State’s Strategies and Use of Title I Funding for Innovation and Expansion Activities: Attachment 4.11(d)

VESID reserves and uses a portion of federal funds allocated under Section 110 of the Rehabilitation Act for innovation and expansion (IandE) activities, including support of the needs assessment, equitable access and technology. In addition to specific innovation and expansion activities as required, VESID is engaged in many strategic initiatives to expand and improve services to individuals with disabilities which are described in detail in this attachment.

Council Support

Funds are allocated for the operation of the State Rehabilitation Council (SRC) to meet the goals and objectives that it sets forth in its resource plan. The SRC is a full and active partner in the development of VESID policies, regulations and procedures. The mission of the SRC is to objectively review, analyze, guide and communicate with other entities on behalf of individuals with disabilities, including the Commissioner of the New York State Education Department and VESID. The SRC assists VESID in fulfilling the requirements of the Federal Rehabilitation Act for the delivery of quality, consumer- responsive vocational rehabilitation services.

Funds are allocated to the New York State Independent Living Council (SILC) for the operation of the Council to coordinate statewide independent living activities. The SILC, which is composed of members who represent a broad range of individuals with disabilities, has established an office in Albany to coordinate statewide meetings, training and public relations for all independent living centers (ILCs).

Technology

VESID has policies that delineate how assistive technology services and assistive technology devices will be provided to individuals with disabilities at each stage of the rehabilitation process. Rehabilitation technology is an individualized service that assists individuals with disabilities to achieve full participation in education, rehabilitation, employment, transportation, independent living, and recreation. VESID supports rehabilitation technology that is necessary to achieve the individual's vocational objectives and goals.

An individual's need for rehabilitation technology is considered at any stage of the vocational rehabilitation process. When determining an individual's eligibility and vocational rehabilitation needs, rehabilitation technology is provided if necessary to assess and develop an individual's capacity to perform in a work environment. Before an individual is determined ineligible because he or she cannot benefit from services, rehabilitation technology must be considered.

VESID uses VR funds for assistive technology at every stage of the rehabilitation process, through purchase, lease or loan to eligible consumers who otherwise could not access services. Two VESID policies that provide in depth information about the provision of a broad range of technology services are 1370.00 Rehabilitation Technology Policy and 441.00 Vehicle Modifications, Adaptive and Automotive Equipment Policy.

Effective January 1, 2009, VESID will have executed new service contracts, called the Unified Contract System or UCS, in place with community rehabilitation programs. Some of these contracts will contain provisions for assistive technology services from those qualified providers. In developing the new contacts, VESID developed updated definitions of the service, established new rates, revised staff qualification and standards for service delivery and outcomes. VESID expects that this will significantly improve service delivery to consumers.

VESID is using technology to improve service delivery to consumers. VESID also allocates a portion of the I and E funds to improve its electronic case management system in order to reduce the administrative burdens placed on counseling staff, thereby making access to services simpler and quicker. In addition, VESID has initiated work teams to develop recommendations and an implementation plan related to:

A new VR fiscal management system, which is under development, will contribute to achieving VESID’s overall goals and priorities. This project is called the VR Fiscal Management Project, and a consulting firm has been involved in helping VESID complete the “as is” analysis and looking for improvement opportunities in these processes that can have a profound effect on service delivery. This analysis will become the basis for designing a new fiscal system that will be integrated with the case management system; and,
An on-line application process that would allow consumer to apply for VESID services through the Internet.

Outreach To Individuals with Disabilities who are Minorities

As a result of the finding in the VESID’s Comprehensive Assessment of Needs in the FFY 2008 State Plan, VESID and the SRC decided to initiate strategies to address issues raised by the study for all major populations in the State who have Limited English Proficiency. VESID, with the participation of the SRC, has established a Limited English Proficiency Work Team to review the multiple language needs of its consumers. The initial strategies employed by this group are:

The identification of fundamental written informational materials and key documents for translation that are used in the development and implementation of the vocational rehabilitation process;
Spanish is New York State’s second most fluent language and VESID has been concentrating on Spanish speaking populations in the State, while identifying the needs of several other non-English language needs;
Identification of the most effective means of providing interpretation services, both in person and by telephone at key points in the vocational rehabilitation process, such as the development and implementation of an IPE;
Develop updated procedures for procuring language translation services; and
Provide training to VESID’s vocational rehabilitation counselors to ensure their ability to access language translation services.

The Work Team will be implementing specific changes in paper and electronic materials available and the procedures for obtaining translation services when meeting with consumers.

VESID will share this information as it continues to work with community rehabilitation programs and Independent Living Centers to ensure that they have the staff training, outreach capacity and commitment to meet the needs of the State’s minority populations.

Currently VESID’s marketing materials are provided in English and Spanish, and may in the future reflect several other languages.

Outreach to Serve Individuals with Disabilities who have been Unserved or Underserved

Students with disabilities have been identified as a priority population for VESID and VESID has worked to increase access for students with disabilities into the vocational rehabilitation system at an earlier age. VESID has identified youth with disabilities that will transition from secondary schools to adult service and employment as an underserved population, although VESID data substantiate that close to one-third of our current caseload were youth at application. The coordination of meaningful transition services for students with disabilities from school age to postsecondary settings is a priority area for vocational rehabilitation and special education collaboration. VESID’s special education and vocational rehabilitation program managers jointly review and share training information and, when relevant, coordinate efforts by inviting our respective staff to training on transition, accommodations, assessment and knowledge of specific disabilities.

VESID works closely with schools to enable the smooth transition of students with disabilities from school to work. Most promising is the continued increase in employment outcomes for youth. In the FFY 2008 State Plan Attachment 4.11(c)(1) States Goals and Priorities, VESID established two specific goals related to outcomes for youth and a goal to demonstrate increased wages for VESID participants who engage in postsecondary education and training.

Several strategic actions have been implemented to increase the number of transition students participating in vocational rehabilitation services and to increase their achievement of quality employment outcomes. VESID is focused on aligning the internal changes in VR policies with the development of partnerships with the secondary schools and postsecondary institutions within the State. These strategic actions are:

The Youth in School Transition Policy was issued on August 1, 2008 and reinforces the commitment that the VESID vocational rehabilitation counselor begins working with students with disabilities two years prior to the student’s expected school exit.
The College Policy revision in April 2007 increased funding for college tuition expenditures as well as required fees and actual costs for books. The enactment of this policy has resulted in a significant increase of VESID sponsorship of students with disabilities by an additional 4,100 consumers by the close of FFY 2008.
The Model Transition Program (MTP) provides funding for 60 projects that include more than 150 private and public high schools to develop school-wide plans, activities and programs to facilitate the transition of students with disabilities to post-secondary placements. These placements include college, vocational training programs and competitive employment with and without supports. The primary goal of the MTP is to facilitate future employment opportunities for students with disabilities. At the end of this three-year project, successful transition strategies will be identified and shared with high schools throughout the State.
The CUNY Linking Employment, Academics, and Disability Services (LEADS) has been developed with the City University of New York (CUNY), providing funding to 17 campuses throughout the five boroughs of New York City. Through this MOU, VESID and CUNY are collaborating to provide employment-related services to students with disabilities enrolled on designated CUNY campuses. Funds are being used to support employment teams to provide services on each campus, facilitating both the educational and employment process of students with disabilities with the goal of competitive employment. It is expected that as many as 3,000 students with disabilities over a three-year period will become VR eligible and available for competitive employment.

In addition to a focus on serving youth, VESID has several other initiatives and strategic activities described in this attachment and in other sections of the State Plan aimed at improving services to unserved and underserved populations. VESID sustains strong interagency partnerships in New York State and is an active participant in the following strategic activities:

the NYS Most Integrated Setting Coordinating Council (MISCC) and chairing the Employment Committee of that Council;
the Adult Issues and System Coordination Committees of the NYS Developmental Disabilities Planning Council;
the Business Advisory Council of the Mental Health Association of New York State;
the Mental Health Planning Advisory Council of the NYS Office of Mental Health; and
the NYS Department of Health Traumatic Brain Injury Coordinating Council.

Through participation in these Councils and their respective networks of consumers, families and providers, VESID is able to continuously improve its responsiveness to the needs of these populations. Through its leadership on the MISCC Employment Committee, VESID and the membership of the Employment Committee, which consists of representatives from consumer, advocacy and statewide organizations, community rehabilitation programs, independent living centers, public schools and colleges and State agencies, adopted the following vision statement in May 2008:

All people can work. New York State, in partnership with the whole community, will exercise leadership to advance prospects for employment and economic self-sufficiency of all individuals with disabilities. Resources will be directed or redirected to realize this vision of integrated competitive employment. Individuals with disabilities will have the opportunity to contribute to and benefit from the economic vitality of the workforce. Employers will view individuals with disabilities as valued employees in their recruitment and hiring efforts.

Improving Community Rehabilitation Programs

VESID is working to continuously improve the capacity and service delivery of community rehabilitation programs, including supported employment services to individuals with the most significant disabilities:

Unified Contract Services (UCS) Redesign. VESID provides a wide array of vocational rehabilitation services through community rehabilitation programs. This initiative reviewed VESID’s vocational rehabilitation process and functions, made adjustments to meet emerging needs, responded to changes in the larger federally funded vocational rehabilitation services system, and reassessed the utilization of resources. The UCS Steering Committee recognized that the current contract VESID uses to purchase services does not: offer sufficient consumer choice options; adequately compensate for services purchased; assess provider effectiveness, which is critical in assisting VESID and its consumers in making informed decisions regarding all providers, both current and new; or allow for the timely approval for new providers based on consumer need. The new UCS will address these issues for many of the key disability-related services that are purchased from vendors. Purchased services under the new UCS contract include: services to assist with entry into the VESID program; assessment services; assistive technology/rehabilitation services; work readiness services; job placement services; driver rehabilitation services and related adjunct services; such as benefits counseling; non job-related coaching supports; mobility training; and transportation. The new contracts are effective January 1, 2009.
Supported Employment Training Institute (SETI). A contract was awarded to the SUNY-Buffalo Research Foundation to establish a Supported Employment Training Institute. This is a five-year training initiative to provide instruction to community rehabilitation providers in a variety of supported employment related topics. During the past six months, SETI provided over 47 workshops to community rehabilitation providers. Additionally, SETI will produce the course catalog and complete the development of the SETI website which will be a knowledge resource for VR counselors, job developers and job coaches in community rehabilitation programs.
Supported Employment Provider Guidelines. VESID revised and re-issued these guidelines in May 2008 in anticipation of scheduled quality assurance and monitoring reviews to be conducted over the next year.
Supported Employment Contract Redesign For FFY 2010. In anticipation of new Supported Employment contracts beginning in FFY 2010, VESID is developing the new Supported Employment contracts that will include performance-based funding strategies, updated standards for supported employment services and protocols to evaluate those standards.
Chapter 515 Interagency Implementation Team. VESID has established and leads the Chapter 515 Interagency Implementation Team consisting of VESID, CBVH, OMH and OMRDD which meets monthly on supported employment issues. The Team is working to assure cooperative implementation of the State Education Chapter 515 Integrated Employment law. Chapter 515 primarily focuses upon supported employment, including a memorandum of understanding which outlines the responsibilities of each agency in terms of intensive and extended services. This past year, the group focused its efforts on improving the Chapter 515 Annual Report and strengthening reporting through the existing New York Interagency Supported Employment Reporting System (NYISER). Resulting changes to the system are expected to ease the reporting burden on providers and lead to better collection of data on the statewide supported employment program. The Team is also working to improve the assessment of needs of individuals with the most significant disabilities, including their need for supported employment and developing collaborative strategies to conduct that assessment. The State Fiscal Year 2007 Chapter 515 Report is available at: www.vesid.nysed.gov/current_provider_information/vocational_rehabilitation/chapter_515/about.htm

Strategies to Improve the Performance Related to Goals, Priorities and Performance Indicators

Goal 1.1.1: Increase the total number of individuals who achieve an employment outcome (RSA Performance Indicator 1.1).

The employment outcome numbers are influenced by many factors, including the overall economic climate in the State. Significant loss of jobs from the financial and banking industry and the dramatic loss of manufacturing jobs continued.

Strategies:

Study emerging work markets to increase employment opportunities.
Follow labor market trends for employment growth and opportunity.
More supervisory oversight combined with the formation of service delivery teams, including the VR counselor assistants.
VESID district offices have developed expedited application and job save (“Placement Express”) models to more quickly engage consumers in services.
VESID college policy and procedures were revised to promote greater participation in postsecondary education and training leading to higher wage employment.

Goal 1.1.2: Increase the total number of youth (applicants at age 14 – 21) who achieve an employment outcome.

Strategies:

As a strategy, VESID continues to focus on its outreach efforts to youth in transition; the overall increase in youth currently served is a promising indicator that we will continue to increase employment outcomes in future years.
Serve youth with disabilities at an earlier age. Youth accounted for a significant portion of the overall increase in employment outcomes.
Continue to coordinate and work closely with school to increase in school-age referrals.
Revised the Youth-in-School Transition Policy to promote better transition practices.
Stronger local partnerships with school districts and postsecondary institutions should lead to more skilled, higher wage employment with career paths.

Goal 1.2.1: Increase the percentage of individuals exiting the VR program after receiving services who achieve an employment outcome and exceed the national standard of 55.8 percent (Performance Indicator 1.2).

Strategies:

District Offices will direct VRC efforts to increase employment outcomes. The strategies include improvement in service delivery through the work of VR counselors and counselor assistants. The challenge is to sustain this performance during the current economic downturn.
Sustain strong interagency partnerships in New York.
Identify job ready consumers and move them quickly into job placement services.
Stronger local partnerships with school districts and postsecondary institutions should lead to more skilled, higher wage employment with career paths.

Goal 1.2.2: Increase the percentage of youth with disabilities (applicants at age 14-21) exiting the VR program after receiving services who achieve an employment outcome and exceed the national standard of 55.8 percent. (variation on RSA Performance Indicator 1.2).

Strategies:

VESID VRCs have increased outreach to the youth population;
Several strategic actions have been implemented to increase the number of transition students participating in vocational rehabilitation services and to increase their achievement of quality employment outcomes. Refer to previous sections of this attachment regarding: Youth in School Transition Policy, The College Policy revision in April 2007 that increased funding for college tuition expenditures as well as required fees, the CUNY Linking Employment, Academics, and Disability Services (LEADS) and the MTP project.
VESID has continued to engage the Transition Policy Development Team to refine guidance to the field.

Goal 1.3: Increase the percentage of individuals achieving an employment outcome who earn at least minimum wage (RSA Performance Indicator 1.3) and exceed the national standard of 72.6 percent.

Strategies:

Develop stronger local partnerships with school districts and postsecondary institutions should lead to more skilled, higher wage employment with career paths
VESID expects tangible results related to increased access to the full range of one stop services for VESID consumers as well as other individuals with disabilities seeking employment.
VESID, through its MOU with NYSDOL will work to assist individuals to access higher wage demand occupations.

Goal 1.4: Increase the percentage of individuals having significant disabilities who achieve competitive employment (RSA Performance Indicator 1.4) and exceed the national standard of 62.4 percent.

Strategies:

Sustain a strong infrastructure to competently serve these individuals through its partnerships with the State offices for mental health, developmental disabilities, blind and visually impaired and alcoholism and substance abuse services.
Establish stronger local partnerships with school districts and postsecondary institutions that should lead to more skilled, higher wage employment with career paths.

Goal 1.5.1: Increase the average hourly earnings of individuals employed after receiving VESID services when compared to the average hourly earnings of all employed individuals in the State and approach the national benchmark ratio of .52. (RSA Performance Indicator 1.5 - Average hourly earnings of individuals employed through VESID who earn at least minimum wage compared to the average hourly earnings of all employed individuals in the State)

There are many structural forces in the New York State economy that make it challenging for VESID consumers to earn a livable wage. Many of the individuals served by VESID, given the economic need criteria for many VESID services, are low income individuals. A high percentage of individuals served by VESID are determined to have significant and most significant disabilities. The wide gap in wage distribution in New York State also makes this performance measure particularly problematic for VESID and its consumers.

Strategies:

Strategies include promoting greater participation in postsecondary training and education. VESID still expects that this strategy will eventually yield more significant increases in average wage, even if the .52 benchmark is not achieved.
Develop stronger local partnerships with school districts and postsecondary institutions should lead to more skilled, higher wage employment with career paths.
VESID has begun to examine other benchmarks for earnings and self-suffiency, such as the number of individuals whose earnings exceed the 200% of poverty level.

Goal 1.5.2: Increase the average hourly earnings of individuals employed after participating in postsecondary training when compared to the average hourly earnings of all employed individuals in the State and exceed the national benchmark ratio of .52 (Variation on RSA Performance Indicator 1.5).

One factor that might account for lower wages is that VESID job seekers, while gaining postsecondary training to increase their overall wages, may still be at a disadvantage in comparison to their non-disabled counterparts who may have more work experience, in addition to training, upon entering the job market. Job seekers without disabilities may be tapping into the higher wage opportunities at a greater rate than job seekers with disabilities.

Strategies:

VESID will continue to use the strategy of supporting higher education as a means to higher wage employment and careers.
In consultation with the SRC Workforce Committee, VESID will continue efforts to promote awareness and acceptance among employers regarding the skills and abilities of people with disabilities as employees.

Goal 1.6: Of all individuals who achieve paid employment, increase the percentage of individuals who report their own income as the largest single source of economic support at the time they exit the VR program when compared to what was reported at application.
(RSA Performance Indicator 1.6 is the percentage increase of individuals who report their own income as largest single source of economic support from the time of application for VESID services to the time of successful closure in employment with earnings of at least minimum wage. The national standard is a difference greater than or equal to 53 percent.)

Strategies:

Enhanced collaboration with benefits counseling providers to provide benefits counseling early in the VR process and the use of work incentives provisions at placement. Inclusion of benefits counseling as a defined set of services in the new UCS contracts will make this service more widely available to VESID consumers and should yield an increase in earnings at closure.

Goal 2.1: The service rate for individuals from minority backgrounds will exceed the national standard and will be comparable to the service rate for individuals not from minority backgrounds (RSA Performance Indicator 2.1, national standard >= .80).

Strategies:

Identify fundamental written informational materials and key documents for translation that are used in the development and implementation of the vocational rehabilitation process.
Concentrate on Spanish speaking populations in the State, while identifying the needs of several other non-English language needs, particularly Russian, Mandarin Chinese and Haitian-Creole.
Identify the most effective means of providing interpretation services, both in person and by telephone at key points in the vocational rehabilitation process, such as the development and implementation of an IPE.
Develop updated procedures for procuring language translation services.
Provide training to VESID’s vocational rehabilitation counselors to ensure their ability to access language translation services.
VESID is serving a high percentage of individuals with significant disabilities and has developed a strong infrastructure to competently serve these individuals through its partnerships with the State offices for mental health, developmental disabilities, blind and visually impaired and alcoholism and substance abuse services.

Goal 2.2: Consumer satisfaction with VESID services will increase annually toward the target of 95 percent of respondents expressing satisfaction on key questions contained in VESID consumer satisfaction surveys.

Strategies:

A consumer satisfaction survey was conducted during FFY 2008; results again indicate that 80 percent of VESID consumers who received services under an IPE report an overall satisfaction rating of VESID services as good or very good. Eighty-four percent of the respondents would recommend VESID to someone else.

Strategies:

As VESID and the SRC Quality Assurance and Improvement Committee review and analyze the findings, they will explore what changes to policy, procedures and practice can improve the experiences of individuals with disabilities involved in VESID services. This may have implications for training of staff in customer service techniques that are relevant to the VR process. The current results reflect that VESID rehabilitation counselors follow the standards of practice for rehabilitation counseling.

No single strategy in and of itself, particularly over a relatively short period of time, will necessary result in significant changes in specific performance measures.

Consumer Satisfaction Survey

In FFY 2008, VESID conducted a survey of consumers who had completed the service delivery process sometime during the previous year and who terminated from services either employed (status 26) or not employed (status 28). The purpose of the survey was to determine the satisfaction of these consumers with the services they received from VESID, as well as the outcomes they experienced in the period of time since they left the program.

A total of 80% of VESID consumers responding to the survey were satisfied with services. About two fifths felt services were very good. Seventy-two percent felt that VESID had helped them choose a job consistent with their skills. More than 80% of consumers reported that they agreed they understood the services available to them. However only 72.5% of the survey respondents recognized they had an IEP in place. This result suggests that counselors need to emphasize the plan and planning process during counseling.

This analysis should enable us to better evaluate our strategies to date and refine them in light of our results on the performance indicators and related measures for State Plan goals and priorities.

Strategies for the Statewide Workforce Investment System To Assist Individuals with Disabilities

VESID has formed a One Stop Strategy Team consisting of VESID staff and State Rehabilitation Council representatives to develop and implement a strategy focused on enhancing VESID’s role as a partner in the One Stop System. This One Stop Strategy Team developed program standards for the Disability Program Navigators to promote greater access to one-stop services. The program standards became the basis of a recent New York State Department of Labor and VESID initiative to provide partial funding to support and enhance the effectiveness of the Disability Program Navigator (DPN) network. An MOU has been executed. VESID expects tangible results related to increased access to the full range of one stop services for VESID consumers as well as other individuals with disabilities seeking employment.

Equitable Access

VESID is committed to increasing the options for integrated employment opportunities in New York State without regard to the age, race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, military status, sex, disability, predisposing genetic characteristics, or marital status of any individual. VESID is implementing the following strategies:

VESID has professional staff able to communicate in the native language of individuals who are non-English speaking or who use other modes of communication, such as sign language. When such staff is not available, VESID contracts with outside agencies and individuals for interpreter or communication services.
VESID also ensures that vocational rehabilitation counselors are aware of how an individual's cognitive disability might affect his or her ability to participate in the vocational rehabilitation process and the need to provide supports and accommodations to these individuals in the VR process.
The VESID Limited English Proficiency Work Team, described above, is working to make sure written materials and, as needed, spoken communications, can be available in the native language of VESID consumers.