Q&A
Discussion of Jobs Plus program cuts and impacts
1:03:15
·
5 min
Council Member Diana I. Ayala inquires about recent cuts to the Jobs Plus program, which serves New York City housing developments.
Scott French from HRA confirms that two contracts were ended as part of a PEG plan, affecting four developments. They discuss the current number of developments served (40) and the follow-up practices of the Jobs Plus program compared to other HRA contracts.
- Two Jobs Plus contracts were ended, impacting four housing developments
- The program currently serves 40 developments, down from 44 previously
- Jobs Plus follows up with individuals for over a year, compared to 6 months for other HRA contracts
Diana I. Ayala
1:03:15
Thank you.
1:03:16
He loves this stuff.
1:03:21
I actually had a question.
1:03:22
I wanted to go back to the jobs plus pro program because you noted here that there are okay.
1:03:31
The HR is administering 40 I guess, you know, New York City housing developments with or within the proximity of a development.
1:03:40
But have were there any cuts to jobs plus this fiscal year?
1:03:45
Because I remember I know in mine's sites.
Scott French
1:03:47
Yes.
1:03:48
So the program serves 40 developments.
1:03:51
Uh-huh.
1:03:52
Yes.
1:03:52
There were 2 contracts as part of the overall PEG plan that we discussed that we ultimately had to end.
1:04:00
What I can say on both of those is The provider in East Harlem continues to provide services in the community through other funding that they had, 2 individuals they were engaging.
1:04:11
It's not a jobs plus program, so I'm not gonna
Diana I. Ayala
1:04:13
Hey, Tory.
1:04:14
Funded program.
Scott French
1:04:14
Pretend that it is.
1:04:15
It was other other employment funding programs that they
Diana I. Ayala
1:04:18
If you're not funding them, how do you know?
Scott French
1:04:21
Because that's what they've been reporting to us, and I double checked this morning with my team.
1:04:24
Are they are they still providing services and they indicated that they were?
1:04:29
And then the South Bronx location, the provider there actually inherited a different South Bronx contract because a provider chose not to continue on, and they are serving both that Capturing area as well as their original area within that contract.
1:04:48
So they have continued services to both of those South Bronx communities.
Diana I. Ayala
1:04:53
I find they're really ironic.
1:04:54
The only the the only 2 that we'll cut were in my district, but I'll leave it at that.
1:05:00
So they so so were there 42 locations, and now we're down to 240 or or are we down to 38?
Scott French
1:05:08
Let me follow-up with you on that.
1:05:10
I know currently it is serving 40 40 developments.
1:05:15
But each provider, some providers serve multiple developments.
1:05:18
So I wanna be specific on what were the numbers and what is the numbers now to account for, what these two contracts that we were just talking about.
Diana I. Ayala
1:05:27
I mean, I appreciate the concept.
1:05:29
You know?
Scott French
1:05:30
It was 44 developments, and now it is 4.
Diana I. Ayala
1:05:33
Okay.
1:05:33
So there were 2 so there were 4 that were cut then?
Scott French
1:05:36
4 developments were impacted by the 2 contracts.
1:05:40
By the 2 contracts.
1:05:40
Yeah.
Diana I. Ayala
1:05:40
Oh, okay.
1:05:41
Okay.
1:05:41
Good.
1:05:42
That's right.
1:05:42
Because they had expanded to Mhmm.
1:05:44
In in Harlem as well to Clinton, and for I I don't remember.
1:05:49
It was Johnson.
1:05:51
Okay.
1:05:52
9 lost my track of thought, but you know, the jobs one of the things that I I really appreciate it I I appreciate about the jobs plus program is that they actually follow-up with the individuals for way over a year.
1:06:04
Now HRA ops to do, I guess, through your contracts is 6 months.
Scott French
1:06:09
The retention retention that we look at is up to 6 months and the providers, right, are are are need to be tracking that.
1:06:15
And also, you know, individuals can come back to the providers if they need additional assistance, but it's not for as long and constant contact as with jobs class.
1:06:24
Correct?
Diana I. Ayala
1:06:24
And what is the percentage of of participants that remain employed 6 months out?
Scott French
1:06:30
I'll have to get back to you on that because 2019 would be the most appropriate numbers because we don't have, I think, we need a little bit more time to be able to develop some numbers for what we're seeing now, which I'm anticipating may look different, but I'm happy to also keep you updated as we develop more data and really understand what the trends are and where it looks like we're going.
1:06:51
But if you would like, we can follow-up with 2019 numbers.
1:06:53
It will just be from a different sort of place and time and approach to the services because the during COVID years, it was all voluntary, so it wouldn't represent really the the the programs as they were intended given it was voluntary engagement.
Diana I. Ayala
1:07:07
Okay.
1:07:09
You said, I think believe you mentioned that there's going to be a new RFP for the Jobs Plus program?
Scott French
1:07:15
In a couple of years, we're just starting to talk about it right now, but we like to think in advance of when the current round of contracts will be renewed.
1:07:23
So
Diana I. Ayala
1:07:24
Has there been any consideration to changing the terms?
1:07:26
I mean, I know that they're very specific to NICA and to a specific development, which becomes a little bit of a hindrance because If you're a young person, for instance, and you live at one development, and now you're traveling to another development, there may be a problem.
1:07:40
Okay?
1:07:41
We've seen that, you know, people are discouraged from of hating in activities and other developments because they may not feel, you know, safe, specifically in the youth population.
1:07:54
So that's that's one of that's that's something that I would, you know, reconsider is really the placement of those sites.
1:08:00
See it in the East Harlem part anywhere in the South Bronx, we were very lucky that those places were kinda no true.
1:08:08
And so it didn't matter where you came from.
Scott French
1:08:10
Mhmm.
Diana I. Ayala
1:08:11
You know, you you could feel free to walk in any day.
1:08:14
But that's not always the case.
1:08:16
And then 2, the types of of employment opportunities that are being forwarded to folks.
1:08:22
Sometimes there are instances where jobs plus is the jobs plus program has an a connection to some sort of training, maybe security trainings or I don't know.
1:08:36
But for the most part, folks are being directed into retail or, you know, minimum wage jobs.
1:08:45
Right?
1:08:46
And and that's not gonna allow, especially, you know, with the expenses in in this city for folks to gain that level of independence that we're looking for.
Towaki Komatsu
1:08:57
Mhmm.
Diana I. Ayala
1:08:57
And so I wonder if there's been any any thought to kind of ramping up a little bit of what it is that they're offering at the jobs plus program so that we're offering skills an opportunity to develop those skills in a way that is realistic, but also allows folks an entry into middle class jobs.