Special Executive Committee Meeting Tuesday, March 12, 2019 2799 S. 4 th Street El Centro, CA 92243 12:00 p.m. Executive Committee members please be advised: If an item on the meeting agenda relates to the provision of services by you, your immediate family, the entity you represent, or any person who has made $250 in campaign contributions to you during the last 12 months, or if approval or disapproval of an agenda item would have a foreseeable material affect on an economic interest of you, your immediate family, or the entity you represent, then please follow these procedures: When the agenda item is first introduced, please immediately announce that you are recusing yourself from participating in the agenda item, and then refrain from discussing, voting on, or otherwise influencing the Executive Committee consideration of the agenda item. Supporting documentation is available for public review at the Imperial County Workforce Development Board Office. 1. Call to Order a. Conflict of Interest Forms 2. Discussion of Agenda a. Items to be pulled from Agenda b. Approval of Meeting Agenda 3. Approval of Minutes a. February 26, 2019.…………………………………………………..………………………….p 2 - 3 4. Discussion/Action to approve 2019 Biennial Modification to 2017-2021 Local Workforce Development Plan…………………………………………………………………………………………p 4-43 5. Discussion/Action to approve 2019 Biennial Modification to 2017-2021 Southern Border Regional Workforce Development Plan…………………………………………………………………p 44-92 6. Public Comment: This is an opportunity for members of the public to address the Executive Committee on any subject matter within the Executive Committee’s jurisdiction, but not an item on the agenda. Each speaker should complete and submit a “Public Comment Request to Speak” form to the Executive Committee Chair. When addressing the Executive Committee, state your name for the record prior to providing your comments. Individuals will be given three (3) minutes to address the Committee. 7. Discussion of RN Mentorship Program PY2018-2019 Budget 8. Meeting adjournment “This WIOA Title I financially assisted program or activity is an equal opportunity employer/program,” and “Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.” ACTION AGENDA INFORMATIONAL AGENDA Next Executive Committee Meeting Tuesday, April 23, 2019, at 12:00 p.m.
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Special Executive Committee Meeting
Tuesday, March 12, 2019 2799 S. 4th Street
El Centro, CA 92243 12:00 p.m.
Executive Committee members please be advised: If an item on the meeting agenda relates to the provision of services by you, your immediate family, the entity you represent, or any person who has made $250 in campaign contributions to you during the last 12 months, or if approval or disapproval of an agenda item would have a foreseeable material affect on an economic interest of you, your immediate family, or the entity you represent, then please follow these procedures: When the agenda item is first introduced, please immediately announce that you are recusing yourself from participating in the agenda item, and then refrain from discussing, voting on, or otherwise influencing the Executive Committee consideration of the agenda item. Supporting documentation is available for public review at the Imperial County Workforce Development Board Office.
1. Call to Order a. Conflict of Interest Forms
2. Discussion of Agenda a. Items to be pulled from Agenda b. Approval of Meeting Agenda
3. Approval of Minutes a. February 26, 2019.…………………………………………………..………………………….p 2 - 3
4. Discussion/Action to approve 2019 Biennial Modification to 2017-2021 Local Workforce Development Plan…………………………………………………………………………………………p 4-43
5. Discussion/Action to approve 2019 Biennial Modification to 2017-2021 Southern Border Regional Workforce Development Plan…………………………………………………………………p 44-92
6. Public Comment: This is an opportunity for members of the public to address the Executive Committee on any subject matter within the Executive Committee’s jurisdiction, but not an item on the agenda. Each speaker should complete and submit a “Public Comment Request to Speak” form to the Executive Committee Chair. When addressing the Executive Committee, state your name for the record prior to providing your comments. Individuals will be given three (3) minutes to address the Committee.
7. Discussion of RN Mentorship Program PY2018-2019 Budget
8. Meeting adjournment
“This WIOA Title I financially assisted program or activity is an equal opportunity employer/program,” and “Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.”
ACTION AGENDA
INFORMATIONAL AGENDA
Next Executive Committee Meeting Tuesday, April 23, 2019, at 12:00 p.m.
2799 S. 4th Street El Centro, CA 92243
Executive Committee Minutes of February 26, 2019
Present: Fernando Zavala, Timothy Kelley, Robert Rubio Absent: Karina Alvarez, Elvira Anaya Staff: Priscilla Lopez, Jeffrey Burquist, Timothy Druihet, Allison Duran, Francisca German, Letty Taylor, Camilo Garcia, Martin Robledo, Angelica Padilla, Terry Swing Guests: None Agenda Items
1. Call to Order ICWDB Executive Committee Chair, Fernando Zavala, called the meeting to order at 12:10 p.m. with a quorum present.
1a. Conflict of Interest Forms Members were directed to turn in their Conflict of Interest Forms to staff.
2. Discussion of Agenda 2a. Items to be pulled from Agenda None
2b. Approval of Meeting Agenda Motion made by Robert Rubio and seconded by Timothy Kelley to approve the meeting agenda. Motion carried. 3. Approval of Meeting Minutes for January 22, 2019 Motion made by Timothy Kelley and seconded by Robert Rubio to approve the meeting minutes of January 22, 2019, as presented. Motion carried.
Action Agenda
4. Discussion/Action to approve revised Selective Service Registration Policy Priscilla Lopez, ICWDO Interim Director, introduced the item and overviewed the revisions to the Selective Service Policy in regards to participation in Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Title I funded services.
A motion was made by Roberto Rubio and seconded by Timothy Kelley to approve revised Selective Service Registration Policy as presented. Motion carried. 5. Discussion/Action to approve revised Limited English Proficiency Policy Priscilla Lopez, ICWDO Interim Director, introduced the item and summarized the revisions to the Limited English Proficiency Policy regarding the prohibition against national origin discrimination as it affects
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persons with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) and resources available to assist with language and training translations.
A motion was made by Roberto Rubio and seconded by Timothy Kelley to approve revised Limited English Proficiency Policy as presented. Motion carried.
6. Discussion/Action to approve increase of PY 2018-2019 On-the-Job Training slots
Priscilla Lopez, ICWDO Interim Director, introduced the item and gave an account of the success of the current year On-the-Job (OJT) Training program, costs and the need for additional OJT slots.
A motion was made by Timothy Kelley and seconded by Robert Rubio to approve increase of PY 2018-2019 On-the-Job Training slots as presented. Motion carried.
7. Public Comment Fernando Zavala, ICWDO Executive Committee Chair, asked for a moment of silence for former ICWDB member, Susan Manger, who passed away on January 27, 2019. Ms. Manger was active in Imperial County Workforce related activities and Boards for many years. Ms. Manger’s contributions were acknowledged and committee members expressed their appreciation for her service. A bereavement card will be sent to the family on behalf of the ICWDB.
Mr. Zavala also congratulated and announced that at the Imperial County Board of Supervisors meeting today, ICWDO Interim Director, Priscilla Lopez, was appointed as the Director of Imperial County Workforce and Economic Development Office. Mr. Zavala congratulated her and said he is aware of her leadership, hard work and the support of staff.
Timothy Kelley, Imperial Valley Economic Development Corporation, shared that the Energy Conference will be held at Imperial Valley College, April 22-23, 2019. Mr. Kelley also mention the Economic Summit to be held in May.
8. Treasurer’s Report Allison Duron, Fiscal Manager, summarized the January 31, 2019 Financial Statement. The report reflected the WIOA budget, expenditures, and unexpended funds. Information was also given on the approval today of OJT slots and pending Soft Skills Training.
9. Meeting adjourned
Next Meeting: Tuesday, March 26, 2019, at 12:00 p.m.
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MEETING DATE: March 12, 2019 ITEM: 4 SUBJECT: Discussion/Action to approve 2019 Biennial Modification to
2017 – 2021 Local Workforce Development Plan FROM: Priscilla Lopez, Workforce and Economic Development Office
Director RECOMMENDATION: Imperial County Workforce and Economic Development Office Director recommends to approve and submit 2019 Biennial Modification to 2017-2021 Local Workforce Development Plan as presented to the California Workforce Development Board. BACKGROUND: In accordance with Workforce Services Directive, 18-01 Regional and Local Plans PY 17-21 Two Year Modifications, local boards are required to submit a biennial update pursuant to the changes made to the State Plan by the California Workforce Development Board (State Board) in order to keep local plans consistent with the policy direction of the State Plan. Following requirements of the planning process as set forth by the State Board, during the months of September, October, and November 2018, the ICWDB hosted five community and stakeholder meetings on different topics addressed by the State Board to ensure that interests of client populations were placed at the center of planning conversations. Based on these conversations, the ICWDB 2019 Biennial Modification was developed. Imperial County Community and Stakeholder Sessions: September 27, 2018 – Department of Rehabilitation/Competitive Integrated
Employment October 15, 2018 – Community Forum October 18, 2018 – English Language Learners/Foreign Born/Refugees November 1, 2018 – CalFresh November 26, 2018 – Local Child Support Agencies/Non-Custodial Parents
The public comment period began February 7, 2019 and concluded March 8, 2019. During this period no community input or feedback was received. Local plans must be submitted to the State Board no later than March 15, 2019. A signed copy with signatures of the Chair of the Imperial County Board of Supervisors and Chair of the ICWDB must be submitted no later than August 1, 2019. FISCAL IMPACT:
None
Imperial County Workforce Development Board Executive Committee Action Agenda Item 4
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IMPERIAL COUNTY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD 2019 BIENNIAL MODIFICATION TO 2017-2021 LOCAL PLAN
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PRINCIPAL NARRATIVE Page
I. Introduction II. Collaboration with the CalFresh Employment and Training Program and
Strengthened Partnership with Imperial County Department of Social Services
A. Braiding Resources and Coordinating Service Delivery for People Receiving CalFresh to Participate in Workforce Services, Sector Pathway Programs, Supportive Services and Retention Efforts
B. Workforce System Collaboration with Community Organizations Serving Specific CalFresh Populations
C. Workforce Services Available to People Receiving CalFresh That Are Funded by Local/Regional Partners
D. Partners’ Roles in Helping Provide Services to and Integrating People Receiving CalFresh into Sector Pathway Programs
E. Coordination among Partners to Provide Supportive Services to this Population and Facilitate Program Completion
F. Strategies to Retain Participants in Regional Sector Pathway Programs and Employment
III. Partnership with Imperial County Child Support Services A. Existing Workforce and Education Program Partnerships
1. Partners’ Collaboration to Provide Supportive Services to Enhance Job Retention
2. Comprehensive Services to Facilitate Labor Market Success and Career Advancement
3. Impact of WIOA Eligibility Criteria on Serving the Target Population 4. Other Obstacles to Serving the Child Support Program Population 5. Strategies to Motivate and Support Participation 6. Opportunities for and Obstacles to Local Partnerships
B. Plans for Building Successful Partnerships or Scaling up Existing Successful Partnerships
1. Strategies to Support Participant Retention in Training Programs 2. Existing, New, and Prospective Workforce and Training Partnerships 3. Braiding Resources and Coordinating Service Delivery 4. Coordination with Community-Based Organizations to Serve the Target
Population
5. Referral Processes and Systems C. Working with Imperial County Child Support Services to identify incentives to
increase the success of NCPs’ sustained participation in local workforce programs
IV. Partnerships and Engagement to Support Greater Opportunities for Competitive Integrated Employment
A. AJCC Staff Knowledge and Training Needs about Serving Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities and about Programs and Resources Available for the Target Population
B. Planned Coordination with DOR Point of Contact Regarding Services and Resources for the Target Population Who Are Vocational Rehabilitation Consumers
C. DOR Collaboration in Outreach to Employers and Partners to Support Opportunities for Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities to Achieve Competitive Integrated Employment
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V. Collaborative Strategies to Strengthen Services for English Language Learners, Foreign Born Individuals and Refugees
A. Sharing Resources and Coordinating Services for the Target Population B. Increasing Access to Sector Pathway Programs C. Ensuring the Availability of Support Services D. Promoting Retention in Training, on the Job and in Career Path Progression E. Coordination and Alignment with Other Plans and Planning Partners F. Coordination with the National Farmworker Jobs Program G. Recognizing and Replicating Best Practices
VI. Other Modifications to Imperial County WDB’s 2017-2021 Local Plan A. Imperial County Economy B. Progress on 2017-2021 Local Plan Goals C. Emerging Priorities
SUPPLEMENTAL NARRATIVE Page
Attachment A: Stakeholder and Community Outreach and Involvement in the Two-Year Review of the Local Plan
1. Overall Strategy for Community Outreach and Stakeholder Engagement to Support Modification of the Local Plan
A. Approach to Conducting Population/Partnership-Specific Input Sessions B. Use of an Experienced Facilitator to Guide and Support Discussion C. Capturing Community and Stakeholder Input D. Harnessing Intelligence from On-Going Stakeholder Engagement E. Strengthening Communities of Support around Key Populations and Partnerships
2. Specific Efforts to Outreach to the Community and Engage Stakeholders in Discussions on Imperial County WDB’s New Partnership with CalFresh
A. Outreach Activities B. Efforts to Engage Required CalFresh Partners C. Communication with the State Board regarding CalFresh Forum D. Documentation of Efforts
3. Specific Efforts to Outreach to the Community and Engage Stakeholders in Discussions on Imperial County WDB’s New Partnership with Imperial County Department of Child Support Services
A. Outreach Activities B. Efforts to Engage Required Child Support/Non-Custodial Parent Partners C. Communication with the State Board regarding Child Support/Non-Custodial
Parent Forum
D. Documentation of Efforts 4. Specific Efforts to Outreach to the Community and Engage Stakeholders in
Discussions on Imperial County WDB’s New and Enhanced Partnership with Competitive Integrated Employment Initiative Partners
A. Outreach Activities B. Efforts to Engage Competitive Integrated Employment Partners and Key
Stakeholders
C. Communication with the State Board regarding Competitive Integrated Employment Forum
D. Documentation of Efforts 5. Specific Efforts to Outreach to the Community and Engage Stakeholders in
Discussions on Imperial County WDB’s New and Enhanced Partnership with Organizations Serving English Language Learners, Foreign Born Individuals and Refugees
A. Outreach Activities B. Efforts to Engage Partners and Key Stakeholders in Improving Services to English
Language Learners, Foreign Born Individuals and Refugees
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C. Communication with the State Board regarding Forum on English Language Learners, Foreign Born Individuals and Refugees
D. Documentation of Efforts 6. Efforts to Outreach to the Community and Engage Stakeholders in Discussions on
Imperial County WDB’s Overall Approach to Workforce Programming and Planning through a General Community Forum
A. Outreach Activities B. Efforts to Engage Partners and Key Stakeholders in Providing Input on General
Workforce System Planning
C. Communication with the State Board regarding General Community Forum on Workforce System Planning
D. Documentation of Efforts 7. Publication of Draft for Public Comment
A. Notice on the Availability of the Draft Plan for Public Review and Comment B. Opportunities and Mechanisms for Public Comment C. Results of Invitation for Public Comment D. Documentation of Efforts
Attachment B: CalFresh Participants – Background and Assessment of Need 1. Overview of the Size and Characteristics of the Total CalFresh Recipient Population 2. Overview of the Size and Characteristics of CalFresh E&T Participants 3. Types of Workforce Services Needed by the Target Population 4. Employment Barriers Experienced by the Target Population and Resources Available to
Address Barriers
5. Collaboration between the WDB and Imperial County Human Services Agency 6. Quality and Level of Intensity of Partner Services 7. Information Sharing among Partners Attachment C: Unemployed, Underemployed and Payment Delinquent Non-Custodial Parents – Background and Assessment of Need
1. Areas of High Concentration 2. Percentage of Noncustodial Parents Who Are Unemployed 3. Percentage of Noncustodial Parents Who are Ex-Offenders 4. Other Demographic Information 5. Types of Services Needed by the Targeted Population 6. Services Currently Being Provided and How the Workforce-Child Support Partnership
Will Modify Types and Quantity of Services Provided
7. Barriers Experienced by Child Support Program Participants and Resources to Address Barriers
8. Planned Information Sharing to Evaluate Need Attachment D: Engagement with Local Competitive Integrated Employment Partners 1. Engagement with Local Partners to Increase Competitive Integrated Employment for
Jobseekers with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities
2. Competitive Integrated Employment Partners (List) 3 Planned Coordination with the CIE Local Planning Agreement Partners Attachment E: English Language Learners, Foreign Born Individuals and Refugees – Background and Assessment of Need
1 Overview of Target Population Demographics 2. Barriers to Employment and Specialized Needs of the Target Population 3. Identified Gaps in Workforce System Services for the Target Population 4. Outreach and Recruitment Strategies for the Target Population 5. Coordination and Alignment among Partners in Serving the Target Population 6. Additional Data Concerning Foreign Born Individuals in Imperial County Attachment F: Public Comments in Disagreement with Local Plan Exhibits
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IMPERIAL COUNTY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD
2019 BIENNIAL MODIFICATION TO 2017-2021 LOCAL PLAN - PRINCIPAL NARRATIVE
I. INTRODUCTION To implement California’s Biennial Modification and Review requirements for our 2017-2021 Local Plan, the Imperial County Workforce Development Board’s (WDB) leadership team adopted a strategy that was intensively focused on engaging stakeholders, including those representing businesses and members of the community, in interactive discussions about needs and service strategies for key target populations. Five forums, which were publicized to the community, were held. While one was of a general nature, seeking input on the overall content of the workforce services, the other four focused on the partnerships and populations to be addressed in the Local Plan Modification: A New Partnership with CalFresh and the CalFresh Employment and Training Program A New Partnership with Child Support Services to Service Unemployed, Underemployed and Payment Delinquent
Non-Custodial Parents Enhanced Partnerships with the Department of Rehabilitation and the Disability Service Network to Increase the
use of Competitive Integrated Employment for Persons with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities Improving Services for English, Language Learners, Foreign Born Individuals and Refugees The following narrative addresses the preceding topics and concludes with an economic and programmatic progress update to Imperial County’s 4-year plan. II. COLLABORATION WITH THE CALFRESH EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING PROGRAM AND STRENGTHENED PARTNERSHIP WITH IMPERIAL COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES The Imperial County Department of Social Services (DSS) is responsible for CalWORKS and other public welfare programs, including: Medi-Cal; Welfare to Work, General Assistance and CalFresh. DSS is a one-stop partner and, therefore, is part of the network of agencies that comprise the local workforce development delivery system. CalFresh participants are diverse. They include families, some led by single parents, and individuals. Many are unemployed, while others are low wage earners. In Imperial County, many CalFresh participants live in poverty and rely on other forms of public assistance and social support services. Because the group consists of individuals with many distinct needs, participants are served by all types of education, social services and support organizations in the county, including the America’s Job Center of California (AJCC). Engagement with DSS during the recent planning process revealed the status of CalFresh Employment and Training (E&T) programs in Imperial County. DSS representatives indicated that the County had not yet implemented a CalFresh E&T program. DSS representatives indicated that the department, thus far, had developed only a basic blueprint for what the program might look like in Imperial County. DSS has engaged with State CalFresh E&T program leadership to discuss options and has formulated some ideas for the program design, based on benefits that such a program would provide to CalFresh recipients and opportunities it would create to access the 50% reimbursement for the use of non-federal funds for allowable activities provided to eligible individuals. DSS identified opportunities for a partnership with various programs operated by Imperial Valley College that would be well suited to the target population. In 2019, DSS intends to expand upon its basic concept for the CalFresh E&T program. This process will include development of a fully functional program design that may include, department-administered services or a model using a third-party provider (such as the college). In addition, DSS would prepare a CalFresh E&T Plan and seek approval of the plan from the California Department of Social Services. DSS will apprise the WDB and Imperial County Workforce Development Office (WDO) of its progress in developing plans for implementation of a CalFresh E&T program. With regard to topics concerning alignment, coordination and integration, the responses below address approaches for the general CalFresh population, as the CalFresh E&T program has not yet been implemented. For additional information concerning background and needs assessment of participants in the CalFresh Program in Imperial County, please refer to descriptions provided in Attachment B. A. Braiding Resources and Coordinating Service Delivery for People Receiving CalFresh to Participate in Workforce Services, Sector Pathway Programs, Supportive Services and Retention Efforts: Given the size and diversity of the population that participates in the CalFresh Program, individuals in this target group are served by many of the workforce system partners and allied stakeholders. Workforce services begin with an assessment of participants’ needs and evaluation of their background, experience and circumstances. A service strategy is customized to meet
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education, training and support needs. When CalFresh participants seek services through the AJCC, they are oriented not just to the services provided under WIOA, but to programs and resources available through the one-stop partners and other service agencies. A service plan is developed that addresses their full range of needs, but which has skills development and employment as primary goals. Many CalFresh participants are referred to education partners for training ranging from adult basic education to career technical education courses that prepare them for jobs in local and regional target sectors. Linking participants to community-based resources for housing, medical, legal and other services is part of a braided strategy to ensure participants are equipped to complete training and succeed in the workplace. B. Workforce System Collaboration with Community Organizations Serving Specific CalFresh Populations: For CalFresh participants, a wide range of strategies are used by the workforce system to coordinate and leverage resources from stakeholders of all types. Individuals with particular circumstances and barriers (e.g. job seekers with disabilities, formerly incarcerated individuals, migrant and seasonal farmworkers) will often qualify for specific types of funding and programs, and, in some cases, are referred by those programs to the AJCCs and other workforce system providers. County and state justice system agencies, WIOA Section 167 Farmworker programs, the State Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) and other disabilities services agencies, veterans services programs, programs serving seniors and other organizations with a unique, population-specific focus are part of the workforce system’s extended network. Referrals, co-enrollments and service coordination are commonplace among stakeholders. C. Workforce Services Available to People Receiving CalFresh That Are Funded by Local/Regional Partners: The types of services available to CalFresh participants are outlined above. Again, the diversity of the population suggests that needs vary significantly. Stakeholders indicate that many in this target group have low levels of educational attainment and few skills with which to compete in the current labor market. The nine education agencies that make up the Imperial County Adult Education Consortium offer a wide array of basic education, literacy, ESL and career technical education programs to which CalFresh participants will be referred. Most organizations serving CalFresh individuals do not use CalFresh enrollment status as a basis for eligibility/participation and do not record this data. Therefore, baseline service levels for most education, training and support programs are not available. Some programs and providers do collect information regarding their participants’ CalFresh status. For example, in PY 2017-18, the WDO, through the AJCCs, served a total of 141 CalFresh participants in our WIOA Title I formula-funded programs. Even without the availability of baseline service levels, the recent Biennial Modification planning and the community and stakeholder engagement process have made clear that there is potential to serve a greater number of CalFresh participants in workforce development and career technical education programs by the partners’ working together to promote services to this population. Under the WDB’s leadership, the one-stop partners will work together with DSS to identify and develop strategies to specifically market workforce and training programs for CalFresh participants. In addition, the WDO and DSS have agreed to develop a referral system specific to the CalFresh population to encourage participants to take advantage of AJCC and workforce system services. D. Partners’ Roles in Helping Provide Services to and Integrating People Receiving CalFresh into Sector Pathway Programs: The WDO, DSS and the full range of local workforce system partners are all committed to ensuring that participants’ training and employment preparation are focused on demand occupations within priority sectors that hold promise for career advancement, wage gains and a family supporting income. Over the last several years, the Imperial County WDO has been focused on providing career exploration, service planning, career guidance, case management, work-based learning and referrals to training that are sector pathway-focused, concentrating on demand industries that are creating jobs and are stimulating economic growth throughout the region. Participants benefit from this focus by participating in services designed to qualify them for jobs that will lead to careers with good wages and benefits. Career pathway training available to CalFresh participants includes, but is not limited to, courses designed to meet changing needs in manufacturing; training to prepare workers for jobs in the growing transportation/logistics sector in the county; and a wide range of programs to prepare students for entry-level and higher positions in healthcare. E. Coordination among Partners to Provide Supportive Services to this Population and Facilitate Program Completion: WIOA, CalFresh, the Rehabilitation Act and many other programs for which some CalFresh participants may qualify allow a portion of funds to be used to provide a variety of support that enables participation in services and training and successful transition to employment. For individuals needing supportive services (e.g. housing,
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transportation, childcare) that may exceed the resources available through public workforce and education programs, referrals are made to public and non-profit providers throughout the county, which are described throughout this Local Plan Modification narrative. As indicated above, the delivery of services to CalFresh and other workforce system participants begins with assessment and service planning. These services are critical in determining support needs and form the basis for designing a program of support that will ensure a participant’s success. Additional information on supportive services is provided in Attachment B. F. Strategies to Retain Participants in Regional Sector Pathway Programs and Employment: AJCC staff and representatives of our workforce services partners (e.g. EDD, DOR, local education agencies) orient all prospective candidates to workforce, education and training services that are available to support their career goals. This is followed by assessment and service planning that not only ensure that suitable workforce services are identified, but that customers understand the actions required to advance on a career path that will pay family sustaining wages. These include gaining work experience in an occupation and, frequently, continuing education and training to secure credentials that businesses recognize and value. Services, including counseling and case management, provide encouragement to motivate participants to complete training and pursue their career objectives. III. PARTNERSHIP WITH IMPERIAL COUNTY CHILD SUPPORT SERVICES The workforce system’s partnership with the Imperial County Child Support Services (CSS) represents the enhancement of an existing relationship among the WDO, the AJCCs and Child Support. Currently, referrals may be made from Child Support to the AJCCs pursuant to a court order, requiring job search activity in exchange for meeting a specified obligation and the reinstatement of revoked licenses. While this approach is yielding some success, as a result of the WDO’s recent stakeholder engagement process, CSS and the WDO have agreed to develop an MOU that outlines a structured relationship for cross-referrals. The WDO, CSS and the entire network of one-stop partners are fully committed to building a strong partnership to improve employment outcomes for NCPs with child support orders. For background information on the target group and an assessment of need, please refer to descriptions provided in Attachment C. A. Existing Workforce and Education Program Partnerships 1. Partners’ Collaboration to Provide Supportive Services to Enhance Job Retention: The population comprising non-custodial parents with child support orders, who are unemployed, underemployed or payment delinquent, is extremely diverse and experiences a vast array of circumstances. Some individuals are completely disconnected from the labor market, having never worked a traditional job and possessing few marketable skills. Others may be formerly incarcerated individuals, including those who are recently released and, therefore, unemployed. Still others may be English language learners, persons with disabilities, disconnected youth or older workers. Some, as a result of their circumstances, are homeless, lack transportation, and need a combination of services to meet basic needs. The common thread among them is their status with regard to child support payments, employment and the ability to command family supporting wages within the marketplace. Given the diversity of the population and the spectrum of support needs that is likely to exist, AJCC staff will work individually with each non-custodial parent to determine supportive service needs. Staff is experienced in assessing needs at various levels and in surveying the community for resources. Foremost on the list of support services to be addressed are those corresponding to fundamental needs such as food, housing and clothing. While WIOA and other federally-funded programs that comprise the one-stop partners may be able to make support funds available on a one-time basis or for short-term interventions to meet these needs, AJCC staff has developed linkages with local organizations to address these needs. AJCC and workforce system partner staff will also work with NCP customers to determine if there may be resources within their personal networks (e.g. family members, friends) that may be able to assist with fundamental support needs. Other “stabilizing” services may include counseling and health services, which can be obtained through referrals to a wide range of agencies, including behavioral and other public health services and community clinics. Support services that enable participation in training and a successful transition to employment generally include assistance with transportation, work-related clothing, tools and similar services. Such services are available from WIOA, through other one-stop/AJCC partners and through various community agencies. To build a stronger network of support for this population, case managers from all organizations will confer regularly to ensure that the full range of customers’ support needs continue to be met throughout program participation and in the months following employment. 2. Comprehensive Services to Facilitate Labor Market Success and Career Advancement: As indicated above, AJCC staff and representatives of our workforce services partners (e.g. EDD, DOR, local education agencies) orient all
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prospective candidates to workforce, education and training services that are available to support their career goals. This is followed by assessment and service planning that not only ensure that suitable workforce services are identified, but that customers understand the actions required to advance on a career path that will pay family sustaining wages. These include gaining work experience in an occupation and, for many, continuing their education and training after starting a job to secure credentials that businesses recognize and value. Staff will work with each NCP to develop short-, mid- and long-range employment goals. Based on the child support obligations of targeted NCPs, the partners recognize that they have a need to identify employment paying wages sufficient to meet these obligations and provide enough remaining income so that the NCP can support him/herself. CSS and other stakeholders strongly emphasized the need to concentrate on jobs paying a living wage. Therefore, staff may recommend that NCPs consider employment options where an entry-level worker can earn relatively good wages after minimal training or while learning on the job. Among the regional priority industries offering such opportunities are manufacturing and transportation and logistics, and construction. Once the NCP is working and meeting support obligations, s/he can take advantage of training programs that will offer opportunities for even higher wages in these industries or in other sectors, such as healthcare 3. Impact of WIOA Eligibility Criteria on Serving the Target Population: Imperial County CSS and other system partners that serve targeted NCPs indicated that two features of WIOA eligibility criteria may impact the ability of NCPs to participate in federally-funded workforce services. These are registration for selective service and documentation of right to work, which affects a significant number of targeted individuals in Imperial County. With regard to selective service, local boards can review circumstances and have the authority to “forgive” the non-compliance with registration requirements, allowing non-registrants to participate in WIOA. The state has recently published guidance on required collection of right to work documentation for various services under WIOA. While NCPs lacking documentation could use resource information at the center and be referred to non-federally-funded programs for assistance, the AJCC would be unable to provide such individuals WIOA individualized services. 4. Other Obstacles to Serving the Child Support Program Population: Local Child Support professionals and others that work with the NCP population have indicated that the only significant obstacle to providing workforce services to the Child Support Program population is individual NCPs themselves. Based on workforce-child support pilots that have been implemented elsewhere (such as Los Angeles County) and on their own experience working with this population, stakeholders anticipate that many NCPs referred to WIOA/AJCC services will be interested in the opportunity to prepare for jobs that can lead to family-supporting wages and in CSS “incentives,” which are described below. Still, others will not initially be convinced that any “public program” to which Imperial County CSS is making referrals would be beneficial, as they have a negative perception of the agency. According to stakeholders, many individuals that are in significant arrears on child support payment are so distrustful of Child Support Services and “the government” in general that they work exclusively in the underground economy, where they pay no taxes and their funds, however limited, remain out of reach. All agree on the long-term ill effects this has on NCPs. Key to making the new partnership work will be the stakeholders’ developing and promoting messages to NCPs that are benefits-focused and clearly demonstrates that workforce services offer a path to in-demand jobs, careers and good wages. Imperial County CSS leadership and staff acknowledged that perceptions and messaging are core issues and that altering perceptions about the child support agency is critical. 5. Strategies to Motivate and Support Participation: Imperial County Child Support Services’ first priority is to ensure that the county’s children are financially supported and well cared for. Department staff attempts to make children the motivating force for NCPs to meet their support obligations. CSS has at its disposal a series of “enforcement tools,” such a revocation of drivers’ and professional licenses, attachment of wages, and imposing liens. Conversely, there are several “motivation tools” that CSS may utilize to encourage NCPs to take advantage of workforce programs and services. Among these are: restoration of licenses; revisiting support orders to ensure they reflect the current circumstances of the NCP; and deferring or lessening the requirement for payment during the time in which NCPs are engaged in workforce services, training and job search. CSS is prepared to use the “incentives” described above to encourage NCP’s efforts to gain skills, engage in job search, and be successful in their careers. 6. Opportunities for and Obstacles to Local Partnerships: No significant obstacles have been identified to stakeholders’ engaging in a meaningful and productive partnership. B. Plans for Building Successful Partnerships or Scaling up Existing Successful Partnerships 1. Strategies to Support Participant Retention in Training Programs: Communication and the ability to make referrals from the workforce system currently exist, but these fall short of a comprehensive and unified approach. Under a more
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structured partnership, the WDO and CSS will develop an MOU that will frame roles, responsibilities and processes associated with their enhanced partnership. Among the provisions of the agreement is a commitment to maintain communication on the services and outcomes of participants, thereby encouraging both agencies to support participants in achieving their employment and wage goals. Providing supportive services and leveraging “incentive tools” from Child Support Services will be key strategies to encourage participants’ retention in training and services. AJCC staff and partners will assist customers in setting goals and devising long-range career plans, which may include multi-year, multi-step processes to gain work experience and develop high-demand technical skills. The planning process will provide a “road map” for participants to progress on a career path on which experience and attainment of skills and credentials will increase earning power and enable them to earn family sustaining wages. 2. Existing, New, and Prospective Workforce and Training Partnerships: As described above, a working referral relationship already exists between the workforce system and DCSS. However, a newly drafted MOU will provide structure and establish processes that will improve the effectiveness of the relationship. The MOU will outline the purpose of the agreement, roles of each department, shared responsibilities and confidentiality requirements. Incorporated into the agreement are: provisions for referrals of NPCs from Child Support to the AJCC and from the AJCC to Child Support; a consent and release form pertaining to sharing specific types of information between the two agencies; and mechanisms for AJCCs to report workforce program activities and employment outcomes to Child Support. The Imperial County partners expect that the MOU will be finalized and executed no later than July 1, 2019. 3. Braiding Resources and Coordinating Service Delivery: By entering into an MOU with the WDO, the Child Support system immediately becomes connected to the entire workforce system, including the WIOA-mandated one-stop partners and a host of local government programs, community agencies, and faith-based organizations that are stakeholders in and contributors to workforce service delivery. AJCC staff will function as the principal case managers for NCPs enrolled in workforce programs, but will make referrals and promote co-enrollments to training and service partners, thereby accessing additional resources. 4. Coordination with Community-Based Organizations to Serve the Target Population: Given the diverse nature of the target population and the fact that NCPs, generally, do not identify themselves as such, local CBOs are not aware of the number individuals from this population that they are serving. AJCC staff is often unaware that a customer has an order for payment of child support. Staff indicates that an issue signaling payment delinquency is a customer having a suspended drivers’ license. During the stakeholder engagement process, representatives of GEO Re-entry Services, which serves formerly incarcerated individuals, indicated that nearly 80% of the organization’s clients in Imperial County have a child support enforcement order. The organization offers relationship and parenting classes to help the individuals plan for a better future and to interact productively with children that they may not have seen in a long time. The organization takes an assets-based approach to working with clients, having them focus on goal setting and planning as they chart a course to success. 5. Referral Processes and Systems: The Imperial County partners plan to implement a structured referral process and forms like ones used elsewhere in the state. The parties to the MOU will follow a referral process where Child Support communicates with a designated single point of contact (liaison) at the AJCC about customers being referred. Child Support will also assign a liaison as a single point of content. Child Support will provide customers a referral form that identifies them to AJCC staff as Child Support participants. When a referred customer registers at the AJCC, center staff will notify Child Support of the enrollment and workforce activities, providing updates no less than quarterly. This notification will include information that communicates that the referred individual has registered or enrolled and the services he or she is participating in. It will also include a consent and release form signed by the participant. While it is anticipated that most referrals will come from Child Support to the AJCC, referrals from the centers to CSS may also occur (in a case, for instance, where a participant needs to get a drivers’ license reinstated). Staff will send referrals to CSS for registered customers only. C. Working with the Local Child Support Agency to Identify Incentives to Increase the Success of Non-Custodial Parents Sustained Participation in Local Workforce Programs Tools and incentives to promote participation and retention are those described under item II.A.5, above. IV. PARTNERSHIPS AND ENGAGEMENT TO SUPPORT GREATER OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMPETITIVE INTEGRATED EMPLOYMENT In September 2018, the Imperial County WDB convened stakeholders from the disability services community and other interested parties in a forum focused on use of CIE. Among those invited were representatives of the local agencies
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that represent the state CIE partners: the El Centro Branch of the Inland Empire DOR District Office; the San Diego Regional Center’s Imperial County facility; and the Imperial County Office of Education’s Special Education Department, along with other local education agencies (LEAs). An LPA for Imperial County is under development, and will be based on the model used in neighboring San Diego County. Given the content and structure of the San Diego LPA, the local partners anticipate that the purpose of the LPA for Imperial County will be to enhance and strengthen partnerships that promote the career preparation and successful placement of youth and adults with disabilities into competitive, integrated employment (CIE). The primary target group will be those identified as having an intellectual and/or developmental disability (ID/DD) and may include others whose disability creates similar barriers to employment. The LPA will identify the core partners (i.e. DOR District Office, regional center and LEAs) and describe the intention of the LPA core partners to identify and leverage the talents and resources of community partners and programs. The San Diego agreement indicates that community partners are local entities whose mission, goals, and primary purpose are aligned with the LPA and that are focused on increasing the number of youth and adults with disabilities that will become successfully employed in an integrated setting, earning a competitive wage, and in a career or job that meets their vocational desires or goals. Included among the community partners are: the AJCC system; community colleges and universities; career technical education programs; community rehabilitation programs; behavioral health; foster youth programs; independent living centers; family resource centers; and local chambers of commerce. As similar organizations operate in Imperial County and have expressed an interest in supporting the goals of the statewide CIE Blueprint and the local initiative, it is widely expected that these organizations will be included as community partners in the Imperial County LPA. Regardless of the exact content of the LPA once finalized, it is clear that the agreement will build on a strong foundation, as there is an active and collaborative array of public and private organizations in Imperial County that serve individuals with disabilities, including those with ID/DD. Among them are: the LPA core partners: education partners of all types: the WDB, the AJCCs and the workforce system network; and a group of non-profits committed to serving the disability community. This latter group includes, but is not limited to: Toward Maximum Independence, ARC Industries and Access to Independence. The work of the Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) agencies alone is significant in the county. Currently, there are 15 SELPA classrooms operating within 10 districts providing pre-employment and employment services to a wide range of students with mild to moderate disabilities. It is not yet clear if the LPA will specify a role of the WDB, the AJCCs or the workforce system in supporting DOR’s business outreach efforts in connection with the CIE initiative. For additional information on the LPA partners and anticipated plans to increase the availability of CIE in Imperial County, please refer to descriptions provided in Attachment D. A. AJCC Staff Knowledge and Training Needs about Serving Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities and about Programs and Resources Available for the Target Population: Both Imperial County WDO/AJCC staff and managers and staff representing the system partners have expressed interest in training from the LPA partners about the workforce-related needs and barriers of individuals with ID and DD, as the workforce system, overall, has limited experience working with this target group. The local board and its partners have significant experience serving individuals with disabilities, but many providers acknowledge the need for CIE-specific training. The partners identified several topics for additional training. These include: navigating the workforce system on behalf of individuals with disabilities; primer in disabilities resources for employment and related services; understanding reasonable accommodations; managing family dynamics; working with clients through adult transition; and understanding social security benefits and the effect of employment on these benefits. DOR representatives have indicated that the agency’s Work Incentive Planner can provide training on working with individuals receiving SSI or SSA to understand the impact of employment on these benefits. State guidance on the CIE initiative indicates that DOR and State Board leadership will ensure that training is available for AJCC staff and that the DOR District Office will assign a point of contact to support the workforce system’s CIE activities. Once this occurs, Imperial County WDB will work with state and local CIE partners to secure training for AJCC staff and system stakeholders. B. Planned Coordination with DOR Point of Contact Regarding Services and Resources for the Target Population Who Are Vocational Rehabilitation Consumers: Imperial County WDO has not yet been assigned a DOR point of contact for the CIE expansion initiative. We intend to work closely with our DOR-assigned contact to engage with contractors that serve the target population and to coordinate our services with the LPA partners. C. DOR Collaboration in Outreach to Employers and Partners to Support Opportunities for Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities to achieve Competitive Integrated Employment: Imperial County WDO
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and AJCC representatives currently collaborate with DOR to serve customers with disabilities. Supporting DOR’s and the LPA’s business outreach efforts to expand the use of CIE would be a natural extension of our current, productive working relationship. While DOR has not communicated to the WDO its goals or its approach to increasing CIE opportunities through the LPA, we envision being able to support DOR’s efforts in several ways. These include: Identifying businesses within the County that employ individuals in jobs that would be suitable for CIE, ensuring
that opportunities are identified that complement the various capabilities of individuals in the ID/DD target group; Developing a CIE-specific business outreach plan for the County; Establishing a unified strategy for promoting CIE candidates to local businesses, again taking into consideration
individual capabilities and needs; Making direct contact with business representatives on behalf of LPA customers; and Orienting employers to CIE, developing work-based learning agreement and ensuring the necessary services and
supports are in place to promote successful job placement. Following DOR’s assignment of a CIE liaison, which we anticipate will occur in early 2019, the Imperial County WDO will work with DOR and the LPA partners to define our specific role in the CIE business outreach process. V. COLLABORATIVE STRATEGIES TO STRENGTHEN SERVICES FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS, FOREIGN BORN INDIVIDUALS AND REFUGEES In Imperial County, of the approximately 183,830 people who call the county home, nearly eight-five percent is Hispanic or Latino and nearly one-third is foreign-born. The vast majority of immigrants are from Mexico, with which Imperial County shares a border. English language learners (ELLs), foreign-born individuals, refugees and immigrants comprise a significant portion of the county’s population and of its current and future workforce. They are critical to every aspect of the local economy, working across all key industries and providing the foundation for the agriculture industry, which remains crucial to the local and regional prosperity. Investments in this target group are essential to the well-being and economic vitality of the county. The WDB understands that ELLs are a diverse population with a wide range of needs. Some individuals are just learning English, while others have developed a level of fluency that enables them to take advantage of training and upskilling opportunities that will make them candidates for jobs in the region’s priority sectors, which often provide better wages and career advancement potential than jobs in other industries. Imperial County’s current 4-year plan recognizes the tremendous need for training to assist residents in improving their language skills. However, like border regions throughout the Southwestern United States, communities and economies in Imperial County tend to exist along a continuum of bilingualism, where it is possible and, even common, for workplaces to be 100% Spanish-speaking. This is often true in agriculture, warehousing, and some sub-sets of manufacturing, particularly in food production. Better paying jobs, such as those that exist within healthcare, government and other priority sectors, generally require a strong command of English. The WDB recognizes that many county residents need to improve their English proficiency to be eligible for employment opportunities that will provide a middle class income. However, it is often difficult to persuade adult workers of the benefits of studying English to improve career opportunities and increase their earning potential. This challenge will remain a focus of the workforce system partners. For background information on the target group and an assessment of need, please refer to descriptions provided in Attachment E. A. Sharing Resources and Coordinating Services for the Target Population: The narrative that follows describes the various ways that stakeholders in Imperial County work in collaboration and partnership to address the workforce needs of immigrants, refugees and English language learners. Imperial County WDB plays a central role in coordinating agencies, programs and employment-related resources. B. Increasing Access to Sector Pathway Programs: Stakeholders continue to emphasize the importance of English language skills acquisition and the positive effects of English fluency on one’s earning potential and ability to advance in a career path. English-as-a-Second Language (ESL) training is available through agencies that comprise the adult education consortium and through local community-based organizations. While assisting English language learners in improving their fluency and attaining academic credentials is fundamental to increasing their prospects for well-paid jobs, for most in this target group, the need to earn a family-supporting income is critical. Imperial County workforce system partners (including the AJCC, education providers and CBOs) recognize that this target group needs long-term interventions that will include on-ramps and off-ramps from education to better jobs and careers. While many immigrants in Imperial County have worked in agriculture, workforce system partners are successful in assisting job seekers find entry-level employment in other priority sector careers. Industries where immigrants and those learning
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English are experiencing success include manufacturing, transportation/logistics and, to a lesser extent, construction, all of which offer a path to good wages with minimal time spent in formal training. C. Ensuring the Availability of Support Services: The AJCC staff assesses each participant’s need for services to support their participation in training and job search and their success on the job. The target population is diverse, ranging from those who completed college in their home countries, to immigrants with low literacy in their native languages. And, while economic circumstances may vary, the vast majority of individuals in the target group are low income and they generally have limited skills with which to compete in the labor market. Because of limited resources and the frequent need to participate in multiple activities and services, access to various forms of support can be critical. In addition to utilizing a portion of Imperial County’s WIOA Title I allocation to provide a variety of support, AJCC staff works closely with partners to secure support services for customers. Public agencies are critical partners in providing support services to job seekers served by the AJCCs and other organizations that make up the local workforce development system. Among these are the county’s Department of Social Services; Public Health Department; Behavioral Health Department; Imperial Valley Transit; and Imperial Valley Housing Authority. Supplementing these services is a network of non-profit organizations including: Imperial Valley Food Bank; the LGBT Center; SER-Jobs for Progress; United Way; Calexico Neighborhood House; and the Sister Evelyn Mourey Center, which provides emergency shelter, food and clothing. Faith-based organizations are also crucial partners. Justice for Our Neighbors, a project of the United Methodist Immigration Ministry, provides a wide range of services, such as: legal services, and assistance to the asylum-seekers and undocumented children. D. Promoting Retention in Training, on the Job and in Career Path Progression: The keys to promoting the progression of immigrant job seekers into self-sustaining and family-supporting careers are: career information; career planning; and the availability of flexible and modular services offering a variety of on- and off-ramps. The workforce system partners and allied stakeholders all recognize the need to balance the immediate income needs of the target group with their need to build language and technical skills that will qualify them for well-paid jobs. Developing this balance starts by making available comprehensive information about the labor market and careers in the region. Using this information, stakeholders assist customers in devising long-range career plans, which may include multi-year, multi-step processes to gain work experience and develop technical skills. The more flexible and diverse services are, the greater the likelihood that participants will remain engaged or periodically re-engage over the long-term. Community-based and education partners offer resources for such engagement. The availability of training and services during the evening, on weekends, during agricultural “slow-down” periods and at remote locations all contribute to customers taking advantage of services over time. E. Coordination and Alignment with Other Plans and Planning Partners: The local workforce services plan most closely aligned to the mission and objectives of the Imperial County WDO and the local workforce system is the 2018-2019 Annual Plan update to the Three-Year Plan of the Imperial County Adult Education Consortium. The Consortium’s plan update provides the following information with regard to the ELL and immigrant target population: Key accomplishments in 2017-18 included: increased courses and class offerings in the areas of ESL and
HSE/HSD; continued provision of courses to assist adults learning English to support their children in school, and/or gain/advance in employment and education opportunities and acquisition of US citizenship; increased offerings for ESL students to learn skills to obtain employment or open small businesses; and implementation of instruction in the area of EL Civics to help students understand and navigate governmental, educational, workplace systems and key institutions, such as banking and healthcare.
As the consortium is gearing up for the development of a new three-year plan, one of its priorities is the continued use of local data regarding the high need for ESL and HSD/HSE, as well as feedback from students and stakeholders regarding new programs that are appropriate to meet the unique needs of the community.
Among the new strategies and budget priorities for the current year are: collaborating with community agencies to promote local adult education programs to increase knowledge of offerings in ESL and HSD/HSE; and focusing on leveraging resources to provide foundational courses to support adult learners to learn English, earn their High School diploma or equivalency and provide workforce preparation.
F. Coordination with the National Farmworker Jobs Program: The Center of Employment Training (CET) is the WIOA Section 167 grantee in Imperial County. In 2016, CET, along with the other AJCC partners, entered into a new MOU with Imperial County WDB. CET is a private, non-profit organization offering open-entry employment training and has a proven track record of excellence over decades of partnering with the farmworker community. Programs in
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vocational training, ESL, and GED preparation emphasize the development of locally marketable skills with a philosophy of educating the whole person, maximizing self-sufficiency, and decreasing dependency on other direct aid programs. CET also offers referrals for child care while parents are working, supportive services for food and health care, legal services, and immigration and citizenship guidance. In Imperial County, CET operates from a 14,000 sq. ft. campus in El Centro. From this location, CET offers vocational training for the following occupations: Accounting Clerk, Green Building/Construction Skills, Truck Driver, Welding Fabrication, and Retail Operations Specialist, with the last two being WIOA Eligible Training Provider List-approved courses with the WDB. Per the terms of the current MOU, referrals between CET's WIOA Section 167 programs and services and those of the WDB and other partners are made through established referral forms and procedures. Through its other locations (such as Northern California), CET provides additional services, such as an immigrant and citizenship program, which is accredited by the U.S. Department of Justice. G. Recognizing and Replicating Best Practices: The stakeholders in Imperial County recognize that addressing the needs of a large and very diverse immigrant population is challenging. Government and community organizations are adept at pooling resources, making cross-agency referrals and otherwise collaborating to meet basic and social service needs. As indicated, the workforce development partners rely substantially on support providers to address basic needs, so that residents are sufficiently stable to pursue job training and career development services. Stakeholders suggest that the key to moving large numbers of individuals from low wage employment to better opportunities will be developing and offering more modular and stackable credential programs, where those working full-time or seasonally can acquire skills for employment and return later to build upon these skills. Without exception, the partners agree that increasing English fluency is foundational to career opportunities and advancement. Identifying new and better ways to teach English to the target population remains a regional and local priority. VI. OTHER MODIFICATIONS TO IMPERIAL COUNTY WDB 2017-2021 LOCAL PLAN While not a requirement of the biennial modification, Imperial County WDB is taking advantage of the option to address “other factors affecting the implementation” of our local plan. Specifically, the narrative that follows: provides a brief, updated economic forecast; addresses progress on several of the goals established in our current four-year plan; and includes summaries of several workforce priorities that emerge during the stakeholder and community engagement process conducted in conjunction with the development of this modification. A. Imperial County Economy1: As virtually every workforce and economic plan developed for Imperial County indicates, the region has a number of economic challenges and often carries the unfortunate distinction of having the state’s and, sometimes, the nation’s highest unemployment rate. The unemployment rate in the Imperial County was 17.3 percent in December 2018, which is a remarkable improvement from a high of 23.6 percent in 2016. It is still much higher than most parts of California. The rate is attributable in large part to the number of seasonal workers employed in agriculture who are unemployed for several months each year. The county gained 1,300 jobs in 2017, a 2.0 percent growth rate, which is similar to other areas of the state. The county’s two most prominent industries are agriculture and government, with the latter adding a significant number of jobs within recent years. Between 2018 and 2023, nearly 80% of job creation will occur in education, healthcare and government. Construction will also see some gains, as an average of 350 new housing units will be added each year through 2023. The foregoing gains are attributable to population growth due to new births (2,100 annually). Net migration will remain low, with a projected average of 220 migrants entering the county annually over the next four years. B. Progress on 2017-2021 Local Plan Goals: Following is a summary of goals stated in the WDB’s local plan: Local Area Operations and Service Delivery Goals 1. Explore opportunities to bring additional resources to the County for English language skills training. 2. Identify alternate methods and best practices in English language skills training 3. Convene training workgroup to discuss opportunities for career pathway development for regional priority sectors 4.Investigate options for using technology to reach customers at remote locations 5. Working with local economic development/community partners, consider new strategies for layoff aversion 6. Develop a plan to increase incumbent worker training 7. Further refine the roles and responsibilities of AJCC partners 8. Review and evaluate continuous quality improvement systems
1 Principally excerpted from a 2018-2023 economic forecast summary published by the California Department of Transportation.
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Goals Pertaining to Regional Coordination and Planning 1. Support sector-focused research 2. Contribute to the development of regional sector pathways 3. Participate in human-centered design training 4. Support the development of an e-portal for work-based learning 5. Support regional and statewide efforts for unifying data collection/management across programs and fund streams The foregoing all remain active goals under the four-year plan. The WDO, along with our system partners have made progress in several areas. In the area of operations and service delivery, we have continued to work with education agencies and community partners to identify opportunities to increase the availability and access of English skills instruction. Likewise, education agencies are working to develop additional courses and to add more capacity to programs for which there is strong labor market demand. Progress has also been made in strengthening the workforce system partnership, as co-location with the Wagner-Peyser and other programs has been completed at our comprehensive AJCC. On the regional front, we continue to collaborate with the San Diego Workforce Partnership and our Regional Organizer is doing an excellent job sharing information between the boards and identifying opportunities for our very different local workforce areas to align strategies. C. Emerging Priorities: Over the course of the various community forums held to gather input on topics to be addressed in the local plan modification, several themes emerged that could be adopted as priorities for the local workforce system. The sessions were well attended and the dialog that occurred benefitted from a range of “voices” that included agencies that the WDB interacts with regularly and organizations with which we have less frequent contact. Across the range of ideas shared and opinions that were expressed, the following issues resonated throughout the discussions and are slated for further consideration by WDB leadership and system stakeholders. Expanding Reach to Rural Areas: Approximately two-thirds of the County’s population resides in the four largest cities (El Centro, Calexico, Brawley and Imperial). However, more than 60,000 people live is small towns and rural communities, some of which are remote from the main population hubs. As public transportation to and from many of these communities is minimal, stakeholders suggest that workforce, education and human services agencies work together to devise strategies to increase access to services. Among the recommendations made to provide services to rural and remote areas of the county was bringing services to residents on a regular basis, so that an expectation of service availability (e.g. days, times, location) could be established. Another recommendation was to explore options to increase broadband capacity and access to the internet, so that residents could connect to services online. Focus on Building Customer Service and Other Soft Skills: The need for “soft skills” – workplace-required attitudes, behaviors, characteristics and talents – applies to all workers and every target group served by the workforce system partners. However, stakeholders indicate that the need for “soft skills” development for workers in Imperial County is significant, as is the need for training in customer service skills. Greater attention needs to be given to ensuring that all workers have a strong foundation in these areas and the stakeholders agreed that new strategies and approaches to developing these skills in workers of all ages would be beneficial. Expand Vocational Training Options: The Imperial County economy is becoming more diverse. While agriculture remains the base industry, more jobs are becoming available across a wide range of sectors, where industrial, mechanical and technical skills are needed. The partners agree that the WDB, public education, economic development and community-based training providers need to continue to work together to identify training needs and develop new programs, including work-based training programs. Make Greater Use Registered Apprenticeships: There are several apprenticeships offered by the building trades that provide opportunities for Imperial County residents to become skilled in occupations that pay excellent wages. For example, IBEW representatives report that, after completing its 5-year apprenticeship, Electricians can earn an hourly wage of $40 to $50. Stakeholders agree that the workforce system should place a greater emphasis on informing and preparing job seekers to take advantage of apprenticeship opportunities. Explore New Methods to Broadcast Information about Services: Perhaps more than any other area in California, a varied and multi-faceted approach to publicizing the availability of workforce development services is needed in Imperial County. Because broadcast television comes from Yuma, AZ, television is not an ideal medium for messaging to potential customers. There is no single countywide newspaper and the bilingual nature of the county has consumers split in their language preferences for receiving information. Stakeholders recommended that strategies make greater use of social media (e.g. Facebook) which reaches individuals.
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ATTACHMENT A SUPPLEMENTAL NARRATIVE
STAKEHOLDER AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND INVOLVEMENT IN THE
TWO-YEAR REVIEW OF THE LOCAL PLAN
Imperial County WDB initiated a process for the biennial review and modification of our local plan that involved not only management and staff of our agency, but a wide range of workforce system partners, local stakeholders and representatives of the communities that we serve. The content of Imperial County WDB’s Local Plan Modification has been significantly influenced by organizations and individuals that are committed to developing and maintaining a well prepared and capable workforce. 1. Overall Strategy for Community Outreach and Stakeholder Engagement to
Support Modification of the Local Plan
The primary method of obtaining community and stakeholder input on the Local Plan Modification was to invite participation in a series of five public forums. Four of the forums were focused on the principal partnerships and populations to be addressed by the Plan Modification and the fifth was a general community forum, during which participants were asked to share ideas and recommendations on priorities that should shape workforce development service delivery in Imperial County. At the opening of each forum, participants were of informed of the session’s objectives, which were:
To give stakeholders and the community the opportunity to weigh in on the
needs of the target group being discussed; To learn from providers, stakeholders and customers about best practices in
meeting service needs; To identify gaps in services; and To hear recommendations for improving the content, availability and quality of
services for the target group under consideration. A. Approach to Conducting Population/Partnership-Specific Input
Sessions: For each of the five (5) forums, an agenda was published in advance to inform stakeholders and members of the community what, specifically, would be discussed. The sessions were, generally, scheduled for two hours. The forums addressed the following topics: 1. Collaborating with CalFresh Employment and Training Programs 2. Improving Services to Individuals with Disabilities through
Competitive Integrated Employment
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3. Improving Coordination and Collaboration among Stakeholders to Strengthen Services to English Language Learners, Foreign Born Individuals and Refugees
4. Strengthening Partnerships with Local Child Support Agencies to Serve Non-Custodial Parents
5. Community Forum on Local Workforce Planning
The general community forum was held after regular work hours to enable members of the community to participate.
B. Use of an Experienced Facilitator to Guide and Support Discussion
To promote neutrality and encourage open input during the forums, Imperial County WDB engaged David Shinder to serve as facilitator. David has more than 35 years of experience in the field of workforce development and has facilitated hundreds of forums and planning sessions in his career. He has previous experience working with Imperial County and consulted with the WDB on the development of our current 4-year plan.
C. Capturing Community and Stakeholder Input:
To promote contribution to the planning process by a wide range of organizations and points of view, Imperial County WDB used several methods to inform stakeholders and the community about the forums. These included: Direct email to partners and a broad array of stakeholders, including
organizations listed in the State Board’s Directory of Planning Partners Posting of meeting notices in the AJCCs Posting of the agenda and meeting notices on the Imperial County WDB
website Posting of meeting announcements on the State Board’s website
(following e-mail notification to designated State Board staff) The forums were audio recorded and the recordings were used as the basis for developing summary notes for each forum. Meeting notes are attached as exhibits to this Plan Modification.
D. Harnessing Intelligence From On-Going Stakeholder Engagement
The forums held as part of the process to modify and update Imperial County WDB’s 2017-2021 Local Plan represent just a small part of the many ways in which the local board gathers stakeholder input on an on-going basis. Examples of other stakeholder engagement activities include cross training among the partners; participation in planning activities of system
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stakeholders; and discussions occurring during meetings of the workforce development board.
E. Strengthening Communities of Support around Key Populations and
Partnerships
The forums held as part of the process to update and modify the Local Plan produced the ancillary benefit of fostering extensive dialog (both during the sessions and in the weeks that have followed) and support around priority populations and issues. While the Imperial County WDB brings together the mandated partners in meetings the one-stop operator, the forums have served to foster and/or strengthen partnerships on specific issues. These gatherings have included stakeholders that have not worked with one another in the past and created not only the opportunity to network, but to discuss strategies for better serving key target populations.
2. Specific Efforts to Outreach to the Community and Engage Stakeholders in
Discussions on Imperial County WDB’s New Partnership with CalFresh
A community and stakeholder forum on the CalFresh Employment and Training Program was held at the Imperial County Workforce Development Office/WDB headquarters in El Centro on November 1, 2018 from 9:00 a.m. until 10:30 a.m.
To promote dialog and secure feedback and recommendations from stakeholders and members of the community that participated in the forum, the following questions/talking points were presented for the group’s consideration:
Are CalFresh Employment and Training programs currently available in the
local area? If so, what services are provided and which organizations are providing them?
What types of workforce services are needed to help people receiving CalFresh succeed in the local labor market?
What barriers to employment are faced by CalFresh recipients and what resources are available to help assist them to overcome those barriers?
What partnerships currently exist or could be developed among the local workforce system, the county agency that manages CalFresh, and other organizations that provide or could provide services to CalFresh recipients? How do the partners work with one another and how do they share information?
Are CalFresh recipients being referred to programs that prepare them for high demand jobs in the region’s priority sectors? What services or systems are in place that could help CalFresh recipients succeed in such programs and on the job?
A. Outreach Activities: On month #, 2018, a notice regarding the forum was
placed on the Imperial County WDB website. A printed notice was posted at the Imperial County AJCCs.
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B. Efforts to Engage Required CalFresh Partners: On month #, 2018, direct
emails were sent to CalFresh stakeholders, including those on the State Directory.
C. Communication with the State Board regarding CalFresh Forum: On
month #, 2018, email notification about the forum was sent to the designated contact persons at the State Board.
D. Documentation of Efforts: Attached are the following items that document
outreach and engagement efforts on this topic.
Exhibit A-2-a: Sample flyers and promotional Information Exhibit A-2-b: Sample outreach-related email communication Exhibit A-2-c: List of individuals and organizations invited to participate
in forum Exhibit A-2-d: List of individuals that participated in forum, included their
contact information Exhibit A-2-e: Sign-in sheet(s) for forum Exhibit A-2-f: Documentation of notification on forum to State Board Exhibit A-2-g: Forum agenda Exhibit A-2-h: Forum presentation (PowerPoint) Exhibit A-2-i: Meeting notes summarizing the content of forum
discussions 3. Specific Efforts to Outreach to the Community and Engage Stakeholders in
Discussions on Imperial County WDB’s New Partnership with Imperial County Child Support Services
A community and stakeholder forum on Partnership with Child Support to Serve Non-Custodial Parents was held at the Imperial County Workforce Development Office/WDB headquarters in El Centro on November 26, 2018 from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon. To promote dialog and secure feedback and recommendations from stakeholders and members of the community that participated in the forum, the following questions/talking points were presented for the group’s consideration:
What barriers to employment are most common among targeted NCPs? What are NCPs’ service needs (particularly with regard to job skills and
employment) and what services are currently available? What organizations collaborate locally to promote skills development,
employment and career advancement for targeted NCPs? Among the NCP service partners, (e.g. Child Support, Family Court, AJCCs,
training providers and community-based organizations), what referral and information sharing systems are in place?
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What strategies and tools are used to motivate and incentivize NCPs’ acting on referrals, participating in training/skills development and retention in employment?
How can local organizations work better to ensure positive employment and career outcomes for NCPs?
A. Outreach Activities: On month #, 2018, a notice regarding the forum was
placed on the Imperial County WDB website. A printed notice was posted at the Imperial County AJCCs.
B. Efforts to Engage Required Child Support/Non-Custodial Parent
Partners: On month #, 2018, direct emails were sent to Child Support Program/NCP stakeholders, including those on the State Directory.
C. Communication with the State Board regarding Child Support/Non-
Custodial Parent Forum: On month #, 2018, email notification about the forum was sent to the designated contact persons at the State Board.
D. Documentation of Efforts: Attached are the following items that document
outreach and engagement efforts on this topic.
Exhibit A-3-a: Sample flyers and promotional Information Exhibit A-3-b: Sample outreach-related email communication Exhibit A-3-c: List of individuals and organizations invited to participate
in forum Exhibit A-3-d: List of individuals that participated in forum, included their
contact information Exhibit A-3-e: Sign-in sheet(s) for forum Exhibit A-3-f: Documentation of notification on forum to State Board Exhibit A-3-g: Forum agenda Exhibit A-3-h: Forum presentation (PowerPoint) Exhibit A-3-i: Meeting notes summarizing the content of forum
discussions 4. Specific Efforts to Outreach to the Community and Engage Stakeholders in
Discussions on Imperial County WDB’s New and Enhanced Partnerships with Competitive Integrated Employment Initiative Partners
A community and stakeholder forum on Improving Services to Individuals with Disabilities through Competitive Integrated Employment was held at the Imperial County Workforce Development Office/WDB headquarters in El Centro on September 27, 2018 from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 a.m.
To promote dialog and secure feedback and recommendations from stakeholders and members of the community that participated in the forum, the following questions/talking points were presented for the group’s consideration:
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How are DOR and the workforce system (i.e. the local Board and the AJCCs)
currently working together with local partners (such as regional centers, special education and Workability programs, among others) to support the employment goals of individuals with intellectual disabilities and developmental disabilities?
Are efforts underway for the partners to collaborate on the use of CIE for job seekers with ID/DD?
Have discussions begun on the development of a Local Partnership Agreement to create more CIE opportunities? If not, how can this be accelerated?
Have workforce system staff received training in serving individuals with ID/DD and are they knowledgeable about programs and services available to assist this target group? What additional training and information is needed?
How are DOR and the local workforce system working together to outreach to employers and partners to support individuals with ID/DD in achieving CIE? If efforts are not yet underway, what will be done?
Have recruitment, referral and employer engagement strategies been defined? If not, what is planned?
A. Outreach Activities: On month #, 2018, a notice regarding the forum was
placed on the Imperial County WDB website. A printed notice was posted at the Imperial County AJCCs.
B. Efforts to Engage Competitive Integrated Employment Partners and
Key Stakeholders: On month #, 2018, direct emails were sent to the CIE partners and disability services stakeholders, including those on the State Directory.
C. Communication with the State Board regarding Competitive
Integrated Employment Forum: On month #, 2018, email notification about the forum was sent to the designated contact persons at the State Board.
D. Documentation of Efforts: Attached are the following items that document
outreach and engagement efforts on this topic.
Exhibit A-4-a: Sample flyers and promotional Information Exhibit A-4-b: Sample outreach-related email communication Exhibit A-4-c: List of individuals and organizations invited to participate
in forum Exhibit A-4-d: List of individuals that participated in forum, included their
contact information Exhibit A-4-e: Sign-in sheet(s) for forum Exhibit A-4-f: Documentation of notification on forum to State Board Exhibit A-4-g: Forum agenda Exhibit A-4-h: Forum presentation (PowerPoint)
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Exhibit A-4-i: Meeting notes summarizing the content of forum discussions
5. Specific Efforts to Outreach to the Community and Engage Stakeholders in
Discussions on Imperial County WDB’s New and Enhanced Partnerships with Organizations Serving English Language Learners, Foreign Born Individuals and Refugees
A community and stakeholder forum on Improving Services for English Language Learners, Foreign Born Individuals and Refugees was held at the Imperial County Workforce Development Office/WDB headquarters in El Centro on October 18, 2018 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
To promote dialog and secure feedback and recommendations from stakeholders and members of the community that participated in the forum, the following questions/talking points were presented for the group’s consideration:
What are the needs of individuals in this category? What are the principal barriers to employment faced by these individuals? What partnerships and collaborative efforts exist that enable local
organizations to provide services to meet these needs? What outreach and recruitment strategies are effective in connecting
individuals from these target groups to skills training and livable wages? What strategies are in place to provide these individuals with job skills and
training that will enable them to progress into livable wage jobs and careers? Where do gaps in services exist for this target population and what can we do
to bridge these gaps?
A. Outreach Activities: On month #, 2018, a notice regarding the forum was placed on the Imperial County WDB website. A printed notice was posted at the Imperial County AJCCs.
B. Efforts to Engage Partners and Key Stakeholders in Improving
Services to English Language Learners, Foreign Born Individuals and Refugees: On month #, 2018, direct emails were sent to ELL and immigrant stakeholders, including those on the State Directory.
C. Communication with the State Board regarding Forum on English
Language Learners, Foreign Born Individuals and Refugees: On month #, 2018, email notification about the forum was sent to the designated contact persons at the State Board.
D. Documentation of Efforts: Attached are the following items that document
outreach and engagement efforts on this topic.
Exhibit A-5-a: Sample flyers and promotional Information
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Exhibit A-5-b: Sample outreach-related email communication Exhibit A-5-c: List of individuals and organizations invited to participate
in forum Exhibit A-5-d: List of individuals that participated in forum, included their
contact information Exhibit A-5-e: Sign-in sheet(s) for forum Exhibit A-5-f: Documentation of notification on forum to State Board Exhibit A-5-g: Forum agenda Exhibit A-5-h: Forum presentation (PowerPoint) Exhibit A-5-i: Meeting notes summarizing the content of forum
discussions 6. Efforts to Outreach to the Community and Engage Stakeholders in
Discussions on Imperial County WDB’s Overall Approach to Workforce Programming and Planning through a General Community Forum
A general community forum on Local Workforce Planning was held at the Imperial County Workforce Development Office/WDB headquarters in El Centro on October 15, 2018 from 5:30 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.
To promote dialog and secure feedback and recommendations from stakeholders and members of the community that participated in the forum, the following questions/talking points were presented for the group’s consideration:
What services and support do job seekers need to help prepare for and find
work? What types of training are most needed in the area? Do people in the community have a good understanding of the programs and
services that are available to assist them? If not, what is the best way to get the word out?
Are there specific gaps between the services that are available and the services that people need? If so, how can we bridge those gaps?
If you were writing the local workforce plan, what would your priorities be and why?
A. Outreach Activities: On month #, 2018, a notice regarding the forum was
placed on the Imperial County WDB website. A printed notice was posted at the Imperial County AJCCs.
B. Efforts to Engage Partners and Key Stakeholders in Providing Input
on General Workforce System Planning: On month #, 2018, direct emails were sent to stakeholders, including those on the State Directory.
C. Communication with the State Board regarding General Community
Forum on Workforce System Planning: On month #, 2018, email
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notification about the forum was sent to the designated contact persons at the State Board.
D. Documentation of Efforts: Attached are the following items that document
outreach and engagement efforts on this topic.
Exhibit A-6-a: Sample flyers and promotional Information Exhibit A-6-b: Sample outreach-related email communication Exhibit A-6-c: List of individuals and organizations invited to participate
in forum Exhibit A-6-d: List of individuals that participated in forum, included their
contact information Exhibit A-6-e: Sign-in sheet(s) for forum Exhibit A-6-f: Documentation of notification on forum to State Board Exhibit A-6-g: Forum agenda Exhibit A-6-h: Forum presentation (PowerPoint Exhibit A-6-i: Meeting notes summarizing the content of forum
discussions 7. Publication of Draft for Public Comment
On February __, 2019, the Imperial County WDB opened a public comment period on the Local Plan Modification that concluded on March __, 2019. A. Notice on the Availability of the Draft Plan for Public Review and
Comment: On February __, 2019, Imperial County WDB placed a notice in __________, informing the community of the 30-day public comment period and the availability of the plan electronically on the WDB’s web site or in print at the offices of the Imperial County WDB.
Email notices about the availability of the draft were also sent to all
stakeholders invited to participate in the community forums. In addition, notification on the public comment process was emailed to the designated State Board contacts.
B. Opportunities and Mechanisms for Public Comment: To ensure that
comments to the plan are captured accurately, the WDB requested that all comments be made in writing. Written comments could be submitted by email to ______@____ or in print by mail or hand delivery to the Imperial County WDB at 1205 W. 18th Street, Merced, CA 95340. Attn: _________.
C. Results of Public Comment: At the conclusion of the public comment
period, a total of # comments were received. Based on these comments, the following adjustments were made to the draft Local Plan Modification:
x
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Number comments expressed disagreement with the Local Plan Modification. These comments are incorporated into Attachment F.
D. Documentation of Efforts: The following items document the public
comment process:
Exhibit A-7-a: Copy of notice in _________________ Exhibit A-7-b: Sample Email Message to Stakeholders Exhibit A-7-c: List of Stakeholders to Whom Message Were Sent Exhibit A-7-d: Email Message Notifying State Board Contacts
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ATTACHMENT B SUPPLEMENTAL NARRATIVE
CALFRESH PARTICIPANTS – BACKGROUND AND ASESSSMENT OF NEED
The information below supplements content provided in Section II of the principal narrative. 1. Overview of the Size and Characteristics of the Total CalFresh Recipient
Population The California Department of Social Services CalFresh dashboard indicates that, in 2017, there were 41,816 “annual average persons” in CalFresh in Imperial County. The dashboard provided the following additional statistics for the population:
Children (under age 18): 23,942Elderly (age 60+): 3,755ESL: 27,486Households: 17,267Child-Only Households (July 2017): 863Persons in Child-Only Households (July 2017): 1,713Program Reach Index in Imperial County 2016: 90.3%
2. Overview of the Size and Characteristics of CalFresh E&T Participant
Population
As the CalFresh E&T program has not yet been implemented, there is no information to report concerning participant characteristics.
3. Types of Workforce Services Needed by the Target Population
The tremendous diversity of the CalFresh population makes it difficult to generalize about the workforce services they need. However, stakeholders engaged in the planning process provided a number of examples of services that segments of the target group likely need. These fall, generally, into three broad categories: basic education and remediation; job/technical skills training; and supportive services to enable training. In the first category, literacy and numeracy skills, GED/high school equivalency and English-as-a-Second Language (ESL) were all identified by stakeholders as needed workforce services. With regard to job skills, there was substantial agreement that both classroom-based and work-based programs have value. Stakeholders cited the need for training in job readiness skills and the importance of digital literacy skills for a population that has less access to technology than their higher income counterparts in the county. In the supportive service category, stakeholders highlighted the need for transportation and childcare services. For some CalFresh individuals, including those without access
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to regular housing, basic services, such as shelter and clothing are needed. In addition to the one-stop partners, stakeholders agree that grassroots and faith-based partners are effective resources for addressing support needs.
4. Employment Barriers Experienced by the Target Population and Resources
Available to Address Barriers Again, the diversity of the population suggests that virtually every type of employment barrier would be experienced by some portion of the CalFresh population. However, during the stakeholder engagement process, representatives from DSS, education, the WDB , AJCCs, and other stakeholder organizations and programs raised issues of fundamental economic security affecting this population, as many CalFresh participants in Imperial County live below the poverty level. They also identified the following as significant barriers affecting the CalFresh population and the county as a whole: lack of educational attainment and insufficient job skills; lack of information about programs and services; language barriers; cultural barriers; insufficient access to broadband; generational poverty; childcare; and transportation. Stakeholders highlighted insufficient affordable housing in the county as a factor fueling the need for emergency shelter and housing assistance. The organizations listed in the following responses provide the education, training and support services required to address and minimize or eradicate these barriers.
5. Collaboration between the WDB and Imperial County DSS
The partnership among the local board, the AJCCs and DSS is well-established. DSS is a one-stop partner. An MOU has been executed between the WDB and the DSS. Referrals of CalWORKS participants between the agencies occur on a regular basis and co-enrollments are not uncommon. The partners acknowledge that replicating referral processes from other DSS programs, such as “Project Future,” could increase the number of CalFresh individuals that access workforce services from the AJCCs.
Other organizations that collaborate with DSS, the AJCCs and CalFresh include: Imperial Valley College; CET; Imperial County Office of Education; various local education agencies; and CBOs such as SER-Jobs for Progress, the Imperial Valley Food Bank, the Area Agency on Aging, and Catholic Charities.
6. Quality and Level of Intensity of Partner Services
As described throughout the principal narrative, the CalFresh population is extremely diverse and participants in the program are served by the broadest possible range of public, non-profit and faith-based agencies in and around Imperial County. Most organizations serving CalFresh individuals do not use CalFresh enrollment status as a basis for eligibility/participation and do not record this data. Some programs and providers do collect information regarding their
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participants’ CalFresh status. For example, in PY 2017-2018, Imperial County WDB served a total of 141 CalFresh participants in our WIOA Title I formula-funded programs.
While a wide range of workforce services are available to CalFresh recipients and many of these individuals participate in AJCC and workforce system services, the stakeholders agree that efforts to refer CalFresh individuals to workforce services can be improved. Adoption of a CalFresh-specific process for DSS referrals to the AJCCs will support this effort.
7. Information Sharing among Partners
MOUs developed among the one-stop partners describe a referral process and provide for the sharing of service information between organizations assisting the same customer, when the customer provides authorization. Such information may include results of skills assessments or other evaluation of training and workforce service needs. As with all public programs, confidentiality laws prevail with regard to sharing customer-identifying data.
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ATTACHMENT C SUPPLEMENTAL NARRATIVE
UNEMPLOYED, UNDEREMPLOYED AND PAYMENT DELINQUENT NON-CUSTODIAL PARENTS – BACKGROUND AND ASESSSMENT OF NEED
The information below supplements content provided in Section II of the principal narrative. 1. Areas of High Concentration 2. Percentage of Noncustodial Parents Who Are Unemployed 3. Percentage of Noncustodial Parents Who Are Ex-Offenders 4. Other Demographic Information
According to “Preliminary Performance Data Federal Fiscal Year 2018” prepared by the Performance Analysis Branch of the California Department of Child Support Services, in 2018, Imperial County’s Child Support Services caseload was 10,206, of which 9,342 (91.5%) had orders. Other data and information about the target group includes:
Total Paternities Established During the Year: 1,102 Established Judicially: Voluntary Paternity Acknowledgements: Births to Unwed Parents: Paternity Establishment Percentage:
275 827 1,380 79.9%
Children in IV-D Cases with Paternity Established or Acknowledged:
8,406
Current Support Due: $25,153,139 Current Support Distributed: Percent of Collections on Current Support:
$17,137,291 68.1%
Cases with Arrears Due: 8,263 Cases Paying Towards Arrears: Percent of Cases with Collections on Arrears:
5,382 65.1%
Children in IV-D Cases Cases: Children in IV-D Cases:
10,313 11,280
Local Agency Support Distributed by Case Type: $18,091,021Current: Former: Never:
$1,848,719 $9,465,618 $6,776,684
Local Agency Arrears Due by Case Type: $155,810,662Current: Former:
$16,407,508 $116,223,959
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Please note that information on employment and offender status were not available from published sources. Cases are likely concentrated in the county’s main population centers: the cities of El Centro, Calexico, Brawley and Imperial.
5. Types of Services Needed by the Targeted Population
As described in the principal narrative, those identified as unemployed, underemployed and payment delinquent NCPs have diverse backgrounds and circumstances. Therefore, the services they require would include those that are most needed by the full range of job seekers who utilize the workforce system’s services. These include good information (provided via a structured orientation process) about WIOA and other workforce services and the benefits they offer; access to and support with labor market analysis and career exploration; development of service plans and career planning support; information on and referrals to training programs; assistance in accessing supportive services; individualized guidance and counseling; and job placement assistance. The relative importance of each service will vary from participant to participant, depending on individual background and circumstances.
6. Services Currently Being Provided and How the Workforce-Child Support
Partnership Will Modify Types and Quantity of Services Provided Within the principal narrative, it is clarified that, although a process exists to make referrals from CSS to the AJCCs, added structure will likely lead to referrals being more effective and resulting in more NCPs enrolling in workforce services and becoming employed. Therefore, the enhanced workforce-child support partnership described in this Local Plan Modification and the associated MOU are expected to significantly increase the number of individuals served and the workforce and support services available to them from the workforce system partners.
7. Barriers Experienced by Child Support Program Participants and Resources
to Address Barriers As stated above, there is no specific set of barriers faced by targeted NCPs, as they come from diverse backgrounds and have a wide range of challenges. Each individual will be assessed as to his/her unique circumstances and as barriers are identified, so too will resources to address them. For example, individuals with disabilities may be referred to DOR representatives for additional assessment and access to unique support services, such as assistive technology or help with other workplace accommodations. Individuals with basic skills deficits will be referred to local adult education agencies or other partners, and participants lacking work skills may be referred to classroom or work-based programs where they can acquire such skills.
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8. Planned Information Sharing to Evaluate Need
The updated MOU to be developed by the WDB and Imperial County CSS will spell out confidentiality requirements associated with the administration of Child Support Title IV-D Programs. Representatives of CSS acknowledge that provisions of California’s Family Code prohibit the agency’s providing information about CSS customers to outside programs other than the County Department of Social Services. Therefore, the partners will implement a process, whereby, once participants sign an NCP Consent and Release Agreement, Child Support Services and AJCC representatives can exchange information (within guidelines) about participant needs, services and outcomes, including employment resulting from participation.
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ATTACHMENT D SUPPLEMENTAL NARRATIVE
ENGAGEMENT WITH THE LOCAL COMPETITIVE INTEGRATED EMPLOYMENT PARTNERS
The information below supplements content provided in Section III of the principal narrative. 1. Engagement with Local Partners to Increase Competitive Integrated
Employment for Jobseekers with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities
During the course of reviewing and modifying our 2017-2021 Local Plan and as a result of our community and stakeholder engagement process, Imperial County WDB and partners within the local workforce system have developed a clear understanding of the goals set at the state level by the State Department of Rehabilitation (DOR), the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) and the State Department of Education (DOE) in connection with their agreement to increase competitive integrated employment (CIE) opportunities for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities (ID/DD). We became familiar with the CIE Blueprint and with the guidance the state agencies have provided to their local counterparts with regard to the development of Local Partnership Agreements (LPAs) to support the expanded use of CIE throughout California. As described in the principal narrative pursuant to State guidelines, Imperial County WDB convened stakeholders from the disability services community as part of the process to modify and update the Local Plan. Among those participating in this discussion were the LPA core partners. In addition, a wide range of community agencies and workforce systems partners, all of whom are presumed stakeholders in the LPA, attended the forum. All agreed that increased participation from the WDB and the AJCCs would bring valuable resources to the partners’ efforts to increase the use of CIE.
AJCC staff already collaborates with the LPA partners to varying degrees. Presently, the relationship with DOR is strong and the partners cite numerous examples of collaboration, co-enrollment, joint case management and other efforts by the workforce system and DOR to serve individuals with disabilities. WIOA Youth Programs also have a history of collaboration with the Workability I programs operated by local education agencies. As stated, linkages with the Regional Center are not as well established. The workforce system has relatively little experience working with individuals with ID/DD, which is the group principally served by California’s regional centers. The CIE initiative provides the impetus for change in this area and the WDB and Regional Center representatives agree that the workforce system’s extensive connections within the business community will be extremely valuable to the LPA partners in their efforts to expand CIE for the target population.
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The WDB will work with the LPA partners to develop and implement a plan for the WDB’s support for CIE expansion. This plan will be finalized no later than July 1, 2019. 2. Competitive Integrated Employment Partners
The parties to the LPA are the following partners:
DOR District Office Inland Empire District Office (El Centro Branch) Regional Center San Diego Regional Center (Imperial County
Office) Local Education Agencies (core partners)
Imperial County Office of Education (COE) – SELPA (representing special education and Workability I programs of the COE and 16 school districts)
It is anticipated that the LPA, once finalized, will also acknowledge the roles and responsibilities of community partners, such as the WDB and our network of AJCCs. 3. Planned Coordination with the CIE Local Planning Agreement Partners
As described throughout the principal narrative and in the preceding responses, Imperial County WDB is fully committed to participating as a stakeholder in the efforts of the CIE LPA. We anticipate being actively involved working with DOR, its service providers, the regional center and local education agencies’ Workability I programs to provide career services to job seekers with ID/DD; supporting DOR in using an assets-based approach to promoting CIE to local businesses through a messaging campaign and direct contacts; and working with DOR and other stakeholders to encourage businesses to take advantage of work-based learning strategies to initially integrate individuals with ID/DD into their workforce.
As indicated, the WDB is awaiting the following critical messages from the DOR District Office relative to our support for the CIE initiative:
Assignment of a DOR Liaison/point of contact to connect the workforce system to its
community of service providers; Information on how DOR, in coordination with its CIE Blueprint partners, DDS and
CDE, will provide CIE technical assistance to the local boards, partners, and employers to assist in filling potential knowledge gaps.
Information on how DOR and State Board executive staff will work collaboratively to ensure that resources are available for disability expertise and cross-training of frontline staff in the AJCCs.
Once the foregoing information is available, Imperial County WDB will complete our plan to support the LPA partners in increasing CIE opportunities.
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ATTACHMENT E SUPPLEMENTAL NARRATIVE
ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS, FOREIGN BORN INDIVIDUALS AND
REFUGEES – BACKGROUND AND ASESSSMENT OF NEED The information below supplements content provided in Section IV of the principal narrative. 1. Overview of Target Population Demographics
The following workforce-related data for Imperial County’s immigrant and ELL population is excerpted from current U.S. Census Bureau estimates.
County population (est.) 182,830 White Alone percent 90%Black or African American alone, percent 3.4%American Indian and Alaska Native alone, percent 2.5%Asian alone, percent 2.2%Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, percent 0.2%Two or More Races, percent 1.7%Hispanic or Latino, percent 84.3%White alone, not Hispanic or Latino, percent 10.6%Foreign born persons, percent (2013-2017) 31.7%
Language other than English spoken at home, percent of persons age 5 years + 2013-2017)
76.1
Additional graphic depictions of data concerning the foreign born population of Imperial County conclude this narrative.
2. Barriers to Employment and Specialized Needs of the Target Population
Among the target populations’ principal barriers to employment identified by systems stakeholders, community-based organizations and workforce staff are: limited English proficiency; low cultural competency; immigration status vulnerabilities; lack of or low literacy in one’s native language; limited knowledge of and access to benefits; difficulty navigating resources; mental health; insufficient knowledge of American business norms and laws/regulations affecting the workplace; lack of educational attainment, vocational skills and credentials; insufficient digital literacy; and lack of access to affordable options for childcare and transportation. For some immigrant and refugee customers, the inability to secure credit for prior learning and educational attainment from another country is a significant barrier to employment.
3. Identified Gaps in Workforce System Services for the Target Population
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One of the principal gaps in delivering workforce, education, training and related services in Imperial County results from where people live. While nearly two-thirds of the county’s residents live within the boundaries of the county’s four largest cities (El Centro, Calexico, Brawley and Imperial), where most services are located, the remaining population of approximately 60,000 people is dispersed across a large area comprised of a few towns and many very small rural communities and census designated places. People tend to live where they have work, so most are unable to travel long distances to services during non-work hours. Reaching individuals in these communities was a topic that came up repeatedly during the stakeholder engagement process and was identified as a priority by partners throughout discussions on customers’ barriers, service needs and gaps in service delivery. The Imperial County WDB recognizes the need for workforce service in remote areas of the county and has established satellites in Winterhaven and Calipatria, which operates on a part-time basis. Partners such as CET, the WIOA Section 167 grantee, are accustomed to taking information and services to farmworkers where they live and work. Discussions with stakeholders revealed that others too use this strategy, as the immigrant population living and working in remote communities are constrained by financial resources in their ability to travel throughout the county for services. Working together on strategies to periodically bring mobile services to remote communities was recommended. In addition, some stakeholders suggest that increases in broadband and digital services will make reaching those in remote locations more feasible.
Stakeholders also identified the need for: increased ESL capacity; more bilingual services; greater cultural awareness and cultural responsiveness; increased digital literacy; increased focus on acculturation; assistance in navigating American society and government institutions; and more training programs. The WDB will continue to engage with workforce system partners and stakeholders to identify strategies to address these gaps.
4. Outreach and Recruitment Strategies for the Target Population
As discussed in the principal narrative, the use of mass media outlets to reach immigrants and others in the target groups can be difficult in Imperial County because the “service area” for these outlets reaches a broader geographic area than the county, including Arizona and Mexico. Dialog among the partners touched on virtually every form of media, with representatives of education agencies and service providers noting that all produce results with varying degrees of success. A number of stakeholders provided input suggesting that those most in need of services are individuals with very low literacy and very limited English fluency. Such individuals tend to stay within communities and are, generally, not receptive to messages from organizations within which they have had little contact. Therefore, partners encouraged the use of grassroots strategies, wherein information is taken into communities via contact with churches and a presence at community events. These on-on-one contacts produce the greatest results,
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particularly when followed by a warm hand-off to a designated person at an AJCC or other service provider location.
5. Coordination and Alignment among Partners in Serving the Target
Population Principal workforce partners and relationships focused on the serving immigrants and ELL customers are described throughout the modification narrative. These include the WDB: the county’s network of full-service and satellite AJCCs; EDD’s programs serving farmworkers; CET; and key education partners, including Imperial Valley College and adult education programs located throughout the county. Other important partners in serving the target population are: SER – Jobs for Progress; Sister Evelyn Mourey Center; Consul de Comunidades (Mexican Consulate) and United Methodist Immigration Ministries, among others.
6. Data Concerning Foreign Born Individuals in Imperial County
The following graphics depict employment related characteristics of foreign born individuals in the county.
Foreign Born Demographics2
There are approximately 56,997 Foreign Born in Imperial County.
Foreign Born Educational Attainment3
2 ACS 5-year estimates 3 ACS 5-year estimates
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Out of an estimated 50,631 Foreign Born over the age of 25, 48% have less than a high school degree.
Foreign Born Employment Occupations4
4 ACS 5-year estimates
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Foreign Born Employment Industries5
Refugee Arrivals, SIV Arrivals, Asylees and Entrants, and Employment Services served: 06 Refugee Arrivals into Imperial 2012‐2016: 107 School Districts in Imperial (2015)8
Total Students enrolled: 37,279
Number of LEP students enrolled: 15,134 o LEP 59% o Non‐LEP 41%
5 ACS 5-year estimates (see spreadsheet for entire Industry names) 6 California Department of Social Services-Refugee Programs Bureau. “FFY 2017 Refugee Population Data Snapshot by County.” California Refugee Arrivals Data 7 California Department of Social Services-Refugee Programs Bureau. “Refugee Arrivals Into California By Country/Region of Origin: Federal Fiscal Years 2012 through 2016.” 8 Civil Rights Data Collection. Detailed Data Tables
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ATTACHMENT F SUPPLEMENTAL NARRATIVE
PUBLIC COMMENTS IN DISAGREEMENT WITH LOCAL PLAN
A total of number (#) comments were received in response to the publication of a draft of the Imperial County WDB’s 2019 Local Plan Modification during an open public comment period. Following are comments in disagreement with the draft plan, listed in the order in which they were received. 1. Commenter:
Date Received: Method By Which Comment Communicated:
Comment: 2. Commenter:
Date Received: Method By Which Comment Communicated:
Comment: 3. Commenter:
Date Received: Method By Which Comment Communicated:
Comment:
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EXHIBITS Page Exhibit A-1 Summary of Community and Stakeholder Forums Exhibit A-2-a Sample flyers and promotional Information Exhibit A-2-b Sample outreach-related email communication Exhibit A-2-c List of individuals and organizations invited to participate in forum Exhibit A-2-d List of individuals that participated in forum, included their contact information Exhibit A-2-e Sign-in sheet(s) for forum Exhibit A-2-f Documentation of notification on forum to State Board Exhibit A-2-g Forum agenda Exhibit A-2-h Forum presentation (PowerPoint) Exhibit A-2-i Meeting notes summarizing the content of forum discussions Exhibit A-3-a Sample flyers and promotional Information Exhibit A-3-b Sample outreach-related email communication Exhibit A-3-c List of individuals and organizations invited to participate in forum Exhibit A-3-d List of individuals that participated in forum, included their contact information Exhibit A-3-e Sign-in sheet(s) for forum Exhibit A-3-f Documentation of notification on forum to State Board Exhibit A-3-g Forum agenda Exhibit A-3-h Forum presentation (PowerPoint) Exhibit A-3-i Meeting notes summarizing the content of forum discussions Exhibit A-4-a Sample flyers and promotional Information Exhibit A-4-b Sample outreach-related email communication Exhibit A-4-c List of individuals and organizations invited to participate in forum Exhibit A-4-d List of individuals that participated in forum, included their contact information Exhibit A-4-e Sign-in sheet(s) for forum Exhibit A-4-f Documentation of notification on forum to State Board Exhibit A-4-g Forum agenda Exhibit A-4-h Forum presentation (PowerPoint) Exhibit A-4-i Meeting notes summarizing the content of forum discussions Exhibit A-5-a Sample flyers and promotional Information Exhibit A-5-b Sample outreach-related email communication Exhibit A-5-c List of individuals and organizations invited to participate in forum Exhibit A-5-d List of individuals that participated in forum, included their contact information Exhibit A-5-e Sign-in sheet(s) for forum Exhibit A-5-f Documentation of notification on forum to State Board Exhibit A-5-g: Forum agenda Exhibit A-5-h Forum presentation (PowerPoint) Exhibit A-5-i Meeting notes summarizing the content of forum discussions Exhibit A-6-a Sample flyers and promotional Information Exhibit A-6-b Sample outreach-related email communication Exhibit A-6-c List of individuals and organizations invited to participate in forum Exhibit A-6-d List of individuals that participated in forum, included their contact information Exhibit A-6-e Sign-in sheet(s) for forum Exhibit A-6-f Documentation of notification on forum to State Board Exhibit A-6-g Forum agenda Exhibit A-6-h Forum presentation (PowerPoint) Exhibit A-6-i Meeting notes summarizing the content of forum discussions Exhibit A-7-a Copy of notice in Local Newspaper/Publication Exhibit A-7-b Sample Email Message to Stakeholders Exhibit A-7-c List of Stakeholder to Whom Message Were Sent Exhibit A-7-d Email Message Notifying State Board Contacts
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Exhibit A-1
Summary of Community and Stakeholder Forums Collaborating with CalFresh Employment and Training Programs November 1, 2018 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Imperial County Workforce Development Office 2799 South 4th Street, El Centro, CA 92243 Strengthening Partnerships with Local Child Support Agencies to Serve Non-Custodial Parents November 26, 2019 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Imperial County Workforce Development Office 2799 South 4th Street, El Centro, CA 92243 Improving Services to Individuals with Disabilities through Competitive Integrated Employment September 27, 2018 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Imperial County Workforce Development Office 2799 South 4th Street, El Centro, CA 92243 Improving Coordination and Collaboration among Stakeholders to Strengthen Services to English Language Learners, Foreign Born Individuals and Refugees October 18, 2019 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Imperial County Workforce Development Office 2799 South 4th Street, El Centro, CA 92243 Community Forum on Local Workforce Planning October 15, 2019 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Imperial County Workforce Development Office 2799 South 4th Street, El Centro, CA 92243
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MEETING DATE: March 12, 2019 ITEM: 5 SUBJECT: Discussion/Action to approve 2019 Biennial Modification to
2017 – 2021 Southern Border Regional Workforce Development Plan
FROM: Priscilla Lopez, Workforce and Economic Development Office
Director RECOMMENDATION: Imperial County Workforce and Economic Development Office Director recommends to approve and submit 2019 Biennial Modification to 2017-2021 Southern Border Regional Workforce Development Plan as presented to the California Workforce Development Board. BACKGROUND: In accordance with Workforce Services Directive, 18-01 Regional and Local Plans PY 17-21 Two Year Modifications, local boards are required to submit a biennial update pursuant to the changes made to the State Plan by the California Workforce Development Board (State Board) in order to keep local plans consistent with the policy direction of the State Plan and account for changes in labor market and economic conditions. The Southern Border Region (SBR) comprises Imperial and San Diego counties. SBR’s two workforce development boards, San Diego Workforce Partnership and Imperial County Workforce Development Board, along with a range of partners, work together to create workforce development solutions that meet business and job seeker needs. Regional plans, informed by research and community input, lay out a collective sector strategy which guides SBR’s investments and activities. SBR’s regional plan is updated every two years; October 2018 marked the beginning of the latest update process. Following direction of the California Workforce Development Board, to ensure community and local stakeholders input was captured, the following meetings were held on the following planning topics: October 30, 2018 – Regional Planning Launch November 6, 2018 – Reentry December 11, 2018 – CalFresh, DOR/Competitive Integrated Employment,
Noncustodial Parents December 12, 2018 – Reentry January 9, 2019 – Community Forum January 11, 2019 – MC3, English Language Learners, Foreign Born/Refugees
Imperial County Workforce Development Board Executive Committee Action Agenda Item 5
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Public comment period for the SBR Workforce Development Modification occurred from January 14, 2019, through February 14, 2019, in San Diego County. The public comment period for Imperial County occurred from February 7, 2019, through March 8, 2019. No public comments were received in both local areas. Regional plan modifications must be submitted to the State Board no later than March 15, 2019. A Local Chief Elected Official (CEO) signature is required for local plans, but not for regional plans. However, CEOs are still required to approve final regional plans and include documentation of the approval (meeting minutes, resolutions, etc.) with their submission no later than August 1, 2019. FISCAL IMPACT:
None
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Regional Plan Refresh March 2019
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Table of Contents
Section Page Number
1) Context 2 2) Regional Plan Pillars 2 3) Priority Sector/Occupation Refresh – Economic Conditions and Labor Market
Data 2
4) Population Specific Interventions – Reentry 3 5) Business Services – Inclusive Business Growth 10 6) Multi-Craft Core Curriculum and Pre-Apprenticeships 11 7) Attachment A – Details of SBR Strategic Pillars 12 8) Attachment B – Reentry Population Data 14 9) Attachment C – Reentry Partner Organizations and Service Description 24 10) Attachment D – Other Priority Populations 26 11) Attachment E – Indices of Regional Coordination and Alignment 28 12) Attachment F – Stakeholder and Community Outreach and Involvement in
the 2 Year Review of the Regional Plan 36
13) Attachment G – Public Comments 39 14) Attachment H – Public Notice and Public Meeting Mailing List 42 15) Attachment I – Priority Sector Research 46
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1. Context Since our regional plan was established in 2016, the Southern Border Region (SBR) has been doing extensive work to better understand the evolving needs of our community. We see, as demonstrated through the research of Stanford economist, Professor Raj Chetty, that both the American economy and labor market as well as our own region are rapidly changing. The forces of technical innovation, automation, and globalization have generated historical levels of wealth and prosperity, while at the same time leaving behind many of our workers, particularly the justice involved, and their families in low-wage, low-skill jobs that do not pay family sustaining wages.
Chetty's research shows that while this shift has generated economic growth and wealth generation for some, it has also eroded opportunity and income mobility for many more. The idea that each generation of America’s children will have a higher living standard than their parents is under threat. The vision of a merit-based society where all children regardless of household income, race, ethnicity, geography or experience with the justice system - have an equal shot to make it in this country is becoming less of a reality in our communities.
To reach equality of opportunity, those practices, systems, and policies that have enabled, perpetuated, or failed to reverse the trend of growing inequality of opportunity must give way to a new way of thinking about workforce and economic development. As a region, we continue to make changes to our systems and partnerships so that education and training become a lifelong practice and access to networks, resources, and knowledge is available to all. Practically, this has required expanding our partnerships to include deeper relationships with the corrections system and multi-craft core curriculum apprenticeships.
2. Regional Plan Pillars We have laid out a shared vision for the region which is to foster “Economic mobility for our citizens and vibrant growth for our businesses”. To achieve this, we established five pillars which will cut across all of our work, regardless of the population served, program launched, or partnerships established. Specifically, these include:
See attachment A for more details on each of these pillars.
3. Priority Sector/Occupation Refresh – Economic Conditions and Labor Market Data While our regional efforts in serving not only the justice involved population but all those in need are driven philosophically by our five focus areas, our efforts are also guided tactically toward supporting the greatest employment needs in the region. This requires regularly refreshing our priority sectors and
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priority occupations based on changes in economic conditions and labor market data. In late 2018 as part of the regional plan refresh, the SBR research team identified a set of priority occupations (previously in demand jobs) for each county—occupations that have high and growing numbers of jobs and pay at least a self-sufficient wage at the entry level. While these hot jobs can be found throughout the economy, they are highly concentrated in four priority sectors that are shared between the two counties in our region. These sectors include Education & Human Development, Health Care, Public Administration, and Energy, Construction & Utilities. Regionally, we will seek to set our justice involved populations on a path to family sustaining areas in these priority sectors and occupations. By focusing on these shared priorities, each local area will be able to leverage resources and best practices of the other. In addition to our four regional priority sectors, the SBR research team also identified three local priority sectors that recognize the unique economic drivers of each local area. In San Diego County these sectors are Advanced Manufacturing, Life Sciences R&D, and ICT & Digital Media. In Imperial County, these sectors are Retail, Leisure & Hospitality, Agriculture, and Advanced Transportation & Logistics. More information about priority occupations and the regional and local priority sectors can be found in Attachment H. We will develop a set of research collateral to be used by career centers, partner organization and educators to expose justice involved individuals and others to the opportunities available in the regional labor market. These materials will be driven by the occupational perspective, helping job seekers to expand their frame of reference for an occupation and understand, for example, that a registered nurse could be employed by a university or school just as easily as a hospital or doctor’s office. The sector lens will be particularly useful when engaging groups of businesses and will inform business services strategies.
4. Population Specific Interventions - Reentry Need The SBR understands the critical need for funding and community solutions for the justice-involved population. In 2017, 2620 individual were released to the region from the state prison system alone. While the California Department of Correction and Rehabilitation (CDCR) reports the statewide average of recidivism is dropping below 44 percent in recent reports, the recidivism rate for the Southern Border Region averages 71.5 percent.1 The average unemployment rate across San Diego and Imperial Counties in 2017 was 11.6 percent — more than double California’s 4.8 percent unemployment rate over the same period.2 Collectively, SBR has served 2,553 formerly incarcerated individuals since July 2016 (53 adults and 45 youth in Imperial County and 2,007 adults and 448 youth in San Diego County). Additionally, according to San Diego County Probation Department, about 3,300 of the County’s youth in 2013 were out in the community on probation, and 729 were institutionalized in the juvenile facilities. On average, approximately 20 percent of the youth who become involved in the County’s juvenile justice system end up in custody at one of the County’s five juvenile justice facilities. The percentage of youth who recidivate by committing a new law violation while on probation supervision has remained steady since 2009 at a rate of 29-30%. In Imperial county, 5% of the youth population served last year
1 https://www.insidecdcr.ca.gov/2016/08/californias-return-to-prison-rate-falls-for-the-5th-straight-year-to-44-6-percent/ 2 https://data.edd.ca.gov/Labor-Force-and-Unemployment-Rates/Local-Area-Unemployment-Statistics-LAUS-Annual-Ave/7jbb-3rb8
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self-identified as justice involved. This data demonstrates the high priority for workforce interventions for the justice-involved in our region. Service Delivery Strategy SBR’s Core Pillars of Reentry Works Approach Strategy: The SBR has been operating successful justice-involved strategies under our nationally recognized “Reentry Works” model. Reentry Works is not just a singular program, but our overall strategy to invest and innovate in, evidence-based solutions to best serve the justice-involved population. In conjunction with our partners, the SBR has agreed on several core pillars in how we approach service delivery strategies under the Reentry Works model. These will be applied to and expanded through the P2E funding: 1) Maximizing Reentry investments by co-funding with partners
o SBR has committed to expand its funding with corrections partners by designing programs with the expectation that corrections partners will match investments in workforce solutions. Already, San Diego County Sheriff’s and Probation departments have matched nearly $1M . Additionally, new opportunities for co-funding will be explored with other partners such as GEO Reentry and Imperial Valley Regional Occupational Programs. Collaborating with partners ensures that all our investments are maximized, and our dollars go farther to serve the region.
2) Evidenced-based service delivery o SBR integrates data-informed and evidenced-based strategies in its program design.
Evaluation and research are cornerstones to continually review success and inform future expansion of our efforts.
3) Integration and co-enrollment with AJCC and WIOA providers o We are only as strong as the systems we build. SBR is committed to strengthening the
connections and resources found in our AJCCs with our reentry work, this includes co-enrollment to open pathways to training, education and supportive service resources.
4) Flexible, population specific earn and learn models that lead to quality jobs o Opportunities for justice-involved to earn and learn are critical to see success. This
population requires immediate support and income retain employment. We will pursue this by creating pools of funding for community-based organizations, labor unions, education partners and others to create innovative and flexible programs.
5) Outcomes based contracting models o SBR has a strategic priority to shift our contracting models to more outcomes–based
performance management with the goal to increase the performance and impact of our programs in the community. Evaluating and paying success enables greater accountability to our jobseekers and allows contracted organizations greater flexibility to innovate in their funded activities.
Through this plan, the Southern Border Region seeks to build upon the promising practices of existing pre- and post-release programs as well as transfer services in place by expanding the Reentry Works delivery model to increase the number of formerly incarcerated and justice-involved individuals served throughout the region. Highlights of proven work include:
• San Diego has a nationally-recognized model of creating job centers within correctional facilities which deliver pre-release services and have proven to successfully reduce recidivism to below
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10% while maintaining over 65% job placement. This effort will be expanded to include Imperial County in service delivery strategy where it makes sense. The effort has engaged a large number of stakeholders, including community-based organizations, educators, corrections and probation and the region desires to leverage the lessons learned to benefit the rest of the region.
• Imperial County’s Inside/Out College Program in correctional facilities — providing college accredited education, job placement and employment services — was honored as part of the 2016 CSAC Challenge Awards, which recognize the most innovative best practices developed by California Counties. Learnings from this effort will be applied across the region.
Under this plan, from the baseline level of service described above, we will expand the number of individuals we are able to serve and provide the following approach/services to the population through our P2E funding:
• Rigorous, evidence-based selection process for each program based on population-specific approaches such as Risk-Needs-Responsivity (RNR) principles
o This will leverage existing tools such as the Correctional Offender Management Profiling for Alternative Sanctions (COMPAS) that assists in the placement, supervision and case management of inmates. COMPAS consists of a series of questions used to determine overall risk potential and a criminogenic needs profile, including data on any history of substance abuse, education, employment, family background, criminal activity and social functioning.
• Gender-responsive, trauma-informed approaches o Traditional criminal justice practices have largely been developed through the lens of
managing services for men, not women. For example, most vocational programs for female offenders have focused on careers that lead to low-level, low-pay positions such as cosmetology and clerical work. As a result, more female offenders are underemployed and unemployed than their male counterparts.3 Research indicates that interventions targeting women, and specifically post-release employment for female offenders, yields substantial recidivism reduction for women.4
• Two generational constructs to serve the whole person o At a far greater rate than their male counterparts, 80 percent of women return home to
care for one or more children.5 Reconnecting as a family and addressing child care needs will be a leading priority for female participants. Women experience a higher incidence of abuse and trauma with up to 77–98 percent reporting lived experience with trauma (domestic violence, physical or sexual abuse).6 The regional plan will be used as a mechanism to implement trauma- and gender-informed values in our approach, including developing gender-responsive policies and procedures and a program assessment.
• Peer-to-peer learning strategies that empower individuals to take ownership of their progress o Recent research has confirmed that implementing peer-to-peer learning significantly
improves outcomes for at-risk and hard-to-reach participants. When combined with traditional training, peer-to-peer learning improves social and cognitive development,
3 Bullis and Yovanoff, 2006 4 Freudenberg et al, 2005:1729 5 Freudenberg et al, 2005:1729 6 Women in the Criminal Justice System: Briefing Sheets, The Sentencing Project, Sept. 2014
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increases students’ sense of responsibility for achievement levels, and enhances transferable skills for employability.7,8
• Rapid employment and training placements through connections with community based partners specializing in transition jobs
o This will require expanded partnerships with active regional partner organizations such as the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) and Kitchens for Good to provide immediate, effective and comprehensive employment and training services to men and women with recent criminal convictions.
• Pre- and post-release services with team-based case management using the IPS model • Employer informed services which leverage our understanding of the labor market trends as a whole
(as demonstrated through the priority sectors and occupations in section 3 as well as direct engagement and feedback with specific, local employers in the region
P2E Implementation Approach Outreach, and Recruitment Strategy: SBR’s plan for connecting participants to post-release services demonstrates an effective hand-off for all participants, whether they are assigned to program staff, connected to a community-based AJC or provided a referral to another local area. The process at SBR for identification and selection of participants for all programming uses Risk-Needs-Responsivity (RNR) principles. Corrections partners will be responsible for driving the identification and recruitment process for participants based off the RBR principles, prioritizing those participants who show the highest need and likelihood to respond successfully to workforce development interventions. Pre-Release Intake, Case Management and Connection to Education: The multi-disciplinary case management team (MDT) consisting of the assigned Sheriff’s reentry counselor, a probation officer, and Alcohol and Drug Program specialist, parole and other community partner staff support is at the core of this shared case management model. The MDT meets with inmates to establish the intake process and consistent goals for reentry, ensure coordination of services, and provide support for the development of a comprehensive reentry plan.
The multi-disciplinary team staff will use the risk and needs assessment tool COMPAS that assists in the placement, supervision and case management of inmates. COMPAS assessments are used to place inmates in programs that will aid their reentry to society and will most likely reduce the inmate’s chance of reoffending.9 The results of the assessment and case plans developed will be shared with the Career Advisors to ensure a unified message about employment goals and to reduce duplication of efforts in their Individual Development Plans (IDPs). Goal’s in the participant’s case plan that can be accomplished pre-release or while accessing the job center services post-release. For example, an individual’s case plan may require participation in SBR’s
7 Scruggs, T.E., M.A. Mastropieri, and L. Marshak, Peer-mediated instruction in inclusive secondary social studies learning: Direct and indirect learning effects. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 2012. 27: p. 12-20. 8 Kunsch, C.A., A.K. Jitendra, and S. Sood, The effects of peer-mediated instruction in mathematics for students with learning problems: A research synthesis. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 2007. 22: p. 1-12
9 Report to the California State Legislature: A Roadmap for Effective Offender Programming in California, Expert Panel on Adult Offender Recidivism Reduction Programming, June 2007.
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High School Equivalency or Industries Center program. SBR will be leveraging both WIOA and P2E funding to create training and education resources such as ITAs and earn and learn opportunities. This ensures clarity on training received pre-release and allows post-release services to build on the work already done. The participants be eligible for WIOA training funds to access Individualized Training Accounts (ITAs), placement in On-the-Job training (OJTs) where SDWP pays for up to half of a participant’s wages for the first three months and other WIOA training products beginning on the first day after release from SBR. Once enrolled at the SBR, the contracted service provider will be responsible for continuing post-release services in partnership with probation and will be contractually accountable for participant outcomes that include employment, retention, average wage, and recidivism.
Post-Release Case Management and Connections to Education, AJCCs, Training and Services: Participants enrolled in intensive services prior to release will be released to Probation and must report to program staff within 72 hours. The initial and subsequent monthly services will be coordinated with corrections and the post-release so that all services can be provided during the same visit. Case management post-release will follow the individual placement and support (IPS) model. IPS, one of the only Ivy league peer-reviewed researched, evidence-based practice, stands out as unique to other supported employment models because services are individualized and long lasting with a focus on competitive wages. Case management continues indefinitely after job placement, ensuring high-need participants keep and maintain employment. A cornerstone of IPS is the philosophy that work promotes recovery and wellness, putting a focus on rapid job search and placement. The model emphasizes a team approach to improve employment outcomes that is inclusive of families, vocational rehabilitation counselors and mental health practitioners. There are 9 full-service AJCs strategically located throughout SBR all within close proximity to public transportation. All participants, whether assigned to Probation or their local AJC, will be provided with a “Job-Readiness Toolkit” that includes a list of completed certificates/programs, workshops and work experience gained prior to and while at SBR, copies of their résumé and cover letter and other resources developed pre-release.
Addressing Barriers & Supportive Service Strategies: SBR realizes that supportive services are a critical component to the long-term success of the individual. In engaging with 2,500+ participants since 2016, the top most occurring supportive service needs were: 1) housing, 2) food 3) childcare and 4) clothing. SBR through P2E and WIOA funding will seek to expand the total amount of supportive services funding available for justice-involved participants. SBR and its partners will align the public workforce system’s infrastructure and outcomes with those of the local basic needs support system as described above, representing a systemic response to the challenges of realignment and high-recidivism.
SBR has access to the Community Corrections Resource Directory (CRD) which connects justice-involved with a wide range of San Diego County resources and wraparound services for the reentry population. This directory can create referrals to regional service providers based on each criminogenic need identified in the individual’s assessment. Service providers listed in the directory can then report back to within the directory the status of each participant. The CRD includes an array of service providers that provide resources to ex-offenders, including: counseling, substance abuse, child care, parenting, financial literacy, victim assistance, education and health care resources etc. This tool enhances communication between community service providers, Probation and other corrections staff for a County-wide systemic approach to addressing recidivism.
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SBR will also partner with community based organization such as the Center for Employment Opportunities and Kitchens for Good, organizations that provide immediate, effective and comprehensive supportive service employment services to men and women with recent criminal convictions, to quickly place participants in employment and training opportunities upon reentry to the community. These job supports, alongside comprehensive supportive services in the community such as food, clothing, supplies (for work/education), housing, health, and behavioral health, will provide the services need to ensure success.
Data Collection and Information Sharing: Under our Reentry Works program design, all partners will be renewing or entering into MOUs that include data collection and information sharing requirements. Note that as the SBR has been operating reentry programs within facilities for a number of years, required MOUs, in accordance with the state directives, are already in place. Outcomes and outputs are tracked with the state-administered workforce case management and labor exchange system, CalJOBS. CalJOBS is used throughout the State of California, facilitating the referral and tracking of participants released in San Diego or to other counties across the state. By capturing social security numbers and assigning a unique identifier, this system allows SDWP to track participant employment outcomes throughout the reentry process and to match up with Sherriff and Probation data to track recidivism rates. Our team has developed the system functionality and data points to track enrollment, participation, work-readiness indicators, placement, and retention, as well as all other ad-hoc outcomes. The Sheriff’s and Probation Departments are committed to sharing data to track and report recidivism rates for all program participants. By enrolling participants in CalJOBS, SBR will also be complying with State’s expectations on data security, both from compliance with WIOA and AB1111 standards. SBR has extensive documented policies and procedures for collecting and protecting personally identifiable information (PII). SBR has also partnered with 211’s Community Information Exchange (CIE) ecosystem comprised of multi-disciplinary partner networks that uses a shared language and integrated technology platform to deliver enhanced community care planning. CIE enables CBO’s, workforce, and corrections partners to shift away from reactive approach to providing care to one that enables partners to integrate data from multiple sources and make bi-directional referrals to create a longitudinal record that promotes proactive, holistic, person centered system of care. Partnership We understand that partnerships are key to success in serving the reentry population. For example, each local area has an MOU with the probation department to provide services to local paroles. These services include job search/placement and resume assistance, job readiness, training, and other WIOA mandated services. The local areas attend corrections and probation departments’ monthly meeting to share success stories and activity updates, and to gather information about the needs of our community. Attachment C describes the broad variety of organizations SBR has partnered with to support the population in successfully advancing through sector pathways. Additionally, the SBR actively participates in several key community collaborations and partnerships, whether through existing MOUs or serving as active board members, we are represented and participate in:
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• Community Corrections Partnership: Active board member of this group which brings together all State funded corrections partners throughout the Counties, including Sheriff’s, Probation, local police chiefs, court systems, attorney general, and local workforce development boards.
• Regional Reentry Roundtable: Meeting quarterly, this partnership includes over 60 organizations from corrections, county social services, non-profits, workforce, faith-based organization, public health, and education partners. It has resulted in the publication of the online public health toolkit and other key community endeavors.
• Commission on Gang Prevention and Intervention: Active board member on this commission, where we create policy recommendation and funding strategies for the local, county and state resource related to prevention gang crime and reducing gang involvement across our region.
Through our planning efforts, we are strengthening these existing collaboration efforts through the creation of the Prison to Employment Advisory Council. The Advisory Council will include WDB membership from key employers, Sheriff and Probation representation, educators and well as key community-based organizations with expertise in serving the justice-involved. This will allow the region to expand our reach to include additional partners not currently represented, particularly education partners.
The region also understands how critical it is to engage employers in serving the reentry population. During the planning phase, we will develop in-depth research reports on hiring trends and practices related to criminal records and attitudes towards hiring. Communication is also critical to ensure alignment between and among partners. To assist with this effort, during the planning phase we will develop a Reentry Labor Market Report and bi-fold collateral materials to distribute key research points to employers, community partners and the formerly incarcerated. We will also explore possibilities for hosting quarterly webinars on topics relevant to serving the formerly incarcerated and justice involved. The advisory committee, including California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDRC), County Probation Departments, community-based organizations, Imperial and San Diego Workforce Boards, and employers, will be leveraged throughout this work to review findings and offer recommendations so that the final plan will encompass the best thinking in the region. These deliverables will be cross-referenced with our current sector-based research to develop or amplify successful employment strategies. Strategies will focus on skill attainment, including earn and learn models that lead to careers that pay self-sustaining wages. Staff Training Staff training needs will include ongoing development in a) the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model to include a greater understanding of mental and behavioral health needs b) trauma-informed care c) family reunification d) record expungement practices and e) safety and personal boundaries. The region coordinates closely with both the Probation and Corrections department to make these trainings available and has also included justice-specific training for regional staff in the regional training plan. For staff that work within the correctional facilities, intensive onsite training occurs upon new-hire orientation. The orientation includes a background clearance, general correctional facility orientation, and training on acclimating within the facility’s culture that they will be working in. This includes training on how staff navigate and manage facility resources, security supervision, and participant referral and support.
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SDWP recently provided training on employment retention and is seeking training resources on subjects such as identifying likelihood to recidivate post-release, and empowering individuals to adapt to the employment strategy that incorporates their individual knowledge, values, and experiences.
5. Business Services – Inclusive Business Growth SBR understands that the business community is a fundamental partner in driving economic mobility in our communities and supporting our justice involved citizens. First of all, as a region we are committed to fostering inclusive business growth and equipping small and mid-sized businesses to compete by meeting their needs for a diverse, skilled workforce which includes the justice involved population. Changing skill requirements, a nationwide battle for talent, and a soaring cost of living are combining to form an unequivocal threat to our regional competitiveness which must be addressed head on. This requires the SBR to not only assist businesses in improving the attraction and retention of all types of talent but to also facilitate capacity building within the businesses themselves. As such, we are working to create an integrated structure for serving businesses where:
• Service: Every business receives seamless service that exceeds their expectations - excellence every single time
• Relationships: We have extensive, deep, transformational relationships which transcend the ups and downs of the economy - true partnerships aligned to business need
• Transformation: Our brand is known for not just talking about difficult issues for business but partnering to solve them - strategic advisors not order takers
• Growth: We help businesses become more economically vibrant by meeting their workforce needs so that businesses are positioned to provide quality jobs to all populations in our community - anticipate not just react
• Revenue: Business affirm the value in the services we deliver by paying for them - path to sustainable services
Specifically, we are working to:
• Better inform businesses of the resources available to them through the workforce system. This includes AB 1008 Fair Chance Hiring, Work Opportunity Tax Credit, California New Employment Tax Credit, Federal Fidelity Bonding, and supportive services. This is done both through AJCC and partner outreach as well as board staff’s work with the community. Feature events such as the symposium held in San Diego in collaboration with CALPIA, in-facility job fairs, and volunteer-led expungement outreach all serve to raise awareness of resources for employers
• Continuously expand the list of employers willing to employ the formerly incarcerated through our core business engagement efforts.
• Advancing a robust sector strategy with meaningful career pathways (entry and upskilling) and business transformation tools in each of our chosen priority sectors which can support reentry and all of our special populations. To achieve this, we are structuring the SBR so that we can regularly refreshing our regional priority sector report. Additionally, we are rolling out Career Coach (a single tool to make labor market data accessible) to the end user and train educators and case managers to guide users use of the tool and the priority sectors. This will serve to educate justice involved individuals on the pathways available to them
• Achieve high match rates of reentry candidates to quality jobs which demonstrate we truly understand what businesses needs and dramatically increase number of quality jobs in the market available to the justice involved population. To support this we are, rolling out a single, Salesforce based portal for business services which will be available to all partners
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6. Multi-Craft Core Curriculum Pre-Apprenticeship
Coordination and partnership with labor, specifically building trades councils in the construction industry is core to our strategy. Members of the trades are not only part of both the San Diego and Imperial boards but active in reentry working groups and governing councils to help determine how the reentry and other special populations can be best connected with these career pathways. Members include:
- Tom Lemon – Building and Trades (SD) - Matt Kriz – International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (SD) - Andy Berg – National Electrical Contractors Association (SD) - Kevin Alvin – International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (SD) - Daniel Macchain - IBEW Local 569 (B)(ii). (IMP) - Ruth Duarte - Teamsters Local 542 (B)(i) (IMP)
The region is actively participating in an apprenticeship program with IBEW in Imperial county. As part of this program, the workforce system provides supportive services and personalized case management assistance to help ensure individual’s success. As mentioned in section 3, the region has also recently added Energy, Construction & Utilities as one of our four priority sectors and will be working with K-12, the AJCC system, and youth providers to help them better understand the hot jobs such as Plasterers & Stucco Masons, Structural Iron & Steel Workers and Electrical Power-Line Installers & Repairers within this sector. This includes the creation of additional research reports, collateral and training to educate participants on the training necessary to achieve family sustaining positions within the industry.
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Attachment A Details of SBR’s Strategic Pillars
• Job Quality: Job Quality is about simultaneously producing outstanding outcomes for businesses and their frontline workers. A good job not only pays well but also gives workers the stability and support they need to care for their families and take the next step in their careers. Good jobs also support business growth by helping the business meet and exceed its bottom line goals. As part of our job quality efforts under this plan we will 1) Develop a definition of job quality that will serve as a standard for the community while being responsive to individual needs and launch a communications campaign 2) Equip workers with knowledge needed to advocate for themselves and provide consulting to businesses/coalitions looking to implement quality components 3) Elevate jobs that have 1 or more quality indicators to support worker choice through a Salesforce-based portal; recognize businesses who display a commitment to job quality 4) Review the outcomes and impact of job quality experiments, placement of workers in good jobs and economic benefit generated for businesses
• 2 Generation Solutions are focused on creating opportunities for and addressing needs of both children and the adults in their lives together. The approach recognizes that families come in all different shapes and sizes and that families define themselves. Specific focus on Postsecondary Education and Employment Pathways; Early Childhood Education and Development; Economic Assets; Health and Well-Being; and Social Capital. Under this pillar we will 1) Incorporate the collection of data on the families we serve and connection to existing services into all existing programs; adapt systems as needed 2) Educate adult, youth and education practitioners on the 2 Gen framework, provide ongoing professional development on emerging resources. 3) Develop a set of solution offerings for delivery to educators and businesses; provide technical assistance/consulting support for implementation 4) Review the outcomes and impact of 2 Gen experiments, success of workers who receive 2 Gen responsive interventions and economic benefit generated for businesses as a result of 2 Gen support
• Outcomes Based Funding focuses on the efficient and effective use of resources to solve intractable social and economic problems. This approach shifts from a reliance on output measurements to our ability to demonstrate that high-quality social services produce results for those in need. This pillar includes a wide variety of evidence-based policy- and decision-making such as Income Sharing Agreements, Pay for Success, social impact bonds and other innovative public-private partnerships. Under this pillar we will 1) Complete the design of an Income Sharing Agreement model which can be rolled out to any program or educational institution 2) Pilot the Income Sharing Agreements with local educators, evaluate success and course correct as needed. 3) Apply the Income Sharing Agreement, Pay for Performance Contract and other outcomes based models to other educators, contracts and programs. 4) Establish a Center of Excellence for Outcomes Based Funding which includes templates, toolkits, technical assistance and consulting support for other workforce organizations
• Inclusive Business Growth focuses on equipping small and mid-sized businesses to compete by
meeting their needs for a diverse, skilled workforce. This pillar considers how to address not only attraction and retention of talent but also capacity building within the businesses themselves, through partnership with the Chamber, EDCs, Small Business Administration and others. Under this pillar we will 1) Form deep relationships with small/mid-sized businesses to understand their needs; leverage business assessments across all programs 2) Deploy business-lead councils in each priority sector where coalitions of employers tackle shared attraction, development, retention and growth
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needs 3) Establish a catalog of service offerings (both in house and partner) which are tailored to meet small and mid-sized business’ workforce need 4) Diversify earn and learn models to help workers gain on the job experience in new fields. Includes apprenticeship, pre-apprenticeship, internships, and entrepreneurial training linked to each of the priority sectors
• POPULATION-SPECIFIC INTERVENTIONS focus on deepening our programming which is truly differentiated and standardizing common functions in order to better respond to the needs of the community. This pillar considers how to connect programs, services and organizations to best serve participants as a whole person. Under this pillar we will 1) Build a customer-centered system of services that provides consistent and quality interventions to meet their or connects them to all relevant resources 2) Deepen our impact in existing populations to ensure our programs are building on success, increasing services and replicating strategies to serve more 3) Using the foundation of proven models and evidence-based strategies, pursue and explore new funding opportunities to create interventions for populations we have yet to serve. 4) Utilize data, evaluation and continuous improvement to constantly measure the impact of our interventions to course correct and expand our work where needed.
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Attachment B
Reentry Population Data Overview of SBR’s Rationale and Track Record for Success in Reentry Services: Both San Diego and Imperial have been operating proven, evidenced-based reentry models for over 4 years. San Diego has a nationally-recognized model of creating job centers within correctional facilities which deliver pre-release services and have proven to successfully reduce recidivism. Original targets were a 22% recidivism and 50% placement rate, and the job centers track record of success has demonstrated recidivism below 10% while maintaining over 65% job placement. Imperial County’s Inside/Out College Program in correctional facilities — providing college accredited education, job placement and employment services — was honored as part of the 2016 CSAC Challenge Awards, which recognize the most innovative best practices developed by California Counties. Learnings from this effort will be applied across the region.
Overview of SBR’s Assessments for Reentry Services to have Long Term Success and Family Sustaining Wages: The SBR will implement the following proven strategies an workforce services to achieve long-term success for it’s participants:
• Rigorous, evidence-based selection process for each program based on population-specific approaches such as Risk-Needs-Responsivity (RNR) principles
• Gender-responsive, trauma-informed approaches • Two generational constructs to serve the whole person • Peer-to-peer learning strategies that empower individuals to take ownership of their progress • Rapid employment and training placements through connections with community based
partners specializing in transition jobs • Pre- and post-release services with team-based case management using the IPS model • Employer informed services which leverage our understanding of the labor market trends as a
whole (as demonstrated through the priority sectors and occupations in section 3 as well as direct engagement and feedback with specific, local employers in the region
Reentry Population Data Individuals convicted of crimes in California are subject to a variety of penalties, including incarceration and supervision. State prison and parole are administered by the California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation (CDCR); in San Diego and Imperial counties, local jails are administered by the Sheriff’s Department and probation is administered by the Probation Department.10 Overall, about 1.4% of Californians are incarcerated or supervised—the 11th-lowest rate among the 50 states and District of Columbia.11
10 The one exception is Chula Vista, where the police department runs a city jail, but this jail only houses two populations: local arrestees being processed on their way to a county jail, who stay for less than 24 hours; and about 40 female federal inmates held for the United States Marshals Service to generate revenue for the city. 11 Jones, Alexi. (2018). Correctional Control 2018: Incarceration and supervision by state. Prison Policy Initiative.
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Background: The Corrections System in California The definition of a felony in California is a crime for which the maximum sentence is greater than one year. Any crime punishable by a year or less of incarceration is a misdemeanor. Some crimes (e.g. murder) can only be filed as felonies, some crimes (e.g. petty theft) can only be filed as a misdemeanor, and some crimes (e.g. grand theft) are “wobblers” that can be filed either way at the discretion of a prosecutor (though felony filings can be reduced to misdemeanors by a judge). In 2011, the US Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Plata that California’s overcrowded state prisons violated the Eighth Amendment prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment. The court required California to reduce its state-prison population from nearly 200% of design capacity to 137.5% in two years. In response, California adopted Assembly Bill 109, the Public Safety Realignment initiative (AB 109), changing correctional policy dramatically. Before AB 109, all individuals convicted of felonies were incarcerated in state prison; those convicted of misdemeanors went to county jail for a year or less or were put on probation (an alternative to incarceration). When individuals convicted of felonies left state prisons, most of the time they were conditionally released to parole, a form of supervision that comes with certain conditions, where failure to meet those conditions would result in a return to state prison. AB 109 instituted several changes: 1. N-3 offenses (non-violent, non-sexual, and non-serious) carry sentences of imprisonment in county
jails (generally for more than a year). Before this, county jails did not hold prisoners for over a year. 2. Incarceration for parole violations is served in county jail rather than state prison. 3. Prisoners whose current conviction is for an N-3 offense are discharged to Post-Release Community
Supervision (administered by the county-of-commitment’s Probation Department) rather than parole (regardless of whether prior offenses are violent, sexual, or serious).
In addition to the changes instituted by AB 109, the public voted to change sentencing standards in 2014 and 2016, with Propositions 47 and 57, respectively. Prop 47 reclassified non-serious, non-violent felonies as misdemeanors so long as the offender had no previous convictions for violent or certain
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
Federal… State… Local… Youth… Parole Probation
Per
cent
of P
opul
atio
nFigure 1. Incarceration and Supervision Rates in California
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sexual offenses. Prop 57 allowed the parole board to release prisoners whose current offense is nonviolent once they served their primary-offense sentence (eliminating sentence enhancements such as those for repeat offenses). It required the California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation (CDCR) to develop parole credits to reward good behavior with reduced sentences. Prop 57 also shifts the responsibility for determining whether a youth aged 14-17 should be prosecuted as adult from prosecutors to juvenile court judges. San Diego and Imperial Counties’ Justice-Involved Populations It is difficult to estimate the total number of a county’s residents who have at any point in their lifetimes been involved with the American justice system, via any form of supervision or incarceration. For example, a resident who moved to San Diego two years after being released from an Arizona state prison might consider themselves part of the reentry population, but there is not data source that would include such individuals as part of a comprehensive list of all justice-involved individuals. A good first step in profiling San Diego and Imperial Counties’ justice-involved populations is to calculate the total number of residents currently incarcerated or supervised by the state and county correctional systems. Table 1 shows the number of county jail inmates in San Diego as of February 2019 (Figure 2 shows geographic position of facilities). Because Imperial County does not publish data on current or average number of inmates, Table 2 show the number of beds at both of the county’s two jails. Figure 3 shows the total number of San Diegans currently supervised by the county (via formal probation, post-release community supervision, mandatory supervision, and juvenile supervision, all administered by the County Department of Probation) and the estimated number of San Diegans currently supervised by the CDCR (via parole). Adding these forms of supervision gives us an estimate of about 16,000 San Diegans actively supervised in 2016, down from 25,000 in 2011.
Table 1. San Diego County Jail Population (2019)
Facility Males Females
George Bailey Detention Facility 1,560
San Diego Central Jail 993
Las Colinas Detention & Re-Entry Fc 810
Vista Detention Facility 763 64
East Mesa Re-Entry Facility 774
South Bay Detention Facility 428
Facility 8 Detention Facility 195
TOTAL 4,713 856
Figure 2. Map Representing Facilities listed in Table 1
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Table 2. Imperial County Jail Population
Facility Maximum Beds
Herbert Hughes Correctional Center 314
Imperial Regional Detention Facility 288
TOTAL 602
Observers often claim that realignment increased the local jail population, but in San Diego County the jail population remained fairly stable. There were fewer bookings into San Diego County jails in 2015 than in 2011, likely because Proposition 47. The average daily population increased from 4,786 in 2011 to 4,986 in 2015, likely because AB 109’s transfer of N-3 felons to county jails resulted in longer average
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stays. In 2011, the California Board of State and Community Corrections rated five of the San Diego Sheriff’s detentions facilities as over capacity; in 2015 only one was rated over capacity.12
Geographic Distribution of Reentry Population for San Diego County Figures 4 indicates the County Supervisor Districts and 5 shows the distribution of supervised felony offenders in San Diego by County Supervisor District as of October 2018. Figure 4. Map of San Diego County Supervisor Districts
12 https://www.sandag.org/uploads/publicationid/publicationid_2100_21658.pdf
0
4,000
8,000
12,000
16,000
20,000
24,000
28,000
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Figure 3. San Diegans Supervised by Dept of Probation and CDCR
Formal ProbationJuvenile SupervisionCommunity + Mandatory Sup.Estimated SD County Parolees
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Figure 5. Individuals in Post-Release Community Supervision by County Supervisor Districts (1,625 total)
Figure 6. Individuals in Mandatory Supervision by County Supervisor Districts (635 total))
Demographics Table 3 provides a demographic breakdown the region. While the arrest rate went down, San Diego still had a very high juvenile arrest rate. “Locally, the arrest rate decreased 50% between 2010 and 2014 both in the County and City of San Diego. Despite this downward trend, San Diego County still had the highest juvenile arrest rate of 23.7 per 1,000 in comparison to other large California counties in 2014. There were a total of 7,779 juvenile arrests in the County of San Diego (2,061 felonies, 4,290 misdemeanors, and 1,428 status offenses).” (Downloaded February 7, 2019 from https://www.pewtrusts.org/-/media/assets/external-sites/health-impact-project/san_diego_restorative_justice_hia.pdf?la=en&hash=9C1C7031B10127CBEA99F816C5F732ACDC3E6DDD). See Table 3. IMPERIAL: Most prisoners released in Imperial don’t stay there; they go to San Diego.
0 100 200 300 400 500
District 1
District 4
District 2
District 5
District 3
Out of County
District UnknownNon-TransientTransient/Unkown
0 100 200 300 400 500
District 1
District 4
District 2
District 5
District 3
Out of County
District UnknownNon-TransientTransient/Unkown
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Table 3. Reentry Population
San Diego Country* Imperial County*
County Population 2017 3,338,000 183,000
State Prison Population 2017 8,837 Unknown
State Prisoners Released 2017 2,488 139
To Parole 1,291 Unknown
To Community Supervision 1,197 Unknown
No Supervision 0 Unknown
Total Parolee Population 2017 2,936 Unknown
Three-year conviction rate upon release from state prison (for those released FY 2013-14)
36% 71%
County Jail Population 2019 5,569 Less than 602
Proportion Male 85% Unknown
County Prisoners Released
DEMOGRAPHICS
*State prisons data is by county of commitment
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Recidivism Figure 7 shows statewide average recidivism rates for state prisoners over time using three measures—three-year conviction rate, three-year arrest rate, and three-year return-to-prison rate. The CDCR considers conviction rate the primary measure of recidivism, and this rate has remained fairly stable over time. Of those offenders who are convicted within three years of release, half are convicted of felonies, and half are convicted of misdemeanors. The law-enforcement community recognizes three categories of crime: crime against persons (e.g. murder, rape, assault); crime against property (e.g. robbery, burglary, bribery); and crime against society (e.g. prostitution, gambling, drugs). In California, the three-year conviction rate varies across these categories: 54% for crime against property, 48% for crime against society, and 40% for crime against persons. Recidivism also varies by level of violence: 50% of non-violent offenders were convicted within three years of release, but only 31% of violent offenders. The dramatic decrease in the return-to-prison rate is driven by decreases in re-incarceration due to parole violations, a result of AB 109’s shift toward “community supervision” for N-3 felons. For the cohort released in 2007-08 (and tracked through 2011), 44% of returns to prison were a result of parole violations; for the cohort released in 2013-14, 0.2%. Figure 8 shows three-year conviction rates by number of stays in state prison. A stay is defined as any period of time an offender is housed in an adult institution, regardless of whether the stay represents a new admission, a parole violation, or a parole violation with a new term. Figure 9 shows the three-year conviction rates by county for the 47 counties that had at least 30 prisoners released in 2013-14 (12 counties, all with populations below 45,000, had fewer than 30 releases). San Diego County, at 36%, has the fourth lowest recidivism rate, and the lowest overall rate among the 20 counties with the largest number of releases. Imperial, at 71%, has the highest recidivism rate in California.
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%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
02-03 03-04 04-05 05-06 06-07 07-08 08-09 09-10 10-11 11-12 12-13 13-14
Fiscal Year
Figure 7. Three Measures of Recidivism for State Prisoners in California
3-Year Conviction Rate3-Year Arrest Rate3-Year Return-to-Prison Rate
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
1
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Sta
ys in
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Figure 8. Recidivism by Number of Stays in State Prison
Conviction Rate in Year 1Conviction Rate in Year 2Conviction Rate in Year 3
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Figure 9. Recidivism by County of Release
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Attachment C Reentry Partner Organizations and Service Description
Organization Description of Services
San Diego and Imperial County Probation
County Supervision-AB109 Realignment Supervision (Provides housing/treatment funding)
S.D. and Imperial Sheriff’s Dept.
Operates East Mesa Reentry Facility
Department of Child Support Services
Responsible Parenting Initiative: child support modification; Driver’s License release; Live Well
Child Welfare Services (CPS)
Re-Unification Plans (CPS); part of Live Well San Diego Initiative; current EMRF service provider
Reentry Roundtable Promotes safe/successful reentry; monthly meetings at Second Chance, reentry dialogue
EDD One-Stop Employment Services; Training Community Linkages Family Health Centers of San Diego
Community Health Clinics; app. help: Affordable Care Act, MediCal, Healthcare for the Homeless
Pro Mentors Provide Mentors Mentor Management Policy/procedure consult; mentor recruitment Center for Employment Opportunities
Employment services, training, case management, supportive services
Dad’s Corp (SAY San Diego)
Parenting Workshops: healthy kids, Relationship Counseling, Legal Clinic, counseling/case management
Anger-Ease Anger Management classes Impact South Bay Relationship/Marriage/Co-Parenting Class Southwest College Continuing ed services/Vocational Certifications Ed. Cultural Complex Adult School and continuing education services Home Start Family, mental health, community services Second Chance Justice-involved housing, employment, community services McAllister Institute Drug and Alcohol outpatient treatment programs UCSD Mental Health Psychiatry/behavioral health/mental health care N. County Lifeline Social services, behavioral health services Crisis House El Cajon Emergency housing and services Interfaith Comm Srvc Housing and supportive services Interfaith Shelter Network
Temporary family shelter, rental assistance: rapid rehousing initiative
Veterans Commerce Rental/moving assistance for low-income veterans Veterans Village of San Diego
Transitional housing, substance abuse, PTSD treatment, housing assistance, case management.
Rise Up Industries Tattoo removal services East Region Adult Education
Post release training
Education to Career Network (North County)
Post release training
South Bay Consortium Post release training
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Northern Coastal (Mira Costa)
Post release training
San Diego Adult Ed (Metro region)
Post release training
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Attachment D Other Priority Populations
The Southern Border Region understands that while the regional plan modification focuses on the reentry population, the regional plan needs to include those populations that are a priority for both local workforce boards in the ways that are similar. In the case of the Southern Border Region, non-WIOA youth, English language learners, Calfresh recipients and both custodial and non-custodial parents are important to include in the regional plan. Not surprisingly, the same populations in both counties experience similar barriers to employment. For the populations that both counties work with, the regional work engages the local boards and partners where possible to expand services to these populations and share resources for greater efficiencies. A primary strategy is capacity building across the region for both board and partner staffs. To this end, training coordination will continue to ensure cutting edge and relevant training is provided across the region.
1. Youth
The region recognizes the need to engage all opportunity youth to support education and employment before they drop out of school or are chronically unemployed. The Southern Border Region is exploring options to collaboratively support those youth who are not currently WIOA eligible through t. To begin a collaboration across the region to support youth, a pilot of This Way Ahead for GAP, Inc. internship opportunities. Using SDWP resources and regional funding, the program is expanded into Imperial County as a first step to support youth across the region. Overall, to address the issue of out of school youth who are unemployed and disengaged to engage them in the workforce development opportunities to reengage and retain self-sufficient employment. The vision is to identify emergent opportunities to collaborate in support of youth throughout the region.
2. English language learners (ELL).
English language learners have the same needs across the region. They need practical language skills that are easily attained while employed. If the language classes are outside of work, there are multiple barriers including child care and transportation. In light of that, engaging employers to support language classes onsite is being considered in the regional job quality experiments. Additionally, hand held language acquisition has been piloted and is being further investigated and will be included in discovery of effective language acquisition models. As was mentioned at a public conversation, vocational language acquisition requires certain levels of frequency and duration to be effective, as well as removing barriers such as childcare and transportation. There are many opportunities to collaborate throughout the region with educational and service delivery partners to bring language acquisition to clients and alleviate some of those burdens that often accompany individuals trying to work in a non-native language that impact the ability of individuals to become functional in English.
3. Non-custodial Parents/CALFRESH E&T
Partners throughout the region expressed similar concerns. While Imperial County is in the process of bringing the CALFRESH E&T program to its citizens and San Diego is already engaged with CALFRESH, partners expressed the understanding that without support services and the resulting employment retention, enforcement will not succeed. Recognizing the differences in the counties, the workforce boards and partners will collaborate to bring training, best practices and effective models of support.
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Included in these models is the 2-Gen work being done in San Diego. These lessons will be shared with Imperial County and partners to expand the supports for success.
4. Senior and older adults
Partners expressed the need to support older adults who need or want to work. They may not need a family sustaining wage, but they may require supplemental income for retirement. There are many opportunities to explore that include technology upskilling and certain home health support training.
5. DD/ID – Competitive Integrated Employment
Presently, Competitive Integrated Employment programs are only available in some parts of the region. The rest of the region refers to the Department of Rehabilitation. There are very few programs for people with disabilities in the areas that do not already have a built out CIE program. By aligning goals and braiding funding, individuals with disabilities will be better supported throughout the region. The intention is to identify future opportunities to support citizens with disabilities across the region vice localized supports. With collaborative and integrative teams built around client preferences, services will be tailored to the individual needs of each client.
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Attachment E
Indices of Regional Coordination and Alignment Regional Assessment
There are 3 levels and 8 indices. The following assessment levels are indicated for each of the indicators below:
Assessment Levels: Learning/ Experimenting Region is working to understand job quality and
high road employment practices and is committed to creating and implementing a job quality policy.
Operationalizing/ Doing Region has a job quality policy in place which requires business engagement staff to assess employers prior to providing services and targeting services to employers who support job quality in their workforce.
Growing/ Expanding/ Scaling Region is engaged with employers that focus on internal/incumbent worker skills and retention and focuses services on employers with good scheduling and sick time practices, provides training and career pathways with income mobility.
Demand Driven Skills Attainment Indices Indicator A: Region has a team that jointly convenes industry Example Considerations: region has a dedicated team (recognized as such by regional workforce and education partners), multiple committed companies (industry champions) in each prioritized industry sector (including unions where workers are represented), frequency of meetings, diversity and reach of representation on the team, depth and representation of priority industry sectors (decision makers, number of employers, size of workforce represented) and a method of ensuring core program partners are connected.
Assessment Questions: What industries/sectors meet in the region? Currently ICT, Healthcare and service sector (retail, hospitality, tourism) Who are the industry champions for each industry sector? Healthcare: Hospital Association of San Diego and Imperial Counties San Diego Blood Bank Family Health Centers of San Diego Kaiser Permanente Southern California Physicians Services Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU), Local 30 Sharp HealthCare San Diego & Imperial Counties Regional Consortium Vemo
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Grossmont College Center of Excellence for Labor Market Research AccentCare St. Paul’s Senior Services Foundation Mental Health Systems Inc. Seaport Home Health & Hospice Scripps Health Grossmont Union High School District East Region Adult Education Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest Employment Development Department Fred Finch Youth Center The Arc of San Diego San Diego Mesa College State of California Community Catalysts of California Health and Human Services Agency Pioneers Memorial Health District Grossmont Health Occupations Center Imperial County One Stop Business & Development Services Imperial County Workforce Development Office San Diego Community College District ICT: Catalyst Strategy Solutions BIOCOM Cyber Center Of Excellence Cloud Beds HoverCam HIRED Rescue The Behavior Change Agency Lead Crunch.ai Raygun Employment Development Department Soft Stack Factory Booz Allen Hamilton Myers Media Group San Diego Zoo Global Academy Wildfire Systems, Inc Fokcus Journeys Map Microsoft - Mountain View Imperial County One Stop Business & Development Services Imperial County Workforce Development Office San Diego Community College District Conveyor Group New Technical Solutions Spectrum Advertising Effecture, LLC
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How were the lead organization(s) and sector experts responsible for convening employers identified? The Southern Border Region conferred with Board members and existing partners both educational and industry for suggested members. The invitations were sent and followed up by leadership of both WDBs. Once industry and educational organizational and other appropriate partner organizations identified and confirmed, Council meeting dates were developed. The agendas were set in conjunction with the Council Chairs who are industry leaders in the region. What activities take place during a convening/meeting? At the advisory council meetings, industry and educational participants engage in facilitated discussion by SBR hosts around key issues to address during the year. Council objectives include: validating labor market data with employer experience, identify trends impacting both large and small businesses within the sector, exploring innovative approaches to support the attraction, training, and retention of talent, guiding strategic investment of grant funding in the health care sector. Currently the group is exploring the implementation of job quality scholarships for businesses and the roll out of income sharing agreements. How frequently do convenings/meetings occur? Quarterly Who attends each convening? Council members, SBR staff and anyone identified as necessary to share or provide information on the areas being worked on. What new Industry Recognized Credentials and/or Apprenticeship programs will result from the Industry Sector convenings/meetings? Looking for earn and learn opportunities for healthcare that will include ISAs. Have the partners identified existing credentials offered in the region that meet Industry needs? Healthcare has industry required credentials provided by the educational and technical schools in the area. Assessment Level: Operationalizing/ Doing
Indicator B: Region has shared sector/occupational focus and shares/pools resources to meet demand in the region Example Considerations: regional plan partners have identified industry sectors with large numbers of good quality jobs with openings ; region has a shared written assessment of regional needs; region has a concrete plan to meet written identifiable needs; region demonstrates ongoing meaningful activity to meet needs and achieve workforce goals; region has achieved relative scale and diversity of dedicated resources and shared/pooled funds, and/or has identified common tools for determining job quality that help assess what industries, companies, and jobs to target.
Assessment Questions: How does the region identify demand occupations and sectors and who are the partners engaged in this process? The Director of Research for the Region leads a rigorous research process to refresh the In Demand Jobs and Priority Sector reports regularly parsing them so that both regional and local area profiles are available. SBR hosts the annual Workforce Conference which convenes all industry champions, community partners and workforce leaders to set agenda and discuss industry sector needs. How are resources pooled to meet the identified demand? There is one Research Director and staff for the region. Career pathways and upskilling for soft skills implemented through LinkedIn Learning and CoreScore. Provide 1-3 examples in how demand was identified and resources pooled to meet this demand.
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1. “Hot Jobs” (In demand Jobs) report and Priority Sector refresh expanded to the region 2. Career Coach LMI tool established for region and by individual County 3. Career pathways and upskilling for soft skills implemented through LinkedIn Learning and CoreScore Assessment Level: Operationalizing/ Doing
Indicator C: Region has a process to communicate industry workforce needs to supply-side partners. Example Considerations: region has developed communication protocols and professional development opportunities to ensure understanding of the targeted industry sectors and job quality framework by all supply-side partners (America’s Job Center of California staff and partners, WIOA core program partners, AEBG, Community Colleges and other State Plan Partners), has a concrete plan for preparing job candidates to meet the needs of industry; demonstrates ongoing meaningful activity to meet needs and achieve workforce goals; has achieved relative scale and diversity of dedicated resources and shared/pooled funds.
Assessment Questions: Who are the supply-side partners engaged at the regional level and how does the region ensure understanding by staff and partners of targeted industry sectors and job quality framework? There are numerous supply-side partners including KRA, EDD and Imperial Valley ROP. To ensure that information is disseminated, there is the annual Workforce Conference, display boards, reports and online materials and collateral to disseminate information. What training/professional development opportunities are available to front-line staff on targeted sectors and job quality? The Region brings specialized training such as informational interviewing, Reentry specific employment retention and business services training as well as DoR and EDD specific training. Additionally, the WDBs provide just in time training on operational requirements. Finally, LinkedIn Learning is available for a variety of topics including soft skills training. How do the services provided by the AJCC and regional partners prepare job candidates to meet the needs of targeted industry? By providing Career Coach, the clients are made aware of both in demand jobs and the path to them affording them the opportunity to engage in an informed process to employment. How do One-Stop Operators, AJCC service providers, and other supply-side partners ensure that services are aligned to reduce duplication and redundancy? Give examples. Assessment Level: Operationalizing/ Doing
Indicator D: Region has policies supporting equity and strives to improve job quality Example Considerations: region has developed policies and business engagement protocols that focus on job quality, productivity and value added, using a well-paid workforce for greater production, value employee retention and training, provides employer paid benefits, supports good scheduling and sick time practices, and focuses on long term prospects of the firm and the planet, employers engage workers and community residents.
Assessment Questions: Does the region have a job quality policy and make a distinction between better jobs and worse jobs? Region has established job quality as one of the core pillars, is currently developing a job quality position paper and working to embed job quality indicators into the Salesforce tool used to support most programs. Region convened symposium event with employers in late 2018 to discuss job quality, among other crucial topics, with the community. Additionally, working group established within Healthcare (childcare) to pilot job quality experiments. They are beginning February 2019.
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Are business engagement resources targeted to employers who value job quality? Businesses are encouraged to embrace job quality and they are afforded learning opportunities about the value to the companies. Processes are being put in place for job seekers to have information on job quality aspects of companies. Does the region assist business customers with internal/incumbent worker skills and retention? Yes, partner companies are offered opportunities such as LinkedIn Learning with specific pathways identified for their employees. These are in addition to the job quality experiments. Does the region reward employers who are treating their workers with care and provide disincentives for employers with high turnover and pay low wage/no benefits? The region encourages all business to embrace job quality. It works to educate employers on the overall benefits of being a quality work environment. Presently, disincentives are not part of the program. The region is currently exploring mechanism to give an award to those businesses to offer job quality elements to their employees.
Upward Mobility and Equity Indices Indicator E: Region has shared target populations of emphasis Example Considerations: WIOA core partners, Local Workforce Boards, Community College, California Adult Education Program programs and community-based organizations identify specific documented target populations to be served at the regional level in a shared regional plan which includes meaningful action steps to provide services to target populations.
Assessment Questions: What are the target populations identified in the regional plan? Regional agreement on population focus is for English language learners, justice involved, opportunity youth, parents, welfare to work and individuals living with disabilities. Is there agreement by all regional supply-side partners to target these populations? Yes, many partners focus on these populations but there is also work on other populations with barriers to employment such as older workers. Have regional supply-side partners developed any process to evaluate participation by target populations? Yes, they use the CALJOBS indicators. What are the baseline (current) service levels to target populations? The WIOA guidelines are followed: workshops, job search support, case management that helps identifying additional support eligibility and access to training. Have regional partners established service goals for target populations? If yes, what are they? No. Conversations are in the works. Currently organizations have individual goals for serving these populations. Assessment Level: Operationalizing/ Doing
Indicator F: Region deploys shared/pooled resources to provide services, training, and education, to meet target population needs Example Considerations: Local Workforce Boards, WIOA core partners, Community Colleges, and other relevant regional plan partners pool/share resources, identify areas of strength/ leadership, create regional career pathway programs, identify scale and diversity of dedicated resources and funds pooled to fund relevant activities; implement a shared decision-making process on deployment of pooled resources; and plan alignment of services and programming across funding streams and partner programs.
Assessment Questions:
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Have relevant regional partners entered into an MOU to share customers, services and costs? Yes List funding streams that are shared/pooled to provide services, training, and education to meet target population needs. Implementation grant, P2E, training funds, WAF 7.0, SS 2.0 If funding is not directly administered by Local Boards, please indicate levels of shared/pooled funding resources administered by regional partners. They are directly administered. Assessment Level: Operationalizing/ Doing
Indicator G: Region utilizes shared, common case management strategies such as co-enrollment, navigators, and/or multi-disciplinary teams to developed shared responsibility for providing services and ensuring quality outcomes Example Considerations: WIOA core partners and other State Plan/Regional Plan partners have developed policies and are implementing common case management and capacity building practices, including data sharing, co-enrollment, co-location, common assessment tools (including both job skills/work readiness assessment for job seekers and job quality assessment for employers), navigators, professional development opportunities for staff, and/or multi-disciplinary teams, to provide services to common clients who receive services from multiple programs and funding streams
Assessment Questions: What shared/common case management strategies or goals does the region use to remove barriers to employment and develop shared responsibility of services and outcomes? Deploying Career Coach for use by workforce and educators to make LMI data more accessible to job seekers Has the region used evidence based practices and/or customer centered design to develop their strategies? If yes, describe. Yes, piloted hand held language acquisition with Learning Upgrade, Piloted a customized training with CompTIA for technology credentials for ELL populations and piloted soft skills development and sector specific pathways through LinkedIn Learning licenses. List the partners who share strategy by type of strategy and the number of customers currently participating in shared/common case management strategies. WIOA co-located partners are leveraging CALjobs to support shared case management. Provide examples of services and outcomes that exemplify shared responsibility for removing barriers to employment, providing services and ensuring quality outcomes. Deploying Career Coach for use by workforce and educators to make LMI data more accessible to job seekers. Piloting language acquisition through Learning Upgrade, cell phone-based technology. Has the region provided training to frontline staff on common case management strategies? If yes, list trainings and numbers in attendance/partners participating? Hosted EDD and DoR disability training (Windmills) for all interested partners Assessment Level: Learning/ Experimenting
System Alignment Indices Indicator H: Region has shared/pooled admin systems and/or processes for achieving administrative efficiencies and program outcomes Example Considerations: Local Workforce Boards, WIOA Core program partners and other State Plan/Regional Plan partners have specific documented goals for achieving administrative efficiencies and reducing duplication, including using dedicated staff and/or pooled/shared resources for regional business engagement, regional training coordination and Training Provider Directories, regional contracting, regional performance negotiations and regional data aggregation measuring progress.
Assessment Questions: Does your region have shared/pooled administrative systems or processes? If yes, what are the systems/process? Yes, there are Regional Organizer, Training Coordinator and Director of Research.
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Describe the administrative efficiencies that your region has identified that will reduce duplication, streamline processes, save money, and/or improve program outcomes? Shared research resources to conduct priority sector and in demand job reporting. The Director of Research for the Region refreshes the “Hot Jobs” (In Demand Jobs) and Priority Sector reports regularly parsing them so that both regional and local area profiles are available. Additionally, piloting Connect to Careers in Imperial County and share research opportunities from new funding such as reentry and employer perspectives. Does your region have a plan to unify the regional partners approach to engaging employers? Beginning the process with the regional Councils in ICT and Healthcare. Assessment Level: Learning/ Experimenting
Indicator I: Regional decision-making in formalized structures Example Considerations: Local Workforce Boards, WIOA Core program partners and other State Plan/Regional Plan partners, with input by industry champions, labor and workforce leaders develop formal decision making structures, including MOU’s, partnership agreements, intermediaries to ensure regional cooperation and communication and the development of shared, specific, documented quantifiable goals, regional data aggregation, evaluating progress towards those goals by dedicated staff using pooled/shared resources to evaluate outcomes for the region
Assessment Questions: Is there a formal structured regional leadership council/structure operating in the region? If yes, what is it called, how often does it meet and who participates in it? Regional partner WDBs meet monthly to discuss strategy and tactics and determine next steps. Regional industry Councils convene quarterly to identify goals and timelines. Does the leadership council have dedicated staff? Yes. Is it funded using shared/pooled resources? It funded with the state RO funding. Has the leadership council agreed to regional goals and does it evaluate and report progress towards these goals? Yes. Assessment Level: Operationalizing/ Doing
Indicator J: Regional organization and evaluation of performance Example Considerations: Local Workforce Boards, WIOA Core program partners and other State Plan/Regional Plan partners utilize specific documented quantifiable goals, regional data aggregation evaluating progress towards those goals by dedicated staff using pooled/shared resources to evaluate outcomes for the region
Assessment Questions: How will the region qualitatively assess/evaluate progress towards meeting regional industry and occupational demand? The Region will use shared research and evaluation resources for opportunity and reentry work (e.g. logic model, employer perspectives, landscape scan). Have the regional partners determined regional goals for increasing the number of industry-recognized credentials and apprenticeships available in the region? How will, or how might, these outcomes be tracked numerically and categorically? This is being initiated through a business landscape research to capture these requirements, what is available and gaps. Does the region have a numeric goal of placing participants in sector-based occupations? If so, list the sectors and occupations, numeric goal(s), and the number to-date in attaining that goal (baseline). Not as yet Is the region piloting employer engagement performance measures? If yes, what are they? This is being explored through the Councils. As yet, there are no specific measures.
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Have the local workforce boards met to discuss WIOA performance negotiations and how negotiations might align with other regional goals/measures? Regional partner WDBs discussed negotiations and the discussion is ongoing regarding goals and measures. Assessment Level: Learning/ Experimenting
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Attachment F Stakeholder and Community Outreach and Involvement in the Two-Year review of the Regional Plan
Overview. The Southern Border Region, San Diego Workforce Partnership (SDWP) and the Imperial County Workforce Development Board (ICWDB) undertook a comprehensive approach to stakeholder and community engagement by using the state list as a starting point and then evaluating those listed to ensure they were the correct contact, then adding appropriately to the list. Secondly, ICWDB and SDWP collaborated to have a single comprehensive list for the reentry and Multi-craft Core Curriculum meetings. For those email addresses that were returned as undeliverable or not recognized, the regional organizer conducted web searches for the appropriate organizations, acquired contact numbers and verified the appropriate email address by googling unknown organizations and calling the website contact to identify the correct recipient and email address for the organization. The public notice was then resent to the updated email address. For the partner email addresses that were undeliverable, the appropriate board staff were made aware so they could contact the individuals. There were only two addresses in San Diego and one in Imperial that could not be reached. Three public notices were sent via email, an initial meeting notice and two updates. They were sent separately to the state contacts Bethany Renfree, Michael Dowdy and Raphael Aguilera. Raphael Aguilera’s email responded undeliverable; the issue was report to the state. The public notices provided the dates and times of the meetings, the locations of the meetings in both Imperial and San Diego Counties, the alternative conference dial-in number, the regional organizer’s email address, the Southern Border Region web page for updates and a Community Input Form if an interested stakeholder was unable to attend either by conference line or in person. Prior to the meetings, the agenda and slide deck were uploaded to the website for the upcoming meeting and following the meeting, the notes and recording, if available, were uploaded to the site. This was made available for any community member or partner to have ample opportunity to participate. A launch meeting was held to orient participants to the planning process. Given the strong focus on reentry work as part of a regional plan, two separate meetings were held on this topic with the goal of enhancing present partnerships and developing new ones. One was an introduction to Prison to Employment and the overall work of the region and local boards around reentry. This meeting also discussed the planning process and how reentry planning would move forward. The second meeting for reentry was made available to discuss specific needs for the reentry population. CalFresh E&T and Local Child Support Services were discussed in one meeting to respect busy partners’ time since many partners and interested stakeholders would be involved in both. Additionally, English language learners, foreign born individuals and refugees meeting was combined with Multi-craft Core Curriculum (MC3) understanding that MC3 was also applicable to all populations included in the regional and the local plans. Finally, a community forum meeting was provided for the attendees to share in any of the subjects they wanted to discuss. Each meeting could be attended in person, via conference call or by webinar. Details were provided on the Southern Border Region website and directions to the site were listed in the Public Notice. To
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comply with the California Workforce Development Board’s Brown Act requirements, the public notices were posted in each AJCC, on the Southern Border Region website and sent to the California State Workforce Development Board’s points of contact for further dissemination. The public notice and the two updates to it were sent to the state at least 10 days prior to the applicable meetings. Additionally, to ensure compliance, the agendas, slide decks and any applicable notes, as well as the audio version of the meetings (when available) were also posted to the Southern Border Region’s website. The Regional Organizer’s email address was included in both the public notices and the website if anyone had any questions. There was also a form added to the email and the website so interested parties could provide information for inclusion in the plan. Because of the interconnectedness of much of the regional and local work, the local and regional meetings in San Diego were combined and all Imperial participants were invited to the regional meetings. In this way, it was hoped that a more comprehensive understanding of each topic could be ascertained and the overlap between the counties in the region could be better understood, even if the subject was not strictly a regional plan requirement. To ensure the best coverage, the plan update meeting dates and process were presented at multiple community meetings such as the educational consortia, Reentry Roundtable, Regional Research Council and Business Services Collaborative. Outreach, documentation and state notification for the local and regional planning processes were the same. These scores are noted in the below matrix. Outreach and Community Engagement Scoring Matrix for the Regional Plan:
Corrections-Workforce Partnership Exceed Meet Fail i. Summary of Community Outreach Efforts and Stakeholder Engagement: The local representatives were included in the mailing list and invited to all planning meetings.
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ii. Documented Efforts to Engage Required Partners in Each Category: The electronic postings are available, the email showing all the bcc recipients are available, the resend for those that needed emails tracked down and the physical postings at the AJCCs are noted by digital pictures.
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iii. Provided Information to the California Workforce Development Board (State Board) on planning meetings, listening sessions, or other public meetings related to the planning process: The Public Notices were posted with the state and locally at least 10 days prior to meetings.
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Total Score: 5 Scoring Criteria Fail: 0 = Does not substantively answer the element
Meet: 1 = Does substantively answer the element Exceed: 2 = Answers the element especially well Total for Corrections-Workforce Partnership
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Total Maximum Points Available
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Table 1. List of Invited Organizations for Reentry
Company/Organization ACCE Institute ACLU of San Diego and Imperial Counties Adonai Jireh Sober Living California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Center for Employment Opportunities Center for Positive Changes Choices in Recovery- Foundation House Coastal North County Adult Ed Consortium County of San Diego Probation Education to Career North San Diego-Vista Palomar California Employment Development Department Fellowship Center Foundations in Recovery- Sacramento House HCS - San Diego LightHouse Imperial County Adult Ed Consortium McAlister -New Connections San Diego Sheriff Department San Diego East Region Adult Ed SD Health Alliance - Fashion Valley Clinic San Diego Adult Ed San Diego Imperial County Regional Consortium (SDICRC) Second Chance Program San Diego South Bay Adult Ed Consortium Southwestern United African American Ministerial Action Council - San Diego Center for Re-Entry Management United Methodist Urban Ministries San Diego Volunteers of America Southwest
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Attachment G Public Comments
There were two comments submitted in the 30 days the plans were made available. The substance of them are below: Comment 1: 1. Overall, I think it could be beneficial to consider adding "us" - adult ed providers (five consortia in the region) - to the SDWP's plans and to its partner list. (As you know, California suffers a little bit from having to very different funding streams for (non-traditional) adult education: One comes through the Department of Education and funds or used to fund adult schools housed within High School districts. The other comes through the Chancellor's Office of Community Colleges and funds/used to fund non-credit courses at colleges. The two funding streams are under very different bureaucracies, process guidelines, report requirements, task masters. (You name it.) Adult Ed programs have, therefore and depending where they are housed, very different set-ups and access to databases, tools, services, etc. Adult Education Consortia were established also to overcome this strange separation - but we have a long road to travel. At this point in time, most adult ed programs at K-12 adult schools do not report their programs through the channels community college non-credit and credit programs are reported. As you can imagine, this distorts the picture in a region like ours where at least 50% of adult ed programs are offered through programs at least partially housed/overseen by High School districts.) For an overview of all consortia, see here: https://caladulted.org/ConsortiumDirectoryMap In our region, we have:
• East Region Adult Education • Education to Career Network (North County) • South Bay Consortium • Northern Coastal (Mira Costa) • San Diego Adult Ed (Metro region)
To give you a taste, here are links to programs adult schools offer. As you will see, there is quite an extensive list ...
• https://adultedworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/catalog_SPRING19-2.pdf (you can also find it here: https://adultschool.guhsd.net/)
• https://www.educationtocareer.net/course-catalog/ • http://adulteducation.sweetwaterschools.org/south-baysouthwestern-consortium/
(also here http://adulteducation.sweetwaterschools.org/) • (for Mira Costa Community College -
http://www.miracosta.edu/instruction/ab86/index.html) • (for SDCE - http://www.sdce.edu/organization/special-projects-and-grants/sdaerc)
2. The refresh seems to emphasize work with the "justice involved population" more than any other population. Is that because it is a "refresh?" There are other populations as important, no?
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3. Page 4, under item 3) points to "integration and co-enrollment with AJCC and WIOA providers." I think this is worth a second, third, ... consideration. Many WIOA clients are already working / studying with adult ed providers. And many adult ed providers offer training programs that directly benefit AJCC clients. However, at this moment in time, this system is not working (exceptions to the rule). It only works when clients are either enrolled (persuaded?) to become participants in a specially funded project (ELL navigator comets to mind) or when clients find adult ed program providers by chance. The centers do not consider us partners yet. When one steps into any center, one can always see posters for for-profit training providers (and sometimes IRC), but nothing really for adult ed providers/consortia. Also, clients are not intrusively counseled on the benefits of working with adult ed. (For ETPL programs that is problematic - a client who is sent to that list might not be able to make an informed-enough decision.) And what about those who walk into an AJCC and then "do not qualify?" We could benefit from a system that would help such clients to find adult ed programs (that are free or low cost but wouldn't be visible to a client who doesn't qualify for extended services). 4. On page 5, there is a reference to "peer-to-peer" learning. Which made me think of something we are exploring - student-mentors who get a stipends would be able to report "work experience" - the number 1 factor for employers who are hiring. Maybe there is something scalable in there? 5. On page 7 - what would a "job-readiness toolkit" look like? What if students already have digital portfolio? 6. On page 8 and 9, I would dare to say adult ed consortia NEED to be listed as partners. Especially Grossmont Adult Ed - the LEA for the SD Sheriff's department 7. On page 22, "Adult Education Block Grant programs" are mentioned - our name officially changed to "California Adult Education Program" (it's not a grant ...). In the local plan refresh (not paged) 1. Under item 7 (Collaborative Strategies ...)) - I think the first paragraph is misleading. It is not because San Diego is a "border community" that 500 K adults speak English "less than well.' Also, with the right feedback loops, adult ed providers would be the bridge - and often they already are. The third paragraph also indicates that we need much better communication between adult ed providers. In addition to VESL and ESL, adult ed is now offering "Integrated Education and Training" (IET) programs (also with WIOA funding). These programs offer academic and language support (and lead to certification, when they go well). 2. On the last page (?), under "as a local area ..." there is a typo - it should be 'local' and not 'locally' 3. In the third attachment "x," under "IRC ELL navigator role included" - there is a reference to 3,500 students in GUHSD title II classes - that is a bit too much of an exaggeration. The ELL navigator did not "access" all these students.
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Comment 2: 1) Maximizing Reentry Investments by co-funding with partners on page 3:
1. Maximizing Reentry investments by co-funding with partners • SBR has committed to expand it’s funding with corrections partners by designing
programs with the expectation that corrections partners will match investments in workforce solutions. Already, San Diego County Sheriff’s and Probation departments have matched nearly $1M . Collaborating with partners ensures that all our investments are maximized and our dollars go farther to serve the region. The ICWDB will begin exploring new funding opportunities with training providers in order to increase workforce services for the reentry population.
I believe there are opportunities to work with GEO Reentry or IVROP to serve the incarcerated population in new ways.
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Attachment H
Public Notice and Public Meeting Mailing List
Website-https://workforce.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/SBR-website-Public-Notices_Plan-Posts-and-Updates.pdf
Notice and Mailing List - https://workforce.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/SBR-Public-Notices-and-Mailing-List.pdf
AJCC Proof of Posting Public Comment Notices East County
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South Metro
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South County
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North County
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Attachment I Priority Sector Research
https://workforce.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Priority-Sector-Appendix-for-Regional-Plan.pdf
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