DEED / Vocational Rehabilitation Services

VRS Community Rehabilitation Program Advisory Committee

Session Notes from Friday, April 28, 2017 – 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

VRS Fairview St Paul Workforce Center

SESSION NOTES:

Committee Objective

The purpose of the VRS Community Rehabilitation Program Advisory Committee is to provide strategic advice and consultation to DEED/VRS on topics and issues affecting the mutual provision of DEED/VRS and CRP/LUV services to Minnesotans with disabilities. Our efforts to understand issues and to work collaboratively will build and nurture the capacity of Minnesota’s rehabilitation community to advance the employment, independent living and community integration of Minnesotans with disabilities.

Specifically, the VRS Community Rehabilitation Program Advisory Committee will:

  1. Represent the perspectives and interests of CRP/LUVs in advancing rehabilitation and employment issues while fostering dialogue and engagement on critical issues throughout the greater rehabilitation community
  2. Promote innovative service practices to accelerate the adoption of best practices at a systems level and foster equitable access to quality services on a statewide basis
  3. Provide strategic level advice and consultation to DEED/VRS on matters affecting CRP/LUVs
  4. Identify key topics and issues affecting CRP/LUVs and DEED/VRS
  5. Consider input from subject matter experts and strategic partners in issues affecting economic development, state demographics / population trends, and promising practices
  6. Engage in active reflection, spirited discussion and strategic dialogue on critical topics affecting CRP/LUVs and DEED/VRS services to persons with disabilities in Minnesota
  7. Provide a forum for the review and discussion of critical VRS and CRP/LUV service delivery topics including, but not limited to: current service delivery practices; new and emerging service needs; identifying best practices; and the consideration of statewide service needs and resources

2017 Community Partner Members (listed alphabetically): Lena Balk, Heather Deutschlaender, Wendy DeVore, Kelly Dilger, Josh Howie, Jolene Juhl, Lisa Parteh, Andrea Pearson, Julie Peterschick, Bobbi VanGrinsven, Lynn Vincent, Dawn Wambeke

VRS Members: Jay Hancock, Roland Root, Mimi Schafer, Dee Torgerson

Sponsor: Kim Peck, VRS Director

Co-leaders: Chris McVey and Jan Thompson

Facilitator: Holly Johnson

2017 Schedule: Jan 27, Mar 24, Apr 28, June 9, Sep 22, Oct 27, and Dec 1.

April 28, 2017 Session Objectives:

  1. Review and finalize proposed definitions for PBA redesign/new PT contract usage.
  2. Engage in a strategic conversation on the scope, meaning and implications of Customized Employment as it relates to individuals served by the VR community, service providers and employers.
  3. Provide an update on the next steps and timeline for the PBA redesign and new PT contracts as part of a greater conversation on the important role of the VRS CRP Advisory Committee in the ongoing collaboration and communication across Minnesota’s VR community.
  4. Provide a conduit for sharing relevant, important and timely updates and information for the benefit of vocational rehabilitation community and consumers.
  5. Develop key messages from the meeting to share with the VR community.

April 28, 2017 Attendees (listed alphabetically): Lena Balk, Heather Deutschlaender, Jay Hancock, Josh Howie, Jolene Juhl, Chris McVey, Kim Peck, Andrea Pearson, Julie Peterschick, Roland Root, Mimi Schafer, Jan Thompson, Dee Torgerson, Bobbi VanGrinsven, and Lynn Vincent

Not in attendance: Wendy DeVore, Lisa Parteh

Facilitator: Holly Johnson

Agenda Topics:

1.  Welcome / Overview

  1. Final Review of Proposed PBA/PT Definitions
  2. Webinar Preview and VR Community Communication
  3. Strategic Topic: Customized Employment
  4. Vocational Rehabilitation Community Updates

Adjourn @ 3pm

Meeting Highlights:

·  The Advisory Committee reviewed and endorsed the proposed definitions for job coaching, stabilization and follow up developed by a committee subgroup.

·  The committee reviewed and provided input on the draft May 2nd webinar content focused on updates to the VRS Performance Based Agreement (PBA) and the Professional and Technical Contract (P/T).

·  The committee discussed Customized Employment and the potential implications for usage, training and certification requirements in Minnesota.

Next Steps:

  1. Preparation of Key Messages for Distribution to CRP/LUV partners: The facilitator will work with the Committee leaders to develop key messages from today’s meeting for distribution to the entire distribution list of CRP/LUV partners on the GovDelivery list within one week of the meeting. To verify/add your email to this list please contact Karla Eckhoff at
  2. Document Session Notes: The facilitator will document the complete session notes, including the Key Messages, for VRS Co-leadership review and approval for distribution to key audiences including the CRP Advisory Committee, VRS, and CRP/LUV partners.
  3. Next Meeting: The May 19th meeting has been rescheduled to June 9th. Please note the location will be at the VRS Woodbury Office rather than Fairview.

Welcome and Opening

The facilitator opened with brief overview of the plan for the morning session.

Kim Peck introduced Karla Eckoff, the new VRS State Rehabilitation Council (SRC) Coordinator who will be assisting the CRP Advisory Committee going forward.

Advisory Committee Review of Proposed PBA/PT Definitions and May 2nd Webinar Preview

The advisory committee read through and approved the refined draft definitions for Job Coaching, Stabilization, and Follow Up. The drafts were refined with the assistance of a subgroup of advisory committee members who met and did additional work to consolidate various drafts into a single draft definition for each of the three terms. Upon review of the refined draft definitions, the advisory agreed that adoption and training on the definitions for both VRS staff and partner organizations should mitigate some of the common sources of confusion for all three terms. The terms will be embedded within the new Professional and Technical Contracts and PBA language.

Next, Chris McVey and Kim Peck provided a preview of draft presentation content focused on updates to the VRS Professional and Technical Contracts, as well as the PBA changes, which will be shared with the greater VR community through a webinar on May 2, 2017. One of the foundational pieces for employment services going forward is to establish an “employment first” default in our thinking. The advisory offered input on clarifications to refine the draft presentation content.

Kim noted the importance of providing the level of support needed to explore employment options for those with the most barriers to competitive, integrated employment. She referenced VRS data for individuals who have been found ineligible for services over the past several years. The federal standard requires multiple work experiences before there can be any determination of whether an individual is too disabled to benefit from VRS services. In 2010, ~265 individuals were found ineligible for services. By 2016 the number had fallen to 50 individuals and so far in 2017 we are seeing the number decrease even more. The same standard now applies to younger individuals who in the past may have gone directly from school settings into day programs. Now there must be multiple work experiences in order to make a services benefit determination. With additional emphasis resulting from the new WIOA pre-employment services policy and regulations, more transition youth and students will seek employment services in competitive and integrated settings than ever before.

As additional information, Heather Deutschlaender stated that Dakota County is now meeting one on one with individuals and many of those individuals are being referred to VRS. Dawn Wambeke noted that her early experience indicates that placements must work for employers as well as for individuals. One win leads to another. However if the employer has an initial bad experience with an individual placement then the employer may become negative and unwilling to consider other individuals from the same community provider and potentially providers in general.

Working closely with employers for successful placements whenever possible and then swiftly addressing problems will be critical for the entire VR community in order to increase the number of work experiences, opportunities and supports available to individuals with high number of barriers to competitive, integrated employment.

With the current workforce shortage in most parts of Minnesota, one on one job coaching can work however there continues to be a struggle to find supports and jobs that can be matched with the individuals we serve. Additionally, the subminimum wages job guidance does not foster one on one work as an option when competitive employment is not available. Understanding the legislative intent is to transform the system, there are significant pressures on 14C certificate holders to provide a wide range of services and it is unclear how the Department of Labor will monitor and enforce the new regulations as it relates to competitive employment and subminimum wages.

Responding to this concern, Kim noted that she anticipates greater collaboration between RSA and DOL in order to more fully understand and interpret the legislative intentions as well as address the practical implications of implementing the regulations. Chris reminded advisory members that 14C certificate holders with questions can contact Maureen Katoll, Regional Enforcement Coordinator at the Department of Labor (DOL). Contact information is provided at the end of this document.

Strategic Topic: Customized Employment

As opening context for the strategic dialogue, Chris McVey provided a brief overview of the major legislative mandates, expectations and regulations that are transforming our overall vocational rehabilitation environment including:

·  The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act – WIOA,

·  Minnesota’s Olmstead Plan,

·  Minnesota’s Employment First Policy,

·  Person Centered Thinking & Planning, and

·  Specific applications of Person Centered Thinking and Planning such as IPS, Project SEARCH, and Customized Employment.

Chris noted that today’s topic of Customized Employment (CE) falls under the umbrella of Person Centered Thinking and Planning. Other examples of Person Centered Thinking and Planning guided processes include IPS and Project Search. CE is not intended for everyone. CE is intended to develop and discover new pathways of uncovering the talents, interests and abilities of individuals with the most significant impact of disabilities as well as create new relationships with business that focus on their needs through systematic job development.

Kim shared that two days before when she attended the State Rehabilitation Council (SRC) meeting, she had an opportunity to hear directly from VRS transition counselors about their perspectives on their day to day experiences during this period of huge system transformation. When asked how WIOA has impacted their work, Kim said she was heartened to hear transition counselors say they are seeing greater employment potential for students with significant cognitive developmental disabilities than they had before. However, counselors also said the hardest part of all the change is to see limited service delivery options from Community Partners.

Since WIOA was signed into law in 2014, DEED-VRS has moved forward in developing a deeper understanding of what customized employment is and how that may or may not differ from our current Placement and Retention Services. To help address the service gaps and increase CE service delivery options, VRS has hired Josh Dean (formerly of Community Involvement Programs). Josh is currently traveling around the state conducting the equivalent of a ‘CE 101’ for VRS staff. The purpose of this training is to increase understanding of the Customized Employment model and examples of practical application in VRS staff’s work with VRS clients who would benefit.

Additionally, WINTAC (Workforce Innovation Technical Assistance Center) and the Youth Technical Assistance Center (Y-TAC) provided DEED-VRS a combined $40,000 grant for the purpose of providing intensive CE training and capacity building in Minnesota. WINTAC recommended Marc Gold & Associates for CE training. Marc Gold & Associates offers a certification component for Placement Professionals as well as an auditing option for VRS Counselors, RAMs, School District Work Coordinators, etc. Other well-known CE trainers include Griffin Hammis and Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU).

Considering the system changes, Minnesota needs greater capacity and access to service delivery providers with CE skills to match the talents of the individuals with employers. This advisory conversation is designed to identify potential strategies for moving the system faster and further in order to connect individuals with services provided by community partners that help individuals find satisfying employment.

Chris relayed a CE/Marc Gold & Associates testimony she heard from the Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation Services. They recounted watching Special Education staff move from levels of skepticism about how effective systematic instruction might be to excitement in seeing students making connections through the instruction and learning how to do the work. Jolene Juhl said she has attended the 3-day Marc Gold & Associates training in an auditor capacity and said it was a phenomenal learning experience. She shared the value in learning about descriptive writing versus evaluative skills as an example of what she found insightful. Jolene is now delivering CE training in her agency and is positively impressed and excited about leveraging the training’s learning and development focus.

Chris stressed that CE is not for everyone nor does it make sense for everyone to be trained in CE. It is helpful for many people who we need a better understanding of their interests and skills for career exploration work. It takes advanced skills to provide this level of services.

CE has three phases:

First Phase: Discovery – this phase is focused on understanding who the person is and really “getting into their environment”. This involves meeting the individual onsite where they live, talking to their support network, looking at what they surround themselves with, and other approaches that help identify skills and interests.

Second Phase: Systemic Job Development -Working collaboratively with the individual and the employer to negotiate a customized job; the provision of supports; and the terms of employment that will match the individual's interests, skills, conditions necessary for success, and specific contributions, and will fill the unmet needs of an employer.

Three Phase: Systematic Instruction: Systematic Instruction is the process used to teach an employee the tasks of the job secured through the customized employment process.

Minnesota is first on Marc Gold & Associates’ list of about 13 states who have expressed interest in training and mentoring. Marc Gold & Associates is interested in creating a multi-state network. Pennsylvania ARC is currently in year 3 of training the VR Community in CE and PA is pleased with their experience thus far. Because of the huge increase in demand for CE training and certification, Marc Gold & Associates is willing to provide Minnesota the curriculum for free if Minnesota commits to building a train the trainer model. VRS believes it’s essential that the VR Community develop CE service capacity in order to best support individuals with developmental cognitive disabilities including those who are in or are at risk of earning sub-minimum wage jobs.