(1) In order to enable the displaced homemaker to contribute to society and maintain independence and economic security, the commissioner shall establish multipurpose service centers for displaced homemakers including, but not limited to, one in a county in this state having a population over three hundred thousand and one in a county having a population over thirty thousand and less than three hundred thousand. To the greatest extent possible, the commissioner shall make grants to nonprofit agencies or organizations to carry out the various programs.
(2) The centers shall develop, by working with federal, state, and local governmental agencies and private employers, job counseling and placement services specifically designed for displaced homemakers, which services shall: (a) Counsel displaced homemakers with respect to appropriate job opportunities; (b) Identify community needs and seek funding for new public sector jobs; (c) Provide displaced homemakers with the necessary counseling, training, skills, and referral services to become gainfully employed, healthy, and independent; (d) Develop plans to include more displaced homemakers in existing training and placement programs; (e) Refer displaced homemakers to agencies which may provide information and assistance with respect to health care, financial matters, education, nutrition, and legal problems; and (f) Take into account and build upon the skills and experiences of the displaced homemaker.
