Email Invitation

Email invitation letter

Dear [NAME OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR]

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA) invites you to complete an online survey about the current state of services provided to youth with disabilities in your Local Workforce Investment Area (LWIA). This survey is a component of an analytical study of practices that both local workforce investment boards (LWIBs) and the local youth providers have in place to serve youth with disabilities, ages 14 to 21. The goals of the study are to 1) understand the general features of the public workforce system’s performance in serving this population; and 2) discuss the implementation of selected practices in serving these young people with a focus on transitions to competitive employment and postsecondary education. The survey follows the recommendations, strategies, and resources outlined in Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) No. 31-10, “Increasing Enrollment and Improving Services to Youth with Disabilities” issued June 30, 2011.

The Department, through ETA and the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), provides considerable support to the public workforce system and its partners to advance the goal of serving youth with disabilities. To continue building on this array of programming provided through the public workforce system, the Department will use the analytical overview of services for youth with disabilities to: 1) examine the services provided under Title I of WIA, 2) inform policy-makers and service providers about current practices in the field, and 3) identify promising practices and existing challenges. This survey intends to document policies and practices for youth with disabilities that focus on staff capacity, collaborating with other systems and integrating funding streams, outreach and services to out-of-school, work experience and community service opportunities for including partnerships with employers, and the system’s ability to identify and meet customers’ service needs.

LWIB Executive Directors are asked to complete this data collection and may, as needed, draw upon their staff and data resources to obtain the requested information. The estimated time to complete the survey is 40-60 minutes, though this may vary across organizations, and may be completed over multiple sessions. To ensure secure access to and completion of the survey, each LWIB Executive Director is assigned a personalized link to the survey. To complete the survey use the following personalized link:

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This web address is linked to your specific LWIB and can be shared with staff in your LWIA if they are assisting with the survey. However, the link should not be shared outside of your LWIA.

As a recipient of WIA formula funds, your assistance can provide meaningful information that may be used to improve services for the clients of the public workforce investment system. Thank you in advance for thoroughly completing this survey. Please send any inquiries, comments or questions, and supporting information requested in the survey to the Solutions Desk at Abt Associates or call the Solutions Desk at (888) 239-7718 (toll free).

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such a collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1205-0436. Participation in this information collection is voluntary; however this is the single point of data for each LWIA. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 50 minutes per response, including the time to review instruction, search existing data resources, gather the data needed and complete and review the information collection. Any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate or suggestions for improving this form should be submitted in writing to the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Policy Development and Research, Room N-4511, Washington, D.C. 20210.