WIOA State Plan Common Elements

(A) The State’s Workforce Development Activities

To provide a thorough overview of the current workforce development activities and delivery models taking place in Idaho, we have provided a program–by–program summary of core WIOA programs as well as for those programs who will be submitting as part of the Combined State Plan. Where possible, we have also solicited information from our One–Stop partners who are not submitting as part of the Combined State Plan and have included this information as well. A comprehensive discussion of strengths, weaknesses, and capacity will be covered in the subsequent sections (B) and (C).

Title I - Adult, Dislocated, and Youth Programs (Idaho Department of Labor)

Funded by the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL), WIOA Title I-B offers programs for Youth, Adult and Dislocated Workers in Idaho.  These programs help eligible individuals get good jobs and stay employed, and help employers by improving the skills of Idaho’s workforce.

Idaho’s WIOA Title I-B Youth program serves out-of-school youth ages 16 to 24. Eligible young people work closely with a career planner to support them in achieving the education and skills necessary to enter the workforce. Services may include work experience through job shadowing and internships, work skills training such as vocational classes or on-the-job training, and supportive services to help with the costs of transportation and other necessities.

The Idaho Department of Labor also administers a State-Operated Job Corps Demonstration Project in Nampa, Idaho, located in southwestern Idaho.  Like the youth program, it also serves youth from 16-24,  and is intended to increase access to and enrollment in education and work-based learning for out-of-school and at-risk Idaho youth by leveraging existing resources and programs to better serve Idaho youth in getting the education and training they need in high-demand fields.

The Adult and Dislocated Worker programs provide access to the same array of service categories: career, training, and supportive services.  Services are provided at the level needed to launch the adult or restore the dislocated worker to self-sufficient employment.

For the Adult program, individuals lacking basic skills or receiving public assistance may be eligible. For the Dislocated Worker program, those who have lost their job through no fault of their own may be eligible. Dislocated Worker funds also support the Rapid Response program that provides immediate assistance to employers and workers for business closings and other mass layoff events.

Idaho Department of Labor staff provide Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth program services in the state’s 11 American Job Centers and mobile locations, providing access in 50 communities across the state.  North Idaho College in Coeur d’Alene and Magic Valley Youth and Adult Services in Twin Falls provide additional Adult program services.

Title II - Adult Education and Family Literacy (AEFLA) (Idaho Career & Technical Education)

The Adult Education program supports efforts to improve the quality of life for adults with academic skill levels below the 12^th grade, and/or adults who need English language skills to succeed in their communities. Literacy, numeracy, and English language skills are fundamental for workforce success and personal and social well-being. Services provided under the Adult Education program are intended to lead to further education, training opportunities, and work.

The Adult Education program plays an integral role in the workforce development system by providing access to educational and training services for adult learners. The program seeks to increase opportunity in the educational and workforce development of adults as workers, parents, and citizens. While playing a critical role in adult attainment of a secondary school diploma, the program also aims to assist in the transition to postsecondary education and training.

Currently, the program is carried out locally, on a regional basis, via the state’s technical and community colleges, universities, as well as the State Department of Correction. Each local provider is responsible for offering Adult Education services, either through direct instruction or through distance learning models. Local programs conduct intake and assessment, ensure appropriate class placement, provide goal-setting and education planning guidance, and follow up.

Title III - Wagner-Peyser/Employment Services (Idaho Department of Labor)

Employment services are designed to help connect job seekers and employers.  Self-service is available at idahoworks.gov, an online labor exchange system where job seekers can register for work, search for job openings, and access a variety of job search resources. Additionally, employers can list jobs, search resumes, and link to labor market information and other resources.

Staff are available to assist job seekers with job search consulting and workshops; aptitude, interest, and proficiency tests; career guidance; and referrals to other workforce development services.  Specialized services are available for veterans, migrant seasonal farm workers, and individuals with disabilities.

Employment services to employers include referring job candidates, promoting job openings, providing space at the American Job Centers for employers to conduct customized recruitment and hiring events; recruiting or matching applicants from local, state, and national labor pools; and organizing area job fairs.

Title IV - Vocational Rehabilitation Services (Idaho Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and Idaho Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired)

Vocational Rehabilitation services in Idaho are provided through two agencies: the Idaho Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (IDVR), and the Idaho Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired (the Commission). Both agencies serve individuals with disabilities that constitute or result in substantial barriers to employment. IDVR works with a diverse array of disabilities to include, but not limited to individuals with mental health disorders, learning disabilities, developmental disabilities, diabetes, deafness, amputation, mobility impairments, and traumatic brain injury. The Commission specifically serves individuals whose primary disability is blindness or visual impairments, including those who may experience co-occurring disabilities.  Where co-occurring disabilities are present, the Commission partners with IDVR to the extent practicable.

IDVR and the Commission provide services which include counseling and guidance, assessment, vocational training, post-secondary education, transportation, personal assistance services, and job supports and placement. Through customer informed choice and in partnership with their VR counselor, individuals with disabilities are able to create an individualized plan for employment, maximize their potential, and reach the goal of competitive integrated employment.  Services unique to the Commission include an Assessment and Training Center, Low Vision Clinic Services, and regional Rehabilitation Teachers who provide low vison and blind skills training to individuals in all communities in the state.

Both programs provide services to students and youth with disabilities to ensure they have meaningful opportunities to receive training and other services necessary to achieve employment.  Pre-employment transition services for students and similar services for youth include job exploration counseling, work-based learning experiences (paid or unpaid), counseling on post-secondary enrollment opportunities, workplace readiness training, and instruction in self-advocacy. Students are supported by a VR counselor to determine which combination of pre-employment transition services may best meet their individual needs. Pre-employment transition services are designed to help students with disabilities begin to identify career interests that may be further explored through additional VR services.  Students must be receiving transition services through an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or are eligible for a section 504 accommodation to receive these services under the banner of Pre-ETS.  Similar services are available and are afforded to out-of-school youth under the age of 25.   

While the services provided by these two agencies to their specific customer base are similar, the delivery systems differ slightly. IDVR provides services through eight regional offices and a series of sub-offices. Through cooperative agreements, IDVR has numerous staff collocated in several state program offices, such as the Idaho Division of Behavioral Health and the Idaho Department of Correction. Additionally, numerous counselors are collocated in school districts to provide direct services to students with disabilities. The Commission provides services through a central office in Boise, ID and five regional offices.

Combined Plan Partner - Jobs for Veterans State Grant Program (Idaho Department of Labor)

Veterans receive priority service for all U.S. Department of Labor workforce programs.  In addition, Idaho Department of Labor has dedicated staff located in select American Job Centers throughout the state to provide targeted support for veterans. 

Local Veterans Employment Representatives (LVER) program staff conduct outreach to employers on behalf of veteran customers.  The LVER works with employers to develop job opportunities for veterans and promote the value of hiring veterans within the larger workforce.

The Disabled Veterans Outreach Program (DVOP) staff serves veterans most in need of intensive employment and training assistance.  These staff focus on veterans with barriers to employment and other special workforce needs.  DVOPs offer a wide range of workforce services to veterans and other eligible persons coordinated through a case management approach.

Combined Plan Partner - OAA Title V - Senior Community Service Employment Program (Idaho Commission on Aging)

The Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) is funded by the USDOL and administered by the Idaho Commission on Aging (ICOA). Easterseals-Goodwill is the sub-recipient and serves seniors 55 and older, that are unemployed and have an income at 125% or less of the Federal Poverty Level. Services include paid employment training at community service assignments, employment training counselors to provide job skill training, computer skills training, paid supportive services to help overcome barriers to employment, development of an individual employment plan, and financial assistance with annual physical exams.

Enrollment priority is given to veterans and qualified spouses, then to individuals who are over 65, have a disability, have low literacy skills or limited English proficiency, reside in a rural area, are homeless or at risk of homelessness, have low employment prospects, or have failed to find employment after using services through the American Job Center system.  The program is designed to foster individual economic self-sufficiency and increase the number of people in unsubsidized employment.

SCSEP participants are placed in non-profit or government agencies called, "Host Agencies”. Host Agencies include senior centers, community action centers, and health clinics. These agencies agree to provide employment training through community service activities that provide the education identified in the participant’s individual employment plan. The program provides minimum wage, skill enhancement or acquisition of skills, personal and employment counseling, and assistance in obtaining unsubsidized employment.

Employment Training Counselors (ETC’s) assist seniors to develop Individual Employment Plans and teach job seeking skills such as; interviewing, job searches, setting goals, and resume building. Currently, the emphasis is to provide technology training that will assist seniors to build marketable skills that are essential to the present workforce. A participant can be in the program 48 months; however, 12-month extension waivers are allowed for specific groups.

The ICOA and Easterseals-Goodwill provide compliance, monitoring, statewide goal-setting, federal reporting, and program reimbursement.

Combined Plan Partner - Trade Adjustment Program (Idaho Department of Labor)

The Idaho Department of Labor administers the state’s Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Program, designed to assist U.S. workers who have lost or may lose their jobs because of foreign trade. This program seeks to provide affected workers with opportunities to obtain skills, credentials, resources, and support necessary to become re-employed.

Eligible workers are identified when a petition is filed with the US Department of Labor, which investigates and determines whether the layoff meets program eligibility criteria. The petition identifies a specific worker group that may access TAA services.

Services of the Trade program include: employment and case management services; skills assessments; individual employment plans; classroom training, on-the-job training, and apprenticeships; income support; job search cost allowance; and relocation allowance.

The Trade Adjustment Assistance Program, like WIOA Title I-B, is delivered by the Idaho Department of Labor in the American Job Centers and Idaho Department of Labor mobile locations.  The integration of both programs allows for seamless service delivery to individuals already receiving services from programs such as the Dislocated Worker program.

Combined Plan Partner - Unemployment Insurance (Idaho Department of Labor)

The Idaho Department of Labor administers the state’s Unemployment Insurance (UI) program, which provides temporary cash assistance to individuals experiencing hardship during periods of involuntary unemployment. 

Workers may file and check the status of UI claims through the Idaho Department of Labor’s website.  Direct in-person staff assistance is available at each of the state’s comprehensive centers, including those AJCs soon to receive that designation.  Claimants can also find help through the web portal’s “click to chat” feature or directly by telephone.

One-Stop Partner - TANF & SNAP (Idaho Department of Health and Welfare)

Both the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Programs are administered by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. Each program is discussed separately below.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as the Food Stamp Program, helps low-income families maintain good health and nutrition. SNAP benefits are federally funded, but the state shares the cost of administering the program with the federal government. Benefits are provided through an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card, which works like a debit card.

In order to receive SNAP benefits, Idahoans must meet certain eligibility requirements. For more information visit https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov:

• Be an Idaho resident who is either a U.S. citizen or meets specific lawful residency criteria;
• Provide proof of identity;
• Meet income eligibility limits of 130% of poverty or less for family size;
• Possess assets of less than $5,000;
• Meet stricter eligibility requirements if applicant is a student, legal immigrant or convicted felon; and
• Participate in a Job Search Assistance Program, unless exempt.

All eligibility requirements are verified through electronic interfaces or documentation provided by the family. Once approved for SNAP benefits, a family must participate in a semi-annual or annual reevaluation of their household circumstances. In the re-evaluation process, all elements of eligibility are re-verified using these same methods.

SNAP recipients, unless exempt, must either be employed 30 hours per week or participate in job search activities that will help them find or improve employment opportunities to continue receiving benefits. The primary focus of the work program is to help SNAP recipients get a job, keep a job, or find a better job.

The amount a participant receives depends on the number of people in the household, income, and other factors. Generally, larger household sizes or lower incomes result in higher benefit amounts. In June 2019, the average SNAP allotment per person in Idaho was $109, or approximately $1.21 per meal.

SNAP enrollment expands during recessions and contracts during improved economic times. The state continues to see a slow, steady decline in the number of people who receive SNAP benefits as the economy improves and more jobs become available.

In 2019, nearly three out of four families eligible for food stamps received benefits the same day they applied. On average, eligible Idaho families receive benefits within two days of application.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), or as known in Idaho Temporary Assistance for Families in Idaho (TAFI) program provides temporary cash assistance and work preparation services for families with children. The program serves an average of almost 2,100 households and 3,100 individuals.

TAFI beneficiaries receive a maximum of $309 per month, regardless of family size. These funds help pay for food, shelter, clothing, and other essentials. Idaho has a lifetime limit of 24 months of TAFI cash assistance for adults.

Approximately 94 percent of households are relatives taking care of a family member’s child, with the remaining six percent being single- or two-parent households.

In order to receive TAFI benefits, Idahoans must meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Be an Idaho resident who is either a U.S. citizen or meets specific lawful residency criteria;
• Provide proof of identity;
• Meets income eligibility limits for family size;
• Meets personal asset limits;
• Cooperates with Child Support enforcement;
• Participates in a drug and alcohol abuse screening and, if determined to be in need of treatment, must comply with a treatment plan; and
• Participate in the Enhanced Work Services program and meet strict participation requirements.

All eligibility requirements are verified through electronic interfaces or through documentation provided by the family.

Ongoing, intense job coaching and case management ensures that the state always has the most up-to-date status on the family to determine ongoing eligibility. Idaho’s TAFI cash assistance program requires participation in work preparation activities that build or enhance the skills needed to increase their income and become self-sufficient. Participants in this program are required to participate from 20 - 40 hours per week (depending on family composition) in approved activities including, but not limited to, job search, education directly related to employment, work experience opportunities, and substance abuse treatment. Failure to meet these required activities results in cessation of the TAFI assistance, with an additional penalty period during which the family is ineligible to receive TAFI cash.

(B) The Strengths and Weaknesses of Workplace Development Activities

As part of the State Planning process, public listening sessions were conducted throughout the state in the following locations:

• Hailey
• Twin Falls
• Pocatello
• Fort Hall
• Caldwell
• Payette
• Boise
• Salmon
• St. Anthony
• Preston
• Coeur d’Alene
• Bonners Ferry
• Plummer
• Lewiston
• Cottonwood
• McCall

Participants were asked the following questions:

• Are the numbers (referring to the brief labor market presentation that was delivered at the beginning of the session) telling the story that employers and job seekers are living?
• How well are local education and training programs preparing people for local jobs? Is there alignment?
• What support would businesses like in connecting to job seekers?
• What methods/channels of communication should we be using to reach the citizens that need support?
• What are the common barriers/gaps to accessing services and employment? (i.e. for those that are unemployed, what’s preventing them from getting jobs?)
• Describe the top 3 things that are not working well.
• Describe the top 3 things that are working well.

In addition, participating core and partner programs were asked to identify strengths and weaknesses of their programs, as well as for the workforce development system as a whole. Several themes emerged from that discussion. These themes, which are common across all (or most) programs, are discussed below. Several of the specific strengths and weaknesses of individual programs are discussed in more detail in subsequent sections of this plan.

Strengths

The primary strengths identified in our activities analysis were program administration, alignment, and partnership. Currently, all the WIOA Title I-B programs, as well as the UI, Trade Adjustment, and Veterans’ Outreach programs are administered by the Idaho Department of Labor. The Carl D. Perkins, postsecondary workforce training, and WIOA Title II (Adult Education) programs are administered by Idaho Career & Technical Education (ICTE). Both ICTE and the Idaho Division of Vocational Rehabilitation are under the administrative umbrella of the State Board of Education. Idaho’s State Board of Education also offers a unique advantage as one of two states in the nation with K-20 governance under a single board. ICBVI and the Workforce Development Council are under the Office of the Governor.

Having the core WIOA programs—as well as several of the optional partners—clustered within a few agencies makes it easier to streamline planning and policy alignment and promote robust referral processes at the State level. Additionally, the Idaho Department of Labor, Idaho Career & Technical Education, and state Vocational Rehabilitation programs enjoy strong, positive, and constructive working relationships, which have contributed and will continue to contribute to the State Planning process.

All of these agencies are represented, by their senior leaders, on the Idaho Workforce Development Council. In addition, partner agencies such as Idaho Health and Welfare, the Idaho Department of Commerce, and the State Board of Education hold seats on the Council.

The successful establishment of data sharing agreements, specifically on wage matching, between Idaho’s core partners are due in large part to the strong relationships they have amongst themselves, each playing a significant role as Idaho signed on to the federal State Wage Interchange System to allow for the data sharing to take place.  The Workforce Data Quality Initiative grant awarded to the state will do much to improve this effort as it enhances the state’s ability to automate data exchange processes within Idaho’s workforce development system.  The grant seeks to build upon the existing State Longitudinal Data System (SLDS) to build a secure, web-based interface, which ties together individual program participant information from workforce, education, and unique program data sets from Idaho’s WIOA Core Partners, the Idaho State Board of Education, and the Idaho Workforce Development Council.

In an effort to address the unique regional challenges that the system faces in our state, primarily with service accessibility in rural and remote areas and reductions in federal funds, in the summer of 2019 the Idaho Department of Labor recently implemented new service delivery model.  Face-to-face service can now be found in more than 50 communities around the state, a more than 100 percent increase from the agency’s previous brick and mortar offerings.  The new model modernizes how the department delivers services, with a focus on increasing IDOL staff presence across the state while decreasing costs associated with its physical footprint.  It is more adaptable to fluctuations in the economy and empowers staff to be more responsive to community needs.

Core and One-Stop partners offer regional training and quarterly collaboration for all One-Stop/AJC staff, ensuring participating staff gain awareness of the services and activities each partner makes available to residents in need across the state.  As part of this effort, the state provided select partner staff training and deployment of ADA physical and programmatic assessments to ensure One-Stops and AJCs comply with WIOA requirements.

Weaknesses/Challenges

We have identified three major weaknesses/challenges for Idaho’s Workforce Development System. The first is in regard to staffing, the second is in regard to serving rural communities, which the state has sought to address by implementing the change in the Idaho Department of Labor’s service delivery model (see above) as a means of improving rural access to services, and the third is in regard to connecting programs with employers.

Several of our core and partner programs identified staff turnover, staff training, and staff retention as issues—especially those programs which provide direct services like education and counseling. Attracting, training, and retaining high quality, qualified staff can be difficult in a stagnant funding environment, as well as in a state like Idaho where wages are lower on average. For example, Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors are required to have Master’s degrees, but the pay is not always commensurate with the education and training requirements. The State’s career and technical education programs have also experienced difficulty filling vacancies, as teachers are required to have both pedagogical and technical expertise and may have to take a pay-cut when moving from a career in industry to a career in teaching.

Attracting and retaining quality staff can be especially difficult in rural communities. The pool of local applicants is limited, with many qualified candidates seeking employment elsewhere. The pay is often low, and insufficient to bring in qualified labor from outside the community.

In fact, rural communities present a number of challenges for our workforce programs. A great deal of research links rural communities with higher instances of poverty and unemployment, lower education levels, and a generally higher need for services. In Idaho, these communities face the additional challenge of isolation, and are often separated by geographical barriers such as mountain ranges or large distances with few transportation options. As a result, bringing services to these communities can cost more, while at the same time serving fewer people. The majority of programs cited rural service provision as a significant challenge. Additional challenges in rural and remote communities for our participants include access to education, affordable housing, and public transportation.

Through the listening sessions introduced earlier, it was noted that Idaho’s workforce and education system has a difficult time coordinating with employers at both the state and local level. In addition, Idaho’s employers could benefit from additional support in connecting with underserved populations such as older workers, Veterans, persons with disabilities, and those exiting the corrections system. With an increased focus on employer engagement, employer satisfaction, and employment outcomes for participants, it is vital that all the WIOA core programs, as well as partner programs, have the opportunity to develop meaningful relationships with employers. Idaho’s Workforce Development Council was reorganized in late 2017 to increase the presence of and partnership with employers and industry associations. The reorganization was implemented in direct response to this weakness in Idaho’s workforce development system, as identified by an independent, industry-led task force appointed by the Governor in January 2017. Included in the state goals section of this plan are specific steps to increase coordination of business services. 

(C) State Workforce Development Capacity

The following table provides a summary of the funding and service levels of the programs previously described in Part (A) (where available). The service levels in Table 22 reflect the number of individuals served by each program. It is likely that many Idahoans participate in multiple workforce programs at any one time. However, Idaho is currently unable to produce an unduplicated count of the total unique individuals served across programs in the workforce development system. The figures below provide a sense of the service levels and capacity of individual programs as they exist today.

Funding amounts included in the table are as reported by each program and include both administrative costs and program costs. Federal Funding includes, but is not limited to WIOA authorized funds. The table does not include local funding, employer contributions, user fees, or entitlement payments such as Social Security reimbursements.

Table 22: Workforce Program Capacity - Funding Levels and Participants Served by Program

^{Numbers are based on most recent annual–reporting data available for Program Year 2018 (July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019). Those programs noted by an * show data by federal Fiscal Year 2019 (September 2018 through October 2019).}