators. If any issues are discovered they will be addressed by the Veteran Program Coordinator and the Compliance and Monitoring team. DVOP/CODL staff will provide services to SBE veterans. LVER staff and CODL will work with employers and create job opportunities for veterans.