Fiscal Year 2004 Proposed Budget

DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
ARLINGTON EMPLOYMENT CENTER

PROGRAM MISSION: To link job seekers with employers to promote self-sufficiency and economic growth.

The Employment Center provides convenient one-stop services to job seekers and employers.  There is one process flow for all customers that integrates the different employment programs, and a tracking system to ensure that customer needs are being met.  First-time job seekers, including walk-ins, meet with an employment counselor who makes a preliminary assessment of how best to serve them. Different levels of services are then available based on the job seeker needs, expectations, and funding sources.  Job seekers may be able to accomplish a largely self-directed job search in the Resource Center.  There, Internet access and a variety of job search tools are available to help them under the guidance of Resource Center staff.  Some may need the more intensive assistance of a case manager and job developer.  Whatever path the job seekers need to take, the Employment Center helps them develop the skills necessary to succeed in today's workplace, through assessment, career and pre-employment counseling, and workshops.

Job seekers may also receive job training, if eligible.  The training component is contracted out to public and private institutions and specialized training vendors. Job seekers with limited language proficiency may also receive English language training that is contracted out to REEP / Arlington County Public Schools. 

To transition Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) recipients to self-sufficiency by participating in employment, Arlington Works! continues to manage the Virginia Initiative for Employment Not Welfare Program (VIEW), in cooperation with eligibility workers from Public Assistance.  An additional Welfare to Work grant allows for specialized services to the hardest to employ TANF recipients.  Arlington County is ranked among the top local agencies in the state for its performance in welfare reform.

Services to businesses include: job placement services to assist their staffing needs, customized technology and healthcare training, job fairs, interviewing facilities, job vacancy listings, assistance with special recruitment needs, screening and matching of job applicants.

The job seekers served fall into two groups: those who are eligible for and can be enrolled in federally funded grant programs, and the general public, who cannot be served by grant programs either because of eligibility requirements or limited grant funding.  Both groups of job seekers receive similar employment service; however, grant funded job seekers may also receive job training based on their individual needs and the availability of training funds in the respective programs.  The federal grant programs administered by the Employment Center assist the following customers:

• Unemployed, underemployed, adult laid off workers - served through the Workforce Investment Act.

• Youth ages 16 to 21, in or out of school – served through the Workforce Investment Act.

• Persons unemployed as a consequence of September 11th – served under the National Emergency Grant.

• TANF recipients – served by the VIEW Program.

• Food Stamp recipients – served through the Food Stamp Employment and Training Program.

• Residents of Arna Valley, Buckingham, Columbia Heights West, and Nauck – served through the Community Development Block Grant Program.

• High tech and health care employer needs – served through H-1B Technical Skills Program and MetroTech.

• Persons with disabilities – served under the Earmark Grant.

The Employment Center continues its successful consortium relationship with the City of Alexandria, under the direction of the Alexandria/Arlington Workforce Investment Board.  The Workforce Investment Board is a 42-member business-led board that works in partnership with the local elected officials to provide direction and oversight to services funded by the Workforce Investment Act.  Under the leadership of the Workforce Investment Board and through its public relations efforts, the Consortium has developed a strong relationship with the business community.

SIGNIFICANT BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS:

• The FY 2003 adopted budget does not include two supplemental appropriations, fully supported with outside revenue, approved during FY 2003:  National Emergency Grant (NEG) ($2,600,000, 7.0 FTEs) and H-1B grant ($787,964, 1.0 FTE).  These grants continue in FY 2004 and are reflected at their projected funding and staffing levels in the FY 2004 proposed budget.

• Personnel increases due to the continuation of five grant-funded, temporary employees and one permanent grant funded position ($278,552, 6.0 FTEs) for the National Emergency Grant and H-1B grant supplementals approved in FY 2003, and normal step increases for personnel offset by reallocated or eliminated positions.

• Non-Personnel increases due to additional training and costs related to new grants ($344,651), an increase in the ESL contract ($9,032), and for increases in rent ($9,468) and telephone charges ($6,587).

• Revenue increases primarily due to new grants received by the Alexandria/Arlington Workforce Development Consortium.  Increases are partially offset by a reduction in the Virginia Refugee Resettlement Program (VRRP) funding ($280,000), due to state reallocation of VRRP funds (primarily to Catholic Charities), and Arlington Technology Institute funding (ATI) ($264,000) ended because the General Assembly did not fund the Northern Virginia Regional Partnership, the grantor to the Arlington Employment Center.

• FTEs increase due to the addition of 8.0 FTEs from the continuing FY 2003 supplemental grant appropriations noted above.  These increases are partially offset by 1.0 FTE ($50,339) vacant in Arlington Works! reallocated within DHS to the Director's Office/Planning and Administration, and 3.5 FTEs eliminated due to uncertainty of grant funding in FY 2004:  Employment Services Specialist (1.0 FTE, $64,942), Employment Development Specialist (1.0 FTE, $53,183), Employment Services Section Supervisor (1.0 FTE, $72,675), and Mental Health Therapist II (0.5 FTE, $26,458).

PERFORMANCE MEASURES:

Objective:  To link job seekers with employers to result in placing a minimum of 60% of job seekers in jobs.

• FY 2003 estimate decreases expected due to a downturn in the economy.

• The target for job placement for welfare recipients is the actual statewide average through August 2002.

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