WIOA State Plan Common Elements

DWD will develop marketing materials made available through a broad range of media, (i.e., online, print, and social media), to promote universal access and equal opportunity for adults and youth with disabilities. The marketing materials will include positive images of people with disabilities and the types of available services, assistance, and accommodations provided in the WorkOne offices.

DWD and partner staff will ensure that the TTY/TDD Communication Non-discrimination tagline is included on all external marketing and communication materials, to allow people who are deaf and hard of hearing to make calls to each other, and with the assistance of the relay systems, users can communicate with people who do not have TTY systems. A TTY system allows the user to place a phone call and then communicate through written text, rather than spoken communication. TTY systems include a telephone handset which is attached to a keyboard; each key makes a specific tone which can be read by the handset. The handset communicates those tones to a receiver on the other end of the line, and the receiver interprets the tones and generates a line of text. The following sample communication is below, and when necessary is translated into other languages:

The WorkOne System is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in the programs and services offered. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. The TDD/TTY number is 1-800-743-3333.

El Programa de Financiamiento asistido de acuerdo con el Titulo 1 de WIOA es un programa de Igualidad de Oportunidades de Empleo. Ayuda y servicios auxiliares están disponibles a solicitud para personas con discapacidad. El numero de TDD/TTY es 1-800-743-3333.

Additionally, DWD will continue to enhance the Job Seekers with Disabilities website, http://www.in.gov/dwd/2416.htm, to include resources for both job seekers and employers. DWD will also strengthen existing partnerships with groups such as the Governor’s Council for People with Disabilities, Family and Social Services Administration, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Division of Disability and Rehabilitative Services (including Blind and Deaf Services, Developmental Disability Services, Vocational Rehabilitation, Independent Living Centers, and Project SEARCH), Division of Family Resources, and the Office of Medicaid Policy and Planning by defining the process for referred or shared customers and improving the delivery of available services. Collaboration with these partners will also help to support October’s National Disability Awareness Month and March’s Disability Awareness Month through joint marketing materials and awareness efforts.

DWD or agency partners will conduct training for One-stop office staff, (including youth staff), to better understand the different types of disabilities, how to handle issues of disclosure and disability identification with sensitivity at program intake, and how to determine the most effective mix of services and referrals to make when a disability is identified. These trainings will be presented by subject matter experts and include such topics as: federal, state, and local disability policies; identifying barriers/hidden disabilities; disability awareness and etiquette; website accessibility; providing reasonable accommodations; assistive technology accommodations and resources; Section 503 for federal contractors; and simulation training. VR, Mental Health Centers, and the Department of Correction will also be invited to attend these events and asked to present on relevant topics. Disability Resource Coordinators sustained through Indiana’s Disability Employment Initiative (IN-DEI) grant will be utilized as subject matter experts in the field and also assist with training staff on serving individuals with disabilities. Best practices will be identified by these coordinators and shared with the WDBs for implementation when appropriate.

Within the One-stop offices, staff have been and will be further trained to follow established procedures to ensure inclusion and compliance. Starting with intake, staff is trained to ask every customer if they require accommodations during the intake process. Customer and One-stop office staff orientations should include a discussion of Equal Opportunity (EO) and the right to file a complaint. Following orientation, services should be reviewed with the client by determining the client’s eligibility and need for services in an integrated setting. Ongoing training will need to occur to educate staff on the services, funding, and the resources available to determine when it is appropriate to refer to partner agencies and possibly blend funding. Agency partners will seek to coordinate efforts and leverage funding between partner agencies to meet the employment and training needs of the customer. Memorandums of Understanding may be developed or reviewed, as necessary, to outline the responsibilities of each partner.

Staff will also be trained to use multiple resources and tools to ensure accessibility to services. One such resource that staff will be encouraged to use is the Guidepost for Success, which is a set of key educational and intervention strategies for youth, including those with disabilities. Additionally, One-stop assessments, Individual Education Program (IEPs), and Academic and Career Planning (ACPs) tools will continue to be utilized to identify career paths, barriers to employment, training or service needs, and employability skills. These assessments will also assist with identifying hidden disabilities and the potential need for accommodations.

DWD and agency partners will implement policies to support accessibility to services throughout the state. Development of a Reasonable Accommodation Policy will be explored that requires the WDBs to formally track when a reasonable accommodation is requested and whether it is approved or denied. This policy may include, but will not be limited to: the process for handling and tracking reasonable accommodation requests; examples of reasonable accommodations (i.e., frequent breaks, ensuring a quiet testing environment, reading the test aloud); providing training and information regarding One-stop procedures; and a process for notifying the state regarding the approval/denial of the request(s). The state will track both informal and formal complaints received in the One-stop offices through the State’s Quarterly Customer Service Record Log, located at http://www.in.gov/dwd/files/complaint log.xls . This will help the state identify any patterns for alleged discrimination of individuals with disabilities. Along these same lines, when DWD or a One-stop office removes a job order that prohibits individuals with disabilities from applying, the employer’s contact information will be logged on the Quarterly Customer Service Record Log for tracking purposes.

The state included and will continue to monitor physical and programmatic accessibility as a criteria for One Stop Center certification

Lastly, the One-stop offices, (with oversight from the state level Equal Opportunity Officer), will continue implementation of equal opportunity and universal access strategies that were included in the state’s Methods of Administration, and that will be included in the development of the Governor’s Nondiscrimination Plan. This is a document provided to the USDOL Civil Rights Center every two years and outlines efforts taken for the following: designation of an Equal Opportunity Officer; notice and communication; assurances; universal access; compliance with section 504; data and information collection, analysis, and maintenance; monitoring for compliance and continuous improvement; complaint processing procedures; and corrective actions or sanctions.