Finding 59930 (2022-001)

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Requirement
G
Questioned Costs
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Year
2022
Accepted
2023-03-20

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The program did not meet the federal requirement of spending at least 20% of Youth Activity funds on work experiences.
  • Impacted Requirements: WIOA mandates that a minimum of 20% of allocated funds must be used for paid and unpaid work experiences.
  • Recommended Follow-up: Increase youth enrollment and participation to ensure compliance with funding requirements in future periods.

Finding Text

2022-001 20% Program Expenditures for Youth Work Experience Federal Agency:Department of Labor Federal Programs: 17.259 Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA) ? Youth Activities (Passed through MassHire Department of Career Services (MDCS)) Condition: The Federal earmarking requirement related to youth work experience program expenditures was not met. Criteria: Not less than 20 percent of Youth Activity funds allocated to the local area, except for the local area expenditures for administration, must be used to provide paid and unpaid work experiences (Section 129(c)(4)), WIOA, 128 Stat. 1510). Cause: Youth enrollment and participation in the program was low. Effect: The 20% minimum of WIOA youth funds were not expended. Context: The WIOA youth activities youth work experience expenditures were 16.73% of the allocated funds to JTEC at June 30, 2022. Questioned Costs: None

Corrective Action Plan

2022-001 20% Program Expenditures for Youth Work Experience Responsible Official Judith Bricklin, Chief Financial Officer Plan Detail JTEC is aware of the requirement and did all it could to be compliant. The lack of enrollment is something that was out of JTEC?s control. JTEC runs one of the many MassHire Career Centers in the state that struggled meeting this Federal requirement. In addition, JTEC communicated the issue to MDCS. With COVID-19 restrictions being lifted, JTEC is resuming monthly visits to area schools to present services and programs to guidance department and student support staff and is hosting an annual networking event in conjunction with the Cape and Islands School Counselor Association. JTEC will also host a networking event and presentation for leaders of social services agencies serving the local youth population, with on-site follow-up visits to these agencies. JTEC?s Youth Counselor is arranging quarterly presentations to Juvenile Court and Probation Officers and is working with DTA Young Parent Program staff to encourage referrals to JTEC?s Youth programs. JTEC will be hosting a youth networking ?Bowling Night? for prospective Out of School Youth participants and will be coordinating with school counselors to get invites distributed to former students as well as friends and family of current youth program participants. In addition, JTEC is producing videos to be featured on popular social media platforms, promoting Youth services offered. Increasing awareness of the Out of School Youth services available to the community via events and social media and building strong referral networks amongst schools and social service agencies is JTEC?s strategy to increase Out of School youth enrollments and youth work experience participation.

Categories

Matching / Level of Effort / Earmarking

Other Findings in this Audit

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
17.278 Wia Dislocated Worker Formula Grants $376,928
17.259 Wia Youth Activities $332,797
17.207 Employment Service/wagner-Peyser Funded Activities $317,774
17.258 Wia Adult Program $300,326
17.225 Unemployment Insurance $30,545
10.561 State Administrative Matching Grants for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program $15,052
17.801 Jobs for Veterans State Grants $10,855
21.019 Coronavirus Relief Fund $10,317
17.245 Trade Adjustment Assistance $506