State agencies have a golden opportunity to boost current resources for supporting veterans through programs like The Jobs for Veterans State Grants (JVSG). These grants help states better serve current and former vets and their eligible spouses — within their established field or in pursuit of training for a new one.
Grant funding for staff is one key piece of the successful outcomes puzzle, but it also requires collecting and documenting the data needed to move cases forward and stay compliant.
States like Nevada are leveraging JVSG grant funding and Sara client communication software to adapt to the communication preferences of today’s veterans, better track outcomes, and ensure compliance.
Solving for compliance
Hitting performance goals as defined by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) is required to be new funding-ready. And though each state’s and agency’s internal processes are unique to their staff, CMS and population, most tasks related to meeting goals and achieving compliance involve communication and coordination.
How Sara helps
- A single source for all counselor-client communication
In the past, agencies had the separate and significant task of wrangling counselor-client communication from myriad sources: emails, phone messages, meeting notes, paper documents mailed or faxed to their offices for compliance.
Agencies that use Sara to handle all counselor-client communication have a single streamlined, easy-to-reference record for all stakeholders. And all forms of digital communication are turned into case notes in Sara and synced with the agency’s CMS, automatically. This frees caseworkers up to dedicate more of their working hours to the specialized work they were trained to do: determine fit for training and employment opportunities, collaborate across departments and service providers, and check in one-on-one with clients.
- Security, out of the box
Sara is hosted in the ultra-secure, FedRAMP-approved AWS GovCloud and is both
HIPAA and SOC2 certified, enabling agencies to securely collect and communicate about veterans’ personal and medical information when they need to.
Solving for case communication & outcome tracking
Document collection and organization that keeps staff and clients flowing — rather than interrupting — their daily flow creates a productive feedback loop for stakeholders at every point in the process.
How Sara helps
- Document collection and application requirements
Collecting all of the applications, pay stubs, work logs, grades, certificates and other documents needed for program participation has historically been a hassle. Sara provides a simple, familiar platform for electronic collection, making transactions easier on both vets and staff.
- Simple vet employment verification
Staff can use Sara to reach out to potential employers to verify employment and document it in a single go.
- Outcome tracks that enable better interventions and data collection
Agencies using Sara can create specific veteran job tracks on the platform to document and follow specific outcomes. With that information already organized, they can better track performance and make adjustments before they’re in any danger of non-compliance. And the data is there and well-structured for future reference.
Success story: Nevada veterans
“In PY22, 87% of Nevada’s veterans served by the Jobs for Veterans State Grant program found SARA indispensable for communication with their case managers. SARA, the digital assistant software, stands as a crucial tool in facilitating streamlined two-way communication between veterans and their case managers. With its intuitive interface, SARA efficiently handles tasks such as appointment scheduling and documentation, all synchronized seamlessly with the system of record. This integrated approach ensures that veterans can easily engage with their case managers, enhancing their overall experience and facilitating smoother collaboration towards their well-being and needs.” – Employment Security Division, The Nevada Department of Employment, Training & Rehabilitation’s (DETR)
Increasing awareness of different workforce opportunities
With Sara, agencies have a digital platform that can easily disseminate specific applications to multiple audiences, increasing awareness and potential submissions. Based on the responses, counselors can then work with vets directly on Individualized Plans for Employment (IPE) and follow-ups.
More effective appointment tracking and communication
To address changes in client communication preferences (especially among the 11.5% of 18-24-year-old veterans disproportionately impacted by unemployment) Sara provides a modern mode of communication including email and SMS (texts). Texts lead to increased engagement, and both email and text can be scheduled from Sara on a specific deadline-driven follow-up schedule.
Looking to learn more about how Sara digital assistant aligns with your goals and workflows? Find a time with one of our experts to learn how Sara can work for you!
