The theme that is portrayed on this website, “CentralIllinoisHelps” is indeed the motto that the Partner agencies are committed to. These Partner agencies are found on this website at CentralIllinoisHelps.com. And there you will find a brief description of the programs and services that each agency provides as well as a link to each agencies’ website.
The goal is that no matter what agency a customer initially contacts or interacts with, that the full range of programs and services that are offered by other agencies is made available to that person. In the jargon of these agencies, this is called “wraparound services”.
A special emphasis has been placed on making the “”One-Stop Center” a hub for these referrals. The One-Stop Center is located at 406 Elm St. in Peoria. It is also known as the Illinois workNet Center and American Job Center. At this location, there is a Resource Room that is available to the general public at no charge. Staff in the Resource Room have been specially trained to be aware of programs and services from all Partner Agencies and make a referral by a direct linkage hotline or by email. In the Resource Room there are computers and other materials to assist a customer in their job search efforts, in identifying services or filing a UI claim. Two agencies staff the Resource Room and the Center as a whole. These two agencies are Career Link and the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES). Career Link also maintains Resource Rooms in the following locations: Bloomington, Havana, Canton, Wyoming, Henry, Pekin and Eureka. Many of the Partner Agencies also have multiple locations and those can be found by going to that Agency’s website.
Associated with the partnership concept is a State of Illinois initiative called “Service Integration”. Through a number of meetings with the Partner Agencies, they have examined fifteen areas of coordination and rated them on a continuum of one to five, with five being the highest rating. Three areas were selected for attention: 1. Cross training of staff, 2.improved communication across one-stop partners and 3. Assuring access to services is timely and coordinated. These three areas all relate directly to the commitment by all of the Partner Agencies to assure that each customer gets directed to the right agency and if needed, to multiple agencies.
