Integrating Resources and Services Blending and Braiding Funds Leveraging Resources

1. Integrating Resources and ServicesBlending and Braiding FundsLeveraging Resources Strategic Service Delivery Component Disability Employment Initiative

2. The following chart highlights the core elements associated with this service delivery component and includes the names of the states that will be implementing this approach: Access the following link to learn what each DEI project proposed in their statement of work around this component: http://dei-ideas.org/chapter2-1/page3a_bbf.cfm

3. Employment Model Strategies • Leveraging of resources and blending and braiding of funding around an individual job seeker with disabilities from across multiple programs/agencies to obtain and maintain employment. • Facilitating the formation of integrated services for job seekers with disabilities to promote the blending and braiding of resources to leverage funding for individual employment-related needs. • Integrating services and the blending and braiding of funds from multiple funding sources are strategies often incorporated in employment models such as: • Integrated Resource Teams • Guideposts for Success • Customized Employment • Self-Employment • Vocational Rehabilitation, etc.

4. Leveraging Resources • No single system or program alone can pay for and provide the array of services needed to effectively meet the multiple challenges faced by both youth and adults with disabilities. • Leveraging different Federal and state program funds involve two or more agencies contributing to the individual job seeker’s education, training or employment goals. For example: • Supportive services may be covered by one provider, while training costs are covered by another agency or program. • The job seeker with a disability may have multiple challenges that are best addressed through a diversified funding strategy.

5. Blended and Braided Funding • Blending and braiding resources from different funding streams is a practical strategy. • Blending and braiding strategies offer local flexibility and allow partners to focus on outcomes and support to employers without the frequent restrictions that categorical funding streams impose. • Both strategies allow funds to be used more easily and creatively at the point of service delivery.

6. Blended Funding means… • ‘‘Blended funding’’ is used to describe mechanisms that pool dollars from multiple sources and make them in some ways indistinguishable.

7. Braided Funding means… • ‘‘Braided funding’’ utilizes similar mechanisms, but the funding streams remain visible and are used in common to produce greater strength, efficiency, and/or effectiveness.

8. Examples and Approaches • Through the Integrated Resource Team approach working with individual job seekers with disabilities: • IRTs, comprised of different agency and partner staff, • blending and braiding services and resources, and • working collaboratively to overcome challenges to employment and meet the support needs of job seekers with disabilities to achieve successful outcomes.

9. Examples and Approaches • Increased access to Workforce Investment Act (WIA) services bypeople with disabilities. • Focus on helping job seekers who experience multiple challenges to employment enroll in WIA services rather than on always referring out to partners. • Foster blending and braiding of WIA and other agency funds to meet the individualized needs of job seekers with disabilities. • Partnering means a joint commitment to serve a job seeker and not just a determination of whose responsibility it is to serve them.

10. Examples and Approaches: • Expand the capacity of the Workforce Investment System to effectively serve and accommodate a more diversified population of job seekers by: • Developing new partnerships and strengthening alliances of the public workforce investment system and a wide range of partners to achieve seamless, comprehensive, and integrated services. • Increasing the blending and braiding of resources of the public workforce investment system with mandated and non-mandated partners to leverage funding for individual job seekers.

11. The Role of DRCs • DRCs can promote and model resource coordination: the blending and braiding of services and funding around an individual job seeker’s employment needs. • In connecting with other initiatives and programs within and outside of the public workforce investment system, DRCs can serve as liaisons in expanding opportunities and leveraging resources to a diversity of job seekers. • By coordinating efforts and aligning missions of multiple national, state and local initiatives, DRCs can help to ensure that job seekers who experience challenges have access to all resources and supports available in order to secure productive work.

12. Strategies for DRCs • DRCs can work with local Workforce Investment Boards on leveraging resources by: • developing informal or formal agreements to leverage public and private resources, • boosting interagency collaboration, and • coordinating more blending and/or braiding of funding. • DRCs can help build effective relationships with Vocational Rehabilitation to: • Leverage funds to increase services for customers (using WIA funds and DVR funds together).