Welcome to Workforce 3 One Workforce Employment Network

Welcome to Workforce 3 One Workforce Employment Network (EN) Business Plan U. S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration Webinar Date: January 14, 2014 Presented by: Kevin Nickerson & Mary Lynn Re. Voir, NDI Technical Assistance Team U. S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration

Where are you? Enter your location in the Chat window – lower left of screen # 2

Moderators Moderator: Randee Chafkin Title: Workforce Development Specialist Organization: Employment and Training Administration Moderator: Miranda Kennedy Title: Director of Training for DEI, NDI Technical Assistance Team Organization: National Disability Institute # 3

Disability Employment Initiative (DEI) • According to the SGA, DEI Projects at the state level and/or local level participating LWIBs are required to become Employment Networks (ENs) under Social Security Administration’s (SSA’s) Ticket to Work Program. • Training and Technical Assistance to DEI Projects in attaining Employment Network status and implementing effective EN operations is provided under U. S. DOLETA contract with NDI Consulting, Inc. and the National Disability Institute (NDI). • Evaluation of the impact of the DEI Projects implementation and outcomes as Employment Network will be provided under U. S. DOL ODEP contract with Social Dynamics. # 4

Here’s what you can expect in this webinar Upon completion of this training webinar, DEI grantees and participants and partners from the public workforce system will have the following: • A brief historical view of Ticket efforts supported by SSA for Workforce Employment Networks (EN) • Information about various EN Business Model structures • Review of critical EN business elements • Tips for EN success # 5

Presenters Presenter: Kevin Nickerson Title: Ticket to Work Subject Matter Expert for DEI, NDI Technical Assistance Team Organization: National Disability Institute Presenter: Mary Lynn Re. Voir Title: Ticket Coordinator for DEI, NDI Technical Assistance Team Organization: National Disability Institute # 6

Agenda SSA’s investment in Employment Networks (ENs) Review of EN models – Local Strategy – – Regional Strategy State Strategy Understanding your EN business plan – – – Staffing and Services Goal Setting with projections Reporting Requirements Tips for EN Operations Next Steps Q&A # 7

Social Security Investment Reviewing Recent Direction of the Ticket Program # 8

Statement of Robert W. Williams Associate Commissioner, Office of Employment Support Programs before the House Committee On Ways and Means, Subcommittee on Social Security and the Subcommittee on Human Resources September 23, 2011 “The Ticket program can be valuable even if it helps only a small number of beneficiaries return to work. ” For more information: http: //www. ssa. gov/legislation/testimony _092311. html “Each disability award is expensive; on average, an award costs $250, 000 in DI benefits and Medicare costs over a beneficiary’s lifetime. ” “…it does not take many beneficiaries to return to work for those savings to add up…” “…we still must simplify our work incentive programs and refocus our strategy to promote the idea of financial independence more vigorously…” # 9

Ticket to Work, an Evolving Program • Recent reminders have been provided by Social Security Administration, directing ENs to be sure we are focusing on Career Track employment for Beneficiaries • A new focus on Workforce Development – Over the last several years, SSA, OSM and contractors have collectively worked to improve: – Billing Processes – Workforce ENs have e. Pay option – Outreach Methods – Workforce ENs have e. Data. Share option – Administrative Ease – Joint efforts to develop streamline IWP, EN Tracking Tools shared, electronic IWP assignments available to Workforce ENs – Secured Provider Portal – Allowing secure access to simplify Ticket assignments, e. Data. Share, EN Payment Status reports, and more # 10

Workforce EN Business Models Local, Regional, State # 11

Local Workforce Investment Area EN Model: LWIA operates as independent EN This example shows a collaborative web allowing for each Job Center served by the LWIA to offer and perform the EN operations to respective customers Job Center/ LWIA is the EN Job Center # 12

Regional Workforce EN Model: Two or more WIAs operate under single EN contract Specific Advantage of collaboration with Community Rehabilitation Provider: Job Center can add expertise to regional model of service, such as SSA Work Incentives advocacy. One LWIA as EN of record – Has submitted EN application, on behalf of multiple LWIA’s LWIA of Record Site 2 Site 3 Service Sites will include LWIA’s, but may also include Community Rehabilitation Provider(s) m DRC provides coordination amongst all sites, for Ticket holders, utilizing Integrated Resource Team (IRT) approach # 13

State Administrative EN Model Payments distributed amongst participating LWIA’s based on services to Ticket holders that lead to EN payments State Department(s) Note: Could be one, or a partnership of State Departments Example: 90% of payments go to providers per written agreement with State AEN MOU developed between LWIA’s and State AEN Local Workforce Investment Area Example: 10%of payments for administrative functions kept by State AEN, which is also the EN of Record Local Workforce Investment Area # Local Workforce Investment Area 14

Workforce EN Models Comparison Type of EN Model LWIA EN Advantages • Maintain all revenue • Control EN Direction Regional Workforce EN • Staff sharing and coordination of services • One staff covers multiple sites = better odds of sustainability State Administrative EN • Streamlining of administrative tasks • Only one staff person, the Portal Administrator, needs security clearance # 15

MOU / Written Agreements • Local WIA EN Model – Agreements can be developed with local community rehabilitation providers (CRP), for long-term follow up support, customized services, and/or SSA Work Incentive Advisement • Regional Workforce EN Model – Agreements would be developed with “EN of Record”, and participating LWIA’s, that become sites of service. The EN of Record can also devolop MOU’s with local CRP’s • State Administrative EN Model – Agreements would be developed with participating LWIAs and/or local CRP’s • ALL Models may have agreement with State VR agency, indicating how referrals will be made, and in some cases, describing potential payments to ENs through Partnership Plus • Agreements will spell out the role of each agency, referral process, sites of service, and any revenue arrangements # 16

Understanding your EN Business Plan Today we will briefly review the following EN Business Model Components: 1. 2. 3. 4. Staffing and Services Goal Setting for your EN EN Revenue Projections Reporting Requirements # 17

Staffing and Services • While the DRC is likely to be involved in serving Ticket holders, Job Center staff will also play a critical role in expanding this effort • Here are some typical staffing needs to consider: 1. Ticket holder Assessment & Assignment of Tickets (determining which Ticket holders you will assign, developing Individual Work Plan, and submitting e. Ticket assignment to OSM) 2. Work Incentive Advisement and Planning 3. Job Placement/Recruitment services for Ticket holders 4. Long-term follow-up supports for Ticket holders 5. Payment Tracking 6. Who will be the Signatory Authority? 7. Who will be the EN/Beneficiary Primary Contact, the EN staff member the Ticket holder will contact for more information on your EN services? 8. Marketing and Outreach to Employers # 18

EN Goal Setting • Do you have a projected number of Ticket holders you expect to serve? • Developing the number of Ticket holders you hope to serve, will help you evaluate the effort you should invest in outreach • NOTE: To find the number of beneficiaries in any state, by county, see the Ticket to Work site, current link as follows: https: //yourtickettowork. com/web/ttw/enbeneficiary-distribution • Revenue projections for the Ticket program can be tricky, based on the number of variables associated with each Ticket holder, and how the payment structure works • NDI has developed an EN Revenue Projection Calculator to assist in site specific calculations, example on next slides # 19

EN Revenue Estimate Example # 20

EN Revenue Estimate Example # 21

Reporting Requirements • Have you considered how you will track Ticket revenue and case management requirements (i. e. quarterly follow up)? • Organizing your Ticket holder data is an important administrative task every EN has to develop • There are currently two different tracking tools that Maximus has been provided by ENs that can be adopted for use, if your EN doesn’t want to create a system from scratch: – Ticket Data Manager (NY) – EN Ticket Tracker (Iowa) *NOTE: These tools will be provided on a future training, and reviewed in detail. 22

Reporting Requirements (continued) • Who will maintain Ticket Holder files, and what information will they contain? • At a minimum, your file will need to contain the Ticket holders signed IWP or IEP • Other possible documents you may want in a Ticket holders file (although these are not required) might include: • Wage Data (previous 18 months useful to understand payment potential) • Benefits information, including BPQY, and written benefits analysis • Consent forms • Why managing your Ticket information is useful – Ease in the completion of the Annual Performance Outcome Report (APOR) – Aids in future EN revenue projections # 23

Workforce EN Planning Guide This guide was designed to assist DEI projects in the process of applying to become Employment Networks, or who are new to providing Employment Network services. The Workforce EN Planning Guide is available for you to download, see: http: //www. deiideas. org/chapter 6/page 02 m_ena p_public. cfm # 24

Tips for Employment Network Operations • Developing your internal operations prior to accepting Ticket holders for services will allow you to provide better customer service to all customers involved (i. e. internal staff, Ticket holders, businesses) • While you can plan in advance for many of the components of your EN operations, you will continue to streamline your business operations as you mature as an EN, don’t expect to have everything go smoothly from day one, even with excellent planning • Ongoing outreach to beneficiaries is critical to the growth of any new EN # 25

Tips for Employment Network Operations • Addressing EN operations internally first will provide you a platform to then market to Ticket holders, and other key stakeholders • Take advantage of available Technical Assistance from your DEI TA Ticket Team and keep in contact with your OSM Accounts Representative • There is no teacher like experience, therefore, you should connect with other successful ENs whenever possible to learn from, and to collaborate with, in order to continually improve services you offer # 26

Summary In today’s presentation we covered the following: • SSA’s ongoing investment in Workforce Employment Networks • Review of EN models • Snap shot of information you will find in the Workforce EN Business Planning Guide • Tips for EN Operations # 27

Resources Workforce EN Business Planning Guide: http: //www. dei-ideas. org/chapter 6/page 02 m_enap_public. cfm Statement of Robert W. Williams Associate Commissioner, Office of Employment Support Programs before the House Committee On Ways and Means, Subcommittee on Social Security and the Subcommittee on Human Resources, September 23, 2011: http: //www. ssa. gov/legislation/testimony_092311. html # 28

Polling Question Are you planning to develop any local written agreements with community rehabilitation providers, or other community partner agencies, to support your Employment Network operations? A. Yes B. No C. We have not yet considered this option, but have strong relationships with community partner agencies already D. We have not yet considered this option, and need to work on developing stronger alliances with our community partner agencies to more fully serve the needs of our customers # 29

Discussion & Feedback Your thoughts or questions are welcomed… # 30

Please enter your questions in the Chat Room! # 31

Speakers’ Contact Information Speaker: Title: Organization: Email: Kevin Nickerson DEI Ticket Subject Matter Expert National Disability Institute knickerson@ndi-inc. org Speaker: Title: Organization: Email: Mary Lynn Re. Voir DEI Ticket Coordinator National Disability Institute mlrevoir@ndi-inc. org # 32

Look for upcoming Webinars in this series! the SAVE DATE Thursday, February 13 th, 2014 # 33

Thank You! Find resources for workforce system success at: www. workforce 3 one. org # 34