Archives for Workforce & Government

In a recent article Integrated Employment, Employment First and U.S. Federal Policy, Kathy Martinez, Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy, stated, “For almost forty years, U.S. policy has steadily advanced the idea of presumed employability for all people with disabilities, including those with significant disabilities. The time has come for us to build on this momentum to advance policy and practices so that integrated employment is the norm rather than the exception for all people with disabilities.” KRA Corporation has long been an active proponent of this philosophy, advocating for those
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The economy has made the proposed 2010 reauthorization efforts in addressing the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program more difficult for lawmakers.  The result has been a series of block grant extensions, the most recent of which runs through September 30, 2013. The argument among legislators has, and will continue to be, centered around what welfare and welfare-to-work programs should look like, but ultimately argument is all that is being accomplished—even though there are those in Washington DC that are ready to undertake a full TANF reauthorization. The short-term assistance that is provided to families in immediate need is
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The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently announced that they are providing almost $32 million of grant money through the Reintegration of Ex-Offender training program (RExO) to aid in reducing recidivism in young adults and women. A 1994 study by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), regarding the rate of recidivism indicated that an estimated 67.5% of 272,111 persons released from prisons in 15 states, were rearrested for a felony or serious misdemeanor within 3 years. The “why” has prompted much debate as well as numerous programs to ameliorate the issue. In this newest effort by the DOL, 12 faith-based
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In January 2012, on behalf of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), the National Technical Assistance and Research (NTAR) Leadership Center convened a 1-day symposium “to explore issues relating to the aging health care workforce.” The Introduction to the post-meeting brief prepared by NTAR, states “The aging of the U.S. population has tremendous implications for the health care industry, both as employers of an older workforce and as providers of services to a growing number of older patients.”  The full In Brief article can be accessed at The Aging Workforce: Challenges for the Health Care
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KRA Corporation feels that our Veterans are an important—and often unspoken—priority in public workforce policy today and second only to youth employment programming. Therefore we applaud the efforts of those agencies involved with the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP). A joint program between the Department of Labor (DOL) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the VRAP helps qualifying veterans receive crucial financial assistance for up to 12 months (payments equal the monthly full-time payment Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty) so that they can pursue a degree or certificate for employment in high-demand occupations (as determined by the DOL). The VRAP has
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Reauthorization bill H.R. 798, or The Workforce Investment Act of 2013, was introduced by Representatives John Tierney (D-MA), Ruben Hinojosa (D-TX) and George Miller (D-CA) in mid-February. (Congress.gov offers a concise overview of this workforce development reauthorization.) Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training in late April, this amendment to the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) is an alternative to the Republican H.R. 803 Supporting Knowledge and Investing in Lifelong Skills (SKILLS) Act, which Democrats claim “is highly partisan and will have a grave impact on the workforce investment system.” With 49 co-sponsors, it is directed
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On March 15, 2013, H.R. 803, Supporting Knowledge and Investing in Lifelong Skills (SKILLS) Act, passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 215-202. According to a summary of the workforce development system bill provided by the House Republican Conference on the www.govtrack.us website “H.R. 803 seeks to provide American workers with a more dynamic flexible and effective network of job training services.” They go on to distill the policy into three main points: It eliminates ineffective and redundant programs It empowers job creators and promotes accountability It cuts through the bureaucracy Fleshing out those points, the bill
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Baltimore’s workforce development initiatives were given a shot in the arm recently with the brief visit of President Barack Obama to the Charm City. Looking primarily to promote economic development through job creation, according to the White House, the purpose of the President’s second Jobs and Opportunity Tour is to address three areas of need: jobs, skills, and opportunity. As the operator of the Work Participation, Placement, and Support Services Program, a workforce development program for public-assistance recipients in Baltimore County, KRA Corporation applauds the President’s efforts in taking this opportunity to recognize the need to address job creation and
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