2019 - 2020 LEGISLATURE
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2019 ASSEMBLY BILL 375
August 28, 2019 - Introduced by Representatives BALLWEG, SUMMERFIELD,
GRUSZYNSKI, ANDERSON, BOWEN, DITTRICH, DUCHOW, EDMING, EMERSON,
KOLSTE, KRUG, NOVAK, OHNSTAD, PETRYK, RODRIGUEZ, ROHRKASTE, SHANKLAND,
SINICKI, SKOWRONSKI, SNYDER, SPREITZER, SUBECK, C. TAYLOR, TUSLER,
VANDERMEER, VINING, WITTKE, ZIMMERMAN and BROSTOFF, cosponsored by
Senators TESTIN, SMITH, BERNIER, BEWLEY, JACQUE, MILLER, RINGHAND,
SCHACHTNER, TIFFANY and WIRCH. Referred to Committee on Workforce
Development.
1 AN ACT to create 20.445 (5) (cu) and 47.09 of the statutes; relating to: family
2 navigator program in the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation in the
3 Department of Workforce Development and making an appropriation.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill requires the Department of Workforce Development to establish a
family navigator program to provide services to certain individuals who receive
federal supplemental security income. Under the bill, DWD must employ family
navigators in each local workforce development area of the state. The bill also
authorizes new positions.
Under a federal demonstration project that ended in 2018, DVR administered
a family navigator service using a federal grant under the Wisconsin PROMISE
Project.
For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as
an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
4 SECTION 1. 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, insert
5 the following amounts for the purposes indicated:
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ASSEMBLY BILL 375 SECTION 1
2019-20 2020-21
1 20.445 Workforce development, department of
2 (5) WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
3 (cu) Family navigator program GPR A 1,085,000 1,085,000
4 SECTION 2. 20.445 (5) (cu) of the statutes is created to read:
5 20.445 (5) (cu) Family navigator program. The amounts in the schedule for the
6 family navigator program under s. 47.09.
7 SECTION 3. 47.09 of the statutes is created to read:
8 47.09 Family navigator program. (1) As used in this section:
9 (a) “Eligible individual” means an individual identified under sub. (3) who is
10 between the ages of 14 and 21.
11 (b) “Family” has the meaning given for “household” in 42 CFR 435.603 (f).
12 (c) “Family income” has the meaning given for “household income” in 42 CFR
13 435.603 (d).
14 (2) The department shall establish a family navigator program for eligible
15 individuals and their families. The program shall provide direct services to eligible
16 individuals and their families in each local workforce development area determined
17 under 29 USC 3121. The department shall prioritize providing services to eligible
18 individuals who receive supplemental security income under 42 USC 1381 to 1383c,
19 and whose family income does not exceed 150 percent of the federal nonfarm poverty
20 line as established under 42 USC 9902 (2). Direct services must be provided using
21 a delivery model that accommodates the needs of eligible individuals and their
22 families in a culturally competent manner to achieve the following outcomes for
23 eligible individuals and their families:
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ASSEMBLY BILL 375 SECTION 3
1 (a) Graduation from high school.
2 (b) Entering post-secondary education or job training.
3 (c) Obtaining competitive integrated employment as defined in 29 USC 705 (5).
4 (d) Increasing economic self-sufficiency.
5 (3) The department shall coordinate with the department of children and
6 families, the department of corrections, the department of health services, and the
7 department of public instruction to identify individuals and families who may be
8 eligible for services under this section.
9 (4) Direct services under sub. (2) may include any of the following:
10 (a) Outreach, support, and assistance accessing programs and resources
11 available to eligible individuals and their families, including, but not limited to,
12 services provided by a county, medical assistance, vocational rehabilitation services,
13 employment training, coordinated services, Wisconsin Works, Wisconsin Shares,
14 heating assistance, and housing assistance.
15 (b) Training to increase self-service and self-sufficiency of eligible individuals
16 and their families.
17 (c) Referrals to programs and resources.
18 (5) (a) The department shall employ a family navigator for each local workforce
19 development area, except Milwaukee, where the department shall employ 2 family
20 navigators. The department shall allow each family navigator to have an alternative
21 work schedule that meets the needs of eligible individuals and their families in each
22 local workforce development area. Each family navigator must have all of the
23 following qualifications:
24 1. Personal experience as a person with a disability or severe disability or with
25 a family member who is a person with a disability or severe disability.
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ASSEMBLY BILL 375 SECTION 3
1 2. Knowledge regarding the challenges and barriers that affect the ability of
2 eligible individuals to attain educational goals, employability, and economic
3 self-sufficiency.
4 3. Knowledge of the communities in the local workforce development area to
5 which he or she is assigned.
6 4. Demonstrated cultural competency.
7 5. Knowledge of programs and resources that may be available to individuals
8 in this state, including services provided by a county, medical assistance, vocational
9 rehabilitation services, employment training, coordinated services, Wisconsin
10 Works, Wisconsin Shares, heating assistance, and housing assistance.
11 (b) The department shall employ one project coordinator to provide support to
12 the local family navigators.
13 (6) Annually, the department shall submit a report to the joint committee on
14 finance and to the appropriate standing committees under s. 13.172 (3). The report
15 shall include outcomes of the program described in sub. (2) for the preceding fiscal
16 year, including the number of individuals and families who participated in the
17 program in each local workforce development area, the nature of the services
18 provided, and quantifiable results.
19 SECTION 4.0Nonstatutory provisions.
20 (1) FAMILY NAVIGATOR PROGRAM. The authorized FTE positions for the
21 department of workforce development are increased by 13.0 GPR positions, to be
22 funded from the appropriation under s. 20.445 (5) (cu), for the purpose of
23 administering the family navigator program under s. 47.09.
24 SECTION 5.0Effective date.
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ASSEMBLY BILL 375 SECTION 5
1 (1) This act takes effect on the day after publication, or on the 2nd day after
2 publication of the 2019 biennial budget act, whichever is later.
3 (END)