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. 8. Addressing the Accessibility of the One-Stop Delivery System for Individuals with Disabilities
Describe how the one-stop delivery system (including one-stop center operators and the one-stop delivery system partners), will comply with section 188 of WIOA (if applicable) and applicable provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.) regarding the physical and programmatic accessibility of facilities, programs, services, technology, and materials for individuals with disabilities. This also must include a description of compliance through providing staff training and support for addressing the needs of individuals with disabilities. Describe the State’s one-stop center certification policy, particularly the accessibility criteria.
Current Narrative:
Colorado is committed to enhancing equity within the labor force and in the workforce development system for individuals who experience barriers based on race, ethnicity, gender, ability, age, zip code, and/or socioeconomic status. Ensuring that individuals with disabilities have access to the workforce system is therefore a priority, and the state has set policies to provide guidance to local workforce areas on the standards that must be met. Every three years each local workforce area must certify its one-stop centers. Colorado’s one-stop certification policy is laid out most recently in Policy Guidance Letter WIOA-2023-03. The policy states that In order to be certified, one-stop centers and the one-stop delivery system must meet or exceed the standards established for three areas. One of those areas is “Physical and Programmatic Accessibility”. For this focus area, each local board must demonstrate that the comprehensive and affiliate centers within the workforce area are in compliance with ADA guidelines as by an inspection, audit, or review within the last 3 years. To assist local areas with the WIOA Section 188 Programmatic Accessibility requirements, work has been conducted with the Rocky Mountain Americans with Disabilities Act Center to create a Programmatic Accessibility Self-Evaluation/Evaluation Toolkit for workforce centers in Colorado. The self-evaluation and evaluation toolkit is live on the WIOA Moodle Programmatic Accessibility Course at https://wioa-colorado.expertlearning.net/login/index.php.
Additionally, the Programmatic Accessibility Course and Programmatic Accessibility Self-Evaluation Toolkit are also live on the Rocky Mountain ADA Center's learning management system at https://rockymountainada.talentlms.com/catalog/info/id:141. The toolkit can also be used by state and local government partners throughout the state to check on and ensure programmatic accessibility for job-seekers with disabilities.
The most recent certification process was conducted in 2023 and all one-stop systems and centers met the requirements to be certified. The next year for certification is in 2026.
Training was provided for all workforce staff when this policy first went into effect in 2020 and it has been reinforced and shared with new staff through the system’s Learning Management System--Moodle. The Moodle platform is available to all core program staff and required partners of local workforce areas. During the implementation of this four-year plan, the training will be reviewed and updated as needed to ensure that it includes the most up to date information.
Beyond the requirements for accessibility in the one-stop certification process, Colorado’s talent development system is committed to serving individuals with the most applicable resources in the best possible manner. This approach ensures that jobseekers are not automatically referred to vocational rehabilitation at the first mention of a disability. Individuals are assessed by the first program they come to and the best solutions for their situation are recommended in accordance with the requirements for each program. In order to provide robust services to individuals with a disability at workforce centers, the Disability Program Navigator initiative was developed.
After a successful Disability Program Navigator (DPN) program pilot year, CDLE’s Workforce Development Programs (WDP) continued the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) momentum to increase the number of individuals with disabilities served in the local workforce areas across the state. In collaboration with the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), WDP and local workforce areas established the DPN that incorporates DEIA practices by supporting Disability Program Navigator (DPN) positions in nine of Colorado's local workforce areas, with the intent of expanding the DPN initiative statewide to include rural Colorado.
The Disability Program Navigator (DPN) Program is a partnership between Employment and Training, Workforce Development Programs, and the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation to align workforce services for individuals with disabilities to reduce the duplication of services and to braid resources. The program increases equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility in the workforce by promoting the untapped talent of job seekers with disabilities to meet the needs of businesses seeking workers, as well as boosting spending power, reducing the need for public benefits for individuals with disabilities, and increasing state revenue through employment taxes.