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All W-2 agencies must have a staff person who performs the role of a Resource Specialist. That staff person may perform other functions within the agency as well. The role of the RS is to understand the customer’s needs and assist each customer in determining which programs or services are likely to support their efforts to find and maintain employment.
In fulfilling his/her role, the RS will perform these primary functions:
1. Understand the customer’s situation and perform the initial review of need for employment-related services. This will include:
a. Asking the customer what brought them into the office today.
b. Asking the customer what they need to find and/or keep a job.
c. Gathering information through the CARES Work Program Assessment Driver Flow about the customers' recent job search efforts, employment skills, work history, education and potential barriers to employment.
d. Determining how the family/household composition and circumstances affect the customers' ability to work.
e. Identifying whether the customer is in a crisis situation (e.g., homeless, victim of domestic violence, no food in the house, etc) and the potential need for an Emergency Payment. (See 19.1) Giving the customer a copy of the Domestic Violence Brochure (2614). (See 1.4.6)
f. Identifying the need for any necessary accommodations to help the customer complete the application process.
g. Assessing current child support case status and informing the customer of the child support pass through policy for people in a paid W-2 placement. (See 15.1.1)
2. Inform each customer about the services available and assist the customer in determining what programs and services are likely to support his/her efforts at employment including:
a. Explaining the services that are available through the W-2 program including employment position placements, individualized case management services, and supportive services. The RS must tell the customer about the W-2 eligibility criteria and that eligible parents must be willing to participate in exchange for W-2 benefits.
b. Explaining the Job Center Partner programs/other workforce development programs such as DVR , UI, FSET, WIA and other employment programs and resources available through the Job Center of Wisconsin and within the community.
c. Explaining the supportive service programs such as FS , Wisconsin Medicaid and BadgerCare Plus, Wisconsin Shares Child Care Subsidy Program, EA , the WIC benefit, WHEAP , and local housing assistance programs.
d. Explaining community resources including those required through the CSN .
e. Explaining
the services available through the local CAP
agency.
The RS must refer the customer to any programs in which the customer has
indicated an interest. The RS must offer the RFA to all customers who wish to pursue W-2. (See 1.4.2)
3. The RS may initiate the interactive interview using the W-2 application to record nonfinancial and financial information such as income, assets, job history, education, and family composition.
4. As a condition of W-2 eligibility, the RS may:
a. Assign up-front job search activities to applicants. (See 2.9.2)
b. Require
the applicant to apply for other appropriate public assistance programs
or resources. (See 2.6.1)
At no point does the RS determine final eligibility or placement in a W-2
employment position. These are the responsibilities of the FEP
based, in part, on the information collected by the RS.
All applicants will be referred to the Child Support program via the CARES/KIDS automated interface.
Basic skill sets required of a RS include:
This
page last updated in Release # 11-02
Release Date: 04/07/11
Effective Date: 04/07/11