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. 1. The State operating systems that will support coordinated implementation of State strategies (e.g., labor market information systems, data systems, communication systems, case management systems, job banks, etc.).
Current Narrative:
Maryland is committed to moving towards an integrated systems approach, in which its separate legacy data systems will be replaced gradually. While MD Labor, DORS, DHS, and DHCD can report on each individual WIOA program to the respective federal oversight agencies, Maryland does not currently have an integrated system that is accessible to all partner programs. MD Labor is therefore currently unable to access data from agencies, like DORS and DHS, which collect data outside of the MWE system, and agencies may have limited knowledge of how partner programs are serving mutual customers.
The MWE serves as the data system for a number of WIOA programs: the WIOA Title I Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth programs; WIOA Title III Wagner-Peyser employment services, JVSG, MSFW, Dislocated Worker Grants, Trade and the ETPL. ETPL is managed in the MWE along with all provider data. Local Area can use the MWE to track locally defined programs. The MWE REX module supports UI claimants alongside the UI modernization efforts. However, TANF, VR, Adult Education, and the CSBGs use their own data collection systems.
WIOA partner agencies have been granted “read only” basic access, to MWE. This allows partners the ability to view a shared customers. Journey through the local AJC. . On December 18, 2017, the WIOA partners issued Policy Issuance 2017-10: Partner Access to the MWE. The policy allows for read-only access to the MWE be granted to WIOA partners. The proper Memorandum of Understanding has been executed between partners and confidentiality statements for individual users outline responsibilities to maintain confidentiality and to protect PII.
In short, while many of the State’s WIOA programs use the MWE for the processes previously described, several of the State’s other WIOA programs operate in a different agency data system. At times, this can challenge the ability to share information on mutual customers. Recognizing this challenge, in the interim, Maryland is committed to establishing data sharing agreements in the absence of one common State system. Maryland is also committed to exploring common platform methods that will help us to improve system coordination. Currently, MD Labor’s WDQI grant is using workforce data and along with the Maryland Longitudinal Data System (MLDS) for data integration and research.