INTERAGENCY
COLLABORATION AND
PERSON-CENTERED
PLANNING
PACER Center • Session 7
© 2004 • PACER Center • Building Program Capacity
to Serve Youth with Disabilities Session 7: Interagency
Collaboration and Person-Centered Planning
Agenda
 Welcome and Introductions
 What is Collaboration?
 Person Centered Planning
 Large Group Exercise
 Community Services Panel
 Your Local WIA Program
 SSI Overview
 Questions, Evaluations and Close
© 2004 • PACER Center • Building Program Capacity
To Serve Youth with Disabilities Session 7: Interagency
Collaboration and Person-Centered Planning: Slide 1
Quote
“Coming together is a beginning,
Staying together is progress,
and working together is a success.”
--Henry Ford
© 2004 • PACER Center • Building Program Capacity
To Serve Youth with Disabilities Session 7: Interagency
Collaboration and Person-Centered Planning: Slide 2
What is Interagency Collaboration?
 A mutually beneficial and well-defined
relationship entered into by two or more
organizations to achieve common goals.
 This includes defining mutual goals,
jointly developed structure, responsibility
and sharing of resources and rewards.
© 2004 • PACER Center • Building Program Capacity
To Serve Youth with Disabilities Session 7: Interagency
Collaboration and Person-Centered Planning: Slide 3
Why Collaborate?
 Collaboration can provide access to a wide array
of prevention, treatment and support services, no
matter who provides them.
 Bring continuity to the delivery of services and
support, with trust-building relationships between
workers, clients/consumers, and family members.
 Focus resources on improved outcomes for youth
and families, based upon realistic but high
expectations for achievement.
© 2004 • PACER Center • Building Program Capacity
To Serve Youth with Disabilities Session 7: Interagency
Collaboration and Person-Centered Planning: Slide 4
Barriers to Effective Collaboration
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Lack of shared information across agencies
Piecemeal approach to providing services
Ineffectual interagency agreements
Inefficient and ineffective management
practices for establishing interagency teams
© 2004 • PACER Center • Building Program Capacity
To Serve Youth with Disabilities Session 7: Interagency
Collaboration and Person-Centered Planning: Slide 5
Is Interagency Collaboration the Solution?
Questions to ask:
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Do I need help? Is my organization able to achieve the desired
outcome single handedly?
Is there someone who can help? Are there agencies or
organizations that desire similar results with whom I can
partner?
Will they want to help? Will this collaboration also help the
other organization achieve their goals?
Is it worth the effort? Can I afford (or not afford) to spend the
time developing this relationship?
Can I use the help when it is provided? What about my
organization will have to change to work effectively with other
organizations?
© 2004 • PACER Center • Building Program Capacity
To Serve Youth with Disabilities Session 7: Interagency
Collaboration and Person-Centered Planning: Slide 6
Levels of Collaboration
 Networking
 Cooperation
 Partnership
 Coalition
 Collaboration
Source: Community Linkages Framework (UVM)
http://crs.uvm.edu/nnco/cd/subfra.htm
© 2004 • PACER Center • Building Program Capacity
To Serve Youth with Disabilities Session 7: Interagency
Collaboration and Person-Centered Planning: Slide 7
Networking
 Most informal level of collaboration
 Individuals network to
–Share information and dialogue
–Create a common understanding
© 2004 • PACER Center • Building Program Capacity
To Serve Youth with Disabilities Session 7: Interagency
Collaboration and Person-Centered Planning: Slide 8
Cooperation
Staff or agencies cooperate to
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Limit duplication of services
Match Needs
Ensure tasks are done
Leverage resources
© 2004 • PACER Center • Building Program Capacity
To Serve Youth with Disabilities Session 7: Interagency
Collaboration and Person-Centered Planning: Slide 9
Partnership
Partnerships:
 Agencies share resources to
address common issues
 Involve the decision-makers of
organizations
 Maintain autonomous leadership of
collaborating organizations
© 2004 • PACER Center • Building Program Capacity
To Serve Youth with Disabilities Session 7: Interagency
Collaboration and Person-Centered Planning: Slide 10
Coalition
Coalitions:
 Pull together resources from existing
systems
 Define roles and formalize relationships
 Share leadership
© 2004 • PACER Center • Building Program Capacity
To Serve Youth with Disabilities Session 7: Interagency
Collaboration and Person-Centered Planning: Slide 11
Collaboration
Collaborations:
 Are based on a shared vision
 Establish clear goals
 Work towards an interdependent system
 Practice consensus in decision making
 Have written interagency agreements
 Evaluate progress & outcomes
© 2004 • PACER Center • Building Program Capacity
To Serve Youth with Disabilities Session 7: Interagency
Collaboration and Person-Centered Planning: Slide 12
Steps Towards Effective Collaborations
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Build relationships with colleagues that can establish the
basis for interagency cooperation at state and local
levels.
Develop clear and uniform mechanisms for information
sharing, communication, and supports across agencies
and audiences.
Conduct resource mapping and alignment on state and
local levels.
Identify and develop services to address gaps.
Build youth and family professional partnerships
using youth and family centered planning.
© 2004 • PACER Center • Building Program Capacity
To Serve Youth with Disabilities Session 7: Interagency
Collaboration and Person-Centered Planning: Slide 13
Collaboration and Families
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Listen to and understand the needs of the whole family.
Establish relationships with youth and families that allow
them to meet these needs.
Develop implementation strategies that empower families
to make appropriate decisions leading to self-sufficiency.
Know what resources are available that can meet special
family needs that your organization can’t.
Establish teamwork with other workers or staff when youth
and families need services from several organizations
all at once.
© 2004 • PACER Center • Building Program Capacity
To Serve Youth with Disabilities Session 7: Interagency
Collaboration and Person-Centered Planning: Slide 14
Myths and Facts About Collaboration
Myth: Everyone is doing it.
Fact: Collaboration takes skill and time to sustain.
Myth: More is better.
Fact: Need to set priorities.
Myth: It comes naturally.
Fact: It takes professional development and effort.
© 2004 • PACER Center • Building Program Capacity
To Serve Youth with Disabilities Session 7: Interagency
Collaboration and Person-Centered Planning: Slide 15
Person-Centered Planning
 Person centered planning is a process whereby
persons with disabilities, with the support of
families, direct the planning and allocation of
resources to meet their own life vision and goals.
 It requires a shift in traditional thinking, actions, and
ways of doing business.
* Adapted from Indiana Family and Social Services Administration website (www.state.in.us/fssa)
© 2004 • PACER Center • Building Program Capacity
To Serve Youth with Disabilities Session 7: Interagency
Collaboration and Person-Centered Planning: Slide 16
Characteristics of
Person Centered Planning
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Based on a person’s preferences, dreams and needs
Understands how a person makes decisions
Understands how a person is and can be productive
Encourages and supports long-term hopes and
dreams
Is supported by a short-term plan
Includes the individual’s responsibilities
Includes a range of supports including funding,
community and natural supports
Adapted from www.state.in.us/fssa
© 2004 • PACER Center • Building Program Capacity
To Serve Youth with Disabilities Session 7: Interagency
Collaboration and Person-Centered Planning: Slide 17
Post-Secondary Education and Youth with
Disabilities
 Many youth with disabilities are continuing their
education after high school.
 Students contemplating post secondary should:
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Take college prep classes in high school
Have good self-advocacy skills and know what
accommodations they will need
 Accommodations at the post secondary level are
arranged by the disabled student with assistance
from the college’s Disabled Student Services
Office.
© 2004 • PACER Center • Building Program Capacity
To Serve Youth with Disabilities Session 7: Interagency
Collaboration and Person-Centered Planning: Slide 18
Examples of
Resources and Potential Partners
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VSA Arts
Brain Injury Association
Mental Health Organizations
Big Brothers and Big Sisters/Mentoring Programs
Boys and Girls Clubs
YMCA/YWCA
Post Secondary Institutions
Juvenile Corrections Organizations
Center for Victims of Torture (www.cvt.org)
Centers for Independent Living
© 2004 • PACER Center • Building Program Capacity
To Serve Youth with Disabilities Session 7: Interagency
Collaboration and Person-Centered Planning: Slide 19
Centers for Independent Living (CILs)
 Services Include:
 Advocacy
 Independent Living Skills
 Peer Support
 Information and Referral
© 2004 • PACER Center • Building Program Capacity
To Serve Youth with Disabilities Session 7: Interagency
Collaboration and Person-Centered Planning: Slide 20
Social Security and Work Incentives (SSI)
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is an
income support program that provides
monthly payments to children and adults who
have disabilities and limited income and
resources
© 2004 • PACER Center • Building Program Capacity
To Serve Youth with Disabilities Session 7: Interagency
Collaboration and Person-Centered Planning: Slide 21
Eligibility for Social Security
 To be eligible for SSI:
A child’s (birth to 18) impairment must result in
“marked and severe functional limitations” that
last at least 12 months.
 An adult must have a medically determinable
physical or mental impairment that interferes with
basic work activities, prevents them from earning
more than $800 monthly, and is expected to last
for at least 12 months.
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© 2004 • PACER Center • Building Program Capacity
To Serve Youth with Disabilities Session 7: Interagency
Collaboration and Person-Centered Planning: Slide 22
Social Security’s Application Process
 Applying for benefits is a multi-step process:
– Applications can be taken over the phone, online, at a
local Social Security Office or by mail. For more
information call the Social Security Administration
(SSA) at 1-800-772-1213
– Applicants will need to provide information about their
disability, health care received, medical records,
medications they are currently taking, personal
resources and income and employment information.
– Once the SSA receives the application and information
they will make a determination about eligibility.
© 2004 • PACER Center • Building Program Capacity
To Serve Youth with Disabilities Session 7: Interagency
Collaboration and Person-Centered Planning: Slide 23
Applying for Social Security Benefits
 When to apply for benefits:
– Youth under the age of 18 can receive benefits
qualifying as a disabled child; once they reach
their 18th birthday they are considered adults and
must go through a redetermination process.
– Begin application process one month before
student’s 18th birthday.
© 2004 • PACER Center • Building Program Capacity
To Serve Youth with Disabilities Session 7: Interagency
Collaboration and Person-Centered Planning: Slide 24
Benefits Provided by Social Security
 SSI benefits:
– Monthly checks of approximately $552 (for
adults)
– Generally eligible for Medical
Assistance/Medicare
– Generally eligible for Food Stamps
– Eligible for Vocational Rehabilitation (VR), but
must go through priority for services to determine
position on waiting list for services
© 2004 • PACER Center • Building Program Capacity
To Serve Youth with Disabilities Session 7: Interagency
Collaboration and Person-Centered Planning: Slide 25
Social Security and Work Incentives (cont.)
 Work Incentives provide support and assistance for
beneficiaries who are attempting to return to work or
entering the workforce for the first time:
– Beneficiaries who work may continue to receive payments
for a period of time and may continue their Medicaid
coverage
– There are programs for the exemption of work-related
expenses, savings plans for non-countable income, and
tickets that allow beneficiaries to select their VR provider
© 2004 • PACER Center • Building Program Capacity
To Serve Youth with Disabilities Session 7: Interagency
Collaboration and Person-Centered Planning: Slide 26