Vocational Rehabilitation Program (Combined or General)

Improving Community Rehabilitation Programs

VR assesses its business processes and organizational capacity on an ongoing basis to make consistent improvements. Results of the FFY 2014-15 Comprehensive Statewide Needs Assessment did not indicate a need to establish or develop community rehabilitation programs, although it was indicated that employment providers have a need to better promote and raise awareness of their services.

In April 2017, VR established the Field and Provider Relations Unit (FLPR) within its Bureau of Vendor and Contracted Services (BVCS), to better connect employment service providers to field operations. This unit works complimentary to the Monitoring and Employment Contracting Unit (MECU) to ensure that providers have the tools and resources needed to provide quality services to VR customers. The Field and Provider Relations Unit has 7 Area Provider Liaisons housed throughout VR’s service areas. The supervisor is housed in VR headquarters in Tallahassee.

MECU and FLPR work together to engage providers on a regular basis and deliver support and consistent information. BVCS will be engaging the providers on a quarterly basis through face-to-face meetings, area wide provider trainings, and a Provider Engagement Conference Call. FLPR Provider Liaisons hold bi-annual face-to-face meetings with providers in their service area. During these meetings the MECU Provider Managers, Provider Liaisons, and CRP staff discuss internal agency changes, CRP performance and concerns, as well as provide individualized service training if needed. Another component of provider engagement efforts are planned area wide group provider trainings, and a management level provider engagement call that gives CRP staff access to BVCS leadership. The first Provider Engagement Conference call took place in November 2017. CRP staff had access to BVCS leadership to ask questions and learn about updates. FLPR and MECU are working to build provider capacity by revamping the provider onboarding and orientation process.

MECU recently developed a new Intake Process for Provider Applicants. The Applicant’s packet goes through several vetting processes before being considered for approval. After the initial intake and background screening is completed, the Applicant goes through an Onboarding. Prior to scheduling the Onboarding, the Applicant is sent a Welcome Guide. The Welcome Guide was developed by the Managers and includes the Manual, Helpful Tips, contact information and resource documents. The Welcome Guide is sent to the Applicant through the mail. Once the Welcome Guide has been received, the Manager will schedule a call to complete the Onboarding. The Manager will go over the Welcome Guide, provide technical support, and answer any questions. After Onboarding, the Provider Liaison will schedule an Orientation. The Orientation provides the Applicant the opportunity to meet face-to-face with the Liaison and Area staff. Both units have put great effort into standardizing provider materials and resources, and centralizing provider information by creating a dedicated page on the VR external website for provider resources.

Additional initiatives for these units are to identify required training for VR providers and new provider staff, and to develop a Provider Newsletter, which is rolling out in January 2018. VR anticipates the work of these units to be beneficial in improving relations with VR employment service providers, leading to improved services for VR customers.