ACTION BULLETINS (PY 2003)

AB - 31 Follow-up Contact Information Requirement

AB - # 31

Retroactive for Exits
Dated >= 04/01/2003


ACTION BULLETIN


TO: All Youth Providers

DATE: October 15, 2003

SUBJECT: Follow-up Contact Information Requirement


PURPOSE OF BULLETIN:
The purpose of the bulletin is to provide information and instructions on the use and completion of a Follow-up Contact Information Form at time of intake and at time of exit for all WIA Title I Youth clients. Exits, already submitted to MIS, occurring on or after April 1, 2003 would require a Follow-up Contact Information Form submittal.

BACKGROUND:
The Workforce Investment Board (WIB) staff is very interested in assisting the Youth Providers in completing the required nine (9) months of follow-up reporting mandated by the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) for all youth customers. The WIB staff is also very interested in capturing customer satisfaction statistics for the Youth Providers.

Research indicates that consistent follow-up with youth after exit improves their retention in positive outcomes like college and employment, including earnings increases. Follow-up surveys that include a customer satisfaction component will provide feedback for your program.

In June 2003, the Williams Wallace Management Consultants (WWMC) and their partner agency Field Research Corporation were approved to conduct the follow-up survey for 100% of clients exiting from the WIA Title I Youth programs on or after April 1, 2003. Utilizing a follow-up vendor frees the Youth Provider staff to focus on services to “active” clients while maximizing the timely reporting of follow-up information.

In order to maximize the ability of WWMC to successfully meet their contract requirements, the vendor requires sufficient customer contact information. Therefore, the Alameda County Workforce Investment Board (WIB) staff has created a Follow-up Contact Information form. The form will be required:

1. In the WIA eligibility determination file, and
2. Along with the submittal of the WIA Exit form.

Since implementation of Contact Information Forms for the Adult programs there have been several questions about the requirement for completion and the process if the customer is unable/unwilling to provide the 1st and 2nd contact information.

Follow-up is a required activity of the WIA Programs. The Exit is the middle of the service process. Customers need to understand that 3 follow-up calls over the 12 months post exit is a part of the service plan. Since the follow-up vendor did not work with the customer prior to follow-up they require 1st and 2nd contact information to be able to reach the customer in the event that the customer information is no longer valid.

The confidentiality of the Contact Information is important for the customer and the WIB. Rather than requiring another signature on the Contact Information Form, the WIB has updated the Authorization for Release of Information/Records form to expand the scope of authorization. It will be contingent on the Intake staff to fully inform the customer about the use of their information for Follow-up purposes.

For those customers already in the program and preparing to exit, who have not had an opportunity to sign an updated Authorization form we can handle this in a couple of ways:

1. Because the customer did sign the original Authorization for Release at Intake, the case manager can advise them of the extended use of their information for the Follow-up Service.

2. Currently enrolled customers can be sent a copy of the updated Authorization for Release form and Contact Information form along with information about the Follow-up Service and asked to send to the Youth Provider.

3. As current customers come in to the Youth Provider to meet with their case managers, every effort can be made to get their signature on an updated Authorization for Release form while explaining the Follow-up Service they will receive post exit.

The customers already enrolled need to be strongly encouraged to provide the 1st and 2nd contact information during enrollment or at time of exit. Do not wait until time of exit to collect the information. Contact the customers now to collect the 1st and 2nd contact information, while explaining the new follow-up procedure so they will be prepared to answer questions post exit. As the case managers you know the individual customers.

CONTACT FORMS REQUIRED AT INTAKE
Customer investment is very important during in the entire service process. Collection of 1st and 2nd contact information at Intake is easier because the customer feels a stronger need to comply to receive the services they desire. The Youth Providers are in a better position to collect the complete information at Intake. The 1st and 2nd contact persons should be someone not currently living with the customer who will know how to get in touch with them if the customer information becomes invalid. Persons living out-of-the-area are acceptable to provide.

The completed Contact Information Form and Authorization for Release of Information Form are now REQUIRED as part of a complete file submitted for Eligibility Review.

CONTACT FORMS REQUIRED AT EXIT
MIS expects that the customer information, the 1st contact and the 2nd contact will be completed for all Exits and submitted along with the Exit forms. The Contact information should be reviewed by the case manager at time of exit and updated as necessary.

REQUIRED Exit forms = The enrollment/registration with completion codes and end dates for all activities; the exit form; and the contact information form.

The Follow-up Contact Information Form also requests the Primary Language and gender of the customer as well as email addresses for the customer and their contacts, if available. These pieces of information will assist the vendor in successfully completing the required contacts.

MIS will forward the Follow-up Contact Information Form, to the vendor along with a copy of every exit for entry into their follow-up database. The vendor will utilize the contact information when contacting the client for the three (3) follow-up quarters required under the Workforce Investment Act.

ACTION:
· Provide copies of the Follow-up Contact Information Form to all staff, of the Youth Provider, who conduct eligibility intake, or manage services for the Youth customer.
· Inform staff of the requirement to submit the Follow-up Contact Information Form with the initial eligibility file.
· Inform staff of the requirement to submit a revised Follow-up Contact Information Form along with the REQUIRED Exit forms.
· Inform staff that the requirement is retroactive for exits that occurred on or after April 1, 2003. MIS will provide listings to each Youth Provider and require submittal of the Follow-up Contact Information Forms by October 3, 2003.
· Direct staffs to submit all forms to their assigned Data Input Clerk, Carol Reeves, at fax number (510) 265-8270 or Sylvia Gipson at fax number (510) 259-3532.

Information & Inquires:
Please contact Linda Slater, Information System Analyst, at (510) 259-3802 or by email "lslater@co.alameda.ca.us"

Attachment: Follow-up Contact Information Form (For a copy of the form contact Linda Slater)