Funding cut for Athens County Job and Family Services

A cut in federal funding for the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) programs in Athens County is reducing the amount of funding available to help area residents enroll in job-training programs.

Athens County Job and Family Services coordinates the WIA programs in the county, and runs programs for youths, adults and dislocated workers.

The federal government has now reduced the funding for the WIA programs in Athens County by more than $76,000, compared to the funding from last year.

As a result of the funding cut, there is now less money to help Athens County residents pay for job-training or education programs. These programs have been very successful in helping Athens County residents attain the skills and qualifications they need to find work in the region.

The WIA programs in the county will continue, but on a reduced basis.

In addition, the case manager position that worked with the WIA adult and dislocated worker programs has been eliminated. No layoffs had to be made, as the position was eliminated through attrition. The case manager for the WIA youth programs will now also manage the adult and dislocated worker programs.

This latest cut in WIA funding is in addition to a loss of more than $900,000 in WIA funding in 2010.

Prior to 2010, the WIA program was able to assist nearly 340 individuals each year. After the funding cut in 2010, though, the number of people served dropped to nearly 170. With the latest cut, the number will fall to less than 140.