Workforce Development Award Nomination Ohio

Ohio Workforce Development Award Nomination: Meigs County Super Team

Contact Information of Individual Submitting Nomination

Nominator: Julie Wirt

Agency Name: Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, Office of Workforce Development

Meigs County Super Team

OhioMeansJobs Meigs County has developed an innovative initiative to implement the Comprehensive Case Management and Employment Program, Ohio's WIOA Youth program. The OhioMeansJobs Meigs County worked with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, Office of Workforce Development to institute a "super team" approach to help reduce the significant barriers many of the CCMEP participants have. This "super team" approach allows for hands-on case management approach with youth participants, looking at all factors including children services issues, child support, and more. OhioMeansJobs Meigs County contracted with the local community agencies to provide supportive services, such as transportation, or one-on-one job coaching in new job placements. The case managers at the OhioMeansJobs center help the participant from start to finish in figuring out a career path and guiding them on this path to completion.

Provide a statement of results, accomplishments, impacts and any other appropriate information that demonstrates why the nominee’s efforts described in question #1 were an exceptional contribution. Response (400 word limit).

The customer-centered design utilized by the OhioMeansJobs Meigs County has been voiced in many ways. The Workforce Development Board Director applied for and was granted a seat on the Family Centered Community of Practice through a grant with the National Association of Workforce Boards and the Kellogg Foundation. Ohio's Area 14 was one of 15 nationally to talk about what the local area was doing and how the area is on a family centered approach. OhioMeansJobs Meigs County was used as an example that should be replicated in other counties and states. Meigs County has attended phone conferences and recently attended the Close It conference where we were able to talk with the others on their innovative and thoughtful process.

Provide a brief description of the nominee's significant contributions in any one of the other two areas listed under "criteria" that you did not focus on above. Response (400 word limit).

The collaboration and out of the box thinking have resulted in many people who had not even graduated high school, getting their GED or finishing their high school diploma and either finding a job in an in-demand field or going on to get a certification or degree in an in demand field. Their stories are inspiring.

Meigs County is a small, Appalachian Ohio county that up until this year has a 6.1% unemployment rate or above for many, many years. The work of these groups has now taken that to a 6% rate, which may not seem like a lot, but it has inspired this group to work even harder and provide even more support to these participants.