ABSTRACT (150 WORD Limit)

Community Employment First: HowMecklenburgCountyNC Changed Local and State Policies to Achieve Community Inclusion and Full Employment

Co- Presenters: Patricia K. Keul & Dennis Knasel

On July 1, 2008 MecklenburgCounty became the first and only one of North Carolina’s 100 counties to cease all funding for facility based adult vocational programs. Dennis Knasel, Director of Consumer Affairs and Community Services in MecklenburgCounty, and a network of employment and adult services providersformed a committee on Best Practicesincluding North Carolina APSE President, Patricia K. Keul.Using special waivers, MecklenburgCounty created new and flexible funding streams and funded some pilot projects on conversion. The Best Practice Committee provided technical support and information to each of agency to assist them to close their facility programs while developing and expanding their employment services and community inclusion services. On July 1, 2008 the remaining adult vocational day programs closed in MecklenburgCounty.Now North Carolina is taking note of how well full employment is working in Mecklenburg and other counties may well follow our lead. (Word count= 149.)

Objectives and Session Description (500 word limit)

Community Employment First: HowMecklenburgCountyNC Changed Local and State Policies to Achieve Community Inclusion and Full Employment

Co- Presenters: Patricia K. Keul & Dennis Knasel

This presentation will focus on a public policy and systems change initiative in MecklenburgCounty that resulted in the full conversion of all Adult Developmental Vocational Programs to community inclusion and full employment. The session is designed for policy administrators, agency leadership, staff interested in public policy as well as for individuals and advocates who desire systems change at the local and state levels.

SESSION OBJECTIVES:

  1. Learn about how the NC state plan & local planning documents were used to create waivers to enable MecklenburgCounty to use their state and local funding in flexible ways to enhance employment services.
  2. Discover how NCAPSE and other advocates supported the Mecklenburg Best Practice Team and their initiatives in spite of public resistance and dissent.
  3. Increase your understanding of the Mecklenburg pilot projects and how they demonstrated new and creative strategies to facilitate conversion to community inclusion and full employment.
  4. Learn about a new and creative funding strategy for long term vocational support (LTVS) to fund the follow along phase of supported employment.
  5. Enhance your knowledge on of strategies for partnerships across agencies, between organizations and how these partnerships can advance supported employment nationally.

SESSION DESCRIPTION:

On July 1, 2008 MecklenburgCounty became the first and only one of North Carolina’s 100 counties to cease all funding for facility based adult vocational programs. Dennis Knasel, Director of Consumer Affairs and Community Services in MecklenburgCounty, and a network of employment and adult services providersformed a committee on Best Practicesincluding North Carolina APSE President, Patricia K. Keul. Using special waivers, MecklenburgCounty created new and flexible funding streams and funded some pilot projects on conversion. The Best Practice Committee provided technical support and information to each of agency to assist them to close their facility programs while developing and expanding their employment services and community inclusion services.

The remaining adult vocational day programs closed in MecklenburgCounty on July 1, 2008.Now North Carolina is taking note of how well full employment is working in Mecklenburg and other counties may well follow our lead.

Participants will learn about the political and historical factors that started the state’s Adult Developmental Vocational Programs as well as the how mental health reform shaped opportunities for conversion.

Participants will also learn about pilot projects that were used to create new funding models for long term support and the implications for national replication of new systems for funding on going follow along. The presentation will also discuss how volunteer opportunities in the community were used by some programs to inform consumer choice and encourage job trails that led to full employment (word count 447.)

Patricia Kristina Keul : 8430 Suite 100 Medical Plaza Road, Charlotte, NC28262

Phone: 704-333-8220, E-Mail :

Education

Appalachian StateUniversity, Boone, NC- BS in Special Education,

graduated cum laude.

WinthropUniversity, Rock Hill SC- MA in Special Education, graduated cum laude.

Professional History

July 1, 2005 – Present Vice President, Supported Employment Services, SET of UCP, member Senior Management Team, UCP-NC. Provide statewide clinical supports for UCP-NC, Division of Supported Employment Services. Coordinate grant with NC Vocational Rehabilitation, develop grant and expansion initiatives for vocational and community supports for people with severe disabilities. Managed annual operating budgets of over 5 million in revenue.

1987- June 30, 2002 Executive Director Supported Employment Training Inc., Charlotte, NC. Founded and administered private non-profit free standing supported employment agency. Supervised 21 staff members including job coaches, community resource trainers (follow- along specialists), clinical supervisors and clerical staff. Managed annual operating budget of $980,000 for 6 county service area.

1991-1995 Instructor- Special Education Bachelor’s Degree Concentration

In Supported Employment, UNC Charlotte (part- time) Taught undergraduate students supported employment methods courses and supervised their practicum experiences and fieldwork.

1987-1991 Director- Special Education Master’s degree Concentration in Supported

Employment, UNC Charlotte (part –time.) Co- Authored grant funded by RSA in 1987. Assisted with program administration, taught courses and supervised interns in their practicum experiences and fieldwork.

1985-1987Parent/ Community Coordinator- Project CETVE ( Competitive

Employment Through Vocational Experiences), UNC- Charlotte ( part- time.) Co-Authored proposal funded by OSERS in 1985. Co- directed and co- administered supported employment program for students with severe disabilities at EastMecklenburgHigh School, Charlotte, and NC. Also taught introductory and education and special education courses for undergraduate program at UNC-Charlotte and supervised 6 student teachers.

1981-1985Project Coordinator/ Adjunct Instructor, College of Education, UNC

Charlotte Administered OSERs grant to provide community based leisure skills training to over 100 adults in Mecklenburg County, managed staff of 6, also conducted Student Teacher supervision for 18 under graduate students ( from 1982-1995) and taught introductory education and special education courses for the undergraduate program.

1976-1981: Special Education Teacher, CharlotteMecklenburgSchools. Taught self- contained special education class of 12-15 students with cross-categorical disabilities.