Vocational Rehabilitation Program (Blind)

In Section (l) of the State Plan, DBVI outlined its goals and priorities for Program Year 2020. The eight strategic goals established by DBVI and the SRC are as follows:

1. DBVI will align services to support consumers in achieving the WIOA Common Performance Outcome Measures.
2. DBVI will increase the percentage of consumers earning more than minimum wage at closure.
3. DBVI will increase consumer opportunities to participate in post-secondary education and training and gain industry recognized credentials.
4. In partnership with VDOL and Community Partners, DBVI will create more opportunities for DBVI consumers to participate in DOL programs. 
5. DBVI will improve the outcomes for students and youth.
6. DBVI will continue to expand efforts to effectively serve employers through Creative Workforce Solutions (CWS).
7. DBVI will continue to seek opportunities to expand and/or improve services for underserved populations including individuals who need supported employment.
8. DBVI will continue to track consumer satisfaction with the program’s services through the Tri-annual consumer satisfaction survey.

Strategy 1: DBVI will implement a series of initiatives to align staff practices, services and assignment of resources to meet the WIOA Common Performance Measures. Goals A, B, and C.

In order to maximize DBVI outcomes under the WIOA Common Performance Measures, DBVI will implement or continue to implement the following:

• DBVI will track the three leading indicators which are:
• Leading Measure One: The use of career assessment tools to support exploration of higher wage and higher skill options.
• Leading Measure Two: The involvement of master’s level certified blindness instructors to strengthen consumer adaptive skills in completing their employment goal.
• Leading Measure Three: Assistive technology evaluation or training to assist consumer with their employment goal.
• All DBVI staff will be trained to do vocational assessments and use assessments as a career planning tool.
• All staff will be familiar with education and training providers in their communities, as well as what career pathways and stackable credentials are offered. Counselors will be able to speak to consumers about possible career paths, based on assessments.
• BAMs (Business Account Managers) will understand the career paths in the businesses they serve.

Strategy 2: Coordinate efforts with the Vermont Department of Labor (VDOL) and the Agency of Education (AOE) to ensure that blind and visually impaired individuals have access to employment training and other components of the workforce system. Goals A, B, C, and D.

As noted in the Unified Section of the plan, DBVI will be working closely with DVR, VDOL and AOE to ensure DBVI consumers have access to all the workforce development opportunities available in their communities. DBVI will be implementing strategies to make this happen including the following:

• DBVI will meet regularly with VDOL to facilitate coordination of services.
• DBVI, DVR, AOE and VDOL will implement systems to track and manage co-enrollment in each other’s programs.
• DBVI, with the support of DVR and AOE, will develop stronger partnerships with the local Technical Educational Centers and Adult Basic Education programs.
• DBVI will implement a plan for staying connected with all DOL partners of the AJC.

• DBVI will work closely with DOL to create and implement the Unified Plan with a common mission and vision to include all Vermonters in the workforce.

• DBVI will work with CWS local teams and DOL to obtain employment needs of companies and then match DBVI customers with specific training.
• DBVI will invite DOL and AOE to a staff meeting to discuss collaboration ideas.

Strategy 3: Expand employer outreach and engagement efforts through Creative Workforce Solutions (CWS) to effectively meet the needs of employers.  Goals B and F.

As described in Section (g) of the State Plan, CWS is the primary employer outreach and engagement infrastructure for DVR and DBVI. CWS, and in particular the Business Account Managers, have been a very effective approach to engaging employers and developing employment opportunities for DBVI consumers. DBVI will expand these efforts through the following strategies:

• Seek opportunities to coordinate employer engagement with the Vermont Department of Labor.
• Build on and expand employer events such as job fairs, employer breakfasts and business recognition events designed to engage employers.

Strategy 4: Explore strategies to assist DBVI consumers to retain or advance in employment. Goals A, B, C and D.

DBVI will develop and implement a systematic approach to follow up with consumers after job placement. The intent will be to re-engage the consumer at key points to determine:

• If they need or want more support to retain their employment?
• If they want assistance with career development and training in their current employment?
• If they want to pursue further career development with a different employer on in a different field?

The follow up will occur at key points after initial job placement. The first contact will be immediately after initial job placement through a congratulations letter and follow up call from the VR counselor.

The second contact will occur at 60 days post placement. The final contact will occur at three months post-employment closure.

The hope is that this systematic follow up will both help consumers retain employment and identify opportunities for career advancement.

Strategy 5. Continue to explore strategies to develop and expand services for underserved populations including individuals who require supported employment through partnerships, grant and funding opportunities. Goals D and G.  

• DBVI will create an inclusive outreach plan that includes consumers and providers.

• Develop a set of outreach materials to be used at events across the state including outreach to minorities and underserved populations.

• Support efforts to establish Deaf-Blind SSP services in Vermont.
• Educate providers about the importance of timely referrals.
• Outreach to developmental disabilities services and mental health agencies that typically do not referred to DBVI.
• Each DBVI region will create an outreach plan for the year that includes outreach to minorities and other underserved or underrepresented individuals in each region.
• Coordinate with DVR Transition Counselors, and the Teachers of the Visually Impaired to increase the number of transition students served. Create some documents that explain what DBVI can offer.
• Create a statewide system to track all visually impaired students as they graduate high school.

Strategy 6: Improve Outcomes for Students and Youth. Goal E. 

• Each DBVI Counselor will meet at the beginning of the school year with the Teachers of the Visually Impaired in their region to create a plan for identifying potentially eligible students and opening eligible students in the DBVI VR program.
• Each DBVI Counselor will meet with the General DVR Transition Counselor in their region.
• A DBVI Action Plan Transition form will be completed and updated annually for all eligible students.
• Participate in statewide Core Transition Teams.
• Continue to increase student participation in the summer Learn Earn and Prosper (LEAP) summer work experiences and Employment Development Retreats during the school year.

Strategy 7:DBVI will promote employment by educating employers and providing opportunities for increased exposure to people who are blind or visually impaired. This will address “Societies reaction to blindness.” Goal F

• Create products to bring and teach employers to understand the assistive equipment
• Create a network of ambassadors who demonstrate their assistive technology or white canes and demonstrate to the employers about how they use technology to complete work tasks and travel independently.

• Create a video of people working at their job.
• Find opportunities to show the film “Going Blind” to employer groups at Chambers, Rotary’s, and public libraries.
• Find opportunities to teach employer groups about assistive technology.
• Encourage employers to visit the DBVI website.
• Explore the idea of connecting employers through discussion group.
• Work closely with GCEPD to promote employment of people with disabilities.
• Create educational activities for White Cane Day and Disability Awareness Month in October.
• Create a PSA involving an employed individual and company.
• Offer Simulations to demonstrate—“what is it like to be blind?”

Strategy 8. DBVI will create Consumer Driven Events to assist individuals as they prepare for employment.  Goals A, B, and C

• Continue Great Expectations consumer driven events each year.
• Create workshops to develop interpersonal and employment skills
• Create employment support groups.

• Create networking events.
• Opportunities to practice interview and job readiness skills.
• Create peer mentoring opportunities for adjustment to blindness and technology.

Strategy 9: DBVI will create opportunities for access to information.

Goals: A, B, C, and H

• Create opportunities for Peer to Peer Technology Instruction

• DBVI will continue to expand the information on the website and will work with the SRC for ideas.
• Use Customer-Centered Culture to determine “what types of information customers really want?”
• Find ways to improve the process for the accessibility of online job applications.

Strategy 10: DBVI will address transportation challenges. Goals: A, B, and C

• DBVI will work with VTRANS to learn more about their “Go Vermont” website that helps people connect with all the available transportation options in their area.

• Coordinate with the Vermont Transportation Department on their new initiate and technology application that helps travelers find all the available transportation options in an area.

• Consider policy to pay for mileage and time of VABVI drivers in order to have a network of drivers available to meet transportation needs.

• Participate in system level planning.
• Assist VABVI to increase the number of volunteer drivers.
• Promote the option for DBVI to pay for the first 60 days of a ride to the job.

Strategy 11: DBVI will improve communication with customers regarding expectations for DBVI services. Goals: A,B, and C

• DBVI will develop a consistent statewide orientation to DBVI services which will be implemented in all four regional offices.
• DBVI will work within the principles of Customer-Centered Culture to make sure we are answering the question: “What does the consumer really want?”
• DBVI will continually evaluate timeliness, accuracy, and ease of obtaining services. DBVI will establish an ongoing closure survey. Results will be shared and evaluated with the SRC on an ongoing basis.
• Ask customers to evaluate DBVI products using the Customer-Centered Culture model.
• Implement a closure survey that can be sent to all closed cases.

Strategy 12: DBVI will provide technology training for people who need to prepare for a job or succeed at a current job. Goals: A, B, and C

• DBVI will create a consumer listserv that will be used to share technology solutions for access and work and in the community.

• Create a menu of training options ranging from expert training to independent study
• Create Peer to Peer Technology Instruction

• DBVI will problem solve to make job sites accessible through technology training.
• Use a team approach for a given situation including customer, job developer, counselor, job site technology evaluation, and training.
• DBVI will assist customers to continuously improve work related technology skills like using the internet, Microsoft Office, M312, and Adobe documents so they can do their job in the most efficient way.

Strategy 13: DBVI will implement strategies designed to enable DBVI customers to access higher wage employment through short-term training.Goals: A, B, C, and D

• DBVI will work closely with vocational technical education centers in Vermont to help high school students and adults prepare for the workforce.
• Establish relationships with vocational centers to get consumers trained for positions in the area
• Attend State Technical Education Director’s Meeting

• Evaluate the impact of progressive employment on outcomes.
• Track education and training opportunities that lead to degrees or credentials.
• Establish working relationships with Vocational Tech Centers and track participation.