Strategies of support: Increasing the capacity of one-stop centers to meet the needs of job seekers with disabilities

Abstract

The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) mandates a new level of seamlessness in services delivered to customers, including those with disabilities. Using a case study methodology, this study examined the nature of service delivery to individuals with disabilities in three states (Kentucky, Minnesota, and Maine) as they worked to implement WIA. Findings revealed participants' concerns about the capacity to effectively support job seekers with disabilities. More importantly, individual states developed different strategies to alleviate this concern. This included: creating an ADA coordinator or team, using security tabs to protect confidentiality when data sharing, having individuals with disabilities and disability professionals represented on local boards, maintaining the vision that all partners serve all customers, and using federal grant funds creatively. Implications are offered for state and local officials who are implementing WIA as they work to continually enhance services to people with disabilities in their One-Stop systems.