Benefits of Becoming an Employment Network

1
Benefits of Becoming an Employment Network the
New Regulations

• Enrique Vega, MS Choices Vocational
  Rehabilitation, Los Angeles, California
• Mary Lynn ReVoir Region 1 Workforce Center
  System (Iowa)
• Doug Keast Iowa Workforce Development

2
Choices Vocational Rehabilitation

• A private-for profit counseling office.
• 16 years of experience doing counseling,
  rehabilitation planning and job placement with
  persons with disabilities.
• State Workers Compensation, Long Term Disability,
  Office of Workers Compensation Program (Federal),
  Ergonomic Assessments, Job Analyses, Disability
  Management, Forensic services.

3
Becoming an Employment Network

• In September of 2005, submitted application,
  within 4 weeks, we were an employment network.
• Application process easy, streamlined, simple.
• Marketing The best part of being an employment
  network beneficiaries have our information.
• Began operations in October 2005.

4
Services Provided

• Intake and Evaluation Case Analysis
• Vocational Testing if needed
• Identification of employment skills
• Resume development
• Job leads development
• Creating on-line accounts and use of e-mail
• Weekly meetings
• Employer research and calls
• Employment support services (once employed)

5
What works The Screening Process

• Screening process that begins with the question
  If I get you a job tomorrow, will you take it?
• Where do you live? Location is key
• Can you meet with us today or tomorrow?
• Analyze financial situation financial motivation
  is key, for several reasons. Avoid
• Part-timers
• Self-employment
• Those who believe you are employing them!

6
The Bad The things Maximus and SSA will not tell
you

• The training conundrum.
• Since becoming eligible for SSI or SSDI has
  participant worked above SGA any given month? Why
  is this important?
• The reasons for payment denial you might as well
  be deciphering hieroglyphs.
• When did your client go to zero cash benefits?
• Split payment consideration the twilight zone.
• To call Maximus or not? That is the question.

7
The Ugly No ?

• Its been a year since I submitted payment
  requests
• The clients who work in the cash economy
• The clients who get paid by check with no
  deductions or employment taxes
• The self-employed and allowances
• The Part-timers
• The client who stops working at the end of the
  work-trail period.
• The client who disappears (they will not return
  calls)
• The client who just wants to be your friend
• No support

8
The Good This is voluntary

• I dont have to do this we have four, five or
  six sources of revenue.
• TTW funds do help bottom line.
• Zero marketing investment.
• Team approach Worksource Centers, Employment
  Agencies, Employer Organizations, Training
  Centers.
• We can make a difference in someones life, and
  it is tangible work is life.
• We enjoy helping those who want to be helped.

9
The Better Revenues are Exponential

• Clients on zero cash benefits provide steady
  income for up to 5 years, automatic.
• The beginning is slow going process first year
  about 22 tickets assigned second year about 65,
  third year???
• Revenues follow similar pattern.
• Expected to recoup investment in year 4 or 5.
• Proposed rules to triple income.

10
The Best Anticipate, Plan, and Get Advice

• From experience we know clients will disappear
  at month 9 have signed releases for their
  paystubs.
• Call employers to verify employment and earnings.
• Clients are told to expect to be off benefits,
  and is best to provide earnings information or
  risk to have to pay back any overpayment.
• EN Help Desk Use it
• The work-number (www.theworknumber.com)
• Get training and mentorship Look who is ahead
  of you
• The California Workplace John Janda
• Tulare County Office of Education Karen
  Davidson

11
New Regulations that Will Make a Difference

• Improved Payments more services participating,
  more beneficiaries participating, more people
  working
• Easier Application Process for ENs
• Automatic in use designation for VR Customers
• Encouragement for One-Stop Workforce Centers to
  Operate as ENs

12
Back in the Day.

• Early response to the invitation to operate as an
  Employment Network
• Why it didnt appeal
• A Tale of Two Regions
• Renewed Discussions in anticipation of new
  regulations
• James Smith

13
Regional LevelEmployment Network

• Workforce Region consists of 8 counties 13
  partners
• Two of the workforce partners are ENs (state
  VR Dept Blind)
• Employment Network introduced during Work
  Incentive Grant (pre Navigator) not initiated

14
Initial Concerns / Solutions
15
Employment Network Implementation

• EN Name Region 1 Iowa One-Stop
• Lead Contact Navigator
• Effective September, 2006
• Orientation to One-Stop partners, signage
• Marketing Began January, 2007
• Agreed to operate under state workforce partners
  EN in July, 2007

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Iowa State Employment Network Implementation

• EN Name Iowa State Workforce Partners
• Partner Leaders Navigator Project
  Coordinator, State VR rep, Dept of Blind
  rep
• Effective August, 2007
• Infrastructure State Lead Navigator conducts
  state level activities regional
  Navigators conduct local
• Marketing Represents all workforce partners

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Focus on Customer Service -

• This is a rising tide that will lift all boats,
  if the focus is on partnership and customer
  service (rather than the money).
• The employment services system as it exists today
  is challenged in terms of customer service by
  its complexity. Making it more competitive
  increases those challenges. We need to meet the
  job seeker together.

18
Spirit of the Times

• Focus on Partnership
• Improvements in WIPA Increased emphasis on
  coordination with employment services

19
March, 2007
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State Employment Network Partnership

• Agreement to Support a collaborative EN Approach
• Discussion between Workforce Development and
  State ENs with Vocational Rehabilitation and the
  Department for the Blind
• Development of a written agreement
• Impact of new regulations in the future
• Importance of Teamwork for good customer service

21
Ticket to Work projections

• Evaluation and projections conducted by 7 state
  agency partnership implementing Navigator and
  WIPA initiatives
• Consideration of New Regs expected Spring of 08
• Looking at current service usage and registration
• Demonstrates potential for stronger customer
  outcomes and satisfaction

22
Services Provided in Iowa

• Over 200,000 registered in ES, PY 06
• Over 20,000 registered in VR, PY 06
• Over 3,000 registered in WIA PY 06

23
Ticket Holders in Iowa

• Total 82,591
• What is potential for a One-Stop in Milestone
  payments for ticket holders?
• Looked at PY 06 Ticket Holders registered in
  ES/Vets/WIA system (from SSA list 10/07)
• Evaluated based on outcomes achieved by those
  individuals using the services available
• Looked at UI data for those ticket holders

24
Program Year 06 Test

• Registered in ES/Vets/WIA 2800
• Demonstrating Income for TtW 1777
• After removing active VR clients 1375
• Potential TtW Milestones - 2,065,700
• 11 regions would have generated enough to support
  the role of a navigator, and have additional
  funds to invest in workforce services and
  infrastructure -

25
Caveats

• Based on 100 Ticket Assignment
• Based on people being active full program year
• Is a One-Term study, and doesnt take into
  account that people can be enrolled multiple
  years and go into Phase two and outcome payments
• Without benefit of focused outreach and expansion
  of WIPA resources

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Also keep in mind.

• Will take several years to demonstrate ticket
  assignment levels that might begin to approach
  the outcomes in this projection
• Success will be more likely with the close agency
  partnership and coordination

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• Thank You!!
• enrique_at_choicesvocrehab.com
• mary.revoir_at_iwd.iowa.gov
• douglas.keast_at_iwd.iowa.gov