Pathway to Prosperity Success for TANF and WIOA Participants Presented by: Lisa Washington-Thomas Self-Sufficiency Branch Chief Office of Family Assistance, Administration for Children and Families Yekaterina (Kate) Probert Fagundes Public Assistance Division Manager Ramsey County Workforce Solutions Nerita Hughes WIOA/Business Services Division Manager Ramsey County Workforce Solutions
Presentation Goals Share a national overview of how state and local TANF programs are successfully working with workforce partners to serve shared customers. Highlight local efforts from Ramsey County, MN, including: Strategies for resource sharing of WIOA/TANF/SNAP funds and outside funding to create a seamless pathway for customers. Use of motivational interviewing and coaching. Development of an employer engagement ladder. Co-enrollment, service coordination, and case management systems that help customers and program managers achieve success.
National Landscape: TANF and WIOA Coordination
About the Office of Family Assistance Administers federal grant programs that foster family economic security and stability Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Tribal TANF Native Employment Works Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood (HMRF) grants Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) Tribal TANF-Child Welfare Coordination grants
TANF Program Overview Economic security and stability program for low-income families with children. Block grant that provides $16.6 billion annually to states, territories, DC, and federally-recognized Indian tribes. Funds provide income support + a wide range of services (e.g., workrelated activities, child care, and refundable tax credits). Four purposes of TANF: 1. Provide assistance to needy families so that children may be cared for in their own homes or in the homes of relatives. 2. End the dependence of needy parents on government benefits by promoting job preparation, work, and marriage. 3. Prevent and reduce the incidence of out-of-wedlock pregnancies. 4. Encourage the formation and maintenance of two-parent families.
One Team, One Customer Approach Identify, retain, & expand committed employers Develop new employer champions Provide appropriate Workforce Development Interview Hire Train Retain Advance Literacy Education Training Career Pathways Work-based learning Employment Unemployed Underemployed Disabled individuals Disconnected / at-risk youth Food Childcare Cash assistance Transportation Healthcare Housing Energy Identify individuals in need of support and training Provide options and develop plans Provide appropriate Human Services
The Value of Human Services in the Workforce System WIOA requires that programs serve individuals with barriers to employment and out-of-school youth. Human service providers already do this! Programs such as TANF provide: Case Management Barrier identification and reduction strategies Support for job retention By working together, we can address barriers, help employers fill gaps, and help the hard-to-serve achieve economic stability.
OFA s TANF-WIOA Efforts Provide technical assistance to state TANF programs on the integration of innovative TANF/WIOA activities. Support states in refining action plans and WIOA coordination strategies. Provide expert consultations, peer-to-peer information exchanges, and resource sharing across states and localities.
Methods of Coordination Integrated and aligned business services. Enhanced coordination and communication between agencies. Data sharing and integration. Resource sharing. Cross training of staff for increased access.
Examples of Promising TANF and WIOA Coordination Models
Oregon: Career Pathways & Service Integration Rogue Educational Achievement (REACH) Program Partnership between Oregon DHS and workforce partners. Steers 150 TANF families and families exiting TANF into career pathway training opportunities. Leverages training funds and workforce skill building activities through WIOA.
Washington: Youth Career Pathways & Work-Based Learning Spokane Trent Community Services Office (CSO) Pilot Provides focused case management for clients ages 18-24. Public/private collaboration including employers and workforce providers. Pilot focus areas: Make age-appropriate employment/educational referrals to services. Provide additional services such as life skills, family planning, financial literacy and parenting to young parents. Address barriers; utilize motivational interviewing and coaching.
Mississippi: Data Sharing & Integration Coordinated IT System Facilitates sharing between TANF, WIOA, and other workforce partners to coordinate service delivery. Strikes a balance between a siloed, disconnected system with no data alignment and a single case management system. Includes a common case management approach. Each agency retains independent operations of their electronic case management systems Creates a state-owned, common case management technology Components include: Common Participant Profile; Electronic Referrals; Individual Success Plan; and Common Service, Assessments, and Credential Catalogs.
WIOA/TANF/SNAP Services Integration NAWB 2017
TOPICS COVERED Focus on internal opportunity for collaboration Roles of the Workforce Innovation Board (WIB) and WIB committees Focus on career pathways Focus on resource center service integration Youth collaboration efforts Correction/re-entry programs Motivational Interviewing and Coaching Employer engagement ladder
WIOA AND TANF PARTNERSHIP The new Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Law called for increased partnership across workforce development within Ramsey County
INTERNAL STRUCTURE AND FOCUS Ramsey County Goals Intentional & Integrative Family Services Responsive & Professional Business Solutions Enhanced Access to Community & Business Partnerships Dynamic & Engaged Work Environment Meaningful & Systemic Equity Strong Collaborative County-wide Services
WHY PARTNER? The idea to shift the focus towards program participants with the WIOA implementation allowed us to re-think, re-imagine, and re-align services where synergy was prominent.
RE-THINK, RE-IMAGINE & RE-ALIGN Destigmatizing the old way of doing business What haven t we tried before and now have an opportunity to pursue? How should we engage our staff to buy-in to this new thought process? Low hanging endeavors that are low risk to staff and program participants Synergy opportunities
COLLABORATION EFFORTS Youth Collaboration Efforts U LEAD (Lead, Earn, Attain, and Develop) TANF Youth Vocational Rehabilitation Services Local-State Grants Coaching/Motivational Interviewing
WIOA AND TANF PROGRAMS Focus of WIOA and TANF programs: Provide services to low-income individuals and individuals who are basic skills deficient Focus on opportunity youth Help families and individuals to achieve economic and family stability
ROLE OF THE WIB Alignment of WIB/County Board/Workforce Solutions (WFS) vision and mission Priorities support Ramsey County s goals: Prosperity Opportunity Well-being and the WIB s goals: Helping to maintain the economic health of Ramsey County Creating partnerships to serve the needs of businesses and job seekers Identifying current and emerging workforce needs
GOALS AND PRIORITIES
SITES AND SERVICE DELIVERY MODEL
SERVICE INTEGRATION Services in the resource center areas: Services for anyone who comes in Shared staff delivering services Standard workshops, partner delivered workshops, just in time assistance and pop-up workshops Hub concept - grouping by what is needed: resumes, cover letters, essential skills Meaningful assistance to everyone Service navigation and referrals
ROLE OF THE WIB WFS is the administrative entity for the WIB Public Assistance Manager is on the WIB representing residents of Ramsey County WIOA Manager is lead staff to the Youth Committee Discussion about residents and their needs vs. program and program needs Removing stigma from public assistance recipients Ongoing presentations about services and needs to the WIB Direct involvement of the WIB in career pathways and grant applications County Board and WIB working together
ROLE OF THE WIB Role of WIB Committees - all committees are business lead: Integration Committee - support and oversight of grants and service delivery Business Services Committee - support and advise on marketing materials that break stigma affiliated with lowincome and public assistance families Policy Committee - support and promote policies that work for all residents of Ramsey County and further improve service integration and program collaboration
Career pathways is one of the frameworks used to deliver integrated services Workforce Solutions has multiple career pathways programs under the overall umbrella of Pipeline to Prosperity
DELIVERY OF SERVICES GOAL: To create a tangible, sustainable, long-term partnership and seamless program for residents/families, using career pathways models which are based on an understanding of executive skills and life long learning concepts, by the integration of TANF and WIOA and continued improvement in work with Health and Human Services, colleges, communities, education, and corrections STEPS: Establish career pathways in the WIB-identified industries of healthcare, manufacturing, construction, IT, hospitality, customer service, office assistance and administration, and food service
Goal: To take highly motivated individuals who want to be part of the program and help families gain essential skills, education, work experience and move into jobs with retention services provided in the WIB targeted sectors with a sustainable wage Targets: High poverty neighborhoods within Ramsey County Oversight and Support: WIB and Ramsey County Board Population Served: TANF, SNAP and WIOA adults and youth Approach: Three counselors (WIOA and TANF) coordinate the pipeline and navigate services Utilizes existing services enhanced with additional funding, specific investment in education/paid work experience and job retention. Uses coaching, mentoring and motivational interviewing, listens to personal choices and then, through intervention, helps families secure skills, education and employment within the targeted sector area Navigators connected with College and ABE navigators Classes and orientation delivered on-site
Employer Outreach: Structured using Vocational Rehab model - individualized and targeted approach Business Service and Placement and Retention Unit: Identifies specific employers within the WIB identified sectors, prepares participant for a specific employer (participant has to go through a competitive application process). Targets any size employer based on individual choice Co-enrollment when needed Coordination when needed WIOA takes over as a second step to TANF Use of WF1- local case management system to case note and track outcomes Seamless for the customer A framework to provide services for families Supported by TANF/WIOA and multiple grant funding
BUSINESS AND PLACEMENT UNITS
EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT LADDER
P2P Pipeline to Prosperity Job Readiness Workshops Career Coaching Mentoring Career Pathway Identification and Development Adult Basic Education/GED Attainment Minnesota Job Skills Partnership Grant (for all participants who qualify*) Training beyond scope of MJSP (from program dollars)** Internal Services Training Support Services Employment Child Care (for those that qualify) Transportation (managed by program) Subsidized Employment (Adult/MFIP/Youth)*** Unsubsidized Employment Placement Retention Unit Business Services Unit
PATHWAY AND CORRECTION Both programs need services for people with a criminal background: Pathway Program Women Corrections reentry program Both focus on skills building, family stability, career pathways and placement/retention
PATHWAY PROGRAM Provides career coaching services to participants with criminal backgrounds Implemented within current structure Delivered by existing OWDS certified counselors Six week groups, cohort model Offers ex-offenders ongoing support through support groups, workshops, job search and employment opportunities Increased motivation and support from the counselor Changes in negative thinking patterns, attitudinal changes Curriculum is evidence based Structure and goal planning Connections to the community
CORRECTIONS Partnership with Dakota County Short-term: WFS and RCCCD/DC Corrections will work together to develop a small pilot program to ensure that existing clientele have an individualized 90-day reentry plan which may include the following: Identification of community resource needs such as housing, food, counseling, etc. Identification of chemical dependency treatment programs Children's needs such as therapy, child care, etc. Career pathway to include the identification of skills and interests, training and education resources, potential employers, etc. Job search resources such as resume, letter of explanation, interview skills, etc. Benefits counseling for healthcare, MFIP, SNAP, WIOA to include eligibility criteria, how and where to apply, and benefits of being in the program Co-enroll clientele in MFIP, SNAP, WIOA programs when and where it makes sense Long-term: WFS and RCCCD/DC Corrections will work together to find ways to enhance the program and service offerings. Initial thoughts have included the following: Find viable options to overcome systemic barriers such as: women need an out date before they can apply for and/or access needed resources and programs such as healthcare, public assistance and Dakota County s Re-Entry Assistance Program (RAP) program Determine funding source(s) for project enhancement and sustainability Determine need and viability of other partnerships (community colleges, libraries, employers)
OUTCOMES: Create a successful program that (re)introduces RCCCD and DC clientele into the community and workforce Lower the recidivism rate to the criminal justice system Fulfill WIOA requirements Participants will have enhanced job seeking and essential skills Enhanced collaboration between professionals and County departments RESOURCES: WIOA funding SNAP funding TANF funding Business connections Education connections Staff Probation officers Court ordered cognitive thinking
MI AND COACHING All services are done using Motivational Interviewing and Coaching techniques
Motivational Interviewing (MI) is an evidence-based best practice technique used to help facilitate the change process. While using MI techniques, Employment Counselors (EC) use guided dialogue and the principles of compassion, autonomy, acceptance, collaboration, and evocation to help ES program participants to uncover their internal motivation towards personal change. Motivational Interviewing is a collaborative, goal-oriented style of communication with particular attention to the language of change. It is designed to strengthen personal motivation for, and commitment to, a specific goal by eliciting and exploring the person s own reasons for change within an atmosphere of acceptance and compassion. Sheffield, UK, 2011 Stephen Rollick and William R. Miller, Three fundamental MI principles present during the beginning stages of the change process: Expressing Empathy (Pre-contemplation) Amplifying Ambivalence (Contemplation) Supporting Self-determination; self-determination is an inherent drive within all human beings (Preparation)
COACHING Coaching for Employment (Coaching) is an emerging best practice technique used to help guide a person into and through the latter goal setting stages of change: Preparation, Action, and Maintenance. While using Coaching techniques, ECs use principles of personcentered, relationship-based, and goal driven. Coaching directs behavior, energizes, and encourages persistence. Peg Dawson and Richard Guare, NY, NY 2012 PCG s Human Services Coaching Framework Three fundamental Coaching principles used during the action-based and goal setting stages of the change process: Guiding Self-determination - steer toward participant s dreams using coaching language and assessments such as My Bridge of Strength (Preparation) Unleashing Power - the can do is translated into SMART goals using tools such as Goal Action Plan/GAP (Action) Encouraging Persistence - support and reward progress and outcomes (Maintenance)
SUSTAINABILITY MI coaches and coaching experts WIOA and TANF teams working together to plan circles Monthly practice circles Sharing materials
Q&A
Thank You! Lisa Washington-Thomas Self-Sufficiency Branch Chief Office of Family Assistance Administration for Children and Families 202-401-5141 lwashington-thomas@acf.hhs.gov Yekaterina (Kate) Probert Fagundes Public Assistance Manager Ramsey County Workforce Solutions 952-484-0218 kate.probert@co.ramsey.mn.us Nerita Hughes WIOA Manager Ramsey County Workforce Solutions 612-730-3215 nerita.hughes@co.ramsey.mn.us