V.I.E.W
Virginia Initiative for Education and Work
The Employment Services program changed October 1, 1997 with the
implementation of WELFARE REFORM; the work component
of welfare reform is called Virginia Initiative for Education and Work, or V.I.E.W. The VIEW Program limits
recipients of T.A.N.F. (Temporary
Assistance to Needy Families) benefits to twenty-four (24) month
intervals of sequential participation and
non-participation for a total of
sixty (60) months, and requires that all able bodied recipients who do
not meet an exemption participate in this
program. The basic premise of
V.I.E.W. is that all public assistance recipients must work in exchange
for their benefits.
It is the job of the V.I.E.W. case manager to do a complete assessment of the participant, do an activity plan which includes short-term and long-term goals, allow a 30-day job search period and if unsubsidized employment is not found, assign the participant to subsidized employment, on the job training or work experience. Education and training are allowed in conjunction with work activity. Many of these participants receive Transportation services as part of their service plan. When a T.A.N.F. case is closed due to the client being employed the recipients may also receive Transitional Medicaid, and Transitional Transportation up to one year.
At the present time we have 15 active V.I.E.W. cases, 45 have entered
full-time employment, and 20 have entered part-time employment.
There are currently a total of 95 T.A.N.F. cases and a total of 15 in the V.I.E.W. program as of June 2025.
There was a one million dollar grant awarded to Southwest Virginia
involving eight coal field locations, the counties of Buchanan,
Dickenson, Lee,
Russell, Scott, Tazewell, Wise and
the City of Norton. This grant was awarded to Southwest Virginia due to
the high unemployment rate, to better assist
V.I.E.W. clients in becoming better
prepared to enter the job market. All V.I.E.W. clients will be required
to undergo a uniform Full-Battery Assessment.
Also the money was directed toward developing a job marketing program,
establishing a Neighborhood Technology Network site, establishing two
(2) Training
and Employment for Careers (T.E.C.)
Centers, expanding the existing transportation program (cars), to
provide vehicle ownership for working T.A.N.F.
clients.
Work continues on the other areas of the planned programs.
