Crossing the Bridge to Effective Case Management: An Innovative Training Model

Linda Keller, Ph.D., CRC, LPC

Moira Przybylowski, M.S., CRC

Julia Smith, Ph.D., CRC, LPC

Dona Fuerst, M.A.

Sheila Hoover, M.A., CRC

Dona Fuerst

WA DVR

Sheila Hoover

Oregon OVRS

Linda Keller

WOU

Moira Przybylowski

WOU

Julia Smith

WOU

About WOU’s RCE Program

• Small university in rural setting

• RCE program in Dept of Special Ed

• 3 Tenured faculty, 1 full time Adjunct

• RC Cohort

• RCD Cohort

About WOU’s RCE Program

• 30 years in existence• Recipient of RSA grant support for 29

years• Began as an RCD program• 1990 added RC general option• 1999-2004 offered a distance learning

cohort under CSPD long-term training• CORE accreditation since 1985

WOU’s RCE’s Graduates

2000-2006 STATS• Average number of students: 28• 11 % students represent minority populations• 22 % students have disabilities• 98 % placement rate (2 % unable to work due

to medical reasons)• 20-30 % students hired BEFORE graduation• 50 % of graduates hired by State VR

History of Partnership

• VR involvement:– RCE Admissions– RCE Advisory

Council• CORE/Program Eval• Field training

materials

– Guest Speakers– Job Shadow Sites– Internship Placement

• WOU involvement:– State Rehab Council

Membership– OVRS Quarterly

RCD/HH meetings– RIPD– Joint training

ventures• Ethics• Medical Aspects

Building the Partnership

Why have rehabilitation educators and state agencies chosen to partner in training

graduate students?

Formal partnership meeting 11/2003

Identify ways to strengthen existing opportunities in preparing qualified

rehabilitation counselors to best serve people with disabilities from a variety of backgrounds to achieve independence

and suitable employment.

Building the Partnership

• Commitment to share resources

• Commitment to continue with what’s working

• Commitment to BUILD on partnership opportunities

Benefits of Partnership

• Strategic planning

• Promotes networking

• Helps us look outside our own organization

• Increased resources

• Shared vision of counselor preparation

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Designing a Solid Plan

Refining the Blueprint

Agreed to CO-DESIGN

two new courses:

• Advanced practicum course

• Case management course

Why Case Management?

RCE Advisory Council recommended:• Design a course with real world application• Include practicing professionals

– In design– In actual provision of training

• Include application of – Case management theory– Practice – Techniques (CORE standard)

Modeling the New CORE StandardSECTION C(e): General Curriculum

Requirements, Knowledge Domains, and Educational Outcomes states:

“the program shall provide ongoing opportunities throughout the course of study for interactive and collaborative experiences with individuals with disabilities in a variety

of roles and settings”

Partnership Works For All!

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Reinforcing the Connections

The Case Management Course

• Developing course outline– Based on existing training from

Washington DVR and Oregon OVRS– Taught by former VR counselors now

working at administrative level in state VR– Emphasis on field-based scenarios from

real cases (names changed for confidentiality)

The Case Management Course

• Spans the entire VR process

• Scenarios based on actual clients

• Special focus on eligibility and IPE development

• Emphasis on effective case documentation and decision making

The Case Management Course

Sample exercise: Daria • Group process builds negotiation skills• Incorporates theory taught in previous

coursework• Mimics peer-support case

staffing/review common in the field• Requires students to view consumer’s

needs holistically

Active Learning!

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Voices From the Bridge

Michelle Smith, WA DVR Counselor“The case management

class opened my eyes to what VRCs really do

on the job.” “I was able to walk into

my internship with a competent knowledge…

I required very little additional instruction to prepare me for my daily

case management tasks.”

Michelle Smith, WA DVR Counselor“I was surprised by the eligibility process. I had

assumed [it] would be pretty black and white but soon realized it is

not…discussing this in a group setting helped me

grasp the ethical challenges that come

with determining eligibility while in OOS.”

Mahala Sloan, Alaska VR Counselor“The case management

class provided a basic foundation of tools that I was able to

understand and use during my internship

at the Division of Vocational

Rehabilitation Office.”

Mahala Sloan, Alaska VR Counselor“I enjoyed the hands-on

work and the projects that were provided.”

“I was able to apply my knowledge from this

course to my internship.”

Amberly Ruck, Vocational Consultant“The class provided some

of the most meaningful exposure to the VR

process in the rehabilitation counselor

program.”“[It] was a most essential

class in preparation for vocational rehabilitation

services delivery.”

Amberly Ruck, Vocational Consultant“The familiarization of ORCA ‘best practices’…

played a large role in bridging the gap

between the graduate program and work as an

intern…and made [agency-based training

during internship] easier to grasp or master.”

Jaime Silva, OVRS Counselor

Steve Cooper, Intern

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Beyond the Bridge

Advantages for Students

• Capstone course– Last course before formal internship – Utilizes collective knowledge/skills from major RCE

coursework– Jump start for internship – ready for cases

• Hands-on opportunity with a “real life” automated case load

• Ability to compare/contrast two different state agencies: one in order of selection (OOS) and one not in OOS

Advantages for VR State Agencies

• Students arrive in the field with basic skills• Collaboration strengthens both the DSU and

the training program• Easier to assess students’ potential as

employees• “Hot topics” in the field are included in

students’ professional development

Advantages for WOU RCE Program

• Application of "best practices" from the field

• New CORE standards support direct application to persons with disabilities

• Evidence of partnering for RSA grants• Shared resources and expertise • Just plain "fun"

Lessons Learned

• Expect the unexpected

• Plan for the unexpected

• Continuous quality improvement

• Refine and update (surveys)

Remember to have fun!

Changes for Future Course Offering

• Move class for “lab day” to the state agency site (on-site computer usage)

• Run through individual student ORCA case load the week before and the day before “lab day”

• Continue to develop the course content based on feedback from former students

• Adapt content to keep current with best practices, Federal Regulations, CORE Standards and other influences

How Will YOU Build Bridges?

• What can you take to your home state?

• Any ideas on what you might try to implement?