Commission on Disability & Employment

January 22, 2020: 9:00 AM
Frances Perkins Rm, 45 Commerce Dr., Augusta, ME

State Workforce Board COMMISSION ON DISABILITY AND EMPLOYMENT January 22, 2020 9:00 AM - 11:30 PM Central Maine Commerce Center 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta Frances Perkins Room Call in: 877-455-0244, Conference code: 9218175360 AGENDA 9:00 Welcome, Introductions 9:15 SWB Update including Strategic Planning sessions' content Christopher Quint, SWB Director 10:00 Review/Consensus on last meetings discussion take-aways 10:30 Break 10:45 Plan CDE priorities for 2020-21 11:30 Adjourn Next Meeting: April 1, 2020 9:00 12:00 Central Maine Commerce Center Frances Perkins Room


COMMISSION ON DISABILITY AND EMPLOYMENT MEETING MINUTES 01/22/2020

Present: Jennifer Kimble, (Chair), Gayla Dwyer, Peaches Bass, (Phone), Chris Robinson, (Phone)

Staff: Christopher Quint, Joshua Howe, Cheryl Moran

Jennifer Kimble opened the meeting at 9am with welcome and introductions.

Josh provided a brief update on the State Plan prior to the Director's update. State Plan has 2 options: Unified or Combined We will not be doing a Combined Plan this year The State Plan is a 4-year plan and is modified in 2 years We will see similar themes as the previous plan but will be pushing further such as, data integration; wage records of recent grads - building on the technology There will be more intentionality to work with other agencies State Plan will go out for Public Comment in a few weeks; the committees will be notified

SWB Update including Strategic Planning sessions content Christopher Quint, SWB Director Chris handed out a draft copy of the Strategic Plan that they have been working on since October 2019. He stated the Plan is still very much in draft form. Any edits or comments, please send his way. A meeting was held in each of the Local Workforce Boards (LWBs). They met with youth, advocates for people with barriers, businesses, state associations, and trade associations. All of this is fed into this draft. The WIOA Plan is due March 3rd. The Plan consists of: 1. Vision 2. Three Primary Goals 3. Three Strategic Priorities The State Plan drives the WIOA Plan and will go out for public comment. Look for that notice. Chris stated they are working on the implementation strategy (messaging and communication) to roll out by mid-March. Focus what they heard from the visioning sessions. Biggest concern integration and coordination. Rebranding and remarketing (the Workforce Development System/SWB), concerted effort to reeducate. Goal the Workforce System - what it means and does. Will have a printed copy to handout. The metrics will be in the WIOA plan associated with goals and strategies. High demand jobs will try to use the language. Career Pathways- What pathway can they start to achieve a high paying job? DECD plan is the overarching workforce economic plan and the WIOA plan is the guidance. Chris stated they will have 4 nominations which need to go in front of the Labor Committee and Legislature. Hopefully we will have these folks on board to be able to review the plan. Chris stated he wants to "dig" into the committees and pull committee chairs together to discuss strategic plans. Chris also stated that he and Guy Langevin are working on liaisons for each committee and at the March SWB meeting, they will identify who they are.

Peaches stated she wished there was an outside watchdog for the CareerCenter System could do better. She also stated the CareerCenter System should become a workforce employment network again. Peaches announced the Bureau of Employment Services (BES) has a new Director, Kim Moore. Jenn stated she would like to invite her to our meeting and the WBNT.

Sub-minimum Wage Bill L.D.1874 Jenn provided a draft copy of the letter addressed to the Chairs and members of the Committee on Labor & Housing. This was the letter from 5 years ago. The exemption was taken out. Vote was taken on the edited letter via email (Amie Parker, Jeanie Coltart, Rachel Dyer, Renee Doble) Gayla Dwyer voted in person. Rachel Dyer will submit the letter to the Legislature. Jenn stated our testimony will be our documentation to the Legislature.

Review/Consensus on last meetings discussion take-aways Set priorities for next 2 years Make clear of what we are asking our members Peaches be more aware/involved of the WIOA funded system/delivery services EFM Monitoring needs to have a level of oversight and is not happening this is the purpose of really pushing this forward Addressing Obstacles comes from building awareness

Plan CDE priorities for 2020-21 Top priority EFM Monitoring New members thinking strategically of who we should have at the table suggestion: reaching out to the SRC Suggestion: share minutes with SILC/SRC, ask Cheryl Peabody

Jenn stated based on this conversation, have a draft of plan by the next meeting (April 1) for people to vote on or make edits.

Next Meeting Agenda: Invite BLN to our next meeting and provide an update.

Meeting Adjourned

Next Meeting: April 1, 2020, 9am noon Frances Perkins room 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta

Respectfully submitted by Cheryl Moran


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