State Plan Attachment: 4.8(b)(1) Cooperation with Agencies that are not in the Statewide Workforce Investment System and with Other Entities

The Iowa Department for the Blind cooperates extensively with agencies that are not required partners of the statewide Workforce Investment system. Many of these regional and community agencies have entered into Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with the Workforce Investment partners, including the Department. These regional and community partners include:

City of Cedar Rapids Housing
Children & Families of Iowa
Community Action Agency of Siouxland
Elderbridge Area on Aging
Four Oaks - Young Parents Network
Goodwill Industries
Hawkeye Community Action Program
Heritage Agency on Aging
ISED (Iowans for Social and Economic Development)
Ventures
Link Associates
Mainstream Living Inc.
Muscatine's Center for Social Action
New Iowan Centers
Northeast Iowa Community Action Corporation
Polk County Family Enrichment Center
Primary Health Care Inc.
Safer Foundation - Youth Empowerment Program
Spectrum Industries
United Way
West Central Development Corporation

Cooperative activities include:

Providing and receiving training regarding eligibility and services.
Making and receiving referrals and providing follow-up.
Sharing applicable information regarding mutual clients.

In addition to the activities with the agencies listed above, the Department also participates in the following efforts:

Governance Group. The Iowa Department for the Blind is a signatory of the Governance Group Memorandum of Agreement. The Governance Group, organized in 1998, includes administrative personnel from the Iowa Governor's Developmental Disability Council, the Division of Persons with Disabilities, Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services, Department of Human Services, Workforce Development, Department of Education and the Department for the Blind. The purpose of the Governance Group is to ensure that partner agencies deliver quality employment services to individuals with disabilities by addressing the barriers to collaborative efforts that their varying policies and procedures can create. Through projects sponsored by this group, Department staff have worked collaboratively with staff from the Veteran's Administration, Iowa's Medicaid Buy-in program known as the Medicaid for Employed Persons with Disabilities Program, the Promise Jobs employment component of Iowa's Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and Social Security's Work Incentives Planning and Assistance grant program.

Joint Transition Projects. Together with Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services and the Division of Persons with Disabilities, the Department sponsors and participates in these events:

The Youth Leadership Forum. The Youth Leadership Forum is a five-day leadership training program for Iowa high school youths with disabilities. Held every summer on the Iowa State University campus, it gives participants an opportunity to share information on choosing careers, history or disability culture, assistive technology for independence; identify existing barriers to personal and professional success and develop plans to deal with those barriers; develop a "Personal Leadership Plan"; and interact with others.

The College Leadership Forum. The College Leadership Forum is a three-day training for graduating college students with disabilities. This annual program trains participants on writing effective resumes, developing interviewing skills, Americans with Disabilities Act, and addressing their disability with prospective employers.

National Federation of the Blind of Iowa. The Department contracts with the National Federation of the Blind of Iowa to make 250 national newspapers, including the Des Moines Register, available to Iowans through a telephone based interface with a computerized system. This project provides ready access to local job listings and related business information.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Programs. The USDA Rural Development office in Iowa administers business-cooperative, housing, and community programs. These programs provide grants, loans, and technical assistance to rural residents and businesses targeting rural communities. These programs are aimed at creating or preserving jobs; promoting a clean rural environment; improving access to decent housing and community facilities; and ensuring essential community facilities are available to rural residents, such as health care clinics, fire and rescue facilities, and more. As part of their technical assistance efforts, the Iowa Rural Development office provides information to disabled Iowans. The Department will provide technical assistance to the Rural Development staff in Iowa as necessary.