SCSEP Four-Year State Strategy

CLASSIFICATION
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION
ADVISORY SYSTEM
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Washington, D.C. 20210

SCSEP
CORRESPONDENCE SYMBOL

DNPTTA
DATE

March 19, 2018

ADVISORY:

TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT GUIDANCE LETTER NO. 11-17

TO:

SENIOR COMMUNITY SERVICE EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM
GRANTEES
STATE GOVERNORS
STATE WORKFORCE ADMINISTRATORS
STATE WORKFORCE LIAISONS
STATE AND LOCAL WORKFORCE BOARD EXECUTIVE
DIRECTORS AND CHAIRS

FROM:

ROSEMARY LAHASKY /s/
Deputy Assistant Secretary

SUBJECT:

Senior Community Service Employment Program State Plan Modifications

1. Purpose. The purpose of this Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) is to
provide Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) states, territories, and
outlying areas with guidance for submission of two-year modifications to SCSEP StandAlone State Plans, including the submission process and deadline for submission. Note that
this guidance pertains only to states that submitted a SCSEP Stand-Alone State Plan for
Program Years (PY) 2016-2019. States that included SCSEP as part of a Unified or
Combined State Plan for PY 2016-2019 must refer to TEGL 06-17, “Modification
Requirements for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Unified and
Combined State Plans” for instructions.
2. References.
 Older Americans Act, as amended in 2006, Public Law 106-501 Section 503(a)(1);
 Older American Act (OAA), as reauthorized, P.L. 114-144 April 19, 2016;
 SCSEP Final Rule, 20 CFR 641.302-365 (September 10, 2010);
 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) P.L. 113-128 (July 22, 2014);
 Joint Rule for Unified and Combines State Plans, Performance Accountability, and
the One-Stop System Joint Provisions; Final Rule 80 FR 20574 (April 16, 2015);
 TEGL 14-15 (03/04/2016) Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)
Requirements for Unified and Combined State Plans;
 TEGL 16-15 (03/25/2016) Four-Year SCSEP State Plan Requirements for Program
Years 2016-2019;
 Training and Employment Notice (TEN) 21-16 (12/05/2016) Workforce Innovation
and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Regional and Local Planning and Local Board
Responsibilities Questions and Answers (Q&A);
RESCISSIONS

EXPIRATION DATE

TEGL 08-14

Continuing

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•
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TEGL 15-16 (01/17/2017) Competitive Selection of One-Stop Operators;
TEGL 16-16 (01/18/2017) One-Stop Operations Guidance for the American Job
Center Network;
TEGL 16-16, Change 1 (06/16/2017) Change 1 to Training and Employment
Guidance Letter (TEGL) 16-16 One-Stop Operations Guidance for the American Job
Center Network; and
Interim Final Rule, Federal Register, Vol. 82, No. 230 pg. 56869 (December 1, 2017).

3. Background.
In order to receive SCSEP funds, the OAA requires each state to submit a State Plan that
includes a four-year strategy for the statewide provision of community services and other
authorized activities for eligible individuals under the SCSEP. The OAA also requires that
each state submit modifications to the State Plan not less often than every two years.
Similarly, WIOA requires States to submit State Plans every four years to the Departments of
Labor, Education, and Health and Human Services outlining their workforce development
activities. Every two years, the Governor is required to review the four-year State plan and
submit modifications for consideration and approval.
In Program Year (PY) 2016, per TEGL 16-15, SCSEP grantees had the option of submitting
a SCSEP Stand-Alone State Plan as an independent document or as part of a Combined State
Plan with other WIOA programs. As noted above, states that included SCSEP in a
Combined State Plan for PY 2016-2019 must refer to TEGL 06-17 for instructions for
modifying their State Plan. For states that submitted a SCSEP Stand-Alone State Plan for PY
2016-2019 please see the instructions provided below and attached.
Please note that the Department has issued an Interim Final Rule (IFR) that updates the
SCSEP regulations as required by the 2016 OAA Reauthorization Act. The overall purpose
of the IFR is to align the SCSEP performance indicators with WIOA core measures, with
some distinctions. The IFR also makes minor, non-substantive changes to Subpart C and the
sections relating to State Plans, including sections 641.300, 302, 315, 320, 325, 335, and 370.
While the OAA and the IFR encourage coordination with WIOA programs, the IFR retains
the provision allowing States to submit SCSEP Stand-Alone State Plans as an independent
document. While the IFR changes affect the requirements for future SCSEP State Plan
submissions, they do not affect the submissions of the two-year modifications for PY 20162019 State Plans.
Whether States and territories are submitting modifications for Combined or Stand-Alone
plans, they should review all the SCSEP regulations and the TEGLs listed above for
clarification of the requirements and expectations of State Plan modification submissions for
SCSEP.
4. Required Updates to SCSEP State Plans. SCSEP regulations require that either the
Governor or the highest state governmental official review and submit an update to the State
Plan every 2 years (20 CFR 641.340(a)).

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SCSEP grantees must make the modified plan available for public comment before
submission (20 CFR 641.345(c)). The regulations allow but do not require the state to seek
the advice and recommendations of individuals and organizations affected by changes to the
plan (20 CFR 641.345(d)).
PY 2016 SCSEP State Plans covered planned activities for activities and services during
program years 2016-2019. For detailed SCSEP State Plan modification requirements, please
see Attachment I. Modifications must address all of the areas in Attachment I that are
applicable. Below is a summary of the areas in which states must report any changes:
 Changes to references: any WIA citations in the PY 2016 plan must be changed and
replaced with appropriate WIOA citations.
 Changes in long-term industry or occupational outlooks that affect employment
opportunities for older workers (20 CFR 641.302(d)).
 Changes in long-term employment projections that affect the types of unsubsidized
jobs available for SCSEP participants and the types of skill training they receive (20
CFR 641.302(d).
 Changes in current or projected employment opportunities in the state and the types
of skills possessed by eligible individuals (20 CFR 641.325(c)).
 Changes in the localities served or changes in the characteristics of the populations
served by SCSEP (20 CFR 641.325 (d)).
 Changes in how SCSEP coordinates with other programs including the following:
1) Planned actions to coordinate activities of SCSEP grantees with WIOA Title I
programs, including plans for using the WIOA One-Stop delivery system and its
partners to serve individuals aged 55 and older. (20 CFR 641.302(g), 641.325(e))
2) Planned actions to coordinate SCSEP grantee activities with the state activities
being carried out under the other titles of the Older Americans Act (20 CFR
641.302(h)).
3) Planned actions to coordinate SCSEP with other private and public entities and
programs that serve older Americans, such as community and faith-based
organizations, transportation programs, and programs for those with special needs
or disabilities (20 CFR 641.302(i)).
4) Planned actions to coordinate SCSEP with other labor market and job training
initiatives (20 CFR 641.302(j)).
5) Actions to ensure that SCSEP is an active partner in the one-stop delivery system
and the steps the state will take to encourage and improve coordination with the
One-Stop delivery system (20 CFR 641.335).
 Changes in the state’s long-term strategy for engaging employers to develop and
promote opportunities to place SCSEP participants in unsubsidized employment (20
CFR 641.302(e)).
 Changes in any of the requirements listed in 20 CFR 641.345(b), such as changes in
Federal law or policy that affect the state plan’s functions; changes in performance
indicators, or organizational responsibilities; changes in grantee or grantee functions;
or when the state has failed to meet performance goals and must submit a corrective
action plan.

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5. Soliciting Public Comment and Submitting Modifications to the SCSEP Portions of
State Plans. States and territories that submitted PY 2016-2019 SCSEP Stand-Alone State
Plans may describe their updates in a separate document or can alter the original document
and submit with track changes. As noted above, states that submitted the SCSEP State Plan
as part of a WIOA Combined State Plan must refer to TEGL 06-17 for instructions. The
state grantee should follow established state procedures to solicit and collect public
comments on the modified State Plan.
States and territories must submit their SCSEP Stand-Alone State Plan modifications via
email with “State Plan Modification” in the subject line to [email protected] on or
before April 09, 2018. The Governor or the Governor’s designee submits SCSEP State Plan
modifications. If the designee is submitting the plan, the State must attach a letter from the
Governor naming his or her designee if ETA does not already have a copy on file. Grantees
that received a conditional approval for their PY 2016-2019 SCSEP Stand-Alone State Plan
and have not responded to date must submit a modification addressing those conditions. If
there are no modifications to the SCSEP Stand-Alone State Plan at this time, the state must
submit a letter from the Governor or Governor’s designee stating that there are no
modifications at this time. States should send a copy via email of their modification
submission to the appropriate Federal Project Officer (FPO) at the same time.
5. Inquiries. Please direct questions to the appropriate regional FPO.
6. Attachment.


Required Content of the SCSEP State Plan and Two-year Modifications

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