5.5.1.2 How to Use a Formal Assessment

The FEP must use the W-2 Formal Assessment Agreement (2565) to help explain the purpose of the formal assessment and the type of follow-up services and activities an individual may receive by completing it.

The FEP should strongly emphasize how the applicant or participant can benefit from completing the formal assessment process. The FEP must explain that assessment results will enable the individual and their FEP to make informed decisions about:

Their W-2 placement;

Their employment goals and the activities that will help reach those goals;

Their ability to engage in training and education; and

Any special services and work site accommodations they may need.

The applicant or participant must indicate at the bottom of the agreement their decision to complete or decline a formal assessment.

When a formal assessment is pending, the FEP must use the best information available to initially place an individual in an employment position.

Participating in a formal assessment may be counted as participation in an employment position. The FEP must document all formal assessment information in WWP utilizing the:

WWP Participant Barriers and Family Barriers pages;

Formal Assessment Status; and

Employability Plan (EP), including PIN comments, as appropriate.

Within 30 days after receiving the results of the formal assessment, the FEP must:

Make necessary adjustments to the participant’s placement; and

Revise the EP Employability Plan based on the formal assessment.

The services and accommodations that are recommended in the formal assessment must be incorporated into the participant’s EP. This may include:

Obtaining needed medical treatment or counseling;

Receiving needed services from other providers in the community;

Ensuring participants have the necessary services, reasonable modifications and accommodations to successfully engage in assigned W-2 activities; and

Working with employers to put needed accommodations into place for participants making the transition to unsubsidized employment.

As part of the process of revising the EP, the FEP must:

Provide the participant with a written description of any needed services, activities, and reasonable modifications or accommodations using the form, Services and Accommodations To Help You Do Your W-2 Activities (2564) .

If the FEP does not incorporate all of the recommended accommodations or modifications into the participant’s EP, the FEP must document on the corresponding WWP Participant Barrier page the reason(s) the recommendation(s) were not incorporated. Any placement change based on a formal assessment must also be discussed with the participant and the participant’s EP must be updated accordingly.

Advise the W-2 education, training, or work site providers of any needed reasonable modifications or accommodations to the W-2 education, training, or worksite.

The W-2 agency must monitor the participant’s W-2 education, training, or work site to ensure that previously specified services, modifications, or accommodations identified in the EP are provided.