State Rehabilitation Council April 24 th meeting Minutes

Transcription

1 State Rehabilitation Council April 24 th meeting Minutes Members present: Christine Bauman Scott Berscheid Emma Corrie Mickey Kyler Clayton Liend Hector Matascastillo Andrea Moore Sherri Rademacher Anne Robertson Chuck Ryan Bob Wagner Nick Wilkie Members Absent: Al Hauge Gloria LaFriniere Kimberley Peck Claire Reeve John Schatzlein Interpreters: Lauri Krouse Carrie Wilbur (morning) AnnMarie Weisman (afternoon) VRS Staff: JoLynn Blaeser Terry Donovan John Fisher Rebecca Johnson, RAM Anoka County LaNay Koralesky, VR Counselor, Anoka County Ed Lecher, State Services for the Blind Gail Lundeen Mimi Schafer, VR Counselor South Minneapolis WFC Jan Thompson Allan Lunz

2 Handouts Vocational Rehabilitation State Plan for 2014 Strategic Goals Part 1: SRC standing recommendations for VRS State Plan Olmstead Plan Stakeholder Ideas & Comments 2013 Comprehensive System of Personnel Development Summary SRC By-Laws : First Reading Client story presentation o Wendy Thayer o IPS Practice and Principles o Lori Phillips Back Table 2013 MNCareers SILC Annual Report Order of Selection Fact Sheet Review of SRC Standing Recommendations Wilkie Wilkie reviewed the SRC standing recommendation on receiving Workforce Center reports. In conjunction with the executive committee, he recommended rewording d to call for reports on all discussions and decisions that affect VRS participation in the WFS and VRS service delivery. He also recommended that e be retired. Rademacher moved the standing recommendations be approved. Kyler seconded. Motion carried. State Goals and Priorities Donovan, Lunz and Fisher Vocational Rehabilitation State Plan For Strategic Goals Goal 1: More jobs, better jobs Employment 1. Employment outcomes will increase by 25 in each of the next two fiscal years. SRC April 2013 Minutes Page 2

3 How is the number derived? VRS placements took a major drop in 2009 with the recession. An increase of twenty five per year is higher than the federal standard of one per year. We have to be careful not to set an outcome standard that would affect the quality of placements. Because of sequestration, we have an eight percent staff vacancy rate and do not anticipate filling those openings. That will affect our placement rate. An increase of 25 per year may be a stretch. Have you considered translating your employment outcome increase into a per person percentage? We look at it per team and work with the RAM to assure that it is achievable. 2. By the end of FFY 2015 all VRS managers, counselors, and VR Tech Seniors will have attended four informational sessions (two per year) on Social Security work incentives and benefits planning. The biggest barrier to getting off Social Security is the fear of losing benefits. Set some standard of minimum competency for your staff around this. Joanie Werner, PASS specialist, will be giving the initial training. We recognize that we must continue to provide training and must provide training more than once. We will have the Work Incentive Connection available for the complex cases. Immediately after training, encourage staff to choose one person and explain work benefits. If you don t use the information right away, you will forget it. 3. During FFY 2014 VRS will collect baseline data on consumer satisfaction with their employment outcomes. The baseline data will be used to establish future targets for customer satisfaction. SRC April 2013 Minutes Page 3

4 Lundeen stated that consumer satisfaction surveys fall within the responsibility of the SRC. Long-Term Support 1. Increase the number of VRS consumers who are leveraging Extended Employment/Supported Employment funding for ongoing support services. Transition Services Past year Community Partnerships put out unused dollars in a RFP for supported employment in Greater Minnesota. 1. Increase work experience opportunities for VRS consumers in school to work transition. Why is the cut off at 25? Financial aid is typically through age 24. VR will consider transition until the consumer gets first job. Lunz referred to a study that found if a student with a disability drops out of high school the probability of staying on disability benefits is 95%. If the student has an early work experience, the likelihood of getting off benefits significantly increases. Getting an AA degree also increases the likelihood of getting off benefits. In summary, work plus education at a young age has the most impact. When discussing getting off benefits, show the potential of how they can do better for themselves if they get off. Frame as a better opportunity. When addressing social security benefits, work with schools and collaborate with family. Many families have an investment in the SSI check coming in. SRC April 2013 Minutes Page 4

5 It can be hard to get off benefits if you need PCA services. Show the person how they can work and not jeopardize PCA services. Goal 2: Organizational vitality The result of this goal is a vibrant organization providing the best possible services to Minnesotans with disabilities. Strategic Priorities for FFY VRS will develop a program evaluation framework. 2. VRS will establish a leadership development program for current and emerging leaders. 3. VRS will implement the first stage of a University of Wisconsin research study to assess counselor competency in Motivational Interviewing. Is it DEED leadership that is interested in shaping the evaluation? It is from the VRS director and leadership team. Goal 3: Effective partnerships The result of this goal is the establishment and strengthening of systemwide collaborative partnerships that fully use resources to serve Minnesotans with disabilities. Strategic Priorities 1. In FFY 2014 and 2015 the Community Rehabilitation Program Advisory Committee, State Rehabilitation Council and Statewide Independent Living Council will rate the effectiveness of their partnership with VRS as at least 80 percent effective 2. In FFY 2014 VRS and the VR community, led by the VRS Community Outreach Team, will prepare and implement a collaborative systemwide marketing and branding outreach plan. SRC April 2013 Minutes Page 5

6 Goal 4: Employer Engagement The result of this goal is that VRS and the VR community will embrace serving businesses and other employers as key customers. This effort will produce long-term, enduring, mutually satisfying relationships and increased employment outcomes for VRS consumers. Strategic Priorities 1. Throughout FFY 2014 and 2015 VRS and Community Rehabilitation Program (CRP) managers will continue to develop local placement partnerships throughout each of Minnesota s three regions and to create a locally consistent framework for service that engages and meets the needs of businesses and employers. 2. By the end of FFY 2014, an active placement partnership will be established for 80 percent of the VR teams. By the end of FFY 2015, an active placement partnership will be established for 95 percent of VR teams. 3. Placement partnership members will share and track job leads within the VR Community on a timely basis and in a coordinated manner in order to a) improve responsiveness to employers, and b) increase employment outcomes for VR consumers. Matascastillo commented that he was pleased to see that previous conversations and questions with the SRC have been incorporated into the document. Olmstead Discussion Ed Lecher and Mimi Schafer Lecher and Schafer returned to complete discussion on the Olmstead Plan. Please see attachment for a compilation of the SRC s March and April comments regarding Olmstead. SRC April 2013 Minutes Page 6

7 Comprehensive System of Personnel Development Blaeser Handout passed out 2013 COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM OF PERSONNEL DEVELOPMENT SUMMARY April 19, 2013 DATA SYSTEM ON PERSONNEL AND PERSONNEL DEVELOPMENT Total Vocational Rehabilitation Services Staff: FTE (April 2013) Position VRS Program Managers/ Supervisors (Admin) Rehabilitation Area Managers/Supervisors (Field) Projected vacancies Active FTE Vacancy over next 5 years Rehabilitation Specialists 20 7 Rehabilitation Counselors Rehabilitation Representatives 6 1 Placement Coordinators / Specialists/ Business Services Vocational Rehab Technicians Clerical Support Other Field Support 4 Other Admin 3 2 TOTAL SRC April 2013 Minutes Page 7

8 Retirement Projections ( ) 28% of all VRS staff 20% of counselors 54% of current managers and supervisors Historical Data - Retirements/Resignations Reason Retirement Resignatio n Other Total RECRUITMENT, PREPARATION AND RETENTION OF QUALIFIED PERSONNEL Rehabilitation Counseling Programs: Enrollment 2012 Graduates Minnesota State University Mankato 24 4 St. Cloud State University 24 9 University of Wisconsin Stout Rehabilitation Counseling Interns Accepte d In Progres s Complete d Anticipate d Promotio n to Counselo r Resultin g New Hires * 4* 3 7* SRC April 2013 Minutes Page 8

9 *Includes 1 existing VRS employee 2013 Rehabilitation Counseling Programs with VRS Interns: University of Wisconsin Stout and St. Cloud State University. Tuition Support for VRS Employees Rehabilitation Counseling Master s Degree: 3 employees completed Rehabilitation Counseling graduate degree in employees are in progress at U-W Stout and Minnesota State University Mankato. Diversity in VRS Staffing (Based on self-disclosure in DEED HR Equal Opportunity Data System) 10% Person with a Disability 7% American Indian, Asian, Black, or Hispanic/Latino 91% White 2% Non-specified / Undisclosed PERSONNEL STANDARDS - COUNSELOR QUALIFICATIONS Minnesota s academic degree standard for VRS counselors is the Master s Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling OR a degree in a closely related field with evidence of completion of graduate coursework in Counseling Theory/Techniques. All VRS vocational rehabilitation counselors meet the State standard. STAFF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS Motivational Interviewing (MI) VRS has continued to offer a variety of learning opportunities to enable staff to acquire skills in motivational interviewing, including Refreshers, Coaching Circles, Proficiency Groups, and MI Coach/Mentor Training. Several VRS teams have initiated teambased MI practice groups. We have also have a contract with the Institute for Individual and Organizational Change to provide SRC April 2013 Minutes Page 9

10 audiotape coding and feedback services for staff wishing to work toward demonstrating proficiency in motivational interviewing. The University of Wisconsin Madison and U-W Stout will be collaborating with VRS to study the impact of Motivational Interviewing training on counselor perception of competency in MI. Clinical Supervision: Ten RAMs and Supervisors participated in a NIDRR sponsored research project with Pennsylvania State University, Assessing the Impact of Clinical Supervision Training among State Vocational Rehabilitation Supervisors. Supervisors attended a 3-day program on Clinical Supervision, along with 6 months of bi-weekly phone coaching. Both supervisors and counselors completed surveys about supervision effectiveness before, during and upon completion of the training program; results will be aggregated with data from other states participating in the study. Training for the remaining RAMs and Supervisors is tentatively scheduled for August Leadership Development: The VRS leadership team has begun a process to identify leadership competencies for the organization, with a goal of establishing a formal leadership development program. Organizational Vitality Survey: VRS employees were surveyed on their perceptions about key workplace factors impacting organizational vitality. Survey response rate was 85%. Survey data is currently being analyzed. Placement 101: VRS and CRPs continue to collaborate in delivering Placement 101, a foundational training program in job placement for new VRS and CRP placement staff. Since the program was implemented in January 2012, seven sessions have been delivered and 126 Placement professionals across Minnesota have been trained. SRC April 2013 Minutes Page 10

11 Business Engagement Training for Placement Staff: A design team of VRS and CRP staff is collaborating to develop a new training program on how to effectively engage with business to achieve improved employment outcomes. Curriculum design is on schedule for completion by October Supported Employment Training: All VRS managers and field staff received training on Supported Employment in Career Planning and Autism Spectrum Disorders with James Emmett: A one-day training for VRS Staff is planned for June American Deafness and Rehabilitation Association (ADARA) National Conference: Staff serving Deaf and Hard of Hearing consumers will be attending this national conference being held in Bloomington in May 2013; several VRS staff will be presenting workshops at the conference. STAFF DEVELOPMENT PRIORITIES Continue to build counseling and counseling supervision skills along with developing internal capacity to provide ongoing training in Motivational Interviewing. Design and implement a Leadership Development program for VRS. Continue to build skills of VRS and CRP Placement Staff. Discussion: Corrie inquired if VRS is experiencing the same pattern at the Department of Transportation. That is, that most people are retiring later than anticipated; one to three years after becoming eligible for retirement. Blaeser referenced the handout, stating that, with the exception of 2011 when people took advantage of a retirement incentive, the total number of staff who retire or resign has held steady. Once hired, staff tends to stay with VRS. Thompson concurred that staff eligible for retirement are SRC April 2013 Minutes Page 11

12 working longer. There are many financial benefits for working longer. The need for and expense of health care is frequently cited. Blaeser reviewed the enrollment and graduates from the three primary schools that offer vocational rehabilitation counseling programs; Mankato, St. Cloud and Stout. She stated that a very effective recruitment tool is offering internships to graduates. The ideal would be if all new hires were involved in an internship. Interns are no longer paid for their work. VR needs to monitor if students are going elsewhere for paid internships. VRS can provide 75% tuition support to placement specialists or rehabilitation representatives that wish to become rehabilitation counselors. Wilkie inquired if the Stout online program had a more diverse group of students participating. Recognizing that the local schools offering graduate programs in rehabilitation counseling were in rural areas, online education might be a method to encourage a more diverse student body. Blaeser stated that she would inquire about this data. Wagner inquired if experience would substitute for the degree. Thompson replied that counseling staff, including supervisors, must have a masters degree. To be competent to provide rehabilitation counseling, the masters, minimally in a related field, is necessary. The ideal is that the masters degree is in rehabilitation counseling. Wagner pointed out that with an impending 54% retirement and the lack of diversity on staff, there may be applicants in the provider world with experience, but not the masters. They would bring a new energy to VRS. Thompson stated that in the future she could foresee hiring staff with other kinds of competencies. Nonetheless, new hires must demonstrate a commitment to rehabilitation counseling, one of the VR core functions. Blaeser reviewed the many types of training, research, clinical supervision, leadership development, business engagement curriculum development and organizational vitality surveys that have been provided staff this year. Please refer to attachment for more detail. Matascastillo inquired if SRC members could attend an upcoming training Career Planning and Autism Spectrum Disorders. Blaeser requested that Lundeen look into this. SRC April 2013 Minutes Page 12

13 Public Comment none Committee Reports Forum committee Moore reported that the committee has tentatively identified the Olmstead plans as the topic of the June 19 public forum. As of now, there are no speakers from the governor s subcabinet. The forum will be a joint effort among State Rehabilitation Council -Blind, Statewide Independent Living Council, Minnesota State Council on Disability. Rademacher was requested to help connect with the commission on deaf, deaf/blind and hard of hearing. Technology committee Moore reported that Hauge is spearheading efforts for the SRC to use SKYPE for the forum. Preliminary work has been completed for the SRC to have pages on LinkedIn and Facebook. By-Law Committee Kyler reviewed the proposed changes of the by-laws (available upon request) Need two readings and a positive vote from 2/3 of appointed members is required. Kyler requested that Lundeen the by-laws to the full SRC. VR Update and Client Story 1,666 jobs obtained through VR. Salaries range from $5.00 to at least $ Sixteen people over the age of 65 obtained employment. LaNay Koralesky, VR Counselor from Anoka County, shared a client story. Kyler moved to adjourn the meeting. Moore and Wilkie seconded the motion. The motion passed with all in favor. SRC April 2013 Minutes Page 13