Item 09 - Biennial Modification to the PY 2021-24 Regional and Local Workforce Plan

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Orange County WDBs 2023 Biennial Modification to PY 2021-24 Unified Local Plan 15 • Help the three state departments work together to better support people with ID/DD who want a CIE job. • Create more options for people with ID/DD to prepare for and get a CIE job. • Help people with ID/DD to make their own choices about working in the community. The CWDB and EDD issued guidance to local boards on the development of 2019 biennial modifications to four-year Local Plans. This guidance required that local boards connect with and seek to participate in the efforts of local partners (local education agencies, the DOR district office, and the regional center) to deliver CIE services as outlined in a Local Partnership Agreement (LPA). These agreements articulate how local partners will work together to streamline service delivery, engage their communities, and increase CIE opportunities for individuals with ID/DD. LPAs provide a framework for the local partners to determine strategies that will work best for them and the populations they serve. CIE is defined in WIOA as full-time or part-time work at minimum wage or higher, with wages and benefits similar to those without disabilities performing the same work, and fully integrated with co-workers without disabilities. The Act requires that states ensure employment is offered as a priority outcome for people ID/DD. In furtherance of state and federal laws, programs that provide sheltered workshops and other aggregate work settings for people with ID/DD are being phased out. They are moving to competitive integrated employment, eliminating sub-minimum wage jobs. The local boards in Orange County coordinate workforce development services with the agencies that are signatories to a Local Partnership Agreement (LPA) and other local partners that serve individuals with ID/DD. The local board representatives participate in the Orange County LPA meetings with the signatory partners and community-based organizations. The partnership has created new employment and training opportunities aligned with WIOA and CIE Blueprint initiatives. The local boards and DOR also work together to engage businesses through participation in chamber events, diversity job fairs, and other network business events. Another initiative is the training and development of resources for helping persons with disabilities better understand their role in searching for, securing, and retaining competitive, gainful employment. This course is taught to frontline staff at the local AJCCs and partner organizations that are a part of the Orange County Leadership Council. To strengthen the partnership with the LPA partners and improve overall outcomes for the CIE target population and other individuals with disabilities, the boards, DOR, core partners, and community-based organizations are committed to the following: • DOR will expand student services to the One-Stop Centers for eligible youth program participants. • DOR will provide local board frontline staff with cross-training and professional development to ensure they understand DOR's vast offerings. EXHIBIT 2