Page 39

North Carolina

39

Priority of Service Requirements

WIOA includes enhanced “priority of service” requirements to ensure recipients of public assistance and other hard-to-serve populations may access critical employment and training services through the NCWorks system. TANF programs should work with workforce development boards and NCWorks Career Centers’ staff to develop and implement new priority of service policies; ensure that TANF recipients are prioritized under such policies; and are offered services to meet their needs.

Work-Based Training

WIOA strengthens the workforce system’s focus on work-based learning strategies for adults and youth with barriers to employment, with on-the-job training, subsidized employment, and work experience. Some TANF agencies have recent experience with such programs for disadvantaged workers and can assist WIOA agencies in implementing them. State and local planning efforts should identify areas where WIOA and TANF resources can be aligned to support and expand these efforts.

Employer Engagement

Local workforce boards must engage employers to ensure that workforce investment activities meet the needs of businesses. Importantly, WIOA emphasizes the creation and use of industry or sector partnerships, which bring together stakeholders connected to local industries to develop short and long-term workforce strategies in those industries. TANF programs should be included in local sector partnerships to engage employers and ensure that TANF participants can access emerging job opportunities. TANF programs connect to the NCWorks Business Services Representatives (BSR) to coordinate contact and activities with businesses to streamline services.

SUBSTANCE USE AND MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVE

In response to growing demands for additional resources to meet the needs of individuals affected by substance use and mental health diagnoses, North Carolina has implemented a Behavioral Health Strategic Plan (BHSP), and an Opioid Action Plan. The BHSP2 identifies two focus areas for strengthening the behavioral health system:

• Ensuring timely access to high-quality services, and • Integrating behavioral health, I/DD, and physical health for children and adults.

The Opioid Action Plan focuses on three key areas to reduce the impact of the opioid epidemic:

Prevention • Cutting supply of inappropriate prescriptions and illicit opioids • Supporting youth through targeted programs to reduce youth misuse of the drugs • Improving maternal and prenatal care for women battling substance abuse