Narrative: a. 1.

This plan presents Louisiana's proposal to use grant funding to meet the SNAP E&T requirements of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 and utilize 50/50 federal funds to serve participants in defined areas of the state as outlined in this plan. Policies are defined in Chapter 4 of the DCFS Policy Management System, SNAP E&T Handbook, and the Louisiana Administrative Code-Title 67, Social Services. Louisiana intends to meet the SNAP E&T requirements through contractual agreements with Community Based Organizations and Community and Technical Colleges known as SNAP E&T Providers. Louisiana has twenty-one SNAP E&T Providers which provide SNAP E&T services to SNAP recipients in the . • Liberty's Kitchen serves youth in the Greater New Orleans area. • The Calcasieu Parish Police Jury (CPPJ) Human Services Department offer services for residents of Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Jefferson Davis, and Vernon parishes. • Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Louisiana (GWSELA) offer services to individuals in the Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard, St. Tammany, St. Charles, St. John, and Calcasieu parishes. • Covenant House serves youth in the Greater New Orleans Metropolitan area. • Reconcile New Orleans (Café Reconcile) serves youth in the Orleans, Jefferson, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles. • HOPE Ministries offer services in Ascension, Assumption, Avoyelles, Bossier, Caddo, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberville, Lafayette, Livingston, Natchitoches, Pointe Coupee, Rapides, Red River, St. Helena, St. Landry, Webster, West Feliciana, and West Baton Rouge parishes. • Louisiana Green Corps offer services in Orleans and Jefferson parishes. • Youth Empowerment Project serve youth in the Greater New Orleans Metropolitan area. • New Opportunities Vision Achievement offer services for residents in Ouachita, Richland, Morehouse, Madison, Tensas, East Carroll, and West Carroll parishes. • Center for Employment Opportunities offer services to residents in Orleans, Jefferson, and St. Tammany parishes. • New Orleans Women & Children’s Shelter offer services to residents in the Greater New Orleans Metropolitan area. • Café Hope offer services to residents in Greater New Orleans Metropolitan area. • Family Promise of St. Tammany offer services in St. Tammany and Tangipahoa parishes. • Louisiana Community & Technical College System offer services to residents statewide. • New Orleans Career Center offer services to residents in Greater New Orleans Metropolitan area. • Operation Restoration offer services to residents in Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard, Plaquemines, St. Charles, St. John, St. James, East & West Baton Rouge, and Madison. • New Orleans Family Justice Alliance offer services to residents in Jefferson, Orleans, St. Bernard, and Plaquemines parishes. • Operation Restoration offer services to residents statewide. • Project Lazarus offer services to residents in Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard, St. Tammany, Plaquemines, Tangipahoa, Washington, St. John, St. James, and Iberville. • Propel America offer services to youth statewide. • YouthForce NOLA offer services to youth in Orleans parish. The SNAP E&T provider services aligned to industry and employer career paths. Options include high-demand careers in hospitality, construction, healthcare, information technology, and others. The following components are offered through the SNAP E&T Program: Job Search Training, Job Retention, Education – Basic/Foundational Skills Instruction, Education - Career/Technical Education Programs or other Vocational Training, Education – Work Readiness Training, Work Experience – Internship, Work Experience – On-the-job Training, and Work Experience – Transitional Jobs – Subsidized by E&T. • Job Search Training is designed to enhance the job search skills of participants by providing instruction in job seeking techniques and motivation and self–confidence. Job Search Training activities may include, but are not limited to: Employability assessments, resume writing, job placement services, Instruction and support related to seeking employment, workplace etiquette workshops, and career planning. • Job Search Training not to exceed 120 hours per month unless the participant volunteer for additional hours. To get the most out of the component, participants would need to have the ability to read. Participants are not required to have a specific reading level however, participants are screened to determine reading level and complete an employability assessment by providers in order to determine the level of employability as well as a willingness to learn and adapt to changes in a work environment. Individuals would need to be habitually unemployed and/or difficulty maintaining employment. The estimated monthly cost is 410,405.00. • Job Retention is designed to assist participants in achieving satisfactory performance, retain employment and to increase earnings over time. Job retention services such as case management, job coaching, dependent care assistance and transportation assistance for a minimum of 30 days not to exceed 90 days to individuals who has secured employment. The participant must have secured employment after or while receiving other employment/training services under the E&T program. Only individuals who have received other employment and training services under the E&T program are eligible for job retention services. There is no limit to the number of times an individual may receive job retention services as long as the individual has re-engaged with E&T prior to obtaining new employment. SNAP Works has a validation that will not allow you to have less than a mimimum of 30 days and no more than 90 days. The SNAP E&T participant must have obtained employment after completion of a SNAP E&T component. The estimated monthly cost is $286,999.00. • Education – Basic/Foundational Skills Instruction is designed to offer academic instruction and education services below the postsecondary level that increase an individual’s ability to read, write, and speak in English and perform mathematics or other activities necessary for the attainment of a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent; transition to postsecondary education and training; and obtain employment. Such programs include Adult Basic Education (ABE), basic literacy, and high school equivalency (GED, HiSET). Participants must be out-of-school and at least 16 years of age and be willing to participate in test preparation or instruction, take the practice test to qualify for the HiSET exam, and take the HISET exam. Basic/Foundational Skills not to exceed 120 hours per month unless the participant volunteers for additional hours. The estimate monthly cost is $111,664.25. • Education – Career/Technical Education Program or other Vocational Training are organized activities at the post-secondary level that provide individuals with the academic and technical knowledge and skills necessary to prepare for further education and for careers in current or emerging employment sectors. Programs are primarily designed for those who are beyond the age of compulsory high school attendance. Ideally, such programs should be employer-driven and lead to industry-recognized certificates or credentials. Certificates or recognized credentials may include Certified Nursing Assistance, American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) certificate, National Retail Federation (NRF) certificate, Certified Production Technician (CPT), Certified Logistics Associate (CLA), Louisiana Economic Development (LED) FastStart's Certification 4 Manufacturing (C4M), Manufacturing Skill Standards Council's (MCSC), National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) Core Education. Participants must be at least 18 years of age. SNAP E&T participants are assessed to determine their educational and training level and must score at an 8th grade level on the TABE. In addition, SNAP E&T participants are required to meet the prerequisites for the program of study. Career/Technical Education Programs or other Vocational Training not to exceed 120 hours per month unless the participant volunteers for additional hours. The estimated monthly cost is $291,929.25. • Education – Work Readiness is designed to include skill assessment and educational remediation services that prepare individuals for the workforce. Work readiness skills may include both foundational cognitive skills such as reading for information, applied mathematics, locating information, problem solving, and critical thinking and non-cognitive skills, or soft skills, which are defined as personal characteristics and behavioral skills that enhance an individual’s interactions, job performance, and career prospects such as adaptability, integrity, cooperation, and workplace discipline. Participants are expected to engage in informational sessions with providers to get an understanding of the program. Participants are expected to be at an 8th grade reading level. To get the most out of the component, participants would need to have the ability to, comprehend as well as a willingness to learn, ready to accept employment, and adapt to changes in a work environment. Work Readiness Training not to exceed 120 hours per month unless the participant volunteers for additional hours. The estimated monthly cost is $230,559.50. • Work Experience – Internship is designed to have sustained interactions with industry or community professionals in real world settings to the extent practicable, or simulated environments at an educational institution that provides firsthand engagement with the tasks required in a given career field, that are aligned to curriculum and instruction. Work-based learning emphasizes employer engagement, includes specific training objectives, and leads to regular employment. In addition, internships is a planned, structured learning experience that takes place in a workplace for a limited period of time. Activities will provide participants with culinary skills to place them in culinary jobs; increase academic and critical skills in construction to prepare participants for employment along with industry certifications and credentials; assist participants in navigating educational barriers to develop social and professional skills needed in healthcare, automotive, customer service and graphic arts. SNAP E&T participants are required to complete the necessary education and training activities to gain skills in a real workplace environment. Successful completion of work readiness classes with is required for participants to participate in the internship component, with at least 80% attendance. The level of effort varies by providers. However, internships will not exceed 120 hours per month unless the participant volunteers for additional hours. The estimated monthly cost is $148,202.00. • Work Experience: On-the-Job Training is designed to have sustained interactions with industry or community professionals in real world settings to the extent practicable, or simulated environments at an educational institution that provides firsthand engagement with the tasks required in healthcare, culinary arts, construction, landscaping, computer coding and IT and are aligned to curriculum and instruction. Participants will receive in-person tutoring to meet educational goals while training to training to enter the laboratory healthcare field, culinary arts, construction, landscaping, computer coding and IT. Upon completion of the training, the employer is expected to retain the individuals as regular employees. SNAP E&T Participants are expected to engage in informational sessions with providers to get an understanding of the program. Participants are expected to be at an 8th grade reading level. Participants are required to complete the necessary education and training activities to gain skills in a real workplace environment. After completion of On-the-Job Training, the SNAP E&T participants should be willing to accept suitable employment. Level of effort varies by providers. However, On-the-Job Training not to exceed 120 hours per month unless the participant volunteers for additional hours. The estimated monthly cost is $158,695.42. • Work Experience: Transitional Jobs – Subsidized by E&T is designed to have sustained interactions with industry or community professionals in real world settings to the extent practicable, or simulated environments at an educational institution that provides firsthand engagement with the tasks required in a given career field, that are aligned to curriculum and instruction. Work-based learning emphasizes employer engagement, includes specific training objectives, and leads to regular employment. In addition, Transitional Jobs is a work based learning program with a goal to establish a work history for individuals who are otherwise unemployable. Transitional jobs allow the individual to develop specific workplace skills necessary to attain and retain employment with paid wages subsidized by SNAP E&T. Transitional employment include specific training objectives and leads to the entry into, and retention in regular unsubsidized employment in landscaping. Training objectives include, project management as it relates to time, completing multiple tasks, and expectations for the job from the employer/Transitional Jobs partner; Professional presentation; Risk management and safety; Equipment operation; Customer service; Effective communication and Digital literacy. Participants are expected to work up to 8 hours per day for 3 to 4 days per week up for three to four months before securing unsubsidized employment. SNAP E&T participants are required to complete the necessary education and training activities to gain skills in a real workplace environment. SNAP E&T Participants are expected to engage in informational sessions with providers to get an understanding of the program. Participants are expected to be at an 8th grade reading level. The SNAP E&T participants should be willing to transition to suitable unsubsidized employment. Transitional Jobs – Subsidized by E&T not to exceed 120 hours per month unless the participant volunteers for additional hours. Providers track the participant’s components hours as well as the participant’s progress in the SNAP E&T Program in SNAP Works. SNAP E&T staff monitor data entered for participants on a monthly basis. The estimated monthly cost is $34,753.25.