Jobs for Veterans State Grant (JVSG) is a $2.4 million grant administered by OET with staff located in the Kentucky Career Center offices statewide. Those who are both veterans and ex-offenders fall within a category specified to be served under this grant. Currently, the state coordinator receives a monthly list of every incarcerated veteran in Kentucky from the Department of Corrections; those in local jails and state facilities, with their release dates. The nearest disabled veterans outreach program specialist (DVOP) reaches out to these individuals to offer re-entry employment preparation and support services prior to release, when possible. After release, JVSG staff work with the each individual from their KCC office. KCC partners with the Department of Corrections (DOC) and Adult Education to provide training and assessments toward achieving a National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) for anyone during incarceration. On Jan. 1, 2016, DOC began offering 30 days of “good time” off on sentences of individuals who earn an NCRC. After release, KCC offers a complete portfolio of services to ex-offenders. As a population with barriers to employment, they are entitled to additional WIOA services facilitated OET’s NCRC coordinator. Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) - A special tax credit is available to employers who hire qualified ex-felons. The qualified ex-felon is an individual who has been convicted of a felony or released from incarceration for a felony conviction within 12 months prior to the individual’s start date. (Page 25) Title IV
Veterans Each career center office, along with each of the 10 local areas, provides “Priority of Service” to veterans for all Department of Labor funded programs. Each customer entering the local office receives a questionnaire that is used to determine whether the customer is priority-of-service eligible. If the customer is an eligible “covered person,” he/she receives a fact sheet listing all of the services and programs along with the program’s qualifications, which must abide by the Priority of Service mandate. The covered person is then seen by the first available staff person or referred to the disabled veterans program specialists if they are determined to have one of the significant barriers to employment as specified by the appropriate veterans program letters. Additionally, Kentucky’s Focus Career system automatically contacts veterans matched to new job orders 24 hours before non-veterans. (Page 26-27) Title I
Eligible veterans and eligible persons who are determined to have a significant barrier to employment, as defined in VPL 03-14 changes 1 and 2 or most current guidance, are referred to the Disabled Veterans Outreach Program specialist (DVOP). Additionally, any eligible veterans or eligible persons who are part of a designated additional population by the Assistant Secretary, as defined in VPL 04-14 or current guidance, will be referred to the DVOP. These referrals will be made following an initial identification of an SBE through the registration process. Customers registering electronically using Kentucky’s Focus Career module will be asked a series of questions to determine if they are priority of service eligible. If they are identified as a covered person, they are presented with a screen defining priority of service and directed to their local career center for further information on services and programs. (Page 60)
Initial contact at a KCC visited by a veteran and other eligible person will be by an intake/assessment customer service staff member. This person will provide the veteran with a self—assessment form that determines if the individual is qualified as having Significant Barriers to Employment (SBE), and is to be referred to a DVOP specialist. OET will continue to emphasize and train KCC staff to identify those who are already in the system seeking services, those entering the KCC and those found by the DVOP conducting outreach that are consistent with these target populations. These targeted populations include: • special disabled or disabled veterans, as defined in 38 USC §4211(1) and (3); • homeless veterans and those veterans who are at—risk of becoming homeless (any individual or family who is fleeing, or is attempting to flee, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or other dangerous or life-threatening conditions in the individual’s or family’s current housing situation, including where the health and safety of children are jeopardized, and who have no other residence and lack the resources or support networks to obtain other permanent housing); • recently—separated service member, as defined in 38 USC §4211(6); • ex—offenders, as defined by WIOA Section 101(38); • veterans lacking a high school diploma or equivalent; • low—income veterans, as defined by WIOA Section 101(36); • 18 to 24 year—old veterans, as directed by the assistant director for Veterans Employment and Training (ASVET) in Veterans Program Letter (VPL) 04—14; • transitioning service members assessed as not meeting the Career Readiness Standards, as documented on DD2958 and active duty services members being involuntarily separated through a service reduction in force as described in (VPL) 07—14; and • wounded, ill or injured service members receiving treatment at a military treatment facility or a warrior transition unit and the spouses and family caregivers of such wounded, ill or injured service members as described in (VPL) 08—14. (Page 250) Title IV
DVOP specialists provide intensive services to veterans with SBEs, other eligible veterans, and other eligible persons as specified by 38 USC §4103A, and at the direction of the ASVET through guidance contained in VPL 03—14, VPL 03—14 Change 1, VPL 03—14 Change 2, VPL 04—14, VPL 07—14 and VPL 08—14. DVOP specialists will provide a full array of employment, training and placement services to those veterans with one or more SBEs. DVOP specialists will also facilitate services through an effective case management strategy. DVOP specialists conduct an assessment, and provide services to veterans and eligible persons to include: • evaluation of skill levels and needs; • development of an Individual Employment Plan (IEP) to identify employment goals, appropriate objectives, and appropriate combination of services for the participant to achieve the employment goals; • coordination of supportive services with applicable providers; • assistance to KCC partners in providing services to veterans on a priority basis; and • conducting outreach to identify those veterans and other eligible persons, ensuring they receive appropriate intensive services, case management and other workforce services necessary to re— turn to meaningful, sustainable employment. LVER staff perform only those duties specified in 38 USC §4104(b), in accordance with guidance promulgated at VPL 03—14. These are related to direct outreach with businesses, and facilitation within the state’s employment service delivery system. LVER staff is assigned duties that promote veterans to businesses, business associations, and business groups. When business outreach is primarily conducted by a Business Services Team, the LVER will be included as an active member. Additional LVER activities and services include, but are not limited to the following: • planning and participating in job and career fairs; • coordinating with unions, apprenticeship programs, businesses and business organizations to promote employment and training programs for veterans; • informing federal contractors of the process to recruit qualified veterans; • promoting credentialing and licensing opportunities for veterans; and • conducting veterans’ programs training for all KCC staff. (Page 250) Title I
Service delivery is conducted through an integrated delivery system within the KCC structure. Crosstrained, responsive customer service teams throughout the Commonwealth provide effective services. Upon arrival to a KCC, veterans with SBEs will be identified using a self—assessment form and if eligible they will be referred to the DVOP specialist for further assessment, services and intensive case management as required. LVER staff work with the Business Services Team to promote the hiring of veterans to employers. LVERs are key members of the Business Services Teams, providing information on current employer job openings, assisting employers seeking to hire qualified veterans, and actively promoting job—ready veterans to employers. (Page 251) Title IV
Kentucky possesses the capacity and capability to serve all veterans. DVOP Specialists, however, only serve those veterans with SBEs, and other targeted populations as directed by the Secretary. These include: • special disabled or disabled veterans, as defined in 38 USC §4211(1) and (3); • homeless veterans and those veterans who are at—risk of becoming homeless; • recently—separated service member, as defined in 38 USC §4211(6); • ex—offenders, as defined by WIOA Section 101(38); • veterans lacking a high school diploma or equivalent; • low Income veterans, as defined by WIOA Section 101(36); • 18— to 24—year—old veterans, as directed by the assistant director for Veterans Employment and Training (ASVET) in Veterans Program Letter (VPL) 04—14. • Transitioning service member assessed as not meeting the Career Readiness Standards, as documented on DD2958 and active duty services members being involuntarily separated through a service reduction in force as described in (VPL) 07—14; • Wounded, ill or injured service members receiving treatment at a military treatment facility or a warrior transition unit and the spouses and family caregivers of such wounded, ill or injured service members as described in (VPL) 08—14 ;• Chapter 31 VR&E veterans . LVER staff indirectly serve veterans through direct business outreach to promote the hiring of qualified veterans and obtain job orders for review of potential cross—match with veterans seeking employment. (Pages 251-252) Title IV
All Workforce Investment Boards (WIB) and KCCs will ensure their plans provide strategies and policies for providing veterans and other eligible persons with priority of service. Policies implemented will ensure that veterans and other eligible persons are aware of their entitlement to priority of service, the array of programs and services available to them, and any eligibility requirements for those programs and/or services. (Page 252) Title IV
All veterans and eligible persons will be provided local labor market information along with current training programs tailored to the economic sectors for that region by either the DVOP, KCC staff or partner agency staff. Upon completion of the training program, veterans will be registered into the Focus Career system for job matching and placement. Additionally, DVOP and KCC staff will provide referrals as required for all veterans completing training. Success will be measured by the number of veterans and eligible persons training enrollments, completion of training and employment outcomes. (Page 253) Title IV