The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently released a resource guide via Training and Employment Notice (TEN) 12-21 to workforce development practitioners who assist jobseekers in finding and applying for financial assistance and other supportive services. Jobs for Veterans State Grant (JVSG) and Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program (HVRP) staff, along with their American Job Center (AJC) and community partners, can apply the Practitioners Guide to Supportive Services to quickly and accurately locate emergency and long-term resources for their veteran clients. It includes information on rental assistance, utilities and broadband support, childcare, the child tax and earned income tax credits, nutrition and food security, health care resources, and legal aid, among others. Integrating this up-to-date and focused tool into the implementation of the Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) program services can help ensure all veteran job seekers searching for work or entering training can find and apply for the assistance they need to attain and sustain economic stability.
Background
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Section 134© (2) and its regulations at 20 CFR 678.430 describe career services, including providing usable and understandable information on supportive services and assistance. Many JVSG and HVRP practitioners are experienced at helping veterans find appropriate supportive services, particularly in their local community. This guide comprehensively lists nationally-available programs and new services created in response to the pandemic. Additional supportive services exist in local communities from state or local governments or nonprofit, community-based, or faith-based organizations; strong partnerships between workforce development and partner programs can holistically support veteran jobseekers and learners.
Overview: Practitioner’s Guide to Supportive Services
| Core Services | Resources and Toolkits |
| Housing Insecurity | Rental Assistance (adult and youth, reentry, HUD)Utilities (gas, fuel, oil, water, sewer, and trashBroadband (emergency benefit to families, connectivity)Eviction Prevention (eviction, consumer protection)Landlord Assistance (emergency financial assistance) |
| Family Assistance | Childcare (for low-income families who work, train)Head Start (child development, family support services)Tax Credits (child and earned income)Dependent Care (pre-tax benefits for care providers)Child Support (enforcement, VA Legal Aid)Home Health Care (caregiver/provider resources)Education Grants and Student Aid |
| Health Care | Mental Health (substance abuse, illness)Medical/Vaccination Assistance (via federal agencies)Nutrition (hunger relief, SNAP, WIC)Violence Prevention (CDC, child/youth resources)Counseling (youth and family services)Disability-Related Services (ADA, job networks)Suicide Prevention (prevention hotlines) |
| Legal Assistance | Legal Aid (eviction, justice-related, protection and advocacy) |
| Financial Assistance | Unemployment Insurance (federal, state)TANFCash AssistanceAchieving a Better Live Experience (ABLE)National Resource Center (disabled and families who support Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE)Transportation (public transit systems) |
Integration
When Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program (DVOP) specialists provide individualized career services that are tailored to meet the individual veteran’s needs, having a comprehensive guide available supports the agile response needed to identify available services essential to their everyday service delivery. Local Veterans’ Employment Representative (LVER) staff, serving their capacity building responsibilities, can reveal the Guide’s benefits while training JVSG and AJC staff; ensuring colleagues and partners become aware of this resource will help to strengthen emergency, short-to-long-term solutions for their veteran clients.
If you would like additional information on supportive services for veterans, you can find it on the DOL’s technical assistance platform for workforce practitioners at Workforce GPS. You can also find a list of agencies and partners under the General Resources to Serve Veterans at NVTI.org.