In The News

Utah program gets unemployed folks back to work quickly

By Buzz Brockway
Vice president of policy, Georgia Center for Opportunity

PEACHTREE CORNERS  |  Last month I joined two of my colleagues on a trip to Washington, D.C. Our purpose was to meet with Congressman Rick Allen (Ga.-12) and Congressman Burgess Owens (Utah-4) to discuss integrating workforce development programs with safety net delivery. The reception we received was most supportive of this idea. We hope to eventually see federal legislation to allow states to do this.

A 2020 report by Mason Bishop of the American Enterprise Institute details how the state of Utah has integrated the delivery of their workforce development programs with the delivery of their safety net programs. Utah has created “one stop” centers across the state under their Department of Workforce Services. These centers allow citizens to obtain all the workforce and safety net services they need. More importantly, a plan is developed that allows the citizens to get on a path toward self-sufficiency and flourishing.

Unfortunately, under current federal law, Utah is the only state allowed to integrate the delivery of these programs. Changing federal law to allow states like Georgia to follow Utah’s successful lead, is what prompted our visit to Washington.

In 2021 we at the Georgia Center for Opportunity studied how job markets have recovered in the wake of the COVID19 pandemic. This study showed that Utah’s job market recovered faster than any other state in the nation. Getting people back to work quickly, is exactly what the Utah Department of Workforce Services was designed to do. 

Currently Georgia, like many other states, people in need of safety net services must visit several offices, sometimes in different parts of the city or county, to obtain the help they need. Additionally, because the delivery of these programs is not integrated with workforce services, people may never know about the education and training opportunities available to them. We believe this status quo is unacceptable and are working with state and federal officials to fix this broken system.

Work must be treated as more than a paycheck. Work brings dignity and purpose to an individual which produces a ripple effect throughout their lives. It provides purpose, stability to families, and helps maintain strong mental health for an individual. Regaining employment can improve a sense of life satisfaction, mental outlook, and mental health. For those who lost jobs due to sickness or disability, reengaging in the workforce is therapeutic, promotes recovery and rehabilitation, minimizes mental and physical health, and overall provides a better quality of life.

Georgia has begun consolidating workforce programs under one roof. We applaud this move. However, to maximize the benefit to our citizens, consolidating the delivery of our safety net programs must also happen, and then workforce services must be at the center of everything we do to help our citizens in need.