WHO ARE WE? WHY WAS THIS TEAM CREATED?

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1 ACCES-VR Adult Career & Continuing Education Services Vocational Rehabilitation Statewide Transition and Youth Services (TAYS) Team APSE Conference May 3-5, 2015 WHO ARE WE? Statewide Team was established April 1, TAYS Senior Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors, one assigned to each district office around the state One Manager to coordinate statewide focus with plans to hire an Associate Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor to assist WHY WAS THIS TEAM CREATED? Over the past five years the percentage of youth served (defined as <25 at application) has increased to close to 45% of the statewide caseload. RSA, WIOA, which includes the reauthorization of the Rehab Act, and the NYS Regents are focused on transition and youth and in addressing the gaps in the labor force for all individuals with disabilities. Our experience of working with the youth population has varied throughout the state with some very good and innovative activities and processes in some places that cry out to be benchmarked and shared. WHAT ARE OUR INITIAL GOALS? Engage o high schools, youth, parents, transition staff o provide consultative and technical assistance for exploring and planning in a full range of post-secondary options for training, career development, and employment Improve o the number of appropriate youth applicants for VR services o the options for Work Based Learning Opportunities, pre-employment program options, Youth Employment Services options, the number and variety of employers open to working with in school and out of school youth o the rate of quality employment outcomes for youth participating in VR services Collaborate o With other state agencies and entities, e.g. OPWDD, OMH, DOL, SEQA, RSE-TASC, Independent Living Centers, colleges, high schools, parent groups, etc. Substantiate o gather and track data on what works well o use data to guide the implementation and continuous improvement for staff and partners

2 WHAT HAVE WE ACCOMPLISHED TO DATE? Engage o Community Resource Mapping Strategy Focus on what is already in each community Build on strengths that exist Look at reducing duplication of service Identify gaps in service Look at current and potential partners Identify assets of both individuals and groups We are not producing a directory, although we will be sharing our collected information in a manner which helps our cause and helps us and our collaborators work better together o Learn about and share transition systems between our respective district offices We have developed into a real team, sharing with each other our individual knowledge and passion, as well as that of counseling staff within each district office We have created multiple projects (and completed some!) addressing consistent practices statewide, development of new services to be offered to youth, staff training in working with the population, and benchmarking best practices across the state o High school connections We have been in the high schools, along with the assigned VRC liaison to each school and our RSE-TASC collaborators resulting in increased referral rates Improve o Youth Employment Services (YES) Transition And Youth Services (TAYS) SVRCs have coordinated and/or participated in information sessions with providers and district office staff to develop a shared understanding of what YES options are and how they can be used to prepare youth for employment opportunities in the future o Developed a consistent referral package and process for statewide use This will generate increased referrals from school districts This clarifies the role of the VRC and the transition coordinator and emphasizes how working as partners enhances the referral process for transition applicants

3 Collaborate o Connections are constantly being made and renewed with, RSE-TASC and CDOS trainings OPWDD College Disability Services and CUNY Leads Parent Networks High schools and BOCES Various transition collaborative groups OMH and other Mental Health organizations Independent Living Centers Youth Juvenile Justice Systems Person Centered Planning in Foster Care Department of Labor Work Force Investment Boards Perkins (Grants) Advisory Councils Public transportation services Other government and community offices Employers Partners In Employment Systems Change Grant PROMISE Research Project o Network will be used to build capacity for greater cooperation across different organizations working with youth to improve student access to VR services, at least 2 years prior to exit from school, community work experiences while in school, and better success in post-secondary training o To aid in our focus on out-of school youth in the coming year, we will be forming more collaborations with colleges and community agencies who serve the 18 to <25 year olds Substantiate o Regional work plans have been drafted and are in the process of being fine-tuned to establish specific measurable goals to track progress. o Baseline data has been compiled for the three year state fiscal years (SFY) prior to the start of the TAYS unit. Some highlights include: New applicants <25 have been steadily dropping since 2011, but stabilized in the first 6 months of SFY Primary referral source has been the high schools (58%), and a little over 80% of applicants are between the ages of 17 and 21, with a mere 16% between the ages of 22 and 24: thus our growing focus on out-of-school youth Comparison of applicants receiving SSI/SSD benefits and consumers at closure still receiving benefits has improved by almost 50% since 2011 Additional baseline points include: Education level at application and closure Average hourly wage at closure Average time to eligibility decision and IPE development Types of services provided by VR o TAYS senior counselors received EXCEL and ACCESS training as well as an introduction to writing and understanding queries. This will serve to facilitate future data collection and analysis, enabling us to measure success and revise implementation based on outcomes

4 YOUTH EMPLOYMENT SERVICES (YES) WHAT ARE THEY AND HOW WILL THEY HELP PREPARE YOUTH FOR POST-SECONDARY OPTIONS? Part of Core Rehabilitation Services (CRS) 5 year contract which began 1/1/14 Designed to prepare youth for long term employment and recommended to be offered beginning the summer between junior and senior year of high school School districts are still mandated to provide transition planning and services, so YES are offered outside of school hours and schedule Services are considered YES options when provided to individuals <25 at application These options include: o Benefits counseling o Community Based Work Assessment - Evaluation in an agency setting or in a community locale associated with the provider agency such as; enclave, mobile crew, or affirmative business o Work readiness - work behaviors, social skills in the work setting, effective communication, accepting supervision, problem solving, grooming and hygiene, goal setting, disability awareness, and work tolerance o Work experience development - This service is designed to enlist the assistance of a community provider to aid in securing an employer-based paid or unpaid work experience opportunity - service is designed to provide ACCES-VR consumers with real work experiences and opportunities to network in actual business environments consistent with their vocational goals. o Provider-assisted community work experience (PACWE) - The service is designed to provide up to 160 hours of paid work experience. This is a wage reimbursement mechanism when an employer is unable or unwilling to put the ACCES-VR consumer on their payroll. The vendor will put the individual on their own payroll at minimum wage. o Coaching supports for non-employment related services - This service includes interventions other than those associated with job placement. It is designed to enable consumers not eligible/appropriate for Supported Employment services to receive one-toone, consumer specific assistance of a limited duration, necessary for the consumer s successful participation in the VR process. For example, this service could be used to: provide the individual coaching necessary to allow the consumer to successfully participate in a college or post-secondary training program; obtain or maintain an internship through placement assistance and/or short term coaching; Provide other interventions determined appropriate in support of IPE goals. o Coaching Supports for employment services - This service includes interventions that provide the individual consumer assistance and support on or off-the-job in activities on a short-term or long-term basis, that are employment-related and needed to promote job development, adjustment and retention

5 WHAT ADDITIONAL STAFFING AND SUPPORTS ARE PLANNED? A joint RFP with P-12 was issued in the Spring of 2014 o P-12 parts 1 & 2: Renewal and expansion of RSE-TASC (Regional Special Education- Technical Assistance and Support Center which includes a center in each of 10 regions statewide o VR part 3: One contract was awarded in each of the above 10 regions. RFP Awardees are in the process of hiring 32 Regional Vocational Rehabilitation - Community Employment Specialists (RVR-CES) (3 in each of 9 regions, 5 in NYC) CES role is to provide consultative and technical assistance services to school districts and local educational agencies who work with transition age youth with a focus on a full array of post-secondary options which will lead to quality employment outcomes. Combined training is being planned with help from Cornell for 32 RVR-CES and 15 TAYSVRCs, and separately for 25+/- RSE-TASC Transition Specialists Definitions of titles o Transition and Youth Senior Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (TAYSVRC) positions are funded with federal VR dollars and work within an assigned district office to develop and provide training in consistent statewide systems to engage youth, parents, high schools and transition staff, and provide consultative and technical assistance for exploring and planning in a full range of post-secondary options for training, career development, and employment o RSE-TASC Transition Specialist (TS) positions are funded with special education dollars and provide training and information on high quality transition planning and services to school personnel and others as identified through a regional planning process. o RVR Community Employment Specialist (CES) positions are funded with federal VR dollars and serve a unique role to provide consultative and technical assistance to local school districts and educational agencies who are working with current and former students to ensure that school district personnel and committees on special education (CSE) have knowledge, information and procedures in place to: o Connect students to essential post-school options and supports including vocational rehabilitation services; o Improve post-secondary outcomes; o Understand the connection between the student s IEP, referral and preparation for adult services; and o Understand the roles and responsibilities of adult State VR services, community agency providers, independent living centers and other community systems of support that may be beneficial in attaining successful post-secondary outcomes, including employment. o The RVR-CES will not provide direct services to youth and families.

6 Relationships and commonalities o Contract awardees (the agencies who hire the Community Employment Specialists) have agreed to work collaboratively with ACCES-VR Administration and District Offices and with RSE-TASC Transition Specialists. o There are many parts of the roles included in the mutual goal of improving readiness for and knowledge of various options for post-secondary activities, which will lead to quality employment outcomes for youth. o Some roles can be considered as shared, some as similar, but modified in terms of target or method, and some roles are discrete to a specific title. o Shared roles o All three titles participate in local Transition Consortiums, local youth employment initiatives, and interagency partnerships serving youth. They work together within each region on efforts to engage youth in employment services. o All three titles develop and strengthen interagency connections with community agencies necessary for successful student transition to adult services and supports. o All three titles work collaboratively in interagency community groups facilitated by the RSE-TASC Transition Specialists. They will review available special education and VR program data to guide collaborative efforts. o Similar with some modification o All three titles participate in assigned professional development activities, as specified in their individual job descriptions and work plans. o The TAYSVRC and RVR-CES collaborate with school districts, including CSEs, community rehabilitation providers, ILCs, parent centers and regional offices of state partners serving youth, on approaches for improving transition services. o The TAYSVRC and RVR-CES both develop expertise in Youth Employment Services (YES), which are part of the Core Rehabilitation Services (CRS) contract. o The TAYSVRC and RSE-TASC TS conduct trainings with and/or in coordination with NYSED funded special education parent centers as directed by the regional work plan to provide information to parents on the transition planning process and postschool options. o Roles that are discrete for each title o TAYSVRC Collaborate with other ACCES-VR professional staff (e.g. Integrated Employment Specialists, VRCs assigned to school districts and Senior VRCs) to connect youth to career development experiences, such as mentoring, work experiences and work try-outs. Grow existing mentoring, summer youth employment programs and college internships for students with disabilities. Initiate and sustain a physical presence in schools, colleges and other youthfriendly settings and maintain a collaborative relationship with ACCES, School District and other educational professional staff.

7 o RSE-TASC TS Provide regional training to assist school districts and parents to develop IEPs that will reasonably enable students with disabilities to meet their measurable post-secondary goals. Provide direct technical assistance to individual school districts to identify improvement activities to improve transition planning and activities. o RVR-CES Work within the parameters of the RVR-CES regional work plan; to be updated annually. Provide consultation, technical assistance and training to individuals or groups of school district personnel and, periodically, to regional CSE chairperson groups, on: the criteria and referral process for State VR services; services available from Independent Living Centers; and postsecondary employment available through other State agency systems and to inform districts of VR approved community work and employment experiences that may be provided as activities to help students with disabilities meet their post-school employment goals. Provide information sessions to school districts on the VR referral process and other post school service and support options. Provide consultative and technical assistance to schools on how to engage community providers to expand their employment experience programs for youth. Training of the CES staff o Initially within each region by the TAYS and DO staff to introduce them to the VR system and staff, and the players in each region. o MOU in process with Cornell to manage the professional development requirements of the original RFP. This ongoing training will involve VR TAYS staff both in development and participation. o The RSE-TASC TS are being trained via their own agreement with Cornell and have a focus more on transition services provided by the high school. o Cornell as the common denominator will help ensure consistency of message between both groups. WHERE CAN I FIND MORE INFORMATION? Web Site:

8 ACCES-VR Transition and Youth Services Senior Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors Last Name First Name Title Office Phone Alvarado Brian SVRC Manhattan (212) Betances Maria SVRC Bronx (718) Canfield Gwenn SVRC White Plains (845) Delany Michele SVRC Queens (347) Douglas Cuquita SVRC Brooklyn (718) Ginster Carol SVRC Utica (315) Hartmann Laura SVRC Hauppauge (631) Joyce Kathleen SVRC Syracuse (315) McArdle Helene SVRC Mid-Hudson (845) Murphy Kathy SVRC Albany (518) Pearson Suzanne SVRC Southern Tier (607) Skender Elizabeth SVRC Rochester (585) Steiner Amy Manager Central (518) Vacant AVRC Central Weissberg Barbara SVRC Garden City (516) Wilcox Kathy SVRC Malone (518) Wolf Sarah SVRC Buffalo (716)