The Montana Choice: Customized Employment Project

The Montana Choice: Customized Employment project is a Montana Job Training Partnership-administered and U.S. Department of Labor-funded project. The University of Montana Rural Institute provides training and technical assistance to the project.

The purpose of Montana Choice is to increase the integration of people with severe disabilities into the workforce. In order to accomplish this, the Montana Job Training Partnership (MJTP) and the Rural Institute are working in four Montana communities that have One-Stop Workforce Centers in the Job Service offices. The communities are Butte, Cutbank, Glasgow, and Hamilton. Each One-Stop Center does outreach to neighboring communities, including Anaconda, Browning, Dillon and Wolf Point.

During the course of the five-year project, a minimum of 352 individuals with disabilities will receive direct-client services. By the end of the five-year period, we expect 60 percent of all project participants will have entered conventional or self-employment, earning an average wage of $8.50 an hour. Each One-Stop Center has funds to distribute to help clients with disabilities achieve their employment goals.

The projects comprehensive strategy will create systems change through a consortium of partners. MJTP and Rural Institute staff will engage local One-Stop Community Management Teams (CMT) in strategic planning. Two hundred front-line staff, parents, individuals with disabilities and community stakeholders will participate in the strategic planning and implementation of the customized employment project. The strategic plans will identify strategies and interventions to support customer choice and provide quality services which lead to successful job attainment. Each CMT will implement their strategic plan

Each One-Stop Workforce Center will receive training and technical assistance to enhance the capacity of their professional, well-trained, and versatile staff in customized employment strategies and being responsive to the needs and interests of each customer. The project will document customized employment services that are used, such as Ecommerce, self-employment, microbusiness, entrepreneurship, telework and competitive employment.

Montana Choice's goals and objectives are:

#1
Montana Choice will engage local One-Stop Community Management Teams in strategic planning which affects the design, development, evolution, continuous improvement, and evaluation of the Montana One-Stop Workforce System.

#2
Montana Choice will explore strategies and undertake initiatives to increase the recruitment of job seekers with disabilities who have not traditionally accessed the One-Stop Centers

#3
Montana Choice will provide capacity building workshops and technical assistance for One-Stop staff, workforce development personnel, Community Management Team members, local stakeholders and job seekers so as to expand and enhance customized employment opportunities in their communities

#4
Montana Choice will pilot a training model for individuals with disabilities, workforce development staff, and Community Management Team members who are interested in Ecommerce or telecommuting opportunities.

#5
Montana Choice will demonstrate innovative customized employment strategies.

#6
To develop the quality and effectiveness of the customized employment model services for and with the job seeker, of One-Stop agencies impacted by the project.

#7
To develop and successfully implement a technology-support and video conferencing-based network with each One-Stop member for the purpose of providing a cross-training and technical assistance between and among all partners in a way that promotes mutual collaboration, problem solving and sharing of blueprints for success.

#8
To develop and implement a comprehensive system of electronic dissemination of project activities, outcomes and resources.

Read about some Employment Success Stories from Rural Montana

Watch a CD about some Employment Success Stories
(uses windows media player)

To find out more about the Montana Choice project you can contact:

Lisa Newman, Project Director
Montana Job Training Partnership
302 N. Last chance Gulch, Suite 409
Helena, MT 598601
(406) 444-1330
lnewman@mjtp.org

B. Roger Shelley, Project Director
The Rural Institute
52 Corbin Hall
The University of Montana
Missoula, MT 59812
Home Office: (406) 445-9168
r.shelley@worldnet.att.net

To find out if you are eligible to enroll in the project, you may contact the One Stop Center or project administrator in your area.

Julie Hallock
Glasgow Job Service/One Stop Center
74 4th St. North
Glasgow, MT 59230
(406) 228-9369
jhallock@state.mt.us

Ron Rides at the Door
Cutbank Job Service
501 E. Main
Cutbank, MT 59427
(406) 873-2191
rridesatthedoor@state.mt.us

Richard Clautu
Bitterroot Job Service/One Stop Center
333 W. Main
Hamilton, MT 59840
(406) 375-6047
rclautu@state.mt.us

Bob Nichols
Ravalli Services Community Employment
Box 558
Hamilton, MT 59840
(406) 363-5400
rsc@cybernet1.com

Joe Strelnik
Butte Job Service
2201 White Blvd.
Butte, M T 59870
(406) 494-0329
jstrelnik@state.mt.us