Employment Policy:What’s the Next Step?

The 23rd Annual APSE Conference

Arlington, VA

June 27, 2012

EMPLOYMENT

• What is Employment First?• Why is it important?

POLICY

PRACTICE

OUTCOMES

EMPLOYMENTH.B. 2336

Sect. 1 (b) It is hereby declared to be the policy of the state of Kansas that competitive and integrated employment shall be considered its first optionwhen serving persons with disabilities who are of working age to obtain employment. This policy applies to programs and services that provide services and support to help obtain employment for persons with disabilities.All state agencies shall follow this policy and ensure that it is effectively implemented in their programs and services. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require any employer to give preference to hiring people with a disability.

H.B. 2336 (cont.)

• “Sec. 2. (a) All state agencies shall coordinate efforts and shall collaborate within and among such agencies to ensure that state programs, policies, procedures and funding support competitive and integrated employment of individuals with disabilities.”

• Sec. 2. (a) … “All state agencies shall, whenever feasible, share data and information across systems in order to track progress toward full implementation of the act.”

EMPLOYMENT

• What are the key parts of the law?– Sets official policy– 4 key requirements of State Agencies– Competitive and integrated employment is first option– Policy is effectively implemented in all programs and

services– State programs, policies, procedures, and funding

support competitive and integrated employment– Data sharing

– Establishes the Commission– Gives Commission oversight powers

What Factors Contributed to Where We are Today?– Active self-advocate involvement– Clear and consistent messaging– Framing of the argument– Built on foundation of consensus– Strong stakeholder support– Introduction & on-going promotion to legislature – Message of workforce development, cost-benefit,

and accountability– Legislative advocacy & on the ground navigation

activities

How are we moving beyond policy?

• On-going work group• Address issues• Oversight Commission• Self Advocates Coalition of Kansas• Families Together• Let others know – get the message out• Acknowledge and respond• Employment First website• Second Employment Summit• Build on energy & excitement

What is happening after legislation?

ISSUES OVERSIGHT PRACTICE

WORK GROUP GEICOMMIS-

SION

How is the Work Group Addressing Issues ?

• Expanded representation• Monthly meetings• Information gathered from other states• Provider survey• Tackling funding rates and incentives• Job coach certification• Defined vision of system • Support to Commission

What are the Work Group’srecommendations?

• Revise reimbursement procedures (# hours)• Incentivize rates for providers (VR and HCBS)• Bonus to providers (placements & retention)• HCBS payments based on outcomes

Recommendations (cont.)

• Public data-based recognition of providers• Explore a new waiver for employment services• Funding & resources support best practices• Staff participate in 10 hours training per year• Conduct an employment services rate study

How is the Commission providing oversight?

• Oversees the implementation of the policy• Identified and work with state agency liaisons• Provides annual report – Progress toward goals & objectives– Barriers to achieving outcomes– Effective strategies and policies

• Stakeholder input and feedback

What is the commission’s strategy for measuring

progress?• Established 5 goals with 16 measureable

objectives organized under each of the four key requirements

• Collect data from state agencies on their activities and progress• Developed a Kansas Score Card based upon

the standards identified in the AFP Score Card• Assess score annually• Report to Governor and Legislators annually

What is GEI doing to promote practice?

• Data-based decision making• Evidence of best practices• Addressing funding and service delivery issues• Training and technical assistance model• Products and resources• Identifying effective organizational change

strategies• Statewide expansion

What is the purpose of GEI?

Funded by VR to:•Expand capacity•Promote best practices•Address service delivery issues•Create systems change– That results in:

• Integrated competitive employment outcomes• Cultural, organizational, service delivery & outcome shifts• Provisions for replication and sustainability

What is the gei TA plan?

Comprehensive set of activities focused on:Start UpSkill DevelopmentBuilding capacityImplementationReplication/Sustainability

How is GEI different?

ReferralTraditional NewName, barriers History, work

experience, functional characteristics

Action: More information, referral packets, person centered support plans, expedited process, “living document”

Assessment/Discovery

Traditional• CBWA (if authorized, 80

hours, no training or support), job prep

• Question: Can this person work? Can this person do the job? Response to specific questions.

• Back to VR for referral/authorization

New• Getting to know the person,

situational assessments, job coach training & support, identification of contacts

• Question: What is this individual’s skills, interests, preferences, and support needs?

• Fluid process

Job Development

Traditional

• Applications, Taking individual to develop employer contacts, job openings, interviews, job tryout

• Question: What employer will hire this individual?

New• General job development in

areas of interest, explore labor market, specific employer contacts, selling you/services and individual competencies, creative placement strategies (carve & create jobs, resource ownership, self-employment)

• Question: What is the best job match for this individual?

Job Training

Traditional• Job placement (maybe 20 hours of job coaching, if TA used then only a check of completion, support when available)

• Question: Can this individual do the job independently?

New• Job placement (instructional plan, task analysis, systematic instruction, 100 hours of job coaching, compensatory strategies, assistive technology, fading schedule)• Question: Is my training and support effective in teaching this individual to perform the job to the employer’s standards?

On-Going Support

Traditional• Extended services plan (natural supports, employer contacts, begins at 90 days after stabilization)

• Question: Can this individual stay employed?

New• Individual Support Plan (minimum of two visits a month, team involvement, data-based decision making, begins when individual is performing job to employer’s standards and fading schedule has been implemented)• Question: What does this individual need to stay employed?

Where is it being implemented?

• Two demonstration sites– Sedgwick County Developmental Disability Organ.• Urban• 90 individuals• Five providers

– Disability Planning Organization of Kansas• Rural• 20 individuals• One provider

How are skills being developed?

KUCDD & VCU RRTC Training Opportunities:• Two “kick off” workshops (150 + participants)• Four web course sessions on SE (38 individuals

have earned ACRE certification, 2nd in nation)• Three four-day internships (53 participants)• Five case manager trainings (104 participants)• Two day employer oriented training (65

participants)• Planning a KS internship with trained trainers

What support is being provided?

KUCDD & VCU Technical Assistance Activities:• Monthly team meetings at each site• Monthly TA calls• Monthly provider meetings• One-on-one with job coaches• Facilitation of employment team meetings• Sharing of resources and tools• Access to mentors• “Walk thru” the process with each person

What is being done to build capacity?

• Change organizational culture• Elevate status of job coaches• Individual assistance with each organization to

plan & address their specific issues• Focus on each group & their unique needs• Build outside support and team approach• Increase staff time and numbers• Train a champion within each organization

What data are being collected?

KUCDD & VCU Evaluation Measures:•Pre and post needs assessment•Training evaluations•Employee satisfaction & Vocational integration•Qualitative case studies (individual, organization, & systems)•Participant outcome tracking (117 individuals, 647 intervention hours in Feb., 494 in Jan.)

What are the outcomes?• 17 Placements

– Dillons X 4– Goodwill X 2– Target– McDonalds X 2– Burger King– Collegiate High School– Walgreens– Carpenter Place– House of Hope– Car Dealership X 2– WalMart– Core Industry– Self-Employment (Cleaning X 2 – in development)• 6 Unsuccessful (Carnego & Sons, Clothing Boutique, AT & T, Appletrees, Exacto Aerospace, Dillons)

What are the accomplishments?

• Enhanced collaboration & communication• Shared meanings of terms• Change in organizational practices• Consistency in service provision• Team approach• Case manager roles• VR flexibility• More staff; More providers• Asking a different set of questions• New VR fee for service• Exciting examples of demonstration

What are the challenges?

• True belief: Can people work?• Staff time commitment• Organizational capacity• Changing everything fast enough• Embedded in old ways of doing things (“this is

the way we’ve always done it”)• Not operating from “what does it take”• Delays in establishing new fee for service• Time frame for systems change

What does the future hold?

WORK GROUP

COMMIS-SION

GEI

StatewideImplmentation

Outcomes

What are your thoughts?

For more information, contact

Wendy Parent - JohnsonKansas University Center on

Developmental DisabilitiesUniversity of Kansas1000 Sunnyside Ave, Rm. 1052Lawrence, KS 66045(785) 864-1062wparent@ku.edu