5.2.3.1 Participant Barriers Questions

The WWP Informal Assessment Driver Flow includes a Participant Barriers page with questions to collect information about the applicant or participant’s health and personal life that may affect the individual’s ability to obtain and maintain employment. The WWP Informal Assessment - Participant Barriers page consists of five sections:

Physical Health;

Mental Health;

Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse (AODA);

Cognitive and Learning Needs; and

Domestic Abuse Screen.

The FEP Financial and Employment Planner must use the responses to the WWP Informal Assessment Participant Barriers questions provided to determine whether the individual could benefit from a Formal Assessment The process of establishing: •The extent and severity of any disabilities or other conditions (e.g., domestic violence, learning needs, need to care for disabled child) that may interfere with normal functioning in an employment setting or with a persons’ ability to meet W-2 program requirements; • The effect of a disability or other potential barrier on the person’s capacity to obtain and maintain unsubsidized employment, participate in employment-related activities (e.g., employment training or education) or otherwise meet W-2 program requirements; •The need for supportive services, accommodations, auxiliary aids or communication assistance; •The conditions under which the person is capable of employment or employment related activities; •The need to make reasonable modifications to policies, practices and procedures when necessary to ensure equal opportunity for people with disabilities; and •The appropriateness of specific assignments in the W-2 program. by a qualified professional or assessing agency. (See 5.5.2 )

The responses also provide basic information to inform case management decision-making until the formal assessment information is received.

When administering the Participant Barriers questions as part of the WWP Informal Assessment, the W-2 worker must explain to the applicant or participant the:

Purpose of the Participant Barriers questions; and

Type of follow-up services that may result from providing answers to the questions.

The W-2 worker should explain the Participant Barriers questions using positive language and emphasize how the applicant or participant may benefit from answering the questions.

The W-2 worker must ask each of the Participant Barriers questions; however, the applicant or participant may decline to answer the questions on this page without risk of sanction or case closure. If the applicant or participant declines to answer a Participant Barriers question, the W-2 worker must indicate this in WWP by checking the corresponding refused box and move on to the next question.

If the applicant or participant indicates that any of the issues identified on the P articipant Barriers page may impact their ability to participate in W-2, the FEP must document the:

Barrier in WWP and refer the individual for formal assessment; and

Formal assessment referral date on the corresponding WWP Barrier Details page.

If the individual declines the offer for formal assessment, the FEP must indicate that the referral was declined on the corresponding WWP Barrier Details page.

Due to the potential for safety risks, there are several exceptions to the instructions for the Participant Barriers questions and formal assessment referral specific to the Domestic Abuse Screen questions. The FEP must follow all instructions for administering the Domestic Abuse Screen in Section 5.6.1 .