Working through TANF-WIOA Alignment Challenges Presented by: Phil Harris, Assistant Director-TANF Arkansas Department of Workforce Services

The Fundamentals Successful organizational redesign begins with an understanding of people, processes, technology and the governance of these foundational elements. When we begin talking about TANF-WIOA alignment, we are essentially talking about alignment amongst these fundamental elements of the individual TANF and WIOA organizations. This is our starting point.

Drawing up a Service Delivery Framework A strategic blueprint A roadmap to reach the to-be state of integrated service delivery Each of our organizations gather, manage and use information in our own unique ways. So developing a information management framework is a critical barrier to developing an integrated service delivery strategy. The ability to process the different pieces of data and information some of which are overlapping while some specific defines how seamlessly we can realize our shared values.

Strategy Barriers Client Intake – DHS (SNAP, Medicaid), UI and external partners Self-sufficiency, barrier reduction, employment planning and service provisioning Client Servicing strategy for TANF is focused on DHS traffic (SNAP, Medicaid, etc..) EA which administers the WIOA program in Arkansas is aligned with DWS/UI and DOL drive programs for client servicing. DHS is not perceived as a primary intake channel. Child in the family is another strategic goal for TANF TANF and its clients see barrier reduction services, immediate cash assistance as pre-requisites to a successful self-sufficiency plan. So, the overall strategy for the programs have a slight mis-alignment in who and how they target and operate

Structural Barriers Organizational management and governance structures TANF field operations are relatively simpler and straight WIOA has a more complicated structure with arms-body-length entities like workforce investment boards, and state agencies operating under different federal department guidelines Stakeholder management, communication and risk management is different considering the distributed and non-uniform nature of the organizational structures

Systems Barriers Information requirements, client servicing strategies, and organizational structures dictate operational procedures, decision making and day-to-day activities Business process re-engineering and systems alignment across multiple governance styles, organizational chain of commands requires more than just rules and regulations. It requires adoption, buy-in and cultural acceptance to share best practices and, specific processes to accomplish the “shared values”

Skill Sets and Staffing Barriers The homogeneity with regards to management style in the areas of decision making, interacting, and action taking in the TANF world is different from the much more decentralized nature of the workforce investment boards Evolving and adapting to welfare to work model requires staff skilled in social services as well see the connections with the workforce system Despite serving low income families, the WIOA staffing and operations are primarily workforce driven Bridging these different styles, skill sets and staff allocation across the board is a significant endeavor

Shared Values Maximize servicing low income families (PPT) Combined State Plan (Governance) Co-location (People) Common Intake System (Systems) Collaborative client servicing and nudge techniques (PPT) Leverage TANF’s breadth of operations with inherent strengths with the WIOA Title 1 programs (PPT) By virtue of closely aligning with DHS programs, TANF serves as a welfare to work model, and opens up a whole segment of job-seekers coming through SNAP and Medicaid. Leveraging DOL, and LMI resources for example, can expand access to many more low-income job seekers.