Choosing a High Definition of Self-Sufficiency

• Sacramento Employment and Training Agency, CA
• Private Industry Council of San Francisco, CA
• Metro South/West Regional Employment Board, MA

Overview

The San Francisco WIB adopted the CA Self-Sufficiency Standard to set eligibility guidelines for its WIA Formula Adult training program. The WIB reserves a minimum of 10 percent of its Adult WIA funds to be used for customers whose incomes are between 70 percent of the LLSIL and 75 percent of the Self-Sufficiency Standard in the event that Adult funds are left over after serving low-income customers. The WIB also uses the Self-Sufficiency Standard in its Customized Training Program to give more workers the opportunity to pursue this training. The Customized Training Program is a cooperative venture in which employers contribute half the cost of training for WIA customers who receive training designed to meet the particular skill needs of the employer. The WIB gives priority to businesses in economically distressed areas and those offering jobs that typically demonstrate a high retention rate, wage advancement opportunities, a likelihood of employee self-sufficiency and opportunities to sustain long-term employment and advancement within the company. The WIB uses 75 percent of the "one adult and one school age child" family size of the Self-Sufficiency Standard to determine currently employed trainees' eligibility. The recent development and adoption of a computerized self-sufficiency calculator has substantially increased the use of the Standard by counselors as they assist customers. Career counselors help clients identify career ladders that reflect their interests and aptitudes and that have the potential to lead them to a self-sufficiency wage.

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History

The WIB established a staff work group to address issues around eligibility guidelines and producing recommendations. The work group activities resulted in the recommendation to increase the eligibility guidelines to 75 percent of the self-sufficiency standard.

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Partners and Funding

Many of the WIB's service provider partners have embraced the use of the Self-Sufficiency Standard in their work, with the WIB’s support. Employer partners in the Customized Training Program (CTP) work with the WIB to focus training on jobs that pay or lead to self-sufficiency wages. These employers also contribute at least 50 percent of the cost of training for customers in the CTP. Employers who have participated in the Customized Training Program include Home Health Advocates, the Jewish Home for the Aged, and the In-Home Supportive Services Consortium.

Challenges

The policy choice of using 75 percent of the Self-Sufficiency Standard for eligibility determination represents a compromise among concerns about the impact of using too high an income threshold. San Francisco is in the unusual situation of having many customers whose incomes are relatively high, and who need WIA services. At the same time, there is a significant number of very low-income and working poor in the city.. WIB members debated how to balance the perceived mandates of "serving the poor and serving the poorest of the poor." In the end, the case was made that it was important to include individuals whose incomes are higher than the LLISL, but who need additional education or training in order to get on solid economic footing. The WIB made a decision to reserve 10% of Adult WIA funds for very-low income customers should funds serving adults remain after low-income customers have been served.

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