The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Stakeholder Consultation Series: Consultation with Consumers, Advocacy Groups, and Direct Service Providers on Services for Individuals with Disabilities 8-26-14

Agenda Purpose and Session Flow Overview of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Provisions Related to Consultation with Consumers, Advocacy Groups, and Direct Service Providers on Services to Individuals with Disabilities Discussion Questions Technical Assistance Tools and Resources Stakeholder Engagement – Webinar Series Schedule

Purpose This series of stakeholder consultation webinars is aimed to: Gather input from state and local workforce leaders and practitioners, workforce system partners, customers, and other stakeholders on key implementation topics; Inform development of regulations; and Inform technical assistance strategies to support implementation. Please note that ETA is also planning to conduct a series of Town Halls this Fall to gather input from the field, and that you are always welcome to send comments and questions to DOL.WIOA@dol.gov Our Federal Partners (ED and HHS) are also collecting input, and we are working closely together on implementing the new legislation.

Session Flow The Department of Labor is in a “listening” mode. Submit your responses and input to the discussion questions through the chat feature. Responses will be reviewed and analyzed as we are developing draft regulations and planning future guidance issuance and technical assistance.

Overview of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act President Barack Obama signed WIOA into law on July 22, 2014. Passed by Congress with wide bipartisan majority (The Senate voted 93-5 and the House of Representatives voted 415-6). Reaffirms ongoing role of American Job Centers. Promotes program coordination and alignment of key employment, education, and training programs at the Federal, State, local, and regional levels. Builds on proven practices such as sector strategies, career pathways, regional economic approaches, work-based training. Complements and supports the President’s Job-Driven Workforce Vision.

Programs under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Supersedes the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 and retains and amends the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, the Wagner- Peyser Act, and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Identifies “core programs”: Adults, Dislocated Workers, and Youth formula programs and Wagner- Peyser employment services administered by the Department of Labor; and Adult education and literacy programs and Vocational Rehabilitation state grant programs that assist individuals with disabilities in obtaining employment administered by the Department of Education. Authorizes the Job Corps, YouthBuild, Indian and Native Americans, and Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker programs, and evaluation and research activities conducted by DOL.

Highlights of Reforms to the Public Workforce System under the Act Requires states to strategically align workforce development programs to support job seekers and employers. Promotes accountability and transparency of programs. Fosters regional collaboration to meet the needs of regional economies. Streamlines and strengthens the strategic roles of workforce development boards. Enhances services provided to job seekers and employers through the American Job Center system. Improves services to employers and promotes work-based training.

Highlights of Reforms to the Public Workforce System under the Act Provides access to high quality training Enhances workforce services for the unemployed and other job seekers. Improves services to individuals with disabilities. Makes key investments in serving disconnected youth and other vulnerable populations, including Native Americans and Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers. Increases the performance and quality of the Job Corps program. Reinforces connections with Registered Apprenticeship.

What are your top three priorities for implementation of WIOA? Discussion Question What are your top three priorities for implementation of WIOA?

Provisions Related to Disability WIOA increases individuals with disabilities’ access to high quality workforce services and prepares them for competitive integrated employment. One-Stop career centers will provide physical and programmatic accessibility to employment and training services for individuals with disabilities and implement new Section 188 (non-discrimination) requirements related to: functions of the local boards. local plan content. certification, at least every three years, of the One-Stop career centers to include an assessment of physical and programmatic accessibility in accordance with Secton188.

Provisions Related to Disability The unified state plan must include all the core programs, including Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) and Adult Education. Among the requirements for the unified state plan is to: describe how the one-stop delivery system will comply with Section 188 (non-discrimination) regarding physical and programmatic accessibility of facilities, programs, services, technology, and materials for individuals with disabilities. Youth with disabilities will receive extensive pre-employment transition services so they can successfully obtain competitive integrated employment.  

Provisions Related to Disability Supports disconnected youth, of which youth with disabilities comprise a high percent, by: Requiring local areas to increase percentage of youth formula funds used to serve out of-school youth to 75% versus 30% under WIA. Requiring local areas to spend at lest 20% of youth formula funds on work experience activities. Providing additional allowable activities including financial literacy education and entrepreneurial training.

Provisions Related to Disability State vocational rehabilitation agencies will set aside at least 15% of funding to provide transition services to youth with disabilities. Local workforce development boards may designate a standing committee to: provide information and assist with operational and other issues related to compliance with non-discrimination and applicable accessibility requirements. provide input regarding appropriate training for staff on these issues.

Provisions Related to Disability Establishes a committee to advise the Secretary of Labor on strategies to increase competitive integrated employment for individuals with disabilities. Includes Office of Disability Employment Policy, Wage and Hour Division, and ETA.

Discussion Questions 1. WIOA collapses intensive and core services into the single category of “career services. Are there any potential challenges or benefits with the new combined “career services”?  Will this change have an impact on how services are provided? Does the change present any considerations for the Department in developing guidance?  2. WIOA strengthens provisions such as meeting the non- discrimination requirements of Section 188 and applicable provisions of the ADA, requiring the AJCs to provide physical and programmatic accessibility to individuals with disabilities. What are the key challenges providing accessibility of programs, services, technology, and materials for individuals with disabilities? What role does staff training to achieve these requirements and what are the challenges to building such capacity?

Discussion Questions 3. A major trend in WIOA is the integration of services -- aligning services across multiple service delivery systems/partners through a unified plan, and performance outcomes in all core programs, including Title I of the Rehabilitation Act. What suggestions do you have that would help the public workforce system integrate these programs effectively? What challenges to you foresee and what suggestions do you have for addressing them?  4. WIOA increases individuals with disabilities’ (including those with significant disabilities and other major challenges to employment) access to high quality workforce services . What are the biggest challenges to provide integrated and accessible services in new, as well as existing programs/activities, that lead to competitive, integrated employment, advancement along career pathways, and economic self-sufficiency?  Do you have successful examples from your own service delivery system or other programs (e.g., TANF) that can be adapted to improve services for individuals with disabilities through the public workforce system?

Discussion Questions 5. One ongoing challenge has been that individuals with disabilities, especially non-visible disabilities, opt not to self-identify when using general service delivery systems such as the public workforce system. With all programs moving to common intake, what regulations and strategies/incentives should be provided for job seekers to self-disclose a disability?   Should there be requirements placed on all participating programs representing the AJCs to create a welcoming environment for job seekers with disabilities and what might some of these approaches be?  6. Is there anything else you want us to share with us today?

Technical Assistance Tools and Resources Department of Labor WIOA Resource Page (www.doleta.gov/WIOA) WIOA Dedicated Email (DOL.WIOA@dol.gov) Department of Education Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education’s WIOA Resource Page (http://www.ed.gov/AEFLA) Rehabilitation Services Administration’s WIOA Resource Page (http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/rsa/wioa- reauthorization.html)

Stakeholder Engagement Information on current and future opportunities to provide input is available at www.doleta.gov/WIOA. August 8/28 - The Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker Program September 9/2 - Services to Individuals with Disabilities 9/5 - Services to Disconnected Youth 9/11- Strategic Program Alignment and Unified Planning 9/12- WIOA and Registered Apprenticeship 9/15 -The Indian and Native American Program

Find resources for workforce system success at: Thank You! Find resources for workforce system success at: www.workforce3one.org