Vocational Rehabilitation Program (Combined or General)

The Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services continues to have a State Rehabilitation Council which meets on a quarterly basis. Council membership is representative of most areas of the state and includes a cross section of disabilities and minorities. Local vocational rehabilitation advisory councils, created by the SRC to obtain direct consumer input at the local level and to provide easier access, continue to meet across the state, and SRC members continue to report on information or advice from these councils at each quarterly SRC meeting. The councils also continue to serve as recruitment grounds for future SRC members due to member training provided during meetings. The SRC continues to advise the Designated State Unit or DSU on a variety of issues. Specific activities and advice of the SRC include the following: Review and comment on the State Plan. As in prior years, an SRC subcommittee appointed by the SRC Chair reviewed the goals and priorities within the VR portion of the Combined State, and the DSU asked for comments. In FY 2018 the SRC through that subcommittee agreed with the goals and priorities in the State Plan. Recommendation: The Agency should add a strategy to Goal 3 to improve counselor competencies regarding career guidance and job placement efforts for older individuals with prior work experience. Agency response: The Agency accepts this recommendation and will implement it as soon as possible. Review and comment on the Agency’s CSPD. The SRC received information on the CSPD and recommended no significant changes to the recruitment or retention plan. The SRC also reviewed information on current training programs for VRS staff and consumers and recommended no significant changes. Review and comment on the VR Employer services. The SRC continued to work with the Agency on issues affecting employer services and made the following recommendations: Recommendation: The Agency should facilitate upgrading of the applicant pool data in ABLE Network website. Agency response: The Agency accepts this recommendation and will implement it as soon as possible. Recommendation: The Agency should continue to stay engaged in developing Indicator 6 measurements like RAVE and reasonable accommodations. Agency response: The Agency accepts this recommendation and will implement it as soon as possible. Recommendation: The Agency should spend Pre-ETS funding on one-day trainings for summer youth employment programs. Agency response: The Agency accepts this recommendation and will implement it as soon as possible. Recommendation: College preparation courses for individuals with disabilities should be provided at community colleges. Agency Response: The Agency accepts this response to the extent that it will request that such training be held at community colleges and will partner with applicable organizations to implement this recommendation. Recommendation: The Agency should use the Section 503 tool kit. Agency Response: The Agency accepts this recommendation. Recommendation: The Agency should add a separate page on Business Relations in its Annual Report and such page include excerpts from the job driven initiative video. Agency Response: The Agency accepts this recommendation and will implement it as soon as possible. Review and comment on Impartial Hearing Officer List: The SRC continued to monitor the list for vacancies and to recommend replacements where appropriate. No revisions to the list were recommended for FY 2016 or 2017. Review and comment on VRS Consumer Satisfaction Survey and Related Issues: The SRC reviewed the Agency's consumer satisfaction survey and recommended the following: Recommendation: The Agency should use the survey and methodology proposed by Auburn University. Agency response: The Agency accepts this recommendation and will implement it. Recommendation: The Agency should explore employment of mental health consumers as peer specialists. Agency Response: The Agency has considered this recommendation and rejects it at this time as peer employment specialists are employed by the Alabama Department of Mental Health and their provider agencies and trained and certified through the Department. Additionally, ADRS has partnered with the Alabama Department of Mental Health to provide Individualized Placement and Support (IPS) supported employment, which is an initiative to reach out to individuals with mental illness and co-occurring substance abuse, and provide an integration of services, including peer support services, in order achieve competitive integrated employment outcomes. Recommendation: The VR general consumer satisfaction survey should include SAIL clients. Agency Response: The Agency accepts this recommendation and will implement it as soon as possible. SRC Training. Council members received training and/or informational materials on the following areas (For FY 2016 and 2017): A. Retaining a Valued Employee (RAVE) B. State of Alabama Independent Living (SAIL) C. State of Alabama Client Assistance Program (SACAP) D. Alternative loan financing under the STAR program E. Workforce Innovation and Opportunity ACT (WIOA) F. WIOA regulations G. Agency Blind Services H. VR budget I. VR production (number of VR clients successfully employed) J. Deaf grassroots movement K. Programs for youth with disabilities Project SEARCH in collaboration with local school systems, L. Smart Work Ethics, Job Exploration Training, and Project GATE M. Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) program N. Pre-ETS O. Alabama Parent Education Training Center (APEC) P. Overview of Special Blind programs Q. ADRS Adaptive Driving program R. HB 253 LEAD K S. CRP Services and Payment Restructure T. College Tuition Policy Update U. SSA Reimbursements V. STAR Alternative Finance program W. American Freedom Center for the Blind Revision of SRC bylaws. During FY 2016 and 2017, the SRC amended its bylaws to allow for removal of SRC members who did not attend at least 2 meetings per year without documented excuses. Review and comment on the Agency policies: The SRC gave the following input on Agency policies: Recommendation: Agency’s Self-Employment Policy should be amended to include in-kind contributions or expenses from the consumer. Agency Response: The Agency accepts this recommendation.