Community Rehabilitation
Providers and OVR:
Working Together
2014 RCPA Conference
Seven Springs, PA
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
1
Presenters
• Dana Baccanti, M.A., CRC
Chief, Special Programs Division
Bureau of Central Operations
Office of Vocational Rehabilitation
• Ralph Roach M.S., CRC, PA-LPC |
Chief, Business Services and Outreach Division
Bureau of Central Operations
Office of Vocational Rehabilitation
2
OVR’s Mission & Priorities
Mission:
To assist Pennsylvanians with disabilities to secure
and maintain employment and independence
Agency Priorities:
•
Customer Service
•
Transition (School-Age)
•
Workforce Development Collaboration
•
Stakeholder Relations
•
Outreach & Public Awareness
3
OVR Leadership
• L & I Secretary Julia Hearthway currently
serving as “Acting Executive Director”
• Mr. Michael Vovakes, Special Assistant to
Secretary Hearthway, overseeing “day-today” operations and has signatory
authority.
• New “ED” not expected to be selected until
after the November 2014 Election.
4
Organizational Structure
• Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR)
– Acting Executive Director- L & I Secretary Julia Hearthway
• Bureau of Central Operations (Central Office) =
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Budget and Administrative Services Division
Business Services and Outreach Division
Policy, Staff Development and Training Division
Grants and Contracts Division
Systems and Evaluation Division
Special Programs Division
Bureau Director = Mr. Ryan Hyde
• Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation Services (BVRS) =
– 15 District Offices
– Bureau Director = Mrs. Denise Verchimak
• Bureau of Blindness & Visual Services (BBVS) =
– 6 District Offices
– Bureau Director = Mr. David DeNotaris
• Office for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing (ODHH) =
– 3 District Offices
– Director = Ms. Sharon Behun
–
Hiram G. Andrews Center (HGAC) =
– Commonwealth Technical Institute
– Acting Director – Mrs. Jill Moriconi
5
OVR Funding
• 21.3% State Match
• 78.7% Federal
– State Budget dictates amount OVR is able to
draw down in Federal Funding.
– OVR has been flat funded for the past three
years.
– OVR is exploring ways to increase state
match to draw down additional federal funds
available.
6
OVR-ODP Collaboration
• Joint Bulletin released July 1, 2014
• ODP Futures Planning
• OVR Supported Employment Policy
Revision
• 1996 Memorandum of Understanding
• Special Projects
• CMS Final Rule
• Reauthorization of the Rehab Act (WIOA)
7
Why Collaborate?
Federal Legislation:
• Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended
• IDEA of 1990, as amended
State Legislation:
• MH/MR Act of 1966
• The Vocational Rehabilitation Act 167of
1988
8
And the Rehab Act says…
§361.53 Comparable services and benefits
(d) Interagency Collaboration…with any
appropriate public entity including…the
State Medicaid Program…to ensure the
provision of Vocational Rehabilitation
Services.
(3) Interagency Agreement
9
Interagency Agreement
§361.53 (d) (3) Interagency Agreement must
delineate the following:
(i) Agency financial responsibility.
(ii) Conditions, terms, and procedures of
reimbursement.
(iii) Interagency disputes.
(iv) Procedures for coordination of services.
(v) Responsibilities under other law.
10
Memorandum of Understanding
• 1996 Memorandum of Understanding
– OVR
– OMH (now OMHSAS)
– OMR (now ODP)
• Still effective, no expiration date.
• Defines local agency responsibilities.
• Establishes framework for “intensive” and
“long-term” extended services.
• Needs to be updated.
11
EMPLOYMENT FIRST
• Employment First is a concept to facilitate
the full inclusion of people with the most
significant disabilities in the workplace and
community. Under the Employment First
approach, community-based, integrated
employment is the first option for employment
services for youth and adults with significant
disabilities.
US Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment
Programs:
http://www.dol.gov/odep/topics/EmploymentFirst.htm
12
WIOA
Emphasizes Competitive Integrated Employment:
• WIOA promotes competitive integrated employment in all of
its programs, especially the VR and Supported Employment
programs authorized under the Rehabilitation Act.
• VR program services are designed to maximize the ability of
individuals with disabilities, including individuals with the most
significant disabilities, to achieve competitive integrated
employment through customized employment, supported
employment, and other individualized services.
• An Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated
Employment for Individuals with Disabilities is established to
develop strategies for improving opportunities for competitive
integrated employment for individuals with disabilities,
especially those with the most significant disabilities.
13
OVR-ODP JOINT BULLETIN
14
Who does this affect?
• Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities or
Autism who are enrolled, or are enrolling
in:
– The Consolidated Waiver
– The Person-Family Directed Services Waiver
– The Autism Waiver
AND:
15
Who does this affect? (Continued)
• Who are seeking “employment/supported
employment services” for the purpose of
achieving “community-integrated
employment at, or above, minimum wage”
within one year of the ISP Team
discussion about employment.
16
Appropriate Referrals???
• OVR and ODP are seeking clarification
from the Rehabilitation Services
Administration (RSA) and the Center for
Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
regarding “community-integrated
employment”
– “Employment First” philosophy
– Need for indefinite one-to-one supports?
– Limited VR resources
– Regulations from WIOA
17
Pre-Vocational & Transitional Work
• Prevocational and Transitional Work
services as defined in the Consolidated,
P/FDS and Autism Waivers are not
currently available in Pennsylvania
through the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as
Amended.
18
Pre-Vocational & Transitional Work
• For this reason, Prevocational Services
and Transitional Work services to be
provided under the Consolidated, P/FDS
and Autism Waivers no longer require a
referral to and subsequent denial from
OVR prior to authorization on the
Individual Support Plan (ISP).
19
Concurrent Services
• When OVR determines that an individual
is eligible for services and develops an
“Individualized Plan for Employment”, the
individual may receive Prevocational or
Transitional Work services (from ODP)
while also receiving OVR services as long
as they do not occur concurrently (on the
same day and at the same time).
20
Concurrent Services
• Prevocational and Transitional Work
services will only be used to supplement
the OVR services.
• Individuals must comply with OVR’s
Individualized Plan for Employment.
21
Supported Employment Services
When the ISP team determines that the
individual has a need for Supported
Employment services, the Supports C
Coordinator must make a referral to OVR.
• Supported Employment services are
needed to achieve a communityintegrated, competitive employment
outcome.
22
OVR’s Supported Employment Policy
OVR is currently in the process of revising
its Supported Employment Policy.
• Input from Staff and Stakeholders
• Research from other states
• Focus on Job Stability
• Alignment with ID System
• Provider Qualifications
• Elimination of LOUs?
• Impact of WIOA?
23
Special Projects
• Discovery & Customized
Employment Pilot
• Berks Career & Technology
Center Interagency Agreement
• Greene County ID Transition
Project
• ACES Grant- DREAM Partnership
24
Special Projects
• Discovery & Customized Employment Pilot
– Three OVR District Offices
• Washington
• Harrisburg
• Philadelphia
– Partnership with The Arc of PA
– Statewide rates
– Provider Qualifications Required
25
Special Projects
• Berks Career & Technology Center
Interagency Agreement
– Community Based Work Experiences
that will lead to Community-Based
Competitive Employment at the
appropriate time
– Jointly funded positions
• School-to-Work Coordinator
• Job Coach
• CTC (State Match 21.3%)
• OVR (Federal 78.7%)
26
Special Projects
• Greene County ID Transition Project
– Partnership between Washington BVRS, Greene County Human
Services and Intermediate Unit #1
– Provide ongoing career assessment/development and
community-based work experiences beginning at age 14 for
students with ID
– Develop “menu” of services based upon team and community
resources
– Designated Team
• Transition Specific Supports Coordinator
• Early Reach Coordinator and VR Counselor
• IU School to Work Coordinator
– Jointly funded position
•
•
•
•
I U School to Work Coordinator
Greene County HS (State Match 10.65 %)
IU #1 (State Match 10.65 %)
OVR (Federal Match 78.7%)
27
Special Projects
• ACES Grant- DREAM Partnership
– Promotion of postsecondary, college-based programs for young
adults with intellectual disabilities that provide a mix of credit and
non-credit course offerings, and extracurricular activities that
provide accessible, integrated and developmental opportunities
for:
• Community-Integrated, Customized and/or Competitive
Employment
• Academic Enrichment
• Campus/Community Membership
• Financial Literacy
• Independent Living
• Personal Mobility and Transportation Systems Training/Awareness
• Socialization
• Collaboration with employers, workforce development programs,
eligible colleges or universities, local education agencies, state
agencies serving individuals with intellectual disabilities and private,
for and not-for-profit community provider organizations to promote
community-integrated, customized and/or competitive employment.
28
Innovation & Expansion Projects
• Notice Issued to OVR District Offices and
disseminated to CRPs, CILs and
Stakeholders in June 2014
– Included Eight (8) “Statements of Work” for Projects
– Geographically identified based upon need expressed
by OVR District Offices
– “Invitation to Qualify” with DGS
– “Request for Quotes” issued on August 14, 2014
– Contracts to be effective October 1, 2014 through
September 30, 2105
29
Innovation & Expansion Projects
• Innovation and Expansion Project for the Development of an
Industry Integrated Employment and Training Program for
Adults who are Blind or Visually Impaired (Philadelphia &
Harrisburg BBVS)
• Innovation and Expansion Project for the Development of
Employment Services into Rural and Underserved Counties
(DuBois BVRS & Erie BVRS/BBVS)
• Innovation and Expansion Project Targeting Transition
Planning and Services for Youth in Allegheny County
(Pittsburgh BVRS/BBVS)
• Innovation and Expansion Project Targeting Job Readiness
and Placement of Individuals Diagnosed with Autism
Spectrum Disorders (ASD) (Allentown BVRS, Erie BVRS,
Norristown BVRS, Philadelphia BVRS and Reading BVRS)
30
Innovation & Expansion Projects
• Innovation and Expansion Project Providing Employment
Readiness resulting in Competitive Employment for Persons
who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (Allentown BVRS, Erie BVRS,
Norristown BVRS, Philadelphia BVRS and Reading BVRS)
• Innovation and Expansion Project Providing Employment
Readiness resulting in Competitive Employment for
Individuals with Mental Health Disabilities (Pittsburgh BVRS
and Erie BVRS)
• Innovation and Expansion Project for the Development of an
Industry Integrated Employment and Training Program for
Adults with Significant Disabilities (Allentown BVRS and
Reading BVRS)
• Innovation and Expansion Project Providing Employment
Readiness resulting in Competitive Employment (Philadelphia
BVRS)
31
Hiring OVR Customers makes good Business Sense!
OVR Serves Consumer Customers
AND
Business Customers
Supply & Demand Considerations in VR services
Meeting the employment needs of people with disabilities and the business
needs of employers.
VR works to prepare our workforce talent with skills and technical capacities
to meet the demands of business today and in the future.
32
The gold standard of OVR Business Services and
Outreach Efforts is:
To build a dual customer base of:
•
Businesses/Employers that trust and choose OVR as their
preferred talent acquisition source, and
•
A Qualified/Pre-screened Talent Pool we assist in skills
development so they can access opportunities and make
contributions as a skilled workforce in a competitive labor
market
33
OVR Services for Employers at no cost
Staffing
 Pre-screened, qualified job
candidates
 Help retain current employees
 Accommodation solutions
Accessibility Analysis
 Consultation on job analysis,
worksite modification and
reasonable accommodations
 Info about assistive technology
Financial Incentives
 OJT reimbursement
 Tax credits
Disability Awareness
 Disability etiquette training
 ADA consultation
Networking Resources
 Employment networks
 Business Leadership Network
 Job Accommodation Network (JAN)
 VR-NET
 JobGateway
Follow-Up Services
 OVR sticks with the customers
 Will help employer & new hire
problem-solve future issues
34
OVR Business Services and Outreach Efforts
How does OVR provide business solutions and
consultation services to business owners and
operators?
• Business Specialists at OVR’s central office & the Single
Points of Contact (SPOC) at OVR’s district offices:
– Plan and build a talent recruitment and on-boarding support plan
to meet business needs.
– Provide consultation on a variety of tasks in
PwD hiring and retention best practices
35
36
37
Other Resources
38
OVR is pleased to partner with many
major business partners including:
39
THE THREE C’S OF SUCCESS
1. COMMUNICATION
2. COLLABORATION
3. COORDINATION
40
QUESTIONS???
QUESTIONS
41
OVR Central Office Contacts
Dana Baccanti, M.A., CRC
Chief, Special Programs Division
Phone (717) 772-1656
dbaccanti@pa.gov
Ralph Roach M.S., CRC, PA-LPC
Chief, Business Services and Outreach Division
Phone (717) 787-3940
rroach@pa.gov
42