NYS Workforce Development System Technical Advisory (WDS-TA) #06-3.2, “State Policy Guidelines and Required Action for Local Workforce Investment Boards (LWIBs) Regarding Functional Alignment for the Delivery of WIA Title IB and Wagner-Peyser Workforce Services”, April 17, 2006

NYS WDS-TA #06-4, “State Policy Guidelines on the Implementation of U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration’s (USDOL/ETA’s) Common Measures Policy”, April 17, 2006

NYS WDS-TA #06-10, “Program Eligibility and Data Element Validation (DEV) Requirements – State Policy Guidelines and Required Action for Local Workforce Investment Boards (LWIBs) for WIA Title IB (WIA), Wagner-Peyser (W-P), Veterans’ Employment and Training Services (VETS) and Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) programs”, June 9, 2006

This Technical Advisory provides interim guidance on modifications to OSOS and the associated data entry procedures to support implementation of common measures, State functional alignment and data validation policies outlined in TA #06-4 and TA #06-10, effective July 1, 2006. It should be noted that the modifications and procedures reflect significant changes to the way that OSOS has been used to date. Key elements include:

• Eliminating the need for duplicate data entry to co-enroll participants in W-P and WIA through the implementation of an automated OSOS nightly batch process;
• Reducing the amount of data entry needed to record core, intensive, and supportive services by eliminating the requirement to enter providers, services and offerings associated with those services; and
• Offering a streamlined, common list of services across W-P and WIA programs.

It is important to note that:

1. This guidance is being released as “interim” to allow time for staff review and comment; staff training; and completion of OSOS technical modifications. The Department will amend and update this technical advisory, as needed, when the OSOS modifications, data entry procedures and automated nightly batch process are rolled out in August, 2006.

2. Until the OSOS modifications, data entry procedures and nightly batch process are rolled out, W-P activities will continue to be entered via OSOS “Activities” button, and WIA (and other funded services) will continued to be entered via the OSOS “Services” module. When the OSOS modifications, data entry procedures and nightly batch process are rolled out, all W-P and WIA enrollments retroactive to July 1, 2006 will be converted to common enrollments (a one-time conversion).

3. One-Stop staff (WIA, W-P, VETS, TAA) are required to comply with the other State policies outlined in TA #6-04 and TA #6-10, such as implementation of common measures, functional alignment and data element validation.

4. This guidance has been developed based upon the current structure of OSOS. The OSOS modifications and data entry procedures described herein serve to “bridge” the existing program modules (Customer Detail and Services), but do not fundamentally alter the OSOS application. NYSDOL and the OSOS Consortium are developing a more comprehensive re-design of OSOS that will establish a single point of data entry for services in OSOS while also making overall OSOS navigation/usage simpler, less time consuming, and more user friendly. It is anticipated that this major re-design will be launched in PY 2007.

1. PY 2006 OSOS Modifications and Staff Data Entry Requirements

   The State has developed the following OSOS modification and data entry plan which, upon completion, will result in the automated co-enrollment of adult customers in W-P and WIA retroactive to July 1, 2006, without the need for staff dual data entry. The actual completion of all phases of this plan will occur simultaneously from an end-user’s perspective. Full implementation is anticipated to take place in August 2006.

   Key elements of the plan include:

   1. Implement Automated Nightly Batch Process: New OSOS data entry procedures, outlined in detail in Attachment A, rely on the development of an automated nightly batch process system to generate co-enrollments in W-P and WIA. The automated process is based on a common service entry process to be used by all staff (whether funded by W-P or WIA). All staff will use the Activities button in OSOS Customer Detail to data enter all services designated as self service/ informational, staff assisted core, staff assisted intensive, supportive/needs related payments and/or veteran specific, referred to herein as Level 1 services. The Activities drill-through box will be revised to reflect a new commonly defined list of Level 1 services (see Attachments A-1 and A-2 for a list of Level 1 services and their definitions, respectively).

      All staff will use the Services Module to data enter any training, Trade Act , WIA Youth, and/or State-funded program services, referred to herein as Level 2 Services See Attachment A-3 for a list of Level 2 services; definitions for these services are under development and will be issued at a later date.

   2. Retroactively Create W-P / WIA Co-Enrollments: Using the automated nightly batch process (described above), a one-time catch-up data process will be run to retroactively create a WIA program co-enrollment for any individual newly enrolled in W-P from July 1, 2006 through the conversion date.

   3. Create New “Common Enrollment” Records: Another one-time data conversion process will be run which will create a new OSOS “Common Enrollment” record (see Attachment B for details) for any/all existing open enrollments as of the date of conversion. To ensure that common enrollments are properly created for all customers enrolled from July 1 and forward, local staff should not manually exit customers by recording an exit reason until this conversion process has taken place.

      Upon completion of the one-time conversion, the “Common Enrollment” feature of OSOS will remain in effect on an ongoing basis. This feature establishes an OSOS “Common Enrollment” record for each individual in addition to individual program enrollments. The “Common Enrollment” record reflects the common date of participation (the earliest individual program date of participation) and a common date of exit by allowing for common exit date calculations across any/all existing individual program enrollments (W-P, WIA, TAA and VETS).

   Upon completion of the three steps above, a WDS-TA with final guidance on the OSOS modifications and data entry procedures will be issued for immediate implementation.

2. Other OSOS Procedural Changes:
   1. Termination of Exit Notices: Exit notices will be terminated for the WIA program when the new PY 2006 OSOS procedures go into effect. Currently, two types of staff in-basket exit notices are generated for all WIA enrollments. These exit notices are sent to the individual staff person who data entered the enrolling service associated with the WIA enrollment:
      • Potential Exit Notices: generated when a gap in service of 60 days occurs indicating that the individual will be exited if no additional service is received in the next 30 days
      • Actual Exit Notices: generated when 90 days have elapsed with no service indicating that the individual has been exited

      OSOS allows the State the option to implement these exit notices by individual program area. The W-P program opted not to implement these exit notices because the expected volume was anticipated to be overwhelming given the number of W-P participants. In addition, the functional responsibility for ‘managing’ exits was viewed as an office function rather than automatically the responsibility of the individual staff associated with the participant’s enrolling activity. For these same reasons, the exit office notices will also be terminated for the WIA program when the new PY 2006 OSOS procedures go into effect.

      Please note: Office level exit reports for potential exiters as well as actual exiters are available as part of the NYSDOL Monthly Reports. Efforts are underway to develop common management reports that will be accessible by both NYSDOL and LWIA staff. However, in the interim, existing program management reports will be shared locally as needed.

   2. Completion of Mandatory OSOS Fields Will Continue to Be Required: TA #06-4 identified the minimum data requirements needed for participants accessing self-service/ informational activities only. The current OSOS system can not yet accommodate a “Self Service / Information Only” active record status with reduced data requirements. As of now, individuals receiving Self Service / Information Only services in a physical location must have all of the mandatory OSOS data fields completed in order to be able to record a service and create a W-P program enrollment in OSOS. In the meantime, local areas are encouraged to maximize use of the OSOS self service application as a way to minimize staff data entry.

   3. Internet Access to OSOS: The OSOS system is now available via the public Internet. As such, LWIA and other non-DOL partner staff now have expanded options for accessing OSOS via the Internet that may be less costly and more effective. Internet access also provides new opportunities for using OSOS for services provided off-site at non-networked locations. The Staff Mediated version of OSOS is now accessible via the Internet at https://osos.labor.state.ny.us.

      Please note: DOL staff connected to the HSEN network will continue to access OSOS the same way using the existing state network, and LWIA and other non-DOL partner staff who are connected to the HSEN network through a router-to-router connection to their own network can continue to access OSOS the same way using the internal URL (https://nyosos or http://nyosos.labor.state.ny.us).

3. Training

   NYSDOL will be scheduling Web-based training sessions on this interim guidance prior to implementation of the final OSOS modifications and procedures. A schedule of the training sessions will be released in the near future. Key staff, including those designated as the local OSOS training team, should be identified to participate in the training sessions. Local and/or regional training plans should be developed to insure that all OSOS users are trained prior to implementation of the revised procedures.

4. Comments

   The Department appreciates your suggestions for improvement, and will try to incorporate recommendations for change within the constraints imposed by the existing OSOS application. As indicated earlier, the planned modifications and procedures are based upon using the existing OSOS application. Comments/questions should be submitted by July 31, 2006 to:

   Valerie.Sewell@labor.state.ny.us, and
   Patricia.VanValkenburg@labor.state.ny.us

1. New Common OSOS Services Data Entry Procedures
   A1. Level 1 Services List
   A2. Level 1 Service Definitions and Data Entry Procedures
   A3. Level 2 Services List
   A4. Seeker Service Types That Will No Longer Be Used (in OSOS)
   
2. OSOS Program and Common Enrollments, Including a Description of the New Overnight Batch Process