The U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration will host a webinar on June 10, 2020 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. This second webinar in a series will continue discussing WIOA performance and reporting requirements and will share information about technical assistance resources and tools. Presenters will cover technical assistance resource development, how and when local and state staff and board members would find these resources helpful with performance accountability, and where the resources are published.

This report presents findings of 160 frontline staff and managers in the workforce systems of seven states and summarizes three virtual roundtable discussions with 31 participants who received workforce services. The report identifies where “second responders” or workforce development professionals in the field adapted to a virtual environment, as well as concerns for providing workforce services over the long haul when staff have limited knowledge or training in virtual technology.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more important than ever for state, local, and tribal human services leaders serving children and families to provide a Whole Family response. To assist in this effort, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Regional Operations offers an updated list of resources, guidance, and tip sheets with information on ACF funding flexibilities and the whole family approach. This compendium includes:

• ACF Mandatory Program COVID-19 Program Flexibilities, Guidance and Resources (including information from the Office of Child Care, instructions on TANF allowable funds, letters and transmittal reports from the Children’s Bureau, and updates from the Office of Child Support Enforcement); and 

• Whole Family Approach to COVID-19 Response (including coverage about funding and flexibilities from Food and Nutrition Services programs, resources for working parents, and updates to funding resources for career and technical education programs and higher education institutions. There is also information about resources available from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to address mental health and substance use disorders and behavioral health challenges as well as funding available at the Health Resources and Services Administration to expand rural health center and telehealth capacity. Support for homeless housing and rental assistance, families living in public housing, and families in need under the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program is also identified.)

June 2, 2020 marks the 100th anniversary of the federally funded Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) program. The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services’ (OSERS) Rehabilitation Services will host a webinar on June 2, 2020 from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. EDT and pay tribute to this historical occasion by showcasing “Success Stories” of how the VR program helped change the lives of students and adults with disabilities.

This podcast, as part of the Building Evidence on Employment Strategies for Low-Income Families project, includes interviews with developers of the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model in San Diego County, California on the model’s implementation. IPS intends to help people with serious mental illness access and find employment. The podcast discussion also reflects IPS’ impact in serving individuals with a range of physical disabilities and health conditions other than mental illness.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Employment and Training Administration (ETA) will host a webinar on May 7, 2020 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. ET to discuss benefits under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. Presenters include representatives from the DOL’s Wage and Hour Division, Employee Benefits Security Administration, and ETA’s Office of Unemployment Insurance.

The U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration has presented a set of resources and guidance for workforce development entities. These resources include updated requirements on grants management and performance reporting for all U.S. Department of Labor-funded programs. A set of frequently asked questions addresses the National Farmworker Jobs Program, the Indian and Native American Program, the Senior Community Service Employment Program, the Trade Act or Trade Adjustment Assistance Program, the operations of American Job Centers and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), WIOA-funded Layoff Aversion Activities and Rapid Response, WIOA-funded Youth grants, WIOA Dislocated Worker grants, WIOA Performance Outcomes, and WIOA waiver flexibility during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation webpage provides links to program snapshots that highlight program outcomes for the following Tribal HPOG 2.0 Program grantees: Cankdeska Cikana Community College, Cook Inlet Tribal Council, Inc. and Great Plains Tribal Chairmen’s Health Board, Turtle Mountain Community College, and Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. These snapshots highlight descriptive results from the HPOG Participant Accomplishment and Grant Evaluation System (PAGES) as well as qualitative data from the Tribal HPOG 2.0 evaluation.

The U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (ETA) will host a webinar on May 4, 2020 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET to discuss how to manage WIOA youth programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Presenters from the ETA will answer participant questions and share resources and best practices.

Prior to the COVID-19 crisis, Jobs for the Future (JFF) planned to convene individuals working in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors in person for its biennial workforce development and education summit on June 9 and June 10, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, JFF has decided to transition to a free virtual event to be held in June 2020. JFF plans to reconvene in person in New Orleans in June of 2021.