Narrative: b. 3.

In Colorado there was no significant change in service to minorities over the last 4 years. Currently 63.6% of SCSEP participants in the counties served are minorities.  Colorado SCSEP has been successful at serving the minority population in its regions; however, the program  will continue to initiate strategies that encourage minority populations to participate. The sub-grantees recruit minority individuals to the program through a variety of methods and resources. Posters, brochures, and flyers are placed in strategic locations throughout communities specifically to encourage people to consider SCSEP when seeking employment. The program materials and interpreting services are available in Spanish and English. The sub-grantees promote SCSEP where people congregate, such as Social Service agencies, government offices, libraries, senior centers, low-income housing projects, faith based organizations, service/cultural organizations, grocery stores, and medical facilities. Social Service agencies and medical clinics in the counties have referred people who are in need, specifically minority populations and people with disabilities. Advertisements are placed in the local newspapers to market the program, provide eligibility requirements, identify benefits, and promote the emphasis on recruiting minority populations and persons with disabilities. 

The State SCSEP program partners with several workforce centers that serve minority populations. The Older Workers Specialist at the workforce center provides information and assistance to the enrollees of the workforce center, focusing on the programs that serve the elderly populations, minorities, and people with disabilities. 

One minority population that has been difficult to reach is the Asian population.  The SCSEP program has contacted several Asian organizations in the Denver area to become host agencies or to recruit potential participants. A barrier to recruiting the Asian population is finding appropriate host agencies with the potential language differences; often the agency does not have resources to provide interpreters.  The Colorado SCSEP program will continue to work to break down the barriers in recruiting the Asian minority population, and seek new strategies to reach this underserved community. 

Naturally, similar barriers apply to other communities as well, if there are dialects that the SCSEP managers are not familiar with. To address these barriers the sub-grantees must be familiar with the different cultures. The US Department of Labor identifies that participants who are most in need are those with multiple barriers to employment: people that are over age 65; limited English proficiency; homeless or at risk of being homeless; have a disability; reside in rural areas; are Veterans or eligible spouses of Veterans; have low employment prospects; have failed to find employment after utilizing services provided under Title I of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act; have the greatest economic need; are minority individuals; and have the greatest social need. The locations of the people that meet the above criteria are located throughout the state. However, many may be found to have just been released from prison; they may live in central metropolitan areas in shelters, on the street or in subsidized housing; and there are participants that are isolated in rural communities; and those that are in segregated areas of the city with minority populations.