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Heartland Works, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization incorporated in 1984 by the Service Delivery Area II Private Industry Council and Local Elected Officials. Service Delivery Area II (SDA II) is a region in northeast Kansas encompassing the following 17 counties: Atchison, Brown, Clay, Doniphan, Douglas, Franklin, Geary, Jackson, Jefferson, Marshall, Nemaha, Osage, Pottawatomie, Riley, Shawnee, Wabaunsee and Washington. The Local Elected Officials (LEO) of these 17 counties and the Private Industry Council (PIC) – a board comprised of private sector business, labor, education, employment security, community-based organizations, economic development and welfare assistance programs – was the grant recipient and responsible for oversight of SDA II employment and training programs under the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) which was passed in 1982. The Kansas Department of Human Resources (KDHR) administered the programs for the LEO and PIC Boards. In 1984, the LEO and PIC boards desired more local control and decision-making authority over the programs. Because of this, the boards incorporated and became SDA II Private Industry Council, Inc. (It changed its name to Heartland Works, Inc. in 1994.) This action enabled the Boards to hire staff and begin administration of the programs. Heartland Works, Inc. was the grant recipient and administrator of the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) Title II and Title III programs for SDA II from 1987 through June 30, 2000 when the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) replaced the JTPA. The JTPA was designed to assist economically disadvantaged or displaced workers become productive members of the workforce. Title II programs included services for economically disadvantaged adults and youth such as basic skills and GED training, classroom training, on-the-job training, work experience and internships and a special summer youth employment program. Title III programs included services for displaced workers such as skills retraining, on-the-job training and basic readjustment. Heartland Works’ Employment and Training Representatives (ETRs) were responsible for objectively assessing clients’ needs and developing appropriate training solutions for the clients, which would result in non-subsidized employment in a growing and productive field with a competitive wage. The high performance and dedication of the ETRs in assisting individuals acquire training and non-subsidized employment, along with the private-sector influence of the members on the PIC Board, inspired the LEO and PIC Boards to reach for even better quality services for the citizens of SDA II. In 1994, the SDA II Private Industry Council, Inc. changed its name to Heartland Works, Inc. and developed the motto “The Bottom Line is the Client.” The boards felt with a more client-friendly motto and professional business image, Heartland Works, Inc. would be able to market its image of a non-profit program with efficient and result-oriented services. It worked. Heartland Works, Inc. has experienced strong growth in the number of clients served and enhanced its quality of services over the past several years. Heartland Works, Inc. is a business, not a bunch of red tape! Heartland Works also became the grant recipient and administrator of the Welfare-to-Work program for SDA II in 1998. The Welfare-to-Work (WtW) Grants (H.R. 2015) were signed into law on August 5, 1997, as part of the Final Budget Reconciliation Bill. The WtW program was designed to assist transitioning the hardest-to-serve welfare recipients to self-sufficiency. The “work-first” philosophy of welfare reform was a challenge for the Heartland Works ETRs, whose traditional focus had been getting individuals trained prior to getting them employed. The success of the WtW program was the result of a working partnership between Heartland Works and the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services (SRS) and the many providers it took to address the numerous barriers, which keep the hardest-to-serve from being self-sufficient. Another accomplishment of Heartland Works was the award of the Kansas One-Stop Grant for SDA II in April of 1999. The purpose of the One-Stop Grant was to provide funds to develop One-Stop Centers before the implementation of WIA in which One-Stop Centers are mandated. The One-Stop Center is designed to combine the services of several agencies in one location to meet the needs of the customer more efficiently. Heartland Works’ proposal included the establishment of five full-service one-stop centers (Atchison, Junction City, Lawrence, Manhattan and Topeka,) and five multi-media resource stations (satellites) in the northern part of SDA II. The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) replaced the JTPA on July 1, 2000. The implementation of WIA has incorporated many changes. Among them include the following: the SDA II Private Industry Council was designated as the Local Area II Workforce Investment Board (LWIB) and Service Delivery Area II is now referred to as Local Area II (still composed of the same 17 counties previously mentioned). The Local Elected Officials Board was renamed the Chief Elected Officials Board (CEOB) in keeping with the Workforce Investment Act terminology. Heartland Works, Inc., the commitment of its One-Stop partners, and the proactive actions of the CEOB and LWIB have established Local Area II as a leader in the State of Kansas for the implementation of One-Stop Centers and the Workforce Investment Act. Heartland Works continues its responsibility as a grant recipient and administrator under WIA. The award of the One-Stop Grant to Heartland Works and Heartland Works’ ability to bring partners together through Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) laid the groundwork for Heartland Works to also be designated the One-Stop Operator for Local Area II. With the Boards’ continuing desire to improve services and promote customer satisfaction, the transition into the WIA has been a welcome challenge. It allows Heartland Works to move forward with its years of experience in the employment and training field and implement continuous improvement strategies to meet the needs of the citizens and employers of Local Area II. As Heartland Works is dedicated to continuously improving its services, we are very interested in your comments, suggestions and/or questions. Please send them to aao@heartlandworks.org.
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