screening and selection of applicants—general provisions

screening and selection of applicants—general provisions Sec. 404. (a) The Secretary shall prescribe necessary rules for the screening and selection of applicants for enrollment in the Job Corps. To the extent practicable, rules established under this section shall be implemented through arrangements which make use of agencies and organizations such as community action agencies, public employment offices, professional groups, and labor organizations. The rules shall establish specific standards and procedures for conducting screening and selection activities; shall encourage recruitment through agencies and individuals having contact with youths over substantial periods of time and able, accordingly, to offer reliable information as to their needs and problems; and shall provide for necessary consultation with other individuals and organizations, including court, probation, parole, law enforcement, education, welfare, and medical authorities and advisers. The rules shall also provide for— (1) the interviewing of each applicant for the purpose of— (A) determining whether his educational and vocational needs can best be meet through the Job Corps or any alter-native program in his home community; (B) obtaining from the applicant pertinent data relating to his background, needs, and interests for evaluation in determining his eligibility and potential assignment; and (C) giving the applicant a full understanding of the Job 87 Stat. 865 Corps program and making clear what will be expected of him as an enrollee in the event of his acceptance; and (2) the conduct of a careful and systematic inquiry concerning the applicant’s background for the effective development and, as appropriate, clarification of information concerning his age, citizenship, school and draft, status, health, employ ability, past behavior, family income, environment, and other matters related to a determination of his eligibility. (b) The Secretary shall make no payments to any individual or organization solely as compensation tor the service of referring the names of candidates for enrollment in the Jobs Corps. (c) The Secretary shall take all necessary steps to assure that the enrollment of the Job Corps includes an appropriate number of candidates selected from rural areas, raking into account the proportion of eligible youth who reside in rural areas and the need to provide residential facilities for such youth in order to meet problems of wide geographic dispersion.