1.7.1 Routine Contact Requirements
Effective Date: TBD
DWD-DET requires career planners to attempt at least one qualifying contact every 30 calendar days. This requirement applies to all participants enrolled in the WIOA Title I Adult Program, Dislocated Worker Program, and/or Youth Program, and must be maintained throughout the participant's period of participation.
If a participant does not respond to a career planner's contact attempt during any 30-calendar-day period, DWD-DET requires the following progressive steps:
- In the subsequent 30-day period, career planners must make at least two contact attempts, using two different communication methods on two separate dates.
- In the final 30-day period, if contact remains unsuccessful, an exit letter must be sent to the participant.
Note: See Section 1.7.1 Resources for sample letters. Career planners should also refer to Section 1.7.2, as it may apply to certain situations encountered during this stage.
Routine contact helps to identify participation-causing services that keep a participant's record open. See Sections 8.7.2 and 11.4.1 for DWD-DET's Exit Policy.
Contact Standards
DWD-DET requires all contact-whether attempted or successful-to be meaningful, individualized, and documented. Qualifying contact may be initiated by either the career planner or the participant.
For this section, DWD-DET defines qualifying contact as:
- Meaningful, when it allows for the direct advancement of a participant's goals; addresses specific barriers or service needs; provides essential program information for continued engagement; or addresses relevant questions or concerns.
- Individualized, when it allows for a tailored interaction that reflects a participant's specific circumstances and aligns with goals or service strategies, as applicable.
- Documented, when it is promptly and accurately recorded in ASSET, in accordance with the Documentation Standards.
Acceptable Communication Methods
DWD-DET provides the following communication methods as acceptable forms of attempted contact, all of which must be documented in ASSET:
- In-person or virtual meetings with the participant, including telephone conversations.
- Voicemails or other recorded messages that allow for a reciprocal exchange.
- Electronic communications-including email, text messages, or direct messages via social media (e.g., Facebook, Instagram)-that allow for a reciprocal exchange.
- Postal mail initiated by or responded to by the participant.
- Participant contact that relays their goals, barriers, service needs, provides essential program information for continued engagement, or addresses relevant questions or concerns.
Note: Meaningful and Individualized contact documented by a career planner in a co-enrolled WIOA Title I or partner program is considered qualifying contact, provided it meets the Contact Documentation Standards outlined below.
Note: Mass communications are not considered qualifying contact unless the participant provides a direct response.
Documentation Standards
All documentation must be entered into ASSET in accordance with Section 12.2.5, and the case note must include, at minimum:
- The date and method of contact;
- Whether the contact was successful or unsuccessful;
AND
- A brief summary of the interaction, including updates to goals, services, needs, issues addressed, or next steps.
1.7.2 Ensuring Continuity of Participant Services
Revised Date: TBD
In the event that a career planner will no longer be assigned to a participant (due to staff turnover, reassignment, or change of service provider, for example), DWD-DET requires that the participant be reassigned to another career planner. That reassignment and the first attempt to contact the participant by the newly assigned career planner must take place within 10 business days of the original career planner ceasing to be responsible for the participant's case.
If the initial contact attempt is not successful, the career planner must make at least two subsequent attempts within 30 calendar days of being assigned to the participant. In this case, DWD-DET strongly recommends using various methods of communication (for example, email, phone call, text message). Career planners must also adhere to their local Workforce Development Board's contact policies, if applicable.
The reassignment must be documented by changing the assigned career planner in the ASSET Programs screen and entering an ASSET customer note. All contact attempts, communication methods used, and their results must also be documented in ASSET customer notes.
This practice will ensure that participants receive consistent and continuous access to services in case of staff turnover or other instances of career planner transition.
Note: DWD-DET recognizes that there may be a need to assign participants to a temporary, or interim staff person while conducting recruitment and hiring activities for a full-time, permanent replacement, and considers such temporary/interim assignments to be aligned with the expectations of this policy. Such temporary/interim assignment should still be documented in ASSET, and the temporarily assigned staff person should document contact attempts as outlined in the policy.
