Medicaid Infrastructure Grant (MIG)
Strategic Planning for Employment
Steering Committee Meeting
August 7, 2009
11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Meeting Participants: Diane Cashman, Office of Developmental Programs (ODP); Edward Butler, Governor’s Office on Disability; Cory Smith, Via of the Lehigh Valley; Jennifer Garman and Lynda Blackway, Disability Rights Network of Pennsylvania; Gene Bianco, Pennsylvania Association of Rehabilitation Facilities; Amy Strawser and John Miller, AHEDD, Inc.; Leonard Kravitz, Philadelphia Mental Retardation Services (MRS); Dana Hodges and Randy Loss, Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation; Bill Boyer, Pennsylvania OMHSAS; Pat Amos, Youth Advocate Programs; Cheryl Boyle, Southeast Region ODP; Jack Hillyard, Pennsylvania Office of Long Term Living; Michael McAllister, Rosa McAllister and Julie Sozio, Networks for Training and Development, Inc. (Networks)
Unable to Attend: Lori Burrus, Youth Advocate Programs; Rich Davis, Re-Act Consulting; Suzanne Erb, Phila. Mayor’s Committee on People with Disabilities; Trish Golden, Montgomery County MH/MR; Nesta Livingston, OVR; Connie Meeker, ODP; Verna Morris, QUEST, Inc.; Dana Olsen, Interested citizen; Pam Smith-Warner, COMHAR, Inc.; Vicki Stillman-Toomey, ODP; Kathy Sykes, Phila. MRS; Shirley Walker, PAR; Suzanne Campbell, Deputy Chief of Staff Governor’s Office .
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Meeting Summary
I. Welcome
Rosa McAllister opened the meeting and thanked everyone for coming together, on such short notice and for agreeing to be part of the Steering Committee for this statewide Strategic Planning Project for Employment. She recognized the members that were unable to attend the meeting and recognized their willingness to be part of the future work of this Committee. Participants were directed to the meeting agenda and the purpose of today’s gathering.
Rosa reviewed the work accomplished at the May 20, 2009 planning event and referenced the initial PATH graphic created at that time. (Note: The PATH graphic was displayed and referred to during the course of the meeting). She referenced the documents that were sent to Steering Committee members: A Summary Document text version of the work done on May 20, 2009 and a smaller version of the PATH graphic. Those materials were also distributed to all who participated in the May 20, 2009 event.
The group was informed that a new area was in development on Networks’ website with information regarding the MIG Strategic Planning Project for Employment. Specifically, a link highlighting the new area will be found on Networks’ homepage (www.networksfortraining.org) taking people directly to the MIG area. Various materials will be placed here to keep anyone interested up-to-date with the happenings regarding the Strategic Planning Project. Initially posted will be the original PATH graphic, the Summary Document (text version of the PATH), pictures from the initial planning event, a list of all those who participated, and the Steering Committee members / affiliations. Meeting minutes, times, dates and locations of upcoming meetings, and all other relevant information will also be posted to the website as it becomes available.
John Miller gave a brief history of the genesis of the Medicaid Infrastructure Grant in Pennsylvania. He explained the general purpose the MIG Grant and the importance of this strategic planning project in promoting employment for all Pennsylvanians with disabilities.
II. Review of Project Activities
Michael McAllister provided an overview of the Strategic Planning Project’s activities (listed below and distributed in a fuller document at the meeting) and helped the group walk through each specific step to better understand the various activities, timeframes, and expected outcomes.
TABLE 1: PROJECT ACTIVITIES, TIMEFRAME, AND OUTCOMES
PROJECT ACTIVITIES / PROJECTED TIMEFRAME / OUTCOMESCreate Summary Documents: May 20, 2009 Philadelphia PATH Gathering / July 2009 / Produce Summary Documents
Contact Philadelphia PATH Participants / July 2009 / Identify Potential Steering Committee members
Formulate Strategic Planning Steering Committee / July – August 2009 / Steering Committee Created
Conduct Initial Steering Committee Meeting / August 7, 2009 / Meeting Held
Contact Relevant Regional Stakeholders / August – September 2009 / Contacts Created
Organize Focus Groups Planning Forums / August 2009 / Focus Group Dates Arranged
Conduct Regional Planning Forums / Mid-September 2009
Early/Mid-
October 2009
Mid-November 2009 / Hold 6 Planning Forums
Write Interim Report / October 16, 2009 / Report Submitted
Conduct Second Strategic Planning Steering Committee Meeting / Early December 2009 / Meeting Held
Review Draft Report
Write Final Report / January 8, 2010 / Report Submitted
Michael emphasized the role of the Steering Committee in the strategic planning process and re-stated from the Project Overview document the following: The purpose of the Steering Committee is twofold -- (1) To provide suggestions and recommendations for conducting the strategic planning process and (2) To provide continuity to strategic planning efforts once the grant period has ended on December 31, 2009.
In addition, Michael reiterated other Steering Committee activities including: Assisting project staff to find locations for Focus Group meetings, Identifying other relevant stakeholders to participate in Focus Groups, and Providing suggestions and feedback to project staff on the strategic planning process and the resulting documents produced.
The purpose of the Focus Group meetings was explained and discussed at length. The original PATH graphic will be displayed as a backdrop at each Focus Group meeting. Focus Group meetings will be scheduled for a two-hour time period. Participants at each meeting will be asked to share their thoughts and ideas on how to promote employment for all Pennsylvanians with disabilities. Michael emphasized the importance of focusing the planning process on ways we can foster, promote, and build a coalition for an “employment for all” perspective across the state. The process identified in the original proposal was to hold Focus Group meetings in 6 separate locations around the state by the end of November 2009. The idea was to include as many interested people from around the state as possible in the process and to try to be as inclusive and expansive as possible regarding people to involve.
Steering Committee members responded to the overview of project activities and provided input on dates, times and locations for each Focus Group meeting and suggested contact people across the six regions of the state. Steering Committee members agreed to identify other key players across the state that are interested in moving employment forward and can be helpful in organizing and participating in Focus Groups. All information regarding these suggestions should be forwarded to Julie Sozio at or 610-935-6626.
A. General Discussion and Recommendations
The Steering Committee members spent the majority of the rest of the meeting commenting on the proposed process and providing a variety of suggestions and recommendations. The following is a summary of the key points from the discussion:
§ Conference call and Skype (free Internet call) will be available for those who cannot physically join a Focus Group meeting.
§ Focus Groups should include involvement from the business community, emphasizing the strategic planning process as an “economic development venture” for local communities and businesses.
§ Currently, data regarding employment outcomes are as a missing piece in PA. There was general agreement that there is a need for reliable and relevant data about employment outcomes so that a baseline can be used to measure progress.
§ Final strategic planning document should contain both immediate and long-term goals and objectives, i.e. “low hanging fruit” as well as loftier goals.
§ Essential that as many interested parties and related public and private entities as possible be invited to attend the Focus Group meetings. The Bureau of Workforce Development and local Chambers of Commerce were identified as specific examples of those to include.
§ Need to identify “magnets” to specifically invite to Focus Group meetings who will attract others to attend.
§ Need to seek common ground and understanding between government agencies and their goals for employment. A need for partnerships and coordination within governmental agencies was identified as a critical aspect. Re-visiting and re-examining Memorandums of Understanding was suggested as a way for government to coalesce around employment. Opening up jobs through the Pennsylvania Civil Service system for people with disabilities was also mentioned as another strategy for promoting employment opportunities.
§ Need to reach out to the local business communities and politicians to invite them to participate in Focus Group meetings and become more aware and involved in employment issues.
§ Another MIG grant project concurrently running in Philadelphia is collaborating with the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce. This project is pulling together employers and providers in effort to build lasting relationships with both parties. With its success, the approach will be introduced throughout the state as a way to build relationships between employers and employment providers.
§ Need to engage post-secondary education and the Pennsylvania Department of Education in this process.
§ Regional solutions and strategies may be potential outcome of the Focus Group sessions. Project staff will make sure to identify any regional differences and commonalities in the final report.
III. Next Steps
Rosa led a discussion of next steps focusing on locations and dates for Focus Group meetings. Flip chart paper was placed around the room and titled with different regions around the state: Northwestern, Southwestern, North Central, South Central, Northeastern, and Southeastern. Steering Committee members were asked to write suggested people to be contacted within those different regions who may be helpful in organizing Focus Group meetings and participating. Rosa proposed a list of potential meeting dates and a discussion ensued about potential locations, day of the week, and time of day considerations. From this many great ideas surfaced including trying to utilize natural community locations that represent valued employment outcomes, offering a variety of days / times including at least one or two Saturdays and evenings, and possibly offering more than six meetings to include more of the larger population centers in PA. It was suggested that one flyer would be developed listing all dates and locations. This flyer will be distributed by the end of August.
NOTE: Following the meeting, some Focus Group dates and locations were adjusted to reflect the Steering Committees suggestions and allow for adequate planning and advertising of the events.
§ October 9, 2009 - Williamsport Area, 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM (Friday)
§ October 10, 2009 - Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Area, 10 AM – 12 PM (Saturday)
§ October 14, 2009 - Harrisburg, 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM (Wednesday)
§ October 26, 2009 - Plymouth Meeting, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM (Monday)
§ October 30, 2009 - Allentown / Bethlehem, 10 AM – 12 PM (Friday)
§ November 18, 2009 - Pittsburg (at the TASH Conference), 2 PM – 4 PM (Wednesday)
§ November 20, 2009 – Erie, 2 PM – 4 PM (Friday)
§ November 21, 2009 - State College, 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM (Saturday)
Steering Committee members were asked to attend at least one of Focus Group meetings to act as “magnets” as well as lending their voices to the discussion. Networks’ staff will contact and coordinate dates, times and locations for all the regional meetings, facilitate the discussions, keep minutes of the discussion and full attendance lists, disperse meeting information to Steering Committee members and post it on the MIG area of Networks’ website. All Focus Group meetings will be held by November 30, 2009.
IV. Wrap-Up
The next Steering Committee Meeting was scheduled for Thursday, December 17, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. at the Harrisburg Hilton. For any further information or if you are unable to attend this meeting, please contact Julie Sozio at or 610-935-6626.
Respectfully submitted,
Michael McAllister, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Networks for Training and Development, Inc.
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