Beginning July 1st, 2016 counties will start serving youth ages 16-to-24 using the case management framework established by CCMEP. This includes new applicants for services under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) youth program, individuals determined eligible to receive assistance through Ohio Works First (OWF) program who are work-eligible, as well as those that volunteer for CCMEP.1 These individuals will be referred to CCMEP and receive a comprehensive assessment (using form JFS 03003) and sign an individual opportunity plan (using form JFS 03004) prior to service delivery.
On July 1st, there also will be a number of individuals ages 16-to-24 already receiving services through OWF (and participating in a work activity) or the WIOA youth program (with an existing individual service strategy) who will need to be transitioned into CCMEP as required participants. This plan provides guidance on how to transition these youth in a manner that does not abruptly or negatively impact services or create undue burden on the individual.
The plan allows a 6-month period for transitioning youth already receiving services prior to the July 1st CCMEP start date. All youth must be transitioned into CCMEP (i.e., have a signed individual opportunity plan) by December 31st, 2016. The information below provides transition information specific to the OWF and WIOA youth populations.
OWF transition to CCMEP
As of July 1, 2016, all current 16-to-24 year old OWF work-eligible individuals will be gradually transitioned to CCMEP when the individual completes any of the following activities (which must occur no later than December 31st, 2016):
- Recertifies for benefits;
- Completes an interim report; or
- Makes a change to their benefits.
All 16-to-24 year old OWF work-eligible individuals who transition to CCMEP will be referred to the CCMEP lead agency for the comprehensive assessment and will have their self-sufficiency contract converted to an individual opportunity plan (IOP). Once the IOP is signed, individuals will follow all established rules governing CCMEP, including being assigned to activities and services based on needs identified in the comprehensive assessment, and will be included in lead agency performance metrics.
WIOA Youth transition to CCMEP
Beginning July 1, current WIOA youth participants will be transitioned to CCMEP as follows:
- WIOA youth participants, ages 16-24, who are currently enrolled in WIOA and receiving services, will be transitioned to CCMEP and the lead agency.
- If a WIOA youth participant will turn 16 years old within two months after July 1, 2016 (by August 31, 2016), that youth will be transitioned to CCMEP and the lead agency.
- Lead agency will review the transitioned participant's WIOA individual service strategy (ISS) and the progress of service delivery.
- If the ISS needs to be updated, the lead agency will complete the CCMEP IOP with the changes to services.
- By December 31, 2016, an IOP must be completed and signed by the participant.
- To determine co-eligibility with temporary assistance for needy families (TANF), the participant must complete the TANF eligibility portion of the JFS 03002 and sign the application.
- In order to receive a TANF-funded CCMEP service, an IOP must be completed and signed by the participant.
- WIOA eligible youth who were determined eligible prior to July 1, 2016, but did not complete an objective assessment and/or ISS, and/or did not receive a WIOA funded service prior to July 1, 2016 will be considered a new CCMEP participant and will follow all established rules governing CCMEP.
- WIOA youth receiving services prior to July 1st, regardless of whether they have signed an IOP, will be included in lead agency CCMEP performance measures.
The following chart depicts CCMEP requirements and the implementation of these requirements for transitioning WIOA youth program participants:
| Policy guidance for WIOA Youth transition to CCMEP |
|---|
| CCMEP Requirement | Implementation |
|---|
| Completion of the WIOA youth program intake form (JFS 03002) | WIOA youth program eligibility has already been determined for transitioning WIOA participants. The JFS 03002 will not be required. Note that if the lead agency wants to pay for a service using CCMEP TANF funds the application needs to be completed. |
| Determination of TANF eligibility |
At any time the circumstances are deemed appropriate, the lead agency will determine co-eligibility with TANF. This is done by the participant completing the TANF eligibility portion of the JFS 03002 and signing the application.
For transitioning WIOA youth, reviews for co-eligibility determination must be completed by December 31, 2016. WIOA youth may also be determined TANF-eligible when circumstances change beyond December 31, 2016, as reported by the CCMEP participant to the CCMEP case manager or the local county job and family services.
|
| Completion of the comprehensive assessment (JFS 03003) |
The WIOA Objective Assessment is required for all WIOA participants and contains the assessment of all of the following:
- Basic skills;
- Occupational skills;
- Prior work experience;
- Employability;
- Interests;
- Aptitudes;
- Supportive service needs; and
- Developmental needs.
Since the CCMEP comprehensive assessment contains these components, there is no need for a transitioning WIOA participant to complete a comprehensive assessment using the JFS 03003 form. The objective assessment will serve in this capacity.
|
| Completion of the IOP (JFS-03004) |
The ISS includes all of the following:
- Identification of a career pathway;
- Education and employment goals;
- Appropriate achievement objectives; and
- Appropriate services.
If the ISS needs to be updated (e.g., additional or different service) or if TANF will be funding a service, the lead agency will complete the updates and additional services on the CCMEP IOP.
By December 31, 2016, the lead agency will complete an IOP for all WIOA transitioning participants still receiving services.
|
| Twenty (20) hour activity requirement | The 20 hour activity requirement will be required at the time that an individual signs an IOP, not later than December 31, 2016. |
| Frequency the lead agency will provide case management services (every 14 days for intensive case management or every 30 days) | The required frequency for case management will begin July 1, 2016 regardless if the transitioning WIOA participant has an ISS or an IOP. |
| Provision of CCMEP services | The CCMEP services are based upon the 14 WIOA program elements. Provision of CCMEP services will begin July 1, 2016 regardless if the transitioning WIOA participant has an ISS or an IOP. |
| Provision of CCMEP activities | The identification of the CCMEP activities will be incorporated when an IOP is developed and signed by the participant no later than December 31, 2016. |
| TANF or WIOA funds will not be used by a local participating agency to pay a program participant directly for subsidized employment (work experience. |
If the transitioning WIOA youth participant is currently participating in work experience and the WIOA program is the sole funding source, the local participating agency will continue to pay the service provider directly until the participant ends the work experience.
For any work experience which begins after July 1, 2016 or will be supplemented with TANF funds, this rule provision will be required.
|
| Determination of good cause | The determination of whether a transitioning WIOA participant had good cause for not participating in services/activities identified on either the signed ISS or IOP will begin July 1, 2016. |
| CCMEP exit reasons | The reasons identified in rule for ending CCMEP for a program participant will begin July 1, 2016. |
| Exclusion from primary performance measures | The criteria for a transitioning WIOA youth participant to be excluded from the CCMEP primary performance measures will begin July 1, 2016. |
| Issuing notice of adverse action | The requirement to notify a transitioning WIOA participant that he or she is being exited from CCMEP will begin July 1, 2016. |
| Provision of follow-up services | The WIOA program, as well as CCMEP, requires the case manager to provide follow-up services to the participant for 12 months after exit. This requirement will continue after June 30, 2016. |
| CCMEP complaint/hearing procedures | The CCMEP complaint/hearing procedures will replace the WIOA youth program complaint procedures on July 1, 2016. |
Ohio Workforce Case Management System (OWCMS)
- OWCMS will accommodate the CCMEP population, including enrollment and entering services on July 1, 2016. Additional functionality (e.g., the comprehensive assessment and the IOP) will be available in early 2017.
- For all transitioning WIA/WIOA participants who are also TANF eligible, the lead agency will select the CCMEP indicator on the basic intake screen. This allows the selection of TANF funded services on the services screen for these youth. Note that, in order to receive a TANF-funded CCMEP service, TANF eligibility must be established using JFS 03002 and an IOP (JFS 03004) must be signed by the participant.
Additional questions about the transition plan or CCMEP in general should be directed to: CCMEPQNA@jfs.ohio.gov