Summary of Input and Recommendations of the State Rehabilitation Council; Response of the Designated State Unit; and Explanation for Rejection of Input or Recommendations: Attachment 4.2(c)

The State Rehabilitation Council (SRC) gives advice and works in partnership with the Office of Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities (VESID). Together, the SRC and VESID partner to ensure that individuals with disabilities receive appropriate, timely and effective vocational rehabilitation services. The SRC accomplishes its responsibilities and activities through the work of its committees: the Executive Committee; the Membership Committee; the Policy and Procedures Committee; the Quality Assurance and Improvement Committee; and the Workforce Development Committee. The SRC Chairperson, Committee Chairpersons and the VESID SRC Liaison constitute the Executive Committee that establishes committee priorities based on their strategic planning and the statutory obligations of the SRC.

VESID and the SRC work cooperatively in setting the policy direction for the delivery of vocational rehabilitation services for eligible New Yorkers with disabilities. VESID and the SRC use a team approach to policy development, community agency collaboration and State Plan development. This year, the SRC and VESID continued to shepherd the implementation of a new and expanded set of vocational rehabilitation core services available to consumers. Following substantive input from New York State community rehabilitation programs, the SRC and a broad base of consumer advocacy organizations, VESID implemented its revised Unified Contract Services (UCS) as of January 1, 2009.

The following is a summary of input and recommendations of the State Rehabilitation Council and the VESID response to the recommendations provided between October 1, 2007 and September 30, 2008:

SRC Recommendation: The SRC requested technical assistance with regard to development of the SRC annual report for the period from October 1, 2007 - September 30, 2008.
VESID Response: VESID provided a comprehensive data set of services and related evaluation findings. (e.g., RSA performance indicators) to assist in the development of the SRC annual report.

SRC Recommendation: SRC requested VESID update the SRC website.
VESID Response: VESID updated the SRC website to include new council members and posting of the SRC’s most recent annual report. http://www.vesid.nysed.gov/src/home.html

SRC Recommendation: In response to a strict hiring freeze imposed by the Governor, the SRC wrote to the Governor and key State policymakers pointing to the critical shortage of certified rehabilitation counselors and argued for a VESID exemption.
VESID Response: Pursuant to VESID and SED negotiations with the Governor’s office, VESID was granted additional flexibility in the hiring of vocational rehabilitation counselors.

SRC Recommendation: SRC requested comprehensive data on service delivery for VESID consumers in receipt of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).
VESID Response: VESID provided comprehensive data on services and outcomes for consumers in receipt of SSI and/or SSDI (e.g., SSI/SSDI VESID participants constitute 29% of all open cases and constitute 45% of case service expenditures).

SRC Recommendation: VESID should undertake targeted strategies to improve employment outcomes for SSI/SSDI recipients given the additional barriers to employment faced by these populations.
VESID Response: As part of the Unified Contract Services (UCS) redesign, reforms benefits counseling options were expanded and reimbursement for these services were enhanced. Currently, 21 independent living centers contract with VESID to provide benefits counseling statewide.

As part of VESID’s commitment to the Most Integrated Settings Coordinating Council’s (MISCC) Employment Committee, VESID has agreed to partner with Cornell University, the NYS Office of Mental Health and the NYS Department of Health to administer the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) NYS Medicaid Infrastructure Grant (MIG) that will increase the availability and quality of work incentive counseling statewide.

SRC Recommendation: SRC requested an update on the VESID Model Transition Program (MTP) and provided feedback on the staff development needs of project personnel. The MTPs are demonstration projects in 60 school districts and 180 schools statewide. The MTPs were developed to identify and implement best practices in support of students transitioning from school to adult life. The SRC also requests that the materials developed by University of Buffalo to train all the transition partners be made available to school districts and other providers.
VESID Response: A key component of the MTP initiative includes ongoing evaluation by Cornell University’s Employment and Disabilities Institute. VESID arranged a presentation to the SRC by Ms. Ann Karpur, who reviewed the evaluation protocols and provided the SRC with preliminary data.

Another key component of the MTP initiative includes staff development administered by SUNY Buffalo. VESID arranged for Ms. Ann Spisiak from SUNY Buffalo to provide a description of various training modules that are available. The training materials developed by the University of Buffalo will be made available electronically to school districts and other providers.

SRC Recommendation: SRC requested a review of VESID’s memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the City University of New York (CUNY), which provides funding for the Linking Employment and Disability Services (LEADS) project. LEADS is a model partnership with the City University of New York to provide enhanced vocational rehabilitation (VR) outreach and supports to students with disabilities through campus-based disabled student service offices. The SRC requests that outcome data from this project be reviewed to determine the effectiveness of the program.
VESID Response: VESID arranged for an SRC presentation by LEADS principal administrators Barbara Bookman and Roberta Adelman. The SRC strongly endorsed the model and was impressed with the caliber of staff associated with the initiative. The SRC endorsed the project’s emphasis on improved utilization of career counseling available to all students at CUNY and the project’s emphasis on summer paid internships in partnership with VESID. Data will be reviewed and shared with the SRC.

SRC Recommendation: SRC continued to serve as an active partner in the development of VESID policies. The three key policies revised during the reporting period included: VESID college policy, Youth in School Transition policy and the Work Try Out and On the Job Training (OJT) policy.
VESID Response: VESID included SRC representation on stakeholder work teams that provided input to VESID on every stage of the policy development process. The SRC strongly endorsed VESID sponsorship commensurate with SUNY tuition costs, earlier involvement by the VR counselor during the transition process and promoting more frequent use of the Work Try Out/OJT service options statewide.

VESID worked with the SRC Policy and Planning Committee on these and related policy development matters.

SRC Recommendation: VESID should establish a system of performance indicators to evaluate the utilization and effectiveness of UCS services.
VESID Response: VESID is currently developing a UCS procedure report card that will serve as the primary instrument for ongoing UCS program evaluation. VESID provided the SRC Quality Assurance Committee with ongoing updates and progress in implementing this system of UCS evaluation.

SRC Recommendation: VESID should pursue State statutory authorization to secure earnings data from the NYS Department of Labor (DOL) through their employment database.
VESID Response: VESID was successful in amending State Labor Law to include VESID and the Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped (CBVH) access to earnings data that will serve as a quality indicator for case services and program evaluation.

SRC Recommendation: VESID should initiate additional efforts to undertake comprehensive and cost effective methods of outreach to engage to employers across New York.
VESID Response: The SRC Workforce Committee has made employer outreach a priority and has worked closely with VESID’s statewide marketing manager to craft a media strategy in partnership with one of the NYS Public Broadcasting System (PBS) television stations, WHMT. On April 17, 2009, New York State’s #1 in-depth public affairs program New York Now, featuring news, interviews and analysis from the Capital hosted by Susan Arbetter aired a nine minute segment called “He said, VESID”. The segment featured two of VESID’s business partners (Addeco and Ebizdocs); VESID’s Manager of VR Policy and Partnerships and a VESID consumer who received VESID services and was able to return to work after a significant brain injury. New York Now is broadcasted statewide by all nine PBS stations, which make the show accessible to be seen across New York State. Additional efforts to market New York Now were made by posting new releases about the program and broadcast times to both internal and external stakeholders.

SRC Recommendation: VESID should work more closely with veteran service organizations and the Veterans Administration (VA) to provide comprehensive supports for all veterans and with particular emphasis on veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) conflicts.
VESID Response: VESID facilitated a presentation to the SRC by Jim McDonough, Commissioner of the NYS Division of Veterans Affairs. Commissioner McDonough reviewed priorities for his new administration and encouraged a partnership with VESID. Subsequently, VESID has convened a veterans’ workgroup representing all levels of the organization to identify best practices and cross systems staff development needs. VESID is also represented on workgroups of the NYS Council on Returning Veterans and Their Families. A draft VESID Action Plan for Veteran Services has been developed and the SRC has received regular progress reports in this important area.