OFA "Dear Colleague" letter on Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)

The Office of Family Assistance (OFA) in the Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has been working closely with our colleagues at the U.S. Departments of Labor and Education throughout the process of developing the proposed
regulations for the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). The law highlights new roles for state Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs, including the designation as a mandatory partner in the WIOA One-Stop system (unless the Governor of a state opts out). We believe that WIOA implementation provides an important opportunity to strengthen the participation of human services programs in workforce development efforts. We have strongly encouraged human services programs to get actively involved in state and local planning around WIOA implementation.

The rule-making process provides an opportunity for a broad range of stakeholders, including state and local programs, service providers, and individuals, to offer their thoughts, make proposals, and raise concerns and questions about the proposed regulations. We encourage your participation, and look forward to the opportunities for progress that are presented by the WIOA legislation.