Agenda

Return

C. 58

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	Marla Stuart, Employment and Human Services Director
Date:	June 21, 2022

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

California Workforce Development Board Accelerator Fund 10.0

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 06/21/2022

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Diane Burgis, District III Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

Contact:

M. Wagoner, 9256084864

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: June 21, 2022
Monica Nino, County Administrator

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Employment and Human Services Director, or designee, on behalf of the Workforce Development Board (WDB), to accept grant funding from the California Workforce Development Board (CWDB) and the Employment Development Department (EDD) Workforce Accelerator Fund 10.0 (WAF10.0) in an amount not to exceed $250,000 to provide education and training that support equitable recovery with quality jobs in Contra Costa County, for the period July 1, 2022 through December 31, 2023.

FISCAL IMPACT:

County to receive grant funding from the California Workforce Development Board and the Employment Development Department in the amount of $250,000 funded 100% by Federal WIOA funds (no County cost).

BACKGROUND:

In April 2014, the CWDB and the California Employment Development Department (EDD) established the Workforce Accelerator Fund (Accelerator) as a new model of funding innovation in California’s workforce system. Since April 2014, just over $32 million has been invested, resulting in over 170 projects across the state. To learn more about the Workforce Accelerator Fund, view “Accelerator at a Glance” and the Accelerator materials library on the CWDB website. The WAF 10.0 program goal is to impact economic and racial equity by creating pathways to good quality jobs for workers from disadvantaged or low-income communities. Traditional workforce and education strategies have had an inadequate impact for disadvantaged or low-income communities, and historical workforce funding streams do not always adapt with an acknowledgement of gaps in service.

The WAF10.0 program will provide gap funding to cover critical wrap-around services and supportive services, including but not limited to background and drug tests, physical exams, licensing and accreditation fees and stipends, for individuals enrolled in WDB’s Employment Training Panel (ETP) funded Emergency Medical Training (EMT) program. The EMT workforce in California experiences a lack of equity and inclusion for people of color, immigrants, English language learners, and justice-involved individuals. Any single funding source struggles to provide enhanced services and supports required to impact economic and racial equity in health services careers.

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Public Law 113-128 mandates the provision of training services to eligible adults, dislocated workers, and youths. An Individual Training Account (ITA) for job training is a training service for participants enrolled in the Adult, Dislocated Worker and Youth programs, and for participants in other special extraneous grants. Eligible participants are enrolled into WIOA and/or special extraneous grants, assessed for training needs, and placed in occupational training with approved schools and vendors.

On-the-Job Training (OJT) is an allowable and fundable activity under Federal WIOA guidelines. Program participants are eligible for, and enrolled in, the WIOA program, hired as regular full-time employees by local employers, and trained for the positions in which they are placed. Employers are responsible for payroll, associated taxes, and worker's compensation for each OJT program participant, as outlined in a Master Worksite Agreement. Reimbursement invoices/demands are submitted for each client employed through the OJT Program. Invoices are reviewed by Workforce Development Board staff for accuracy and submitted to the Employment and Human Services Fiscal Unit for payment.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

Participants in WIOA and/or special extraneous grant programs will not have access to classroom instruction and job trainings that lead to self-sufficiency, which would adversely impact these participants. Local businesses will have fewer qualified candidates for positions, and the local Workforce Development Board will be out of compliance with WIOA Section 134, by not meeting expenditure requirements.