§ 1.209. Purpose.
The purpose of the Pennsylvania Human Resources Investment Council (Council) is to:
(1) Assess the economic and workforce needs of this Commonwealth, and develop a strategic plan to meet these Statewide needs.
(2) Continuously maintain a competitive advantage for this Commonwealth by developing, adopting and assuring the implementation of Statewide policies and goals for workforce development, including:
(i) Setting performance measurements and standards.
(ii) Defining financial resource investment priorities and strategies.
(iii) Developing return on investment criteria to measure the effectiveness of workforce development programs and activities.
(3) Coordinate with other Team Pennsylvania activities to develop a workforce development system that is market-driven and responsive to the needs of this Commonwealth’s employers by supporting the primary goals of Team Pennsylvania which are to:
(i) Promote this Commonwealth to specific companies considering expansion and relocation.
(ii) Assist with business retention efforts.
(iii) Ensure that the Commonwealth’s economic development strategies continue to be focused and effective.
(iv) Improve communication and collaboration among professionals serving this Commonwealth’s businesses.
(4) Establish a rapid response mechanism to mobilize training resources to address the skill requirements for business retention or attraction opportunities created by major job projects of the Governor’s Action Team or local economic developers.
(5) Collaborate and coordinate with State agencies and State boards and commissions that shape economic development and education policies of the Commonwealth, including, the Ben Franklin/IRC Partnership Board, the State Board of Education, the State Literacy Council, the Pennsylvania Apprenticeship and Training Council, the State Board of Vocational Rehabilitation, the State System of Higher Education, the State-related universities and the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, to develop Statewide policies that connect workforce development with lifelong learning and economic competitiveness.
(6) Collaborate with the Department of Community and Economic Development to ensure that the Statewide financing strategy for economic development reported to the General Assembly supports, and is supported by, the goals and objectives of the Commonwealth’s workforce development system.
(7) Collaborate with the Department of Public Welfare to ensure that the Statewide welfare-to-work strategy established to meet the demands of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996, the act of August 22, 1996 (Pub.L. No. 104-93, 110 Stat. 2105), supports, and is supported by, the goals and objectives of the Commonwealth’s workforce development system.
(8) Review the provision of services and the use of funds and resources under applicable State and Federal human resource programs, and coordinate the provision of services and the use of funds and resources among State agencies consistent with the laws and regulations governing the programs. For purposes of this subchapter, applicable State and Federal human resource programs mean the following:
(i) The Job Training Partnership Act (29 U.S.C.A. § § 1501—1792b).
(ii) The Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Act (20 U.S.C.A. § § 2301—2471).
(iii) The Wagner-Peyser Act (29 U.S.C.A. § § 49—49l-1).
(iv) The Adult Education Act (20 U.S.C.A. § § 1201—1213d).
(v) The School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994 (20 U.S.C.A. § § 6101—6251).
(vi) The National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993, the act of September 21, 1993 (Pub.L. No. 103-82, 107 Stat. 785).
(vii) Title V of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C.A. § § 3056—3056i).
(viii) The Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by the Rehabilitation Act of 1994 (29 U.S.C.A. § § 701—797b).
(ix) The Customized Job Training Act (24 P.S. § § 6201—6213).
(x) The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, the act of August 22, 1996 (Pub.L. No. 104—193, 110 Stat. 2105).
(xi) Section 202(a) of the Community Service Block Grant Amendments of 1994 (42 U.S.C.A. § 9901).
(xii) The Food Stamp Act of 1977 (Food Stamp Employment Training Program) (7 U.S.C.A. § § 2011—2036).
(xiii) The Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C.A. § § 2101—2495).
(xiv) The Adult Literacy Act (24 P.S. § § 6401—6409).
(xv) Article XIX-A of the Pennsylvania School Code of 1949 (Community Colleges) (24 P.S. § § 19-1901-A—19-1913-A).
(xvi) The Workers’ Compensation Act (77 P.S. § § 1—1041.4).
(xvii) The Unemployment Compensation Law (43 P.S. § § 751—914).
(9) Evaluate State and local plans and proposals submitted for the Federal and State acts in paragraph (8), and approve the investment of public dollars in plans and proposals which are consistent with the laws and regulations governing those acts and with the policies and priorities established by the Council.
(10) Develop strategies to assist local agents in providing support services including, child care and transportation to better meet the needs of system customers.
(11) Develop and advance strategies for local agents to work collaboratively to create regional networks, and to develop coordinated business plans and budgets within regional areas.
(12) Coordinate the following components of the Commonwealth’s workforce development system:
(i) The development and dissemination of appropriate and necessary research and statistical information with the requisite protocols and standards for common data reference.
(ii) The identification and continuous study of workforce development system needs.
(iii) The development of common definitions and common and specific performance standards and measures for workforce development programs and activities.
(iv) The creation of consistent monitoring instruments for the programs and activities included in the system.
(v) The establishment and maintenance of a universally accessible information access system which enables the workforce development system to function and to serve its customers effectively.
(vi) The provision of technical assistance to assist local agencies in meeting any changes associated with a new workforce development system.
(vii) The implementation of mechanisms including, but not limited to, the collaborative process outlined in Federal law, to secure appropriate input from system customers and service providers in the development of policies, performance standards or investment strategies.
(13) Set standards for local career development marketplaces and workforce development system service provider participation, adopt an official workforce development system logo designation and develop a system-wide marketing program.
(14) Examine Federal and State laws and regulations to assess whether they present barriers to achieving the provisions of this subchapter and recommend to the Governor and to the Federal government changes or waivers in Federal or State statutes or regulations to eliminate barriers and promote the provisions of this subchapter.
(15) Report to the Governor, the General Assembly and the Commonwealth generally the Council’s progress and the return on investment and the overall effectiveness of the State and Federal human resource programs defined in paragraph (7).
Cross References This section cited in 4 Pa. Code § 1.213 (relating to cooperation of agencies).
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