20 CFR § 664.405 - How must local youth programs be designed?

(a) The design framework of local youth programs must:

(1) Provide an objective assessment of each youth participant, that meets the requirements of WIA section 129(c)(1)(A), and includes a review of the academic and occupational skill levels, as well as the service needs, of each youth;

(2) Develop an individual service strategy for each youth participant that meets the requirements of WIA section 129(c)(1)(B), including identifying an age-appropriate career goal and consideration of the assessment results for each youth; and

(3) Provide preparation for postsecondary educational opportunities, provide linkages between academic and occupational learning, provide preparation for employment, and provide effective connections to intermediary organizations that provide strong links to the job market and employers.

(4) The requirement in WIA section 123 that eligible providers of youth services be selected by awarding a grant or contract on a competitive basis does not apply to the design framework component, such as services for intake, objective assessment and the development of individual service strategy, when these services are provided by the grant recipient/fiscal agent.

(b) The local plan must describe the design framework for youth program design in the local area, and how the ten program elements required in § 664.410 are provided within that framework.

(c) Local Boards must ensure appropriate links to entities that will foster the participation of eligible local area youth. Such links may include connections to:

(1) Local area justice and law enforcement officials;

(2) Local public housing authorities;

(3) Local education agencies;

(4) Job Corps representatives; and

(5) Representatives of other area youth initiatives, including those that serve homeless youth and other public and private youth initiatives.

(d) Local Boards must ensure that the referral requirements in WIA section 129(c)(3) for youth who meet the income eligibility criteria are met, including:

(1) Providing these youth with information regarding the full array of applicable or appropriate services available through the Local Board or other eligible providers, or One-Stop partners; and

(2) Referring these youth to appropriate training and educational programs that have the capacity to serve them either on a sequential or concurrent basis.

(e) In order to meet the basic skills and training needs of eligible applicants who do not meet the enrollment requirements of a particular program or who cannot be served by the program, each eligible youth provider must ensure that these youth are referred:

(1) For further assessment, as necessary, and

(2) To appropriate programs, in accordance with paragraph (d)(2) of this section.

(f) Local Boards must ensure that parents, youth participants, and other members of the community with experience relating to youth programs are involved in both the design and implementation of its youth programs.

(g) The objective assessment required under paragraph (a)(1) of this section or the individual service strategy required under paragraph (a)(2) of this section is not required if the program provider determines that it is appropriate to use a recent objective assessment or individual service strategy that was developed under another education or training program. (WIA section 129(c)(1).)