Travis County Commissioners Court
January 2, 2007
Item 14
14 is to consider and take appropriate action on staff recommendations regarding proposed expansion of Travis County county workforce development services. We discussed this once before. And I didn't recommend it for consent just in case there are questions. We want to put it in good use in the workforce development and it is to enhance or supplement three contracts already in place.
>> move approval.
>> that would be correct, judge. Sherri fleming, executive manager for health and human services. And I have with me my lead social services program administrate four workforce development, mark lieman. And basically staff set out to be responsive to the court's interest in this area, but also respect the one time nature of this funding. So we wanted to look at those programs that we could enhance and certainly make good use of the funding but have -- keep the court's opportunity to revisit this. We have tried to over the last few budget cycles to be more innovative in the area of workforce development in terms of the types of programs that we fund. We have a complete menu of services that we fund, but the rapid employment model is somewhat different in that it adds respect to folks that are coming back into the job market for whatever reason and needing to establish the workforce behaviors is the best way we can describe them, workforce behaviors, being at work on time, interacting appropriately. It gives them time to find employment and maybe look at some of the more long terk opportunities that exist in our opportunity once they're back in the workforce behaviors. So that would be be the rationale for the -- the additional employment. As far as the capital i.d.e.a., I think that the court is familiar with the capital i.d.e.a. And the services thu offer. I thought there was interest from the court, capital i.d.e.a. Was in the cdbg at one point and as we had to modify our investment, we did choose not to fund them through that process. Then finally, we initiated an evaluation process with the expanded services from the beginning. So we want to be able to have that evaluation continue even with the investment of these additional dollars. So that would be the evaluation costs as represented in the backup.
>> let me ask you this: as far as time lines, because this was also a one time thing, monies that we brought up during the budget cycle. It would be good to know all -- we had a lot of one time funding for this or that. A lot of this stuff that we ended up looking at then one time funding, there has to be a time line whereby we will be able to see the effects of the program itself that we were funding on a one time basis. And I guess every program is set as far as evaluating it, probably have different time lines I guess to evaluate them. Somewhere along the lines during the budget cycle, we'll have to have some type of report to see where we are on that one time funding just as we mentioned earlier with that other program that we had talked about with the federal poverty income guideline stuff.
>> [one moment, please, for change in captioners]
>> from there that one time 10,000, does it go back down to the 8,000.
>> I'm going to answer the second question first, then I will let lawrence answer. The second question would be in direct relationship to whether these particular services with the one-time funding would be funded in 2008 because we are looking at this as an add on to our current contract. If we fund at 100,000 or another amount it would be increased services that we would be looking at. Keeping the jobs also to get the wages. But the method is two pieces of the methodology being used. What we have used, are continuing using now primarily is a self report from the providers, what they are able to tell us, more timely response. What we are investing with the ray marshal center is to look at both self reported situation, preliminary stuff that I am not allowed to share yet without permission of the evaluators, but hopefully be able to bring them back shortly to the court. Also looking at informal data, primarily unemployment insurance wage data. They are taking from the rolls participants, finding out are they receiving wages, what wages they are receiving. Trying to get that independent confirmation, what we are getting is a self report. As an aside, the city has done a parallel contract to also invest some of that similar work, looking at the full range of investments that we have jointly. So we are getting not just the evaluation on this pilot project to see what they are having, also the exist being foundation. So we can have compare and contrast what's happening there. And our interest here is not to gotcha, find out you screwed up, get you. Really figure out what we are doing well, what can we build on in doing that. Are we getting jobs, keeping jobs, getting better wages.
>> I know that I'm speaking to the -- preaching to the choir here, but when there are problems in social service type of issues, it's usually not out of a lack of good intent. It's -- that's what makes -- that's what makes me very excited about the ray marshal center being involved, to see if we are -- if we are optimizing our efforts.
>> that's --
>> it looks like we are. And now how did -- how to turn it into a viral effect and let it bleed out through all of the services.
>> the real answer is based on the results, we will make a recommendation to the Commissioners court by next year's funding.
>> that's correct.
>> and based on the results and your recommendation and the reasons therefore, we will decide whether to let one-time funding be one time or whether to -- to provide funding for next year.
>> I'm hopeful that we will be able to bring forth information that will
>> [indiscernible] to the affirmative.
>> hopefully.
>> will the ray marshal center also be looking into metrics that indicate cost savings from the -- from the success of the plan.
>> that's what we will be looking at. It's part of the conversation that we can have with the bump in the finance, to look more broadly. That -- that the foundation at that level is essentially maintaining that tracking in the informal data systems. We can start asking again. We a lot of conversation around the investment, fortunately the ray marshal center is more involved in national work as well. Actually searching for resources to do more of that, bring that to the table on their own as well. I'm hopeful that we will be able to bring some of that information forward.
>> very exciting, thank you.
>> move approval of the three recommendations at item 14. Discussion?
>> additional discussion? All in favor? That passes by unanimous vote.
>> thank you.
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Last Modified:
Wednesday, January 210, 2007 8:14 AM