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  • III. Operational Planning Elements

    The Unified or Combined State Plan must include an Operational Planning Elements section that supports the State’s strategy and the system-wide vision described in Section II(c) above.  Unless otherwise noted, all Operational Planning Elements apply to Combined State Plan partner programs included in the plan as well as to core programs.  This section must include—

    • b. State Operating Systems and Policies

      The Unified or Combined State Plan must include a description of the State operating systems and policies that will support the implementation of the State strategy described in section II Strategic Elements.  This includes—

      • 6. Program Data
        • A. Data Alignment and Integration

          Describe the plans of the lead State agencies with responsibility for the administration of the core programs, along with the State Board, to align and integrate available workforce and education data systems for the core programs, unemployment insurance programs, and education through postsecondary education, and to the extent possible, the Combined State Plan partner programs included in this plan.  The description of the State’s plan for integrating data systems should include the State’s goals for achieving integration and any progress to date. 

III. b. 6. A. iii. Explain how the State board will assist the governor in aligning technology and data systems across required one-stop partner programs (including design and implementation of common intake, data collection, etc.) and how such alignment will improve service delivery to individuals, including unemployed individuals

Current Narrative:

With Executive Order 2019-13, the governor created the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) to include all of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) core programs.  This structural change aligned the Bureau of Services for Blind Persons (BSBP), Michigan Rehabilitation Services (MRS), and Workforce Development under a common Employment and Training umbrella.  All three areas have similar participants with shared desired outcomes and common partners in regions and communities throughout the state. 

Like the structural alignment, Michigan is dedicated to developing a plan towards greater data alignment and integration and is in the process of researching centralized and federated methods to track, share, manage, and report performance data.   

Michigan provides workforce and education services through decentralized service delivery structures, including K-12 schools, school districts, public schools and community colleges, and local boards overseeing approximately 60 One-Stop centers. 

Most programs operating in this largely decentralized service delivery network have the similar requirements, data needs, or program goals.  Some of the relevant data systems are operated by local government.  Some are operated by state government.  All have existing case management, data-collection, and reporting legacy systems which have been designed with both their program specific needs and their client population characteristics in mind. 

Given this context, the State is approaching the matter of data-sharing and the building of integrated data systems with the following principles in mind:

  • Form meets function.  The technological architecture for interoperable data-systems should be crafted to serve the policy objectives of the programs they are designed for and should not unduly constrain or predetermine the policy choices of program administrators and operators in a way that limits the capacity for policy innovation. 
  • Data-sharing and data integration efforts make the most sense where there is a commonality of interest, need, or purpose and a set of shared goals.  Any efforts to develop data-sharing agreements or, where appropriate, move towards data- integration will proceed on the basis of value-added partnership such that all partners gain something from the partnership.
  • Agreements will need to recognize and take into account the varied needs of different programs and client populations, the varying privacy requirements of different programs, recognition of data-ownership by program operators, and the need to work collaboratively to craft shared solutions that serve both the programs being operated, and more importantly, the members of the public receiving services.
  • Any data-sharing and data integration will be developed in order to meet state and federal privacy and security standards as well as those of each participating agency. 

Michigan’s current data collection systems include: 

  • Michigan’s One-Stop Management Information System (OSMIS):  This internet based system allows for collection of data for WIOA Titles I and III, Trade Adjustment Assistance (, Partnership.Accoutability.Training.Hope. (PATH), Food Assistance Employment and Training (FAE&T), Business Resource Network (BRN), Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessments (RESEA), and other program data from all of the local workforce areas.  Registration information is shared across programs, which allow service delivery, including case management and performance management between the local programs. 
  • Michigan Adult Education Reporting System (MAERS):  This internet based system allows for the collection of data for WIOA Title II.  The MAERS system is a centralized electronic database that houses participant information collected by Adult Education providers.  The MAERS system is linked to the OSMIS system to display co-enrollment information across WIOA titles. 
  • Bridges System:  Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients are tracked in the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Bridges system and electronically referred to the OSMIS system for work participation activities in the PATH program.  Similarly, the Bridges System electronically refers Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients to OSMIS for employment and training support through the FAE&T program.   
  • Accessible Web-based Activity Reporting Environment (AWARE):  The two Michigan Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies (Michigan Rehabilitation Services and the Bureau of Services for Blind Persons), utilize internal case management systems.  Michigan Rehabilitation Services utilizes the AWARE.  The Bureau of Services for Blind Persons utilizes Libera System 7.  These systems are able to produce a wide spectrum of supply and demand reports.  Customers who are ready for employment are placed in a “Job Ready” category in the Michigan Rehabilitation Services automated case management system (AWARE) where they can be easily identified and connected to jobs in-demand.  Other reports pertain to metrics that are associated with case load activity by individual and group and provide information on such areas as retention and completion rate of customers (Adjusted Rehabilitation Rate), and the number of individuals who successfully attain competitive employment for a period of not less than 90 days (Successful Rehabilitation Rate).