Benefits of Becoming an Employment Network the New Regulations

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 $$ ? It’s 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 don’t 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 someone’s 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 didn’t 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 EN’s (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

16. 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

17. 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 it’s 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

20. State Employment Network Partnership Agreement to Support a collaborative EN Approach Discussion between Workforce Development and State EN’s 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 doesn’t 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

26. 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

27. Thank You!! enrique@choicesvocrehab.com mary.revoir@iwd.iowa.gov douglas.keast@iwd.iowa.gov