The Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) provides training and employment services to low-income job seekers ages 55 and older to help them secure unsubsidized employment in the public and private sectors. Program participants earn a minimum wage while they learn new job skills and refine existing skills through paid, part-time community service assignments at nonprofit organizations and government agencies.
The governor designated the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) to administer the state’s portion of the program, primarily in rural communities. TWC applies and receives annual funding from the US Department of Labor (DOL). To fulfill the requirements of the program, TWC subcontracts with the AARP Foundation to manage the day-to-day operations of SCSEP in 82 Texas counties. The remaining counties receive SCSEP services through one of the following four providers:
- The Center for Workforce Inclusion
- National Asian Pacific Center on Aging
- Service, Employment, and Redevelopment (SER) Jobs for Progress National, Inc.
- Institute for Indian Development
For more information about SCSEP, contact the SCSEP provider for your county 
.
On this page:
Customers
SCSEP serves job seekers ages 55 and older who are unemployed, are eligible to work in the United States and who earn 125 percent or less of the federal poverty level annually.
Income Eligibility
The Department of Health and Human Services 2022 Poverty Guidelines provide the following information on maximum annual income by family unit size:
| Number of People in Household | Maximum Yearly Income |
|---|---|
| 1 | $13,590 |
| 2 | $18,310 |
| 3 | $23,030 |
| 4 | $27,750 |
| 5 | $32,470 |
| 6 | $37,190 |
| 7 | $41,910 |
| 8 | $46,630 |
| More than 8 | For families/households with more than 8 people, add $4,720 for each additional person. |
Some income is excluded from income eligibility calculations. Eligibility is determined by the SCSEP providers in the local workforce development area.
Priority Groups
Enrollment priority is given to individuals ages 65 and older or those who meet one of the following criteria:
- Have a disability
- Have limited English proficiency or low literacy skills
- Reside in a rural area
- Are veterans
- Have low employment prospects
- Have failed to find employment after receiving services under the Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act (WIOA)
- Are experiencing or are at risk of homelessness
- Are formerly incarcerated or under supervision from release from prison or jail within five years of the date of initial eligibility determination
Services
SCSEP services include the following:
- Assessment and development of an Individual Employment Plan, which includes a participant’s employment goals and appropriate service strategies
- Support services that enable participants to overcome barriers to employment, such as the following:
- Assistance with transportation
- Assistance with housing
- Assistance with work attire and work-related tools
- Health screenings
- Job search, job readiness training and job retention skills training
- Basic education services, such as English as a Second Language, reading and math skills, and high school equivalency classes
- Additional targeted occupational skills training such as typing, computer skills, and home health aide skills
SCSEP providers collaborate with Texas’ 28 Local Workforce Development Boards (Boards) to provide additional training and employment services to participants. Boards oversee workforce services at Workforce Solutions Offices throughout the state.
Workforce Solutions Office staff provides the following services:
- Orientation to workforce services
- Job counseling
- Employment referrals
- Referrals to educational or vocational training and other referral services
- Labor market information
- Workshops on résumés and interviewing
- Computer classes
- Access to resources, such as computers, fax machines, phones, and copy machines
SCSEP providers also collaborate with Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) and other community organizations to provide support services for older workers. There are 28 AAAs that work with local community service resources to help individuals ages 60 and older, their families, and/or other caregivers. Additional information about AAAs can be found on the Texas Health and Human Services Commission’s (HHSC) website.
Reports
TWC developed the SCSEP State Plan in collaboration with the five national SCSEP providers operating in Texas, Boards, and HHSC. Additionally, stakeholders were invited to provide comments on the plan.
WIOA Combined State Plan PY 2020–2023 (Section VII includes the SCSEP State Plan for PY 2020–2023)
Authority & Funding
SCSEP is authorized by the Older Americans Act (Title V), as amended by Public Law 109-365 on October 17, 2006. The US Department of Labor oversees and funds SCSEP.
Statutes & Regulations:
Report Fraud
- Report suspected fraud, waste, or program abuse
800-252-3642
