That the City Council approve a Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA) grant payment in the amount of $56,370 to the HealthStaff Training Institute, a component of the READY S.E.T. OC (Employment & Training) Grant funded program for Fiscal Year 2025-2026. 

The Community Services Department, Employment & Training Division, operates the countywide Ready S.E.T. OC Program. This program is funded by a federal Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA) grant, administered through a contracted agreement with the County of Orange. The year-round program provides eligible at-risk and disadvantaged young adults, ages 14 to 24, the opportunity to develop their career interests, to receive academic support, and to gain work experience in order to achieve their career/educational goals and become self-sufficient adults. As part of these opportunities, the program provides youth with opportunities to enroll in and receive training for specialized career fields. 

In Orange County, an eligible training program is based on the State of California Eligible Training Provider List and I-Training, using Individual Training Accounts (ITAs). Once an eligible training selection is made by the program participant, the City, as the program's operator, is expected to arrange for payment of the training services through an ITA. These selections are budgeted for and managed by City staff to ensure all participants have sufficient grant funding to enroll in the selected program. 

HealthStaff Training Institute provides Drug & Alcohol Counseling and Clinical & Administrative Medical Assistant certification programs. The City has developed a successful relationship with the school and frequently enrolls program participants in the school's courses. The City has been authorized to enroll six out-of-school youths in this program. One (1) student is enrolled in the Drug & Counseling Training for a cost of $8,395 per student, and five (5) students are enrolled in the Clinical & Administrative Medical Assistant Training for a cost of $9,595 per student, for a total program cost of $56,370. The registration fee covers tuition, books, supplies, uniform, and other expenses as needed. Staff is requesting that a grant program allocation of $56,370 be approved by the City Council to cover the cost of training for the 6 students. These costs are fully reimbursable to the City through WIOA grant funds. 

If approved by City Council, this request will be fully funded through WIOA grant funds as part of the Ready S.E.T. OC program. The total cost of $56,370 will be reimbursed to the City through grant funds; therefore, there is no impact to the General Fund.