Supported Employment Questions and Answers

TO: Supported Employment Provider Agencies

FROM: William A. Deschenes

SUBJECT: Training for Supported Employment Providers

DATE: February 10, 2006

 As you know from an earlier "save-the-date" e-mail, VESID will be partnering with the NYS Association for Persons in Supported Employment (APSE) at their annual meeting in Lake Placid on April 30-May2, 1006. VESID has long been an active participant in this meeting as it is the only statewide meeting solely for the purpose of discussing supported employment issues and it includes substantial participation by consumers, their families and direct-service supported employment staff.

 This year, VESID has expanded its involvement in the APSE meeting for the following reasons:

• VESID has a new contract with SUNY-Buffalo to conduct a statewide Supported Employment Needs Assessment during the next several months. That completed assessment will lead to a new RFP for the provision of direct supported employment training services later this year. This meeting will be one opportunity for input into that process.
• New VESID supported employment contracts will begin on July 1, 2006, and we want to hold informal discussions with providers to discuss reporting, authorization and other programmatic issues as they pertain to supported employment.

 While we look forward to our participation at the APSE meeting, please note that this will not be the only opportunity for participation in these discussions.  We understand that not every supported employment provider can go to the APSE meeting.  Accordingly, SUNY-Buffalo will be contacting each supported employment provider agency directly for input into the Training Needs Assessment. In addition, VESID will be coordinating other regional meetings, probably in May, which will duplicate the regional discussions for both training needs assessment and programmatic issues, as noted above. These meetings will be conducted in the Downstate area and in other parts of the state, as required to assure full input. More details are to follow.