JVSG: JVSG funds are provided to states to fund two staff positions; Local Veteran Employment Representative (LVER) and Disabled Veteran Outreach Program Specialist (DVOP) which are fully integration in each American Job Center (AJC). Our integration strategy includes a streamline referral process to all partner programs such as WIOA and other combined state plan partners. Furthermore, DVOP specialists provide intensive services and facilitates placements to meet the employment needs of veterans, prioritizing service to special disabled veterans, other disabled veterans, and other categories of veterans in accordance with priorities determined by the Secretary of Labor. DVOP Specialists refer eligible veterans and eligible persons to all partner programs as determined in their comprehensive assessment. Additionally, DVOP Specialist receive referrals from other state partner programs such as; WIOA Title 1B for those eligible veterans and eligible persons who have been determined to have one or more Significant Barriers to Employment (SBE) outline in Veteran Program Letter (VPL) No. 03-14, VPL 03-14 Change 1 &2, VPL No. 04-14 and VPL No. 08-14. In addition, LVER staff must perform only the duties outlined in 38 U.S.C. 4104(5), which are related to outreach to the employer community and facilitation within the state’s employment service delivery system. Therefore, LVERs must be assigned duties that promote to employers, employer associations, and business groups the advantages of hiring veterans. LVERs are also responsible for facilitating employment, training, and placement services furnished to veterans in the State under the applicable State employment service delivery system such as the delivery of training to other state plan partner staff with current employment initiatives and programs for veterans. (Page 25) Title I
As required by 38 U.S.C 4215 (b) and 20 CFR part 1001 and 1010, priority of service is provided to ensure that all eligible veterans and covered persons receive priority access for all career service opportunities for which they qualify within the employment service delivery system and any sub-grantee funded in whole or in-part by the US Department of Labor. Rhode Island’s two local workforce development boards the Workforce Partner of Greater Rhode Island and the Workforce Solutions of Providence/Cranston, include the priority of service requirements in their local plans. In every one of our four American Job Centers (AJC) we have visible signage that is posted at the AJC point of entry that clearly describes priority of service an effort to encourage individuals to self-identify their veteran status. Furthermore, AJC staff are provided training by the Local Veteran Employment Representative (LVER) on a quarterly basis to review priority of service regulations, veteran referral processes and guidance on the “Initial Veteran Assessment Tool.” At point of entry, AJC staff are required to verbally ask every customer which enters the center “Are you a veteran, spouse of a veteran or caregiver of a veteran.” When a veteran or eligible persons status is self-attested, all eligible veterans and eligible person are made aware of: •Their entitlement to priority of service; • The full array of employment, training and placement services available under priority of service; and • Any applicable eligibility requirements for those programs and/or services. Subsequently, at the point of entry all eligible veterans or eligible persons are given opportunity to be screened by AJC staff member using the “Initial Veteran Assessment Tool.’” When an eligible veteran or eligible person has indicated to one or more Significant Barriers to Employment (SBE) outlined in Veteran Program Letter (VPL) No. 03-14, VPL 03-14 Change 1 &2, VPL No. 04-14 and VPL No. 08-14, then a referral is made to a Disabled Veteran Outreach Specialist (DVOP) for intensive services and the AJC staff member will enter an “Initial assessment” in Employri. (Pages 109-110) Title IV
In an event that a DVOP is unavailable the eligible veteran and/or eligible person is afford the opportunity to be seen by next available AJC staff member. In addition, the eligible veteran and/or eligible person’s information is referred to the AJC managers who are responsible for ensuring he or she will be outreached by a DVOP for intensive services at a later time. If a eligible veteran and/or eligible persons, at a point of service does not have the documentation verifying his or her eligibility for priority of service, he or she is afforded access on priority base to all services provided by program staff (including an intensive service) while awaiting verification. If a veteran or eligible person completes an online registration on Employri, our web-based system Employri includes content that explains priority of service, as well as provides veterans and eligible persons the opportunity to self-identify veteran status through virtual self-service registration. In Employri there are questions that are embedded at initial enrollment that will act as the screening tool to identify a Significant Barriers to Employment (SBE) outlined in Veteran Program Letter (VPL) No. 03-14, VPL 03-14 Change 1 &2, VPL No. 04-14 and VPL No. 08-14. When an eligible veteran or eligible person has indicated having one or more Significant Barriers to Employment (SBE) it will generate a notification that will be sent to the closes geographical located AJC to be outreached by a DVOP. For USDOL funded training at within the local AJCs, priority of service is given to veterans and eligible person over non-covered persons. (Page 110) Title I
The Veteran Service Coordinator will assist AJC managers in the verification process of veterans and/or eligible persons by providing expertise in veteran documents and priority of service. In such cases where a veterans or eligible persons is unable to produce supporting documents at point of enrollment they will be able to gain access to training funds as a non-covered person till supportive documentation are verified. During this time, DVOP specialists and/or AJC staff members will continue to render career services to the veteran or eligible person per self-attestation as first indicated at point of entry. In addition, DVOP Specialist and AJC staff will provide assistance and provide these veterans or eligible persons with resources to recover these documents, while continuing providing services. (Pages 110-111) Title I
In all netWORKri Career Centers at point of entry all customers are screened for veteran status by an American Job Center (AJC) staff person by verbally asking “Are you a Veteran?.” Once the veteran or covered status is identified a quick assessment is conducted by the AJC to identify Significant Barriers to Employment. At point of contact, if one or more Significant Barriers to Employment (SBE) is indicated as outlined in Veteran Program Letter (VPL) No. 03-14, VPL 03-14 Change 1 &2, VPL No. 04-14 and VPL No. 08-14, a referral or “Warm Handoff” is made to a Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program Specialists (DVOP). However, if no SBE’s are indicated during the screening/intake process the veteran or covered person will be referred to an AJC staff person to render appropriate employment, training and job placement services. In addition, after a SBE has been identified by a AJC staff person, a Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program Specialists (DVOP) will render intensive services to eligible veterans or eligible persons with one or more Significant Barriers to Employment (SBE), identified by the Secretary of Labor outlined in Veteran Program Letter (VPL) No. 03-14, VPL 03-14 Change 1 &2, VPL No. 04-14 and VPL No. 08-14. DVOP Specialists will conduct a comprehensive assessment of education, skills, and abilities of each referred eligible veteran. This will include the development of the Individual Employment Plan (IEP) that identifies employment goals, interim objectives, and appropriate services that will enable the veterans to meet their employment goals. If training has been identified in the Individual Employment Plan either by DVOP Specialist or an AJC counselor, they will make an appropriate referral to a suitable training program including but not limited to the following: occupational skills training; on-the-Job training; job readiness training; adult education and employer customized training. When an eligible veteran or eligible person is determined job ready and/or completes training services; DVOP Specialist or AJC staff will collaborate with Local Veterans’ Employment Representatives (LVER) and the Business Service Unit (BSU), for information on job orders and job development opportunities for veteran. The LVER’s principal duties are to conduct outreach to employers in the area to assist veterans in gaining employment, including conducting seminars for employers and, in conjunction with employers, conducting job search workshops and establishing job search groups; and facilitate employment, training, and placement services furnished to veterans in our state’s career service delivery systems. LVER staff will conduct follow-up activities with employers to ensure veterans and/or eligible persons are successful throughout the hiring process. (Pages 300-301) Title IV
Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program (DVOP) Specialists as an integral part of the State’s Labor Exchange System the Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program (DVOP) Specialists primary duties are to meet the needs of eligible veterans and eligible persons that have one or more (SBE), as per outlined, Veteran Program Letter (VPL) No. 03-14, VPL 03-14 Change 1 &2, VPL No. 04-14 and VPL No. 08-14. DVOP Specialist will provide intensive services and facilitate the employment needs of eligible veterans, prioritizing service to special disabled veterans, other disabled veterans, and other categories of veterans in accordance with priorities determined by the Secretary of Labor (Secretary). DVOP Specialists will conduct a comprehensive assessment of education, skills, and abilities of each referred eligible veteran. This will include the development of the Individual Employment Plan (IEP) that identifies employment goals, interim objectives, and appropriate services that will enable the eligible veterans to meet their employment goals. In addition, DVOPs will continue to provide intensive service, in combination with follow-up activities. DVOP specialists will continue to monitor veteran’s progress throughout training. Eligible Veterans or eligible persons in need of intensive services will be assigned to a DVOP Specialist after receiving an initial intake assessment conducted by the identified AJC staff member. This will include the development of the Individual Employment Plan (IEP) that identifies employment goals, interim objectives, and appropriate services that will enable the veteran to meet his or her employment goals. (Page 301) Title IV
In order to maximize services to those eligible veterans and eligible persons, DVOP staff conducts outreach activities at a variety of sites including, but not limited to:
- Vocational rehabilitation and employment programs;
- Homeless veterans retention project grantees;
- Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Vets Center;
- Homeless shelters;
- Community Stand Down Events; and
- State vocational rehabilitation agencies. (Page 302) Title IV
DVOP specialist and LVER staff are fully integrated within the career center network to ensure eligible veterans receive a streamline access to all eligible services and veteran employment opportunities. This may include partner programs such as Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) or the State Office of Rehabilitation Services (ORS) and/or ongoing activities including job recruitments, workshops, computer classes and job fairs. DVOP specialist and LVER staff are fully embedded into the AJC system, and are required to actively participate in all AJC activities so their customers can take full advantage of all available employment and training services. Staff meetings and training sessions amongst AJC partner programs and agencies such as WIOA, Trade Adjustment Assistance Program (TAA), Rapid Response, Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA), and Employment services to partner programs including ORS, and RI Department of Elderly Affairs (DEA), Department of Human Services (DHS), is critical to the professional development of DVOP and LVER staff. DVOP Specialist and LVER staff participation in these partner staff meetings broaden their knowledge of programs and resources, thus improving their capacity to effectively serve their customer base. Veteran customers benefit from the team approach to service delivery and internal networking among staff. (Page 303) Title IV
DVOP Specialist will provide intensive services and facilitate the employment needs of eligible veterans, prioritizing service to special disabled veterans, other disabled veterans, and other categories of veterans in accordance with priorities determined by the Secretary of Labor (Secretary). The targeted veteran population is as follows:
1. A special disabled or disable veteran, as those terms are defined in 38 U.S.C 4211(1) and (3); Special disabled and disabled veteran are those:
a. Who are entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitle to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veteran Affairs; or,
b. Were discharged or released from active duty because of a service connected disability;
2. A homeless person, as defined in Sections 103(a) and (b) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. I 1302(a) and (b), as amended;
3. A recently-separated service member, as defined in 38 U.S.C § 4211(6), who has been unemployed for 27 or more weeks in the previous 12 months;
4. An offender, as defined by WIOA Section 3 (38), who is currently incarcerated or who has been released from incarceration;
5. A veteran lacking a high school diploma or equivalent certificate; or
6. A low-income individual (as defined by WIOA Section 3 (36))
7. Transitioning members of the Armed Forces who have been identified as in need of intensive services;
8. Members of the Armed Forces who are wounded, ill, or injured and receiving treatment in military treatment facilities or warrior transition units; and
9. The spouses or other family caregivers of such wounded, ill, or injured members (Page 304) Title IV
DVOP specialist are able to outreach veterans with one or more Significant Barriers to Employment (SBE). Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training strategies have also been developed to address veterans that do not qualify for federal homeless programs and/or Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) services. DVOP Specialist will continue to conduct outreach to Veterans’ Service Organizations (VSOs), homeless shelters, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Centers and Vet Centers, food pantries, correctional institutions and residential treatment houses throughout the state as part of community networking strategy to locate veterans with SBEs. A DVOP specialist will provide assistance once a week at the Providence VA Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VAVR&E) office to provide and coordinate services to Disabled veterans look to use Chapter 31 benefits. (Page 305) Title IV
DVOP Specialist activities may include referrals to other agencies, supportive services, and/or career workshops to overcome employment barriers identified in the comprehensive assessment. Additional DVOP specialist and AJC staff activities include individual Job Search Planning, Résumé Preparation Assistance, and Labor Market Information for veterans and/or eligible persons. Job development services will be facilitated by LVER staff and the Business Services Unit to coordinate veteran referrals to employers. (Page 306) Title IV
All eligible veterans and eligible persons referred to DVOP specialist will receive the following intensive services:
1. Comprehensive and Specialized Assessment DVOP Specialist activities may include referrals to other agencies, supportive services, and/or career workshops to overcome employment barriers identified in the comprehensive assessment. Additional DVOP specialist and AJC staff activities include individual Job Search Planning, Résumé Preparation Assistance, and Labor Market Information for veterans and/or eligible persons.
Job development services will be facilitated by LVER staff and the Business Services Unit to coordinate veteran referrals to employers. All job postings within EmployRI will provide veterans and eligible persons a priority of service.
DVOP Specialist and AJC staff will refer veterans and eligible persons to applicable training programs based on training needs identified in the Individual Employment Plan (IEP). Veterans and eligible persons will be provided a priority of service on all considerate training program funded in whole or in part by U.S Department of Labor. (Page 307) Title IV
DVOP Specialist and AJC staff will refer veterans and eligible persons to applicable training programs based on training needs identified in the Individual Employment Plan (IEP). Veterans and eligible persons will be provided a priority of service on all considerate training program funded in whole or in part by U.S Department of Labor. (Page 308) Title IV