BRG Update

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One-Stop Career Centers Assisting the
Asset-Building Process For Low-Income
Individuals
February 21, 2008
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One-Stop Career Centers Assisting the
Asset-Building Process for Low-Income Individuals
Laura Gleneck, Moderator Law, Health Policy
Disability Center University of Iowa College of
Law 617-489-0086 Laura-farah_at_uiowa.edu
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Disability Program Navigator (DPN) Initiative

• The DPN Initiative is jointly sponsored by the
  U.S. Department of Labors Employment and
  Training Administration and the Social Security
  Administrations Office of Program Development
  and Research. Since 2003, the DPN Initiative has
  been funded for approximately 81 million from
  ETA and 12 million from SSA.
• A new position, the Disability Program Navigator,
  was established in One-Stop Career Centers
  throughout the country to better inform
  beneficiaries and other people with disabilities
  about the work support programs available at
  One-Stop Career Centers.
• There are currently about 500 Navigators across
  forty-five states, the District of Columbia, and
  Puerto Rico.
• The goal of the DPN initiative is to achieve more
  seamless, comprehensive, and integrated service
  delivery and supports that can expand the
  capacity of the workforce investment system to
  meet the employment objectives of customers with
  disabilities.

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Disability Program Navigator (DPN) Initiative
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Disability Program Navigator (DPN) Initiative

• A Disability Program Navigator
• Improves access to programs and services in the
  One-Stop Career Center for job seekers with
  disabilities
• Facilitates integrated, seamless, and
  comprehensive services and supports in One-Stop
  Career Centers to persons with disabilities.
• Improves linkages to the employer community and
  develops demand-responsive strategies to meet
  their recruitment and retention needs and
• Brings together multiple partners to foster a
  collaborative effort by building Interagency
  Action Groups and Integrated Resource Teams.

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Disability Program Navigator (DPN) Initiative

• For more information, please contact
• Alexandra Kielty, Program Manager for Disability
  and Older Worker Programs Phone [phone]
  kielty.alexandra_at_dol.gov
• Randee Chafkin, Senior Program Specialist for
  Disability Programs Phone [phone]
  Chafkin.randee_at_dol.gov
• http//www.doleta.gov/disability

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One-Stop Career Centers and the Asset Building
Process

• During todays Webinar you will learn about
• The unique role of the public workforce
  investment system in the Real Economic Impact
  Tour in building economic self-sufficiency for
  customers with low incomes.
• How its partnership with the Disability Program
  Navigators and local One-Stop Career Centers is
  benefiting a variety of "targeted" populations
  (youth, older workers, ex-offenders, TANF, ESL,
  Indian and Native Americas, migrant and seasonal
  farm workers, and persons with disabilities).
• How One-Stop Career Centers are building
  partnerships that are contributing to their
  region's economic development through free tax
  preparation (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance and
  use of the EITC), other asset building
  strategies, referral, and resource information
  dissemination.

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Presenters

• Presenters
• Michael Morris, Director, National Disability
  Institute
• Don Dill, Senior Tax Analyst, Internal Revenue
  Service
• Representatives from three Model One-Stop Career
  Center Sites
• Detroit, Michigan
• Marshall Hunt
• Gregory Collier
• Jacksonville, Florida
• Kaye Schmitz
• Faron Miles
• Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• Nayoakee Parker
• Danna Rhinehart

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Real Economic Impact Tour
Building healthy financial futures for Americans
with disabilities through innovative asset
building strategies
Michael Morris Director, National Disability
Institute 202-296-2046 mmorris_at_ndi-inc.org
Washington, DC
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Real Economic Impact Tour

• New Agenda New Thinking
• Institutions to Community Living
• Special Schools to Public Education
• Income Maintenance to Employment
• Individual Plans to Self-Directed Accounts
• Unbanked to Banked
• Insecurity to Financial Mainstream
• Building a Roadmap out of Poverty

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Real Economic Impact Tour

• Disability Market Segment
• Demographics
• 54 million people
• 22 million families
• Employment
• 22 million working age
• 7.6 million working
• Geography
• 15 in the Northeast
• 31 in the South
• 28 Midwest
• 16 West

• Ethnicity
• 12.7 White
• 17.5 Black/African American
• 21.7 Native American
• 6.3 Asian/Pacific Rim
• 11.9 Other
• Cornell 2006 Disability Status Report

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Real Economic Impact Tour

• Real Economic Impact Tour
• Purpose
• Provide tax and financial service information and
  other asset building strategies for persons with
  disabilities, their families and employers.
• Strategy
• Join existing free tax coalitions and provide
  resources, education and technical assistance to
  expand existing infrastructure to better serve
  customers with disabilities.

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Real Economic Impact Tour

• Nuts Bolts at the Local Level
• Develop Workgroups
• Collect Data Question on Disability
• Provide Disability Training to Volunteers
• Check Accessibility of Free Tax Sites
• Check Accessibility of Program Materials
• Expand and increase role of disability
• Provide education on benefits of tax filing

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Real Economic Impact Tour

• Nuts Bolts at the Local Level
• Increase disability visibility through media and
  planned events
• Explore transportation challenges role of
  mobile tax clinics
• Build new relationships with sponsors and other
  non-disability community-based groups
• Provide financial fitness programs
• Leverage REI Tour grants to help expand base of
  support
• Invite new partners to host free tax sites
  (Goodwill International, Independent Living,
  Light House for the Blind, Easter Seals, etc.)

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Real Economic Impact Tour

• Nuts Bolts National Level
• Participate in monthly peer-to-peer calls
• Participate in Four Part Audio Conference Series
• Receive REI Tour mini-grants
• Visit REIT Tour website to post information and
  learn from other cities www.reitour.org
• Participate with other invited cities in annual
  Mayors Leadership Academy to network and share
  best practices
• Be honored along with your Mayor as one of five
  Tour cities at the National Press Club
  Celebration held every October in Washington, DC
• Receive introduction to Tour sponsor in your city
  and invite to special media events and disability
  workgroup activities

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Real Economic Impact Tour

• New Partnerships
• Mayors Offices
• United Way
• IRS
• FDIC
• Taxpayers Assistance Services
• IDA Providers
• EITC Coalitions
• Financial Institutions
• Community Action Agencies
• Goodwill International
• One Stop Employment Offices

• State Developmental Disabilities Councils
• Easter Seals
• Work Incentive Planning and Assistance Workers
• Centers for Independent Living
• Disability Program Navigators
• Associations for the Blind and Deaf

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(No Transcript)
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Creating Real Economic Impact
Creating Real Economic Impact through the Earned
Income Tax Credit
Don Dill Senior Tax Analyst Internal Revenue
Service 404-338-7792 Donald.dill_at_irs.gov
Atlanta, GA
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Earned Income Tax Credit

• Creating Real Economic Impact Through the Earned
  Income Tax Credit
• Federal Tax Benefit That Helps Low and Moderate
  Income Taxpayers Increase Their Financial
  Stability
• Reduces Employment Taxes for Workers
• Supplements Wages
• Fully Refundable Tax Credit

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Earned Income Tax Credit

• Creating Real Economic Impact Through the Earned
  Income Tax Credit
• How Much Is The Earned Income Tax Credit Worth
  for Tax Year 2007?
• 4,716 for Worker Raising Two or More Children
  Who Earned Less Than 37,783 (39,783 if Joint
  Return)
• 2,853 for Worker Raising One Child Who Earned
  Less Than 33,421 (35,421 if Joint Return)
• 428 for a Worker Not Raising Children, who is
  Between the Ages of 25 and 64, and Earned Less
  Than 12,590 (14,590 if joint returns)

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Earned Income Tax Credit

• Creating Real Economic Impact Through the Earned
  Income Tax Credit
• The Earned Income Tax Credit is the Largest
  Federal Aid Program Benefiting Working
  Individuals
• Over 43 Billion Received by 23 Million Taxpayers
• EITC Program Dollars are Approximately Equal to
  TANF and Food Stamp Dollars Combined
• EITC Lifts Over 5 Million Individuals Out of
  Poverty, Including 2.6 Million Children Every
  Year
• KEY 15 to 25 Fail to Claim The EITC They Have
  Earned

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Earned Income Tax Credit

• Creating Real Economic Impact Through the Earned
  Income Tax Credit

AssetBuilding
Awareness and Education
Community- Based Organizations
Tax Preparation
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Earned Income Tax Credit

• Creating Real Economic Impact Through the Earned
  Income Tax Credit
• Why Focus Efforts on Persons with Disabilities?
• One in Five Americans Have a Disability
• 22 Million Persons with Disabilities Between Age
  of 18 and 64 Are Working Age With Over 7 Million
  Working and 5 Million Filing Tax Returns
• One in Three Adults with a Disability Live in
  Households With Income Less Than 15,000
• Confusion/Misunderstanding of the Interaction of
  Public Benefits and Tax Refunds

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One-Stop Model Detroit, MI
Effective strategies and innovative models for
promoting asset building, financial literacy, and
economic self-sufficiency for working individuals
with low-incomes
Marshall Hunt Director, Tax Assistance
Program Accounting Aid Society 313-647-9620
mjhunt_at_accountingaidsociety.org Gregory
Collier Workforce Training NWLB/ITA
Manager Detroit Workforce Development
Department 313-628-2308 gcollier_at_detroitmi.gov
DETROIT, MICHIGAN
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One-Stop Model Detroit, MI
Accounting Aid Society and Detroit Workforce
Development Department
A partnership that provides free tax assistance
to low-income job-seekers and others in need.
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Detroit Model Asset Coalition

• Accounting Aid Society
• Our Tax Assistance Program has provided free
  low-income tax assistance to southeastern
  Michigan since 1976.
• Free in-person tax preparation and e-filing is
  available from volunteers of the Accounting Aid
  Societys Tax Assistance Program at 26 tax sites
  throughout southeastern Michigan, including three
  at DWDD sites.
• Our Low Income Tax Clinic provides tax
  information to English Second Language clients
  and we partner with Legal Aid and Defender to
  assist low-income clients with tax controversies.
  

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Detroit Model One-Stop Career Center

• Detroit Workforce Development Department
• A Michigan Works! Agency
• The Mission of the Workforce Development
  Department, a Michigan Works! Agency is to
  promote the economic  self-sufficiency of
  Detroit  residents and  to provide qualified 
  workers to local employers through the delivery
  of cost-effective, high quality employment,
  training, and education services in partnership
  with businesses, community-based organizations,
  educational institutions, and governmental
  agencies.

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Detroit Model One-Stop Career Center

• Accounting Aid Society Provides
• Training for DWDD employee and contractor
  volunteers.
• Administrative materials and information for tax
  site operation.
• E-Filing support (transmission and follow-up) for
  tax clients at DWDD sites.

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Detroit Model One-Stop Career Center

• DWDD Provides
• Three tax sites at DWDD Centers. A computer lab
  for training.
• Volunteer instructors, supervisors, and tax
  preparers.
• Collaboration with Michigan Rehabilitation
  Services, co-located at two sites, and other
  partners such as financial institutions.

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Detroit Model One-Stop Career Center

• Results
• Over the past four years at DWDD sites
• 1,362 Clients Served
• 711,000 in EITC Refunds
• 1.7 Million in Total Refunds

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One-Stop Model Jacksonville, FL
Effective strategies and innovative models for
promoting asset building, financial literacy, and
economic self-sufficiency for working individuals
with low-incomes
Kaye Schmitz Executive Director Realense
Prosperity Campaign 904-940-0296 /
kayedschmitz_at_bellsouth.net Faron
Miles Director WorkSource One-Stop Career
Center 904-924-1710 ext. 2401 /
fmiles_at_worksourcefl.com
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Jacksonville Model Asset Coalition

• Realense A Community Coalition
• Led by United Way of Northeast Florida
• Funded by United Way, local foundations,
  non-profit partners, and national banking
  partners
• Recipient of 2007 Best Practice Award from REI
  Impact Tour
• WorkSource
• Strategic Ally since coalition inception
• As much as 100 employee participation
• 3 primary goals
• Increase income through education and EITC
• Increase skills through education and
  counseling
• Increase assets through education, matched
  savings

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Jacksonville Model Asset Coalition

• Realense A Community Coalition
• Results in 4 years
• Increased Income
• More than 22,000 income tax returns prepared for
  free
• More than 30 Million in Total Refunds
• More than 5,700 of those taxpayers claimed EITC
• 10 Million returned to the community in EITC
  refunds
• 3 Million taxpayers saved from paid preparation
  and refund anticipation loans
• Improved Skills
• More than 3,500 people attended at least one
  financial education class
• More than 700 graduates
• Counseled more than 6,000 people in financial
  behavior
• More than 100 people certified to open or re-open
  bank accounts
• Financial information disseminated to more than
  15,000 people
• Assets Gained
• Several hundred people enrolled in 3-year matched
  savings program
• 25 graduates - 21 new home owners, 3 people in
  degree program, 1 new business owner

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Jacksonville Model Asset Coalition

• Realense A Community Coalition
• In partnership with NDI and WorkSource
• Held 4th of Florida Asset Development Summits,
  initiated by Michael Morris
• Provided presentations targeted to people with
  disabilities and their families
• Through WorkSource Disability Navigator program -
  financial education classes targeted to people
  with disabilities and their families
• Opened tax site dedicated to people with
  disabilities
• Provided sign language interpreters
• Half of returns prepared claimed EITC
• Of entire coalition responses from people with
  disabilities
• 28 paid people to prepare taxes last year
• 35 expressed interest in financial education and
  programs
• Followed demographics of all RealSense taxpayers
  (primarily female, primarily African American,
  primarily English speaking)
• Only 17 filed as married, filing jointly

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Jacksonville Model One-Stop Career Center

• WorkSource a Realense Strategic Ally
• RealSense Strategic Ally since coalition
  inception
• Last year
• VITA site in each of 8 WorkSource locations in 6
  counties
• 100 employee participation in VITA Sites
• Tax Returns Prepared
• 2,148 returns prepared 22 of RealSense total
• 2,781,976 refunds 25 of RealSense total
• 730 EITC returns prepared 33 of RealSense
  total
• 997,936 in EITC refunds 31 of RealSense total

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Jacksonville Model One-Stop Career Center

• WorkSource a Realense Strategic Ally
• Partnered with the Independent Living Resource
  Center (which became a VITA Site for a broad
  outreach effort)
• Prepared almost 50 tax returns half claimed
  EITC
• Provided ASL interpreters
• Duval County
• St. Johns County
• Guided SSI/SSDI Beneficiaries on EITC (especially
  for those working under SGA and over age 25)
• Outreach to SSA Beneficiaries
• Full access for cross disability
• Through WorkSource Disability Navigator program -
  financial education classes targeted to people
  with disabilities and their families

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Jacksonville Model One-Stop Career Center

• WorkSource a Realense Strategic Ally
• Plans for 2008 Tax Season
• Mobile tax team to reach more people with
  disabilities
• Additional days at tax site with sign language
  interpreters
• Recruiting speakers, volunteers from Business
  Leaders Network
• Work toward goal of having an active Disability
  Community Work Group

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One-Stop Model Milwaukee, WI
Effective strategies and innovative models for
promoting asset building, financial literacy, and
economic self-sufficiency for working individuals
with low-incomes

• Nayoakee Parker
• Asset Development Manager
• Social Development Commission
• 414-906-2807/nparker_at_cr-sdc.org
• Danna Rhinehart
• Disability Program Navigator
• Wisconsin Comprehensive Job Center
• 414-270-1705/DRhineha_at_milwjobs.com

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Milwaukee Model Asset Coalition

• What is the Milwaukee Asset Building Coalition
  (MABC)?
• Private/public partnership that assists
  low-income Milwaukee County residents achieve
  financial independence
• Established in 2001
• To increase participation in VITA sites and
  claiming of EITC
• To assist residents in becoming asset owners
• Emphasizes coordination of existing services,
  leveraging of community resources and community
  collaboration
• 69 Members strong, CAA lead organization

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Milwaukee Model Asset Coalition

• Goal, Strategy, and Approach
• Goal
• Through education, planning and income support
  Milwaukee residents to achieve financial
  independence.
• Strategy
• Asset Development Strategy for working families
  that are less than 200 of the federal poverty
  guidelines.
• Do not limit eligibility based on an asset test.
• Approach
• Implement community wide collaboration with a
  public-private partnership.
• Coordinate outreach networks and a service
  delivery system.

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Milwaukee Model Asset Coalition

The Network
Awareness and Education
Tax Preparation
Asset Building
Major Components of the Network
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Milwaukee Model Asset Coalition

• Super Sites
• One Stop Career Center in targeted locations.
• Increase number served and services offered
• Addresses the challenges of local poverty in new
  ways
• Mobile Team to maximize the accessibility of
  services, resources and information
• Potential to bring more resources to low-income
  working families and to serve as a vehicle to
  empower residents to move beyond poverty.
• City of Milwaukee Health Department identify
  eligible individuals and families who are without
  health insurance
• Financial institutions open bank accounts on site
  and provide information on homeownership

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Milwaukee Model Asset Coalition
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Milwaukee Model One-Stop Career Center

• About the Centers
• Wisconsins One-Stop Career Centers are called
  Comprehensive Job Centers. (CJCs)
• They are fully integrated single-systems of
  delivery for job seekers and businesses. Services
  are focused on meeting and exceeding many
  workforce needs that will ultimately enhance the
  economic activity in Milwaukee County.

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Milwaukee Model One-Stop Career Center

• Inside The Center
• Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Adult (WIA Title
  I)
• Adult Education and Family Literacy
• Wisconsin Job Service
• Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR)
• Wisconsin Works (W-2) Program
• Food Stamp Employment and Training Program (FSET)
• Wisconsin Veteran Services
• Unemployment Insurance (UI)

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Milwaukee Model One-Stop Career Center

• Access Points of Service
• Dislocated Worker Program
• Interfaith Older Worker Program
• WIA Youth Program
• Programs/services not co-located are called
  Access Points of Service. These programs are
  located conveniently throughout the area.

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Milwaukee Model One-Stop Career Center

• Job Seeker Services
• The Employment Resource Center provides many
  comprehensive services to assist job seekers
  obtain meaningful employment, advance careers,
  and/or receive training in high-demand jobs. All
  job seekers and workers seeking career
  advancement opportunities are invited to visit
  the resource room to access services that
  include
• Employment and Career Assistance
• Financial Literacy Workshops
• Workshops on Personal Development

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Milwaukee Model One-Stop Career Center

• Financial Literacy Workshops
• FDIC Money Smart This program is through the
  Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. It has 10
  modules covering basic financial topics. It
  begins with descriptions of deposit and credit
  services offered by banks and moves progressively
  to topics such as choosing and maintaining a
  checking account, the mechanics of budgeting, the
  importance of saving, and how to obtain and use
  credit effectively.
• Living Paycheck-to-Paycheck A series of 6
  workshops focusing on managing day-to-day crisis
  issues for clients that have jobs. Learning steps
  to reduce financial debt, manage spending, pay
  bills on time and pay themselves first. Also
  reaffirm their role as guardians of the health of
  their families with proper nutrition and diet.

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Milwaukee Model One-Stop Career Center

• Financial Literacy Workshops (continued)
• Banking/Credit Union Partners These Partners
  also give workshops and further our efforts in
  bringing the most up to date financial
  information to the participants. In addition,
  these financial institutions may provide account
  services for a reduced rate at the end of the
  workshop series.
• Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) These
  services are offered within the Comprehensive Job
  Centers, through our partnerships with the
  Milwaukee Asset Building Coalition (MABC) and the
  Internal Revenue Services (IRS) Stakeholder
  Partnerships Education and Communication Program
  (SPEC).

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Milwaukee Model One-Stop Career Center

• Personal Development
• Career Change Choice These workshops explore
  the nature of jobs and careers to complex
  philosophical issues. It provides a wealth of
  relevant and practical information, including
  exploration of the job market, what you should
  know before changing careers and interactive
  exercises exploring skills, interests and career
  pathways. A career assessment is also included.
• Stress Management- Workshops that defines stress
  and deals with its causes and reactions,
  physically, mentally and emotionally. It contains
  methods and techniques for managing stress and
  includes a self assessment pin pointing degrees
  of stress and areas in which to improve.

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Access to Webinar Materials
All webinars are recorded and available for
viewing 48 hours after the event. Recorded
webinars will be posted to the
Materials and presentation slides used in this
webinar will be available for download from the
58
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• For more information about the workforce
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• Visit www.careeronestop.org
• Call 1-877-US2-JOBS

59
Spread the Word!

• Workforce Innovations 2008 Success Decoded
• July 15 17, 2008
• New Orleans, Louisiana
• www.WorkforceInnovations.org
• Contact Elaine Kolodny at kolodny.elaine_at_dol.gov
  or 202-693-3880 to share ideas and obtain
  marketing materials

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