<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><br><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--><div class="WordSection1"><p class="MsoNormal">Hi Virginia Federation Members,<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Each state is expected to publish a state plan Under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) on how they are delivering workforce services to citizens.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">These state agencies are required to request public comment on their plan. Virginia has prepared a combined plan which includes services provided by the Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired (DBVI) along with other state agencies/organizations in the vocational rehabilitation and workforce space.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">DBVI Deputy Commissioner for Services Rick Mitchell provided the plan to me in late February and I failed to distribute it earlier. Public comment feedback is due march 8 which suggests you should take action quickly to provide feedback.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#333333;letter-spacing:.4pt;background:white">The document linked below presents the draft for the 4-year strategic and operational plan for 15 federally-funded programs that are a part of the workforce development system in Virginia. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">We thought it was important to share the plan and provide the opportunity to provide public comment.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black">Here’s the link to the plan and the public comments section:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><a href="https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fvirginiacareerworks.com%2Fpublications-initiatives%2F&data=02%7C01%7Cgtaratsas%40vccs.edu%7C81852745baf4476b704508d7b724d10a%7C0f58dc2cac9c44f6bdba3b0d404475e9%7C0%7C0%7C637179241066698014&sdata=bQtGvCeVM8Wl1TMM8kD1jDmjxxXQYA3xDNIuQtYhY7c%3D&reserved=0"><span style="color:#954F72">https://virginiacareerworks.com/publications-initiatives/</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">I Have not checked whether the site and the plan PDF document is accessible but certainly hope it is accessible.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">It is my assumption that the plan and the means to provide comments is obvious.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class="MsoNormal">Tracy Soforenko<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">President, National Federation of the Blind of Virginia<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">202 285-4595<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:Tracy.soforenko@gmail.com"><span style="color:#0563C1">Tracy.soforenko@gmail.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.nfb.org"><span style="color:#0563C1">www.nfb.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.nfbv.org"><span style="color:#0563C1">www.nfbv.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">National Federation of the Blind. Live the Life You Want<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p></div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p></div></div></blockquote></body></html>