In each workforce investment area there must be at least one full-service center. There may also be one or more affiliated sites that provide a smaller set of services. Evidence based on the early implementation of one-stop centers suggests that these bureaucratic structures are not up to the task of effectively serving people with many different needs. Yet, the law also requires that states with limited funds prioritize welfare recipients and other low income people. There are very few requirements in the law regarding the location of one-stops, but it is clear that they are expected to serve people with multiple barriers to employment.
Community based organizations are eligible to be designated as one-stops themselves.
Community groups should also make sure that states and local Workforce Investment Boards are clear in their intent to prioritize service to very low income people, and that they implement the program accordingly. ITAs are essentially vouchers given to individuals who are deemed eligible for training services. While the vouchers are supposed to give participants a greater sense of consumer choice and promote competition among training providers, it places the onus on the recipients to find the best quality training and services to meet their needs. The voucher system also threatens current community-based service providers, which have traditionally depended on the financial security of direct contracts with PICs, or received funding under the JOBS program. Under a voucher system, a steady stream of funding to sustain the program is no guarantee.