SOUTHERN MS PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT INC

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT - WIOA, THROUGH FUNDING FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (US DOL), PROVIDED EMPLOYMENT AND EDUCATIONAL TRAINING SERVICES TO 2,690 PARTICIPANTS. AMONG THOSE SERVICED, 275 PARTICIPANTS RECEIVED INDIVIDUAL TRAINING ACCOUNTS (ITAS) THAT WERE FUNDED AT A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $847,880.31. ITA FUNDS ASSIST PARTICIPANTS WITH THEIR EDUCATIONAL COSTS. THERE WERE 65 INDIVIDUALS ENROLLED IN ON-THE-JOB (OJT) TRAINING, AT A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $562,980.92. OJT FUNDS HELP BUSINESSES OFFSET TRAINING COSTS AND CUSTOMIZE THE TRAINING TO THEIR SPECIFIC NEEDS. IN ADDITION, 369 YOUTH WERE ENROLLED IN TWIN DISTRICTS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AREA'S IN-SCHOOL AND OUT-OF-SCHOOL YOUTH PROGRAMS. MS WORKS, THROUGH FUNDING FROM ACCELERATEMS, PROVIDED TRAINING SERVICES TO 328 PARTICIPANTS, AT A TOTAL OF $956,466.81.SCSEP, THROUGH FUNDING FROM THE CENTER FOR WORKFORCE INCLUSION, AND THE MS DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT SECURITY, PROVIDED COMMUNITY SERVICE AND TRAINING SERVICES TO LOW INCOME PEOPLE THROUGH THE SENIOR COMMUNITY SERVICE EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM. THERE WERE 54 ENROLLED IN THE PROGRAM, AND THEY RECEIVED 34,838.75 HOURS OF EMPLOYMENT TRAINING.HIGH SCHOOL CAREER COACH- THROUGH FUNDING FROM ACCELERATEMS AND THE MS DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT SECURITY, AS THE FISCAL AGENT, SMPDD HAS HIRED 41 HIGH SCHOOL CAREER COACHES, WHICH SERVE STUDENTS IN 47 HIGH SCHOOLS, WITHIN 21 COUNTIES. THE CAREER COACH PROGRAM IS A STUDENTS' CONNECTION TO CAREER INFORMATION, OPTIONS, EDUCATION, TRAINING AND OPPORTUNITIES.TANF CAREER STEP, THROUGH FUNDING FROM THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT HUMAN SERVICES, SERVED 346 PARTICIPANTS. THE CAREER STEP PROGRAM CONNECTS INDIVIDUALS WITH MULTIPLE BARRIERS TO COACHING, TRAINING, AND SUPPORT SERVICES THAT WILL PLACE THEM ON A PATH TO SELF-SUFFICIENCY.RE-ENTRY PROGRAMS - PREPARES OFFENDERS HOUSED AT REGIONAL FACILITIES AND RE-ENTRY CENTERS FOR A SUCCESSFUL RETURN TO EMPLOYMENT, AND A REDUCTION IN RECIDIVISM. SMPDD'S RE-ENTRY PROGRAMS INCLUDE:1- RESTORE ACCELERATED RE-ENTRY PROGRAM (ARP), FUNDED THROUGH ACCELERATEMS, SERVED 43 PARTICIPANTS. 2- PATHWAYHOME5, FUNDED THROUGH THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, SERVED 103 PARTICIPANTS. 3- PARTNERS FOR RE-ENTRY OPPORTUNITIES IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT (PROWD), FUNDED THROUGH THE MS DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT SECURITY, SERVED 13 PARTICIPANTS.

AREA AGENCY ON AGING - CONSISTS OF PROGRAMS FOR PEOPLE 60 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER. 687,336 UNITS OF THE FOLLOWING SERVICES WERE PROVIDED TO 5,603 CLIENTS: MEALS, HOMEMAKER SERVICES, INFORMATION AND REFERRAL, ADULT DAY CARE, CASE MANAGEMENT, LEGAL SERVICES, RESPITE CARE, SENIOR CENTER SERVICES, HOME MODIFICATIONS, AND TRANSPORTATION. INSURANCE COUNSELING WAS PROVIDED TO 1,688 INDIVIDUALS BY DIRECT CONTACT, 4,587 PEOPLE WERE REACHED THROUGH PUBLIC OUTREACH EVENTS, AND 85,252 PEOPLE WERE REACHED THROUGH MAIL-OUTS.