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Partner Programs, Special Populations & Resources

Workforce Solutions Texoma is fortunate to have partners residing in our workforce centers that also assist in providing services to businesses and employers.  See the links for services provided by:

  • Alabama Coushatta Employment & Training Programs
  • Grayson College’s Adult Education and Literacy (AEL) Programs
  • Senior Community Service Employment Program – Motivation, Education & Training (MET)
  • Texas Workforce Commission’s Vocational Rehabilitation Services (TWC – VRS)

In this section you can also find additional specialized services we offer for Veterans and People with Disabilities.

Alabama Coushatta Employment & Training Programs

The Alabama-Coushatta Indian Tribal Council Employment & Training Program is a Tribal Program that was formed in 1973.  This program is funded through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) to provide employment and training services to Native Americans/American Indians, Native Hawaiians, and Native Alaskans in their service area. 

Eligibility:  Must have a CDIB and belong to a Federally recognized Tribe. 

Their services include:

  • EMPLOYMENT CAREER SERVICES – A wide range of services to assist Native Americans as they seek job placement or advancement in their career.
  • TRAINING SERVICES – Provide job readiness training as a means of better preparing Native Americans for the workforce.
  • EDUCATION SERVICES – A wide range of services to assist Native Americans as they seek job placement or advancement in their career.

Two Alabama Coushatta E&T representatives are housed in the Denison Workforce Center and can answer any qu3esitons related to their programs:

Judy Rice: 903-465-4844

Augustina Dooley: 903-465-1205

Website:  www.acwia.org   

Adult Education & Literacy (AEL) Programs

Grayson College’s Adult Education & Literacy department offers on-site classes in Texoma’s Denison and Gainesville Workforce Centers.  Grayson’s AEL programs provide free classes with day/night and distance education options in the following areas:

  • High School Equivalency Test Prep (GED, HiSet, & TASC)
  • Refresher (Reading, Writing, Language, & Math)
  • English as a Second Language
  • Citizenship
  • TSI Prep
  • ASVAB Prep

Eligibility criteria for these free services includes:

  • At least 17 years of age
  • Function below the high school level
  • Lack a high school credential
  • Seek to improve basic reading, writing, language, & math skills
  • Are unable to speak, read, or write in English
  • Seek the skills needed for the U.S. Citizenship test
  • Need help to study for the Texas Successive Initiative (TSI)
  • Seek assistance to study for the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB)

Enrollment: 

Fannin Literacy Council’s Adult Education and Literacy Program

Established in 2004, the Fannin Literacy Council is a public, non-profit organization.  A Board of local citizens and business representatives heads up this grassroots effort to provide assistance, resources, and training to Fannin County residents ages 17 and older to provide program attendees with the knowledge and skills they need to pass the High School Equivalency (GED) test.  Classes are provided in:

Bonham

  • Mondays and Tuesdays
  • 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm
  • Enrollment Contact: 903-583-1264

Honey Grove

  • Wednesdays and Thursdays
  • 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
  • Enrollment Contact: 903-378-2206

Senior Community Service Employment Program – Motivation, Education & Training (MET)

MET is a federally-funded non-profit that provides employment and training opportunities for low-income, unemployed seniors 55 and over through their Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP).   Through MET’s SCSEP program, seniors work roughly 20 hours a week. 

Eligibility:

  • AT least 55 years of age
  • Eligible to work in the United States
  • Unemployed
  • Earn a limited income for your family size during the last year.
    • Note that if you have a documented disability, you are considered to be a family on one, even if you live with several people in your household.
    • Some income is not included in income eligibility calculations, such as disability benefits and unemployment benefits.

MET’s SCSEP services include:

  • Assessment of your skills, experience, education, interests and any added help you need to complete your training and find the type of job you want
  • Development of a training plan for the job you choose
  • Work-based training assignment to help develop the skills for your job goal
  • Training on how to look for jobs, how to talk to a prospective employer and how to be successful in your job
  • Instruction in English, reading, writing, arithmetic or General Education Development (GED) preparation
  • Training for other job skills like keyboarding, computer or home health aide
  • Help with your job search
  • Connection to support services you need to successfully complete your training, find a job and keep your job 

Staff are located in our Denison Workforce Center that can assist individuals with this program: 

  • Contact: Mary Louis 903-463-9997 ext. 248 

Websites: seniorserviceamerica.org  www.METinc.org

Summer Earn and Learn

Accepting applications for Summer Earn and Learn.  Please click on the registration forms below.  Fill out and send back to the email listed at the top of the form.  All forms must be received by February 28th 2024.

Summer Earn and Learn (SEAL) program for students with disabilities aged 14-22. Through work-based learning, students earn a paycheck while acquiring new skills and gaining professional experience. Students participating in SEAL attend work readiness training to prepare them for successful employment through the summer program. Through the program, students learn about the employer’s industry and develop specialized knowledge and talents. Upon completion of the work experience, some students have had the opportunity to become employed full time.

Click here for English
Click here for Spanish

Texas Workforce Commission’s Vocational Rehabilitation Services

Texas Workforce Solutions Vocational Rehabilitation Services –  provides services for people with disabilities to help them prepare for, obtain, retain or advance in employment.

VRS provides services to both Adults and Youth.  You may be eligible for vocational rehabilitation services if you:

  • Have a disability which results in substantial barriers to employment
  • Require services to prepare for, obtain, retain or advance in employment
  • Are able to obtain, retain or advance in employment as a result of service

Disabilities Served

  • Disabilities Other Than Vision-Related Disabilities
    • Behavioral and mental health conditions
    • Hearing impairments, including deafness
    • Alcoholism or drug addiction
    • Intellectual, learning and developmental disabilities
    • Physical disabilities, including traumatic brain and spinal cord injury, back injury, paralysis and impaired movement 
  • Vision-Related Disabilities
    • Blindness
    • Significant visual impairments
    • DeafBlindness

How to Apply for Services: 

  • Workforce Solutions Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors have a presence in all three Texoma Workforce Centers. Call any workforce center to schedule an appointment or speak to a TWC-VRS representative.

Veterans Resources

Workforce Solutions Texoma is proud of our Veterans who have sacrificed so much for our country. Our staff are trained to help veterans achieve their employment and training goals.

Texoma Workforce Centers provide priority of service to all eligible veterans (Federal/State Qualified Veterans and Federal/State Qualified Spouses), definitions of which follow:

  • Eligible Veteranis defined as any one of the following:
    • Federal/state qualified veteran—a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service, and who was discharged or released therefrom under conditions other than dishonorable as specified at 38 U.S.C. 101(2). Active services include full-time duty in the National Guard or a Reserve component, other than full-time for training purposes.
    • Federal qualified spouse—the spouse of:
      • (1) any veteran who died of a service-connected disability;
      • (2) any member of the Armed Forces serving on active duty who, at the time of application for the priority, is listed in one or more of the following categories and has been so listed for a total of more than 90 days:
    • (i) missing in action;
    • (ii) captured in line of duty by a hostile force; or
    • (iii) forcibly detained or interned in line of duty by a foreign government or power;
      • (3) any veteran who has a total disability resulting from a service-connected disability, as evaluated by the Department of Veterans Affairs;
      • (4) any veteran who died while a disability, as indicated in paragraph (3) of this section, was in existence.

Priority of service involves giving the qualified eligible veteran priority access in our centers, including, but not limited to, access to computers, telephones, faxes, copiers and referrals to new job postings. If you require staff assistance, you will be served promptly on a priority basis. Upon verification of veteran status, eligible veterans will also be granted priority access to training programs for which you are qualified and for which funding exists.

Veterans Employment Representatives

In partnership with the Texas Veterans Commission, Veterans Employment Representatives (VERs) are housed in the Grayson County Workforce Center. VER’s provide a full range of employment services to veterans. VER’s offer personalized assistance to all veterans including, but not limited to:

  • Job Search Assistance
  • Job Development
  • Employment Counseling and Case Management
  • Labor Market Information
  • Referrals to Other Services and Agencies
  • Information on Veterans Benefits and Training Opportunities
  • Resume Preparation
  • Access to Government and Private Job Banks
  • Information on the Work Opportunity Tax Credit program

Texas Veterans Leadership Program

The Texas Veterans Leadership Program (TVLP) is a program designed to further assist veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan as they re-integrate into civilian life.

Our TVLP Representative, Charles Connor, can provide information surrounding employment, education, and community resources to all Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans. Mr. Conner is located in the Grayson County Workforce Center.

Additional Veteran Resources

provides assistance to identify new jobs or career changes using the skills and experience you’ve gained in previous jobs.

a one-stop website for employment, training, and financial help after military service.

Provides veterans, transitioning service members and their family members with the resources they need to successfully transition to a rewarding career. Developed by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS), this resource provides valuable information and access to contact information for one-on-one employment assistance and online resources to assist transitioning service members and veterans in their reintegration into the civilian workforce.

Special Assistance For People With Disabilities

According to the US Census Bureau, approximately 1 in 5 individuals have a physical or mental disability and 1 in 3 Americans has a close friend or family member with a disability. Workforce Solutions provides resources to support individuals with disabilities in finding and retaining employment.  

Asking for Help

If you have a disability and require a special service or accommodation, let your Workforce Center Staff know.  Disclosing the nature of your disability can have benefits, such as qualifying for funding to pay for training.

Staff with the Texas Workforce Solutions Vocational Rehabilitation Services are housed in our Workforce Centers and may be able to assist people with disabilities in obtaining or retaining employment.  Contact your nearest Workforce Center and ask to speak to a Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist for assistance.

Accessibility Aids Available at Workforce Solutions Texoma Centers

All three Workforce Solutions Texoma Centers are accessible to people with disabilities.  Unless otherwise noted, all centers have the following accessibility aids available to assist with Job Search related activities:

  • Accessible Computer Workstations
  • TeleSensory Aladdin Genie Pro Magnifiers to help individuals with low vision
  • Tape Recorders for use in group orientations
  • Pocket Talkers (voice amplification) for customers with hearing impairments
  • The Microsoft Ease of Access Center which includes Magnifier, Narrator, On-Screen Keyboard and High Contrast options
  • TTY Telephones to assist job seekers who have hearing impairments
  • Access to the Relay Texas system to assist deaf, hard-of-hearing, or speech-impaired job seekers
  • A Braille Printer is available at the Denison center

Special Resource for Students with Disabilities

A special resource for high school students with disabilities is provided through a contract with the Texas Workforce Commission to assist students in successful transition from high school to employment or higher education.  Workforce Solution Texoma’s Student HireAbility Navigator works through our tri-county region to expand partnerships to support the goals of the Texas Workforce Commission’s Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Transition Counselors.  These VR Transition Counselors work with students who have disabilities who are ages 14-22 years of age and in an educational program including:

  • secondary education;
  • nontraditional or alternative secondary education programs, including home schooling;
  • postsecondary education programs; and
  • other recognized educational programs, such as those offered through the juvenile justice system.

Texoma’s Student HireAbility Navigator has three primary focus areas with the goals of increasing the likelihood of student’s independence and inclusion in communities and competitive integrated workplaces, and their successful participation in postsecondary education experiences.  The three primary focus areas include:

  • Capacity building and systems development
  • Partnering and collaboration
  • Informing and engaging employers

For more information or assistance from Texoma’s HireAbility Navigator, please contact:  

April Martin, 903.975.7408 x 823

Other Resources for Jobseekers with Disabilities

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