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Plan: Louisiana PYs 2024-2027
Combined Plan C

Section: Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth Activities

Narrative: b. 4.

Published
Located in:

b. 4. Describe how the State will implement and monitor for the Adult Priority of Service requirement in WIOA section 134 (c)(3)(E) that requires American Job Center staff, when using WIOA Adult program funds to provide individualized career services and training services, to give priority of service to recipients of public assistance, low-income individuals, and individuals who are basic skills deficient (including English language learners).

View corresponding narrative from PYs 2022-2023 (Mod)

Current Narrative:

OWD 2-24.3 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Title I Adult and Dislocated Worker Eligibility Policy was updated on March 1, 2023. On page 6 it states "For the purpose of determining eligibility of Adults under WIOA, individualized career or training services shall constitute a minimum of 51 percent of Adults served meeting the priority target groups. This minimum threshold will ensure that local One-Stops are targeting Adults in most need of services beyond “basic  career“ services while developing talent pools that meet the short term as well as long term workforce needs of businesses.

Compliance with Adult priority will be evaluated on an annual basis at the end of each program year and should be tracked at the local level on an ongoing basis using regular monitoring and reporting systems.

Potential Barriers to Employment Solutions:

  • Partnering with community organizations and businesses to provide business-appropriate wardrobe for Low-Income job seekers.
  • Partnering with local government and community organizations to identify resources to provide stabilized housing, childcare, domestic violence solutions, and transportation services.
  • Offering soft-skills training to those individuals with barriers to employment.
  • Identifying mentors who have successfully completed the program while living with some of these barriers to employment.
  • Provide training to front-line staff to better understand cultural differences while conducting outreach and providing services to individuals with limited English proficiency.
  • Developing a pool of employers willing to hire ex-offenders and/or provide work experience or On-The-Job Training (OJT) sites.

 

Action:

Each Local Workforce Development Area must provide added emphasis towards the identification, outreach, and enrollment of individuals possessing barriers to employment. This added emphasis must include, but is not limited to:

  • Development of a comprehensive Local Outreach Plan geared towards increased enrollment and service delivery to individuals with barriers to employment. This includes a broadening of the current local area service delivery base to identify and collaborate with advocates for veterans and their spouses, the homeless, low-income, formerly incarcerated, single mothers, and individuals with limited English proficiency or cultural barriers. This plan will be reviewed during the annual State WIOA Monitoring site visit.
  • Designating staff who will serve as the lead coordinator(s) of Local Area outreach efforts to serve individuals with barriers to employment. The lead coordinator will be interviewed during the annual State WIOA Monitoring site visit.
  • Identification of best practices in your local area that may be replicated in other regions of the State.
  • Formalizing MOUs or other institutionalized practices designed to increase enrollments to individuals with barriers to employment.