(8) Addressing the Accessibility of the One-Stop Delivery System for Individuals with Disabilities

Describe how the one-stop delivery system (including one-stop center operators and the one-stop delivery system partners) will comply with section 188 of WIOA (if applicable) and applicable provisions of the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990., with regard to the physical and programmatic accessibility of facilities, programs, services, technology, and materials for individuals with disabilities. This also must include a description of compliance through providing staff training and support for addressing the needs of individuals with disabilities. Describe the State’s one-stop center certification policy, particularly the accessibility criteria.

In order to fully address the various components of accessibility, this section is broken into four main topics:

• Internal policies and procedures that ensure compliance, accessibility, and effectiveness
• Training and professional development available to program staff and One-Stop Staff
• Accommodations available to individuals with disabilities to ensure accessibility
• One-Stop Certification Policy

Policies and Procedures

The Idaho Department of Labor maintains a Methods of Administration that provides a comprehensive set of actions to ensure that the American Job Centers in Idaho address the needs of customers with disabilities, to include the full array of available services. All of the state’s One-Stop centers comply with ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA) legislation to ensure access for persons with disabilities, providing for the most integrated setting possible. The state’s facilities procurement process incorporates ADAAA guidelines to ensure access to new or renovated One-Stop centers.

The state’s equal opportunity (EO) officer works with the Idaho Department of Labor EO officer, who acts as the liaison with other units of the department such as the Disability Determinations Service and the Human Rights Commission, as well as external disability support organizations such as the vocational rehabilitation agencies and the Council on Developmental Disabilities, to ensure policies are communicated and to foster these groups as resources for customers with disabilities.

American Job Center program service delivery staff provide individuals with disabilities special consideration for labor exchange services. WIOA Title IB program policies consider a disability as a verifiable impediment to employment. The programs treat individuals with disabilities as a family of one in determining income for program eligibility, giving them an additional opportunity for participation in intensive and training services. Youth with disabilities are given the highest priority service within Idaho’s youth programs.

Disability Training for Program Staff

A Disability Employment Initiative grant facilitated the development of training to One-Stop staff across the state and laid a foundation of resources for continuous improvement of services to and employment outcomes of individuals with disabilities. Through information and materials gathered from expert local and national sources, the grant efforts are being sustained through publications such as the comprehensive job search handbook, Willing and Able: A Job Hunting Guide for Idahoans with Disabilities (http://labor.idaho.gov/publications/Willing_and_Able.pdf), and its subsequent companion handbook, Willing and Able: A Job Hunting Guide for Idaho Veterans with Disabilities. Disability etiquette guides, local resource flyers, referral information and other materials disseminated through the Disability Program Navigator initiative remain available on staff SharePoint portals for use by all American Job Center staff..

A statewide training was conducted after the development of training materials to ensure the tools and information created through the grant were sustainable. The knowledge imparted by the Disability Program Navigators and the training and tools developed as a result of the grant continues to be the cornerstone of services to individuals with disabilities throughout the One-Stop system. All of which have resulted in improved coordination with, and referral to partner services and community resources, enhanced understanding of the needs of those with disabilities and improved ability to develop employment opportunities. As prescribed by Wagner-Peyser Section 8(b), each One-Stop center maintains at least one member of staff well equipped to provide the unique level of support needed by individuals with disabilities seeking re-entry into the workforce.

Idaho’s Vocational Rehabilitation programs also provide technical assistance where needed, and can provide or connect other core WIOA and partner programs to additional training available through national resources. A brief list of additional resources compiled by the Idaho Division of Vocational Rehabilitation is available in the appendix (Technical Assistance Resources for Accessibility Training, Appendix 2).

Accessibility and Accommodations

All American Job Centers are equipped with accessible computers built primarily with ADA equipment and software to accommodate a variety of disabilities. Customers with disabilities can come to the centers during office hours and access center programs and information sources. State policy requires all partner programs that provide services at the One-Stop centers do so in a manner that meets requirements of Section 188 affording programmatic and physical access to services.

Partner-provided services are also accessible to meet specific One-Stop customer needs. Braille, tape or large print of written information are available through the Idaho Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired or a directory of Sign Language and Oral Interpreters is available through the Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Other non-required partner services are also common points of One-Stop referral such as those provided by Montana State University, which operates the Work Incentives Planning and Assistance program in the state and provides counseling to customers on how employment affects Social Security benefits.

The Idaho Department of Labor website and IdahoWorks (the online workforce programs electronic registration system) include taglines to ensure clear communications regardless of the process utilized by the customer. The EO officer coordinates with the Communications bureau of the department to ensure taglines and other appropriate information are included and effective on publications.

One-Stop Certification Policy

Part of the state board’s one-stop certification policy includes the annual physical and programmatic accessibility for individuals with disabilities. The certification criteria references the ADA Checklist for Existing Facilities as recommended by the Northwest ADA Center. The full checklist is located here: https://www.adachecklist.org/doc/fullchecklist/ada-checklist.pdf.

The state’s EO officer is charged with ensuring that all of the Idaho Department of Labor local offices and American Job Centers are compliant with WIOA 188 and applicable sections of the Americans with Disabilities Act. To minimize duplicate efforts by the state’s one-stop operator and Workforce Development Staff, the EO officer will coordinate the annual AJC assessments and ensure the information is satisfactory for one-stop certification.