MEMBERS ABSENT Senator Barbara Cegavske Linda Lueck Myrn Wiebe Pat Williams

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1 VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES DETR Administration Auditorium, 500 E. Third Street, Carson City JobConnect Conference Room, 3405 S. Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas MEMBERS PRESENT Dr. Ralph Baker John Giefer Ed Guthrie, Vice Chair Libby Jones Denyse Lizer Karla McComb, Chair Jean Peyton Charlott Serline Dr. Tom Venardos Gillian Wells MEMBERS ABSENT Senator Barbara Cegavske Linda Lueck Myrn Wiebe Pat Williams STAFF PRESENT Jim Hadwick, Chief, Operations Bill Hamilton, Staff to Council Barbara Legier, Chief, Programs Richard Nelson, Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation GUESTS PRESENT John Alexander, Department of Human Resources (DHR) Mary Jackson, Nevada State Medicaid Dr. Patricia Markos, University of Nevada, Las Vegas Anita Puentes, Nevada Disability and Advocacy Law Center Dr. Richard Thomas, DETR Training EXHIBITS Draft minutes of December 6, 2002 meeting State Workforce Investment Board Board Roles and Responsibilities UNLV Counselor Professional Development report Needs Assessment Survey report Transition Forum reports: Video conferences; Meeting Recommendations; Meeting Minutes for January 15, 2003 and February 19, 2003; Letter to James Ross Legislation Subcommittee Report: Potential for Transition Student Service Medicaid Infrastructure Grant report: Brochure; poster information; and Ticket to Work Mental Health Planning Advisory Council: Update for Workforce Investment Board Employment of Persons with Disabilities Subcommittee report Nevada Governor s Council on Developmental Disabilities report Statewide Independent Living Council report State Department of Education statistical report Vocational Rehabilitation Council budget report Vocational Rehabilitation programs responses to questions matrix Performance Indicator reports Summary of Ticket Roll Out In Nevada matrix

2 VRC Minutes Page 2 of 7 Rehabilitation Division Ticket to Work matrix page Ticket to Work FAQs Article on Maynard Yasmer Partnerships for Employment handout CALL TO ORDER, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND ROLL CALL Karla McComb, Chair, called the meeting to order at 9:35 am. A quorum was present. INTRODUCTIONS: Members of the public were introduced. MINUTES Jean Peyton moved, and Ed Guthrie seconded, approval of the minutes of December 6, Unanimously approved. WORKFORCE INVESTMENT FUNDING Marty Ramirez, DETR Chief Financial Officer, was not available to make a presentation. CHAIR REPORT Karla McComb thanked Barbara Legier for responding to questions Karla raised at the December meeting. In regard to recognition awards for outstanding service by vocational rehabilitation (VR) staff, an idea brought up a year ago, Ms. McComb suggested that, if the VR Council wants to proceed, a subcommittee should look into the appropriateness of such awards, recommend what kind of awards, and take into account each of the three districts. Conclusions reached and recommended action should return to the council. Denyse Lizer volunteered to handle this matter, with Jean Peyton s assistance. John Giefer arrived at the meeting. COUNSELOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Dr. Patricia Markos works for the University of Nevada Las Vegas Department of Counseling. UNLV used to have a Commission on Rehabilitation Education-accredited program in rehabilitation counseling. Currently, however, rehabilitation counseling is subsumed under the community counseling program. She provided a one-page handout on available or scheduled counseling courses that make it possible for someone to take a course of study and to be eligible to sit for the C.R.C. She hopes that a master s degree in rehabilitation counseling will be in place by this fall and Commission on Rehabilitation Education accreditation in 2 ½ years. Karla McComb asked about the opportunity for field study opportunities in the non profits and other community agencies. Dr. Markos said that UNLV now has about 30 internship sites,

3 VRC Minutes Page 3 of 7 including BVR and BSBVI. Internships are open to anyone in the community doing counseling activity. The sites annually need an approximate 4-hour training with UNLV. Ms. McComb asked that this information be extracted from the minutes and shared with VR programs staff. Gillian Wells arrived at the meeting. COMMITTEE REPORTS A. Satisfaction Survey/Needs Assessment. Ed Guthrie referred to his written report. He discussed the point of service client survey, an employer survey, and focus groups for transition students. Committee members are reviewing client survey questions for user friendliness. There will be only post-service interviews with some clients, but for others there will be both pre-service and post-service surveys. The Cannon Center for Survey Research should begin surveying in April. For employers, the Cannon Center should receive the Statewide Workforce Investment Board survey questions to compare to the VRC employer questions. A number of questions should be prepared and given to the Statewide Workforce Investment Board for inclusion in its survey of employers. B. Legislation. Ed Guthrie discussed the Potential for Transition Student Service page sent to Council members. It identifies the special education student population in Nevada, estimated number of additional VR counselors needed to serve them, and estimated cost for direct service staff, support staff, and other operational and direct case service costs. He believes it is in the interest of these students that they become employed and independent as adults, simultaneously providing savings for the Social Security system. Mr. Guthrie moved, and Gillian Wells seconded, that the matrix page be forwarded to the State Legislature to learn if the needs of the transition student population will be adequately addressed and to urge that the funds be provided in the DETR Rehabilitation Division budget. The motion passed unanimously. Discussion ensued about the education system and transition. Highlights are as follow: Ms. McComb asked about the responsibilities of school districts in transition planning. Tom Venardos said that school districts are supposed to provide courses related to work. However, a student s committee-developed Individualized Education Plan (IEP) helps determine if the student should receive work-related services; Parents should be involved in the decision-making process about the IEP and workrelated experiences, but parents may not be informed about this; Ms. McComb asked Tom Venardos to prepare a report for the May VRC meeting on how and when a public meeting might be arranged in southern Nevada to discuss how the Nevada Department of Education, school districts and the VR programs can work more closely together. Parents and the VR Council also should be invited; From such a meeting, information should be learned that will be useful for the focus group component of the 2003 needs assessment/satisfaction survey.

4 VRC Minutes Page 4 of 7 MEDICAID INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT ADVISORY GROUP, & TICKET TO WORK A written report from Linda Lueck, on the Ticket program, was mailed to the Council. John Alexander, Medicaid program with the Department of Human Resources (DHR) spoke to the Council on Social Security Act sections 1619 A and B. He also provided brochures and posters and invited requests for more of the same. Jim Hadwick thought they would be useful for VR offices statewide. Major remarks by Mr. Alexander included: The 1619 program has been available for SSI recipients for a number of years but was not marketed by the Social Security Administration, nor was it very utilized in Nevada; The disability advocacy community asked the Department of Human Resources to expand this work incentive program to SSI recipients; In December 2002, DHR invited a trainer to talk to service providers about section 1619; Benefits planners at the Southern Nevada Center for Independent Living are available to help people with disabilities examine the program and decide if is to their advantage to return to work; About 14,000 Medicaid and SSI recipients are being mailed information about receiving training on section 1619, likely in June or July 2003; About 500 people now are enrolled in the 1619 program in Nevada. Hopes are for that number to increase because of this new outreach campaign with mail, posters and brochures that Mr. Alexander brought to the meeting; In followup discussion, Gillian Wells, a member of the Medicaid Infrastructure Grant team, added the following to John Alexander s presentation: Funding incentives to help individuals return to work are in Governor Guinn s DHR budget for the coming biennium; Outreach efforts are being made to legislators to support this program and funding; The help of VR Council members is desired in writing employers to, in turn, contact legislators to support this program; In response to Gillian Wells question to the VR programs, about whether someone receiving a Ticket to Work will receive consistent information from VR staff members, Jim Hadwick said that staff members have received a Division manual on the Ticket. He and Brenda Berry also trained staff on the Ticket and processing of Ticket requests. Karla McComb asked if the manual can be shared with the Council. Mr. Hadwick said he would talk to Libby Jones about this if Council members want to see it. Ms. McComb and Gillian Wells want to read it. COMMITTEE REPORTS (concluded) C. Transition Forum. Gillian Wells said the Transition Forum will meet bi-monthly instead of monthly. She provided a handout with thirteen recommendations involving transition, for which she desires Council approval. If approved, they would be given to the VR programs for consideration. Gillian was asked to re-organize the recommendations, aggregating those that require VR leadership, those that would be the principal responsibility of school districts, and those primarily the responsibility of the Nevada Department of Education. Recommendation #8, however, was moved for approval by Gillian Wells, seconded by Ed Guthrie. It states: Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) between VR and the school

5 VRC Minutes Page 5 of 7 districts need to identify the activities each entity is responsible for performing. Discussion revealed that the Clark County School District does not have an MOU in effect. The same appears true with other districts, and Gillian urges that MOUs should spell out the details of work and responsibility between the school districts and VR. Ed Guthrie moved to amend the motion, and received a second, to ask that VR programs staff meet with the Transition Forum, or representatives of it including at least the chair, to: as promptly as possible, develop a model MOU for the Clark County School District and other school districts without one in effect; promptly begin negotiations; have a model MOU at the VR Council s May meeting as an information item. The amendment and main motion passed unanimously. Next, Gillian moved, and Tom Venardos seconded, that the Council ask VR to send a representative to the May 2003 Transition Forum meeting, to participate in discussion about how recommendation #8 may be accomplished. The motion carried unanimously. Barbara Legier arrived at the meeting. Ms. Wells said that support is needed for the Transition Forum to continue its work, such as with compiling meeting minutes. Barbara Legier commented that if the Transition Forum wants financial support from the Council s budget a detailed scope of work and estimate of costs need to be written and sent to Jim Hadwick for review. If he considers that funding is possible, the Council should discuss and vote on the request. For the next Transition Forum meeting, John Giefer volunteered his administrative assistant to take and produce minutes. REPORTS FROM OTHER ENTITIES AND COUNCILS Karla McComb accepted the written reports that were submitted by the following: Mental Health Planning Advisory Council; State Workforce Investment Board and Disability Subcommittee; Developmental Disabilities Council; Statewide Independent Living Council; Department of Education/IDEA. VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION COUNCIL BUDGET STATUS Jim Hadwick mentioned that the Council s budget is only 45% spent. He commented on two items that the Council may want to consider for the remaining months of this fiscal year, to expend funds by June 30 that are not presently obligated. One is a transition video from the State of Arizona, for use in the school system, and the second possibility is a brochure on transition. Karla McComb suggested that Gillian Wells give attention to these two items and report back at the May meeting of the VRC. REPORT FROM VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION PROGRAMS With respect to the State Plan process and revisions, Barbara Legier said that work has been moving well. At the May VRC meeting the Council will have a chance to review the attachments. With respect to other reports from VR, several were submitted before the meeting to Council members. There were no questions about them.

6 VRC Minutes Page 6 of 7 Libby Jones arrived at the meeting ADMINISTRATOR S REPORT Libby Jones mentioned that Maynard Yasmer has retired and will be missed. The Council was sent a newspaper article about him and his work. A nationwide search is being conducted to fill the position. Ed Guthrie moved, and Gillian Wells seconded, that the Council expend what is allowed in the State Administrative Manual to provide a recognition gift for Mr. Yasmer. The motion passed unanimously. Division staff will determine an appropriate gift, to be given by Karla McComb on behalf of the Council. Ms. Jones was encouraged by the presentation of Dr. Markos and the potential for the counseling program at UNLV to provide the educational component needed to develop new vocational rehabilitation counselors. She also feels positive about the needs assessment/satisfaction survey subcommittee work headed up by Ed Guthrie and Gillian Wells. In response to a question from Ed Guthrie, Ms. Jones said that the transition student matrix page, discussed under committee reports, already has been delivered to the Nevada State Senate s money committee. Gillian Wells asked about a monitoring report on cases by the Rehabilitation Services Administration. She wants consumers to be involved in the next federal monitoring report that addresses transition. EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR BVR/BSBVI WORK CANDIDATES Gillian Wells mentioned a job opportunity at Nevada PEP. Ed Guthrie identified several job coach vacancies at Opportunity Village work centers and at Nellis Air Force Base. Anita Puentes mentioned positions at the Nevada Disability and Advocacy Law Center, one for an attorney and one for a clerical court position. Janice John, at BVR in Las Vegas, has information about the latter two positions. COUNCIL LOG: Nothing PUBLIC COMMENT Anita Puentes raised a question about the intake process at a Division office. Barbara Legier invited Ms. Puentes to call to discuss this. Karla McComb asked that the outcome be shared with the Council at the next meeting.

7 VRC Minutes Page 7 of 7 NEXT MEETING DATE, LOCATION, AND AGENDA ITEMS May 16, 2003, 9:30 am, video teleconference. Meeting locations: Las Vegas, JobConnect conference room, 3405 S. Maryland Parkway; Carson City, DETR Administration Auditorium, 500 E. Third Street. ADJOURNMENT: On motion by Tom Venardos, seconded by Ed Guthrie, the meeting was adjourned at 12:00 pm. Recorded by: Karen Yates, Captions Unlimited of Nevada Edited by: William Hamilton, Rehabilitation Division Approved by: Karla McComb, Chair