In Attendance
- Will Bodle, Rural Employment Opportunities
- Sherri Breneman, Job Corps
- Ron Carroll, Montana Youth ChalleNGe Academy
- Kelly Deniger, Missoula Palmer Office
- Katie Deuel, Home ReSource
- Michelle Dorsey, Missoula Job Service
- Maggie Driscoll, Human Resource Council District XI
- Carly Holman, HealthCARE Montana
- Robert Howe, Home ReSource
- Carlye Markum, Missoula Job Service
- Connie McDonald, YWCA
- Patty Murphy, YWCA
- Michelle Parks, Child Care Resources
- Adam Ragsdale, Missoula Housing Authority
- Jodi Rasmussen, Lifelong Learning Center
- Emily Simpson, HealthCARE Montana
- Megan Westover, Mountain Home Montana
- Sarah Wimmer, Missoula Palmer Office
- Emma Young, Child Care Resources
Agenda
Home ReSource Work ProgramsHome ReSource offers a dignified, meaningful work experience program. They are already collaborating with Opportunity Resources and are looking to work with additional agencies. Youth internships and afterschool programs are also available. Home ReSource is enhancing their job assessment and coaching abilities and advocacy. No fees are charged for any programs. Call Home ReSource to set up a time to meet and discuss opportunities, if interested.
HealthCARE Montana
HealthCARE Montana is a $15 million grant from the US Department of Labor that addresses the healthcare worker shortage by bringing together Montana’s 15 community colleges and 5 area health education centers. A number of people are working across the state on this grant to increase stuent success and remove barriers. Some curriculum reform is in the works to help students move through programs faster while still getting the same level of education. Work is also being done to remove barriers for transferring students. HealthCARE Montana is also engaging employers to ensure their needs are being met for future employees. Three people are dedicated to developing apprenticeships in the healthcare industry for those who are unable to return to traditional school or get into seat-limited college programs. A pilot program is underway and should go statewide in the next six months. For more information, visit the grant website at http://healthcaremontana.org/.
Updates
Missoula Job ServiceStaff from the Missoula Job Service spent several hours at Tricon Timber on Tuesday assisting people with filing for unemployment and sharing resources available to them at Job Service. The 91 laid-off employees may return to work at Tricon in the future.
Some new programs are rolling out now that are increasing walk-in traffic, including one requiring all people filing for unemployment to visit a Job Service office.
Barb Kennedy will be retiring at the end of the month after many years of service. Her extensive HR knowledge will be greatly missed.
Money in the Adult program has not been spent yet, so anyone interested in training who has low-income is encouraged to come to Job Service. Separate funding is available for people who have been laid off.
REO
The Access Opportunities grant is seeing heavy use and REO is working with The Village Health Care Center and Valley View Estates Health Care Center to fill open positions. Participants work for REO while gaining work experience and then can transition into employment with the employer. Will recently attended a national conference and discussed some concerns about programs taking effect in July 2016.
Mountain Home Montana
Things are going well at Mountain Home Montana. Some staff transitions have taken place. Mountain Home Montana is putting together an in-service committee to go out in the community and talk about changes that have taken place at the organization. They recently attended a conference in Oregon to learn how other states are implementing employment programs.
Montana Youth ChalleNGe Academy
Montana Youth ChalleNGe Academy is a drop-out recovery program for youth, ages 16 – 18, at risk of not completing their education. For 22 weeks, students stay at the facility in a quasi-military environment where they have the opportunity to take the HiSET or transfer back to high school to finish their education. The Academy is free to all families and there is no income threshold requirement.
YWCA
The YWCA’s rapid re-housing program is available to families in need. The program gets families into housing and pays rent for the first two months of rent, and then provides a rental subsidy for another four months for eligible families. This year YWCA has housed 27 families. They have developed strong relationships with landlords, as many program participants have issues with their credit history or income.
Missoula Job Service, Palmer Office
Positive changes are coming to the TANF program. Previously, single-parents with newborns were able to stay home with their children and were exempted from completed work activities for three months, but two-parent families did not have the same option. Now two-parent families are able to stay home and receive benefits for three months as well.
Medicaid expansion is waiting for approval from the federal government before enrollment begins. The expansion aims to provide health insurance starting January 1. The Office of Public Assistance will determine eligibility, but there is an employment and training component involving Job Service.
Child Care Resources
Numbers are high, likely because students have stabilized their schedules for the semester. New rules that exempt students from work have allowed more students to receive assistance. Students are also get more time per credit hour taken, giving them more study time, and a twelve-month eligibility period has created additional stability for families.
Lifelong Learning Center
The Lifelong Learning Center has released their November – December catalog. The Certified Medical Outpatient Professional Coding program will start in January and is a great opportunity for people to start a career in medical coding. The program can be completed by distance learners, though there is a face-to-face component in Missoula. Some pre-requisites are required for those not already working in the healthcare industry. Pre-requisites can be taken online before the program begins through the Lifelong Learning Center.
Summit Independent Living Center
Things are going well at Summit Independent Living Center. Three-year and one-year planning is in progress. With the transition to WIOA, a new core service has been added for Summit. The new core service includes transition for youth into adulthood or post-secondary education, transition from an institution into the community or assistance with staying in the community. No extra money is included, but opportunities for contracts with other providers are available. Summit has been pretty involved in youth transitions prior to the mandate.
Job Corps
Job Corps provides an excellent opportunity for youth ages 16 – 24 to learn new, in-demand skills. Job Corps is always looking for job opportunities for graduates. The Wind River Job Corps Center in Wyoming is doing well.
Human Resource Council District XI
Human Resource Council is moving from WIA to WIOA, and with that transition they are focusing more on out-of-school youth, instead of working to keep them in school. They are taking referrals and can serve kids who have their HiSET if they are still not testing out of basic skills. Program enrollment is likely to be long-term to provide the best service to the participants. In-school kids currently on the program will continue to be served through the winter and transitioned into other programs as needed. The last day of the summer youth program was September 30 and the average wage was $14 an hour. The LIEAP program began October 1. Past LIEAP participants should receive forms in the mail. HRC will drop off batches of forms in the near future.
Missoula Housing Authority
Missoula Housing Authority is wrapping up projects and starting others, including a 6-plex on California. Leasing will begin at Phoenix (the complex formerly known as Vantage Villa) this month. They have also finished a project with Missoula College students. The annual update will start soon. Anyone on the waitlist should respond immediately if they want to stay on, or call to update their address with MHA if they have moved and need to update their address.
Opportunity Resources
Opportunity Resources has had a busy year. October is National Disability Employment Awareness month. ORI will celebrate by handing out certificates and buying ad space in the Missoulian to thank employers.
