(The Center Square) − In a bid to reshape how Louisiana delivers workforce and social services, state lawmakers are proposing to merge disparate programs into a unified, streamlined system.
Legislation introduced by Reps. Stephanie Berault and Kim Carver — House bills 617 and 624 — seeks to create a “One Door” model, where job training and public assistance programs like Supplemental Nutritional Aid Program, Medicaid, and Temporary Aid to Needy Families program would be offered through a single point of entry.
Both bills were reported favorably by the House and Governmental Affairs committee without objection.
The aim, lawmakers say, is to reduce bureaucratic hurdles and help more Louisianans transition from government dependency to financial independence.
“For too long, our people have been navigating a maze of government programs that rarely speak to one another,” Berault and Carver wrote in a recent op-ed. “We’re building a system that prioritizes work, restores dignity, and gives families a real path out of poverty.”
The effort comes as Louisiana continues to grapple with the highest poverty rate in the nation and one of the lowest labor force participation rates — hovering around 58.9%. Proponents argue the current system fails those it’s meant to serve and point to states like Utah as proof of what integration can achieve.
“Utah is the only state with fully integrated federal and state funds for both human services and workforce services,” the Alliance for Opportunity wrote in a 2023 report. “Utah began with a legislative audit of the state’s 23 workforce programs that were operated out of six different state agencies. The 1992 audit unearthed a fragmented system with ‘duplication of bureaucracy,’ which made it difficult for low-income Utahns, particularly those with significant challenges, to access services.”
Louisiana, meanwhile, spends roughly $55 million annually on federal workforce programs under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. Yet a recent report from the Louisiana Legislative Auditor found the majority of participants either earned less after completing programs or never found employment in their field of training. Only a fraction of eligible individuals — fewer than 20% — were served.
Auditors also flagged wide disparities in how funds are used across local areas. In 2022, local cost per participant ranged from $3,109 to $12,008 under WIOA Title I, with even greater variation under Title III, where per-person spending spanned from $78 to $1,132.
Despite these findings, the Louisiana Workforce Commission said its hands are tied by federal rules.
“LWC is bound by the parameters of the federal system, which largely fail to to take into account the many nuances of a state’s local workforce development areas.” the agency wrote in response to the audit.
Supporters of the “One Door” initiative say true reform requires federal backing — and that momentum may be building in Washington.
A provision to allow integration of workforce and safety-net programs passed the U.S. House in 2024 but stalled in a Senate committee led by Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vermont. That committee is now chaired by Louisiana’s own Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, who backs the change and has vowed to reintroduce the measure.
Critics of the current system note that even at the national level, WIOA’s effectiveness has long been questioned.
According to the AFO, a 2019 report by the White House Council of Economic Advisers found most federal job training programs failed to deliver meaningful results for workers, and a recent Harvard analysis described the landscape as “highly fragmented,” with no way to distinguish strong programs from ineffective ones.
“This is about changing the system so people can change their lives,” Berault and Carver wrote. “It’s about giving Louisianans a fair shot.”
