Vocational Rehabilitation Program (Combined or General)

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

A. DVR will align services to support consumers in achieving the WIOA Common Performance Outcome Measures.
 

B. DVR will increase the percentage of consumers earning more than minimum wage at closure.
 

C. DVR will increase consumer opportunities to participate in post-secondary education and training and gain industry recognized credentials.
 

D. In partnership with VDOL, DVR will create more opportunities for DVR consumers to participate in apprenticeship programs and pre-apprenticeship programs. 
 

E. DVR will establish a Charter Group to determine how to improve transition services for youth and implement those improvements.
 

F. DVR will improve the outcomes for students and youth with emotional/behavioral disabilities served through the JOBS Supported Employment Program.
 

G. DVR will explore and implement strategies to better serve job seekers with disabilities who are 55 and older.
 

H. DVR will continue to expand efforts to effectively serve employers through Creative Workforce Solutions (CWS).
 

I. DVR will continue to seek opportunities to expand and/or improve services for underserved populations including individuals who need supported employment.
 

J. DVR will continue to track consumer satisfaction with the program’s services through the bi-annual consumer satisfaction survey. DVR will also implement strategies to assess student and youth satisfaction with vocational rehabilitation and pre-employment transition services.

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

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

• DVR will utilize the DVR Dashboard to track leading case practice indicators that we believe will result in improved outcomes. The five primary lead indicators are:
  • Teaming cases with other staff and partners
  • Participation in career assessments
  • Participation in post-secondary education and training
  • Setting higher wage career goals
  • Follow up post-employment
• Every step of the rehabilitation process will message and support the DVR commitment to careers.
• DVR casework practices will support serving consumers more than once on their journey.  DVR will continue to implement a follow up system to reach out to consumers after job placement to offer continued support and assistance.
• DVR counselors will provide long term aspirational career counseling.  All staff will be trained to support long term career goals.
• Motivational Interviewing (MI) coaches will facilitate coaching circles that support career counseling using MI strategies.
• All DVR 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: Expand post-secondary training and education opportunities that result in higher wage job opportunities for DVR consumers through progressive education strategies. Goals A, B, C, D, F, H and J.

We know that the most reliable routes to higher wage employment are post-secondary credentials, especially in high demand fields. However, a high proportion of DVR consumers come to the program initially unwilling or unable to pursue post-secondary training or education. Often this is because they need to work due to financial necessity. They may also have had bad experiences in school and feel they are not able to succeed.

To address these challenges, DVR will implement progressive education strategies. That is to say, we will offer consumers safe options to explore and try out training and educational opportunities. This might include a campus tour of Community College of Vermont, support taking an introductory college class, informational interviews with training providers, and assistance improving basic skills. It will also include the use of one on one coaches to support consumers’ participation in educational activities and programs.

The DVR Progressive Education Charter Team has identified three broad priorities to move this strategy forward. First, DVR central office will establish a training and support framework that ensures staff have the knowledge, skills and tools to support consumer engagement in progressive education. Second, the DVR Regional Managers will implement routine ways to engage local workforce training providers to coordinate training opportunities for DVR consumers. Third, the Business Account Managers and Employment Consultants will consistently engage employers regarding career ladders and in house training opportunities for DVR consumers.    

Strategy 3: Coordinate efforts with the Agency of Education (AOE) and the Department of Labor (VDOL) to ensure individuals with disabilities have access to other components of the workforce system. Goals A, B, C, E and G.

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

• DVR and VDOL Regional Managers will continue to have joint meetings at the statewide level and local level to facilitate coordination of services.
• DVR, AOE and VDOL will implement systems to track and manage co-enrollment in each other’s programs.
• DVR will pursue actual or virtual co-location of DVR and VDOL staff.
• DVR, with the support of AOE, will develop stronger partnerships with the local Technical Educational Centers and Adult Basic Education programs.  

Strategy 4: Expand employer outreach and engagement efforts through Creative Workforce Solutions (CWS) to effectively meet the needs of employers.  Goals A, B, C, D, H and J.

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

• Seek opportunities to coordinate employer engagement with the Vermont Department of Labor.
• Analyze Salesforce account management data to determine if there are industry sectors that are underrepresented.
• Develop strategies to engage those sectors in partnership with local employers.
• Build on and expand employer events such as job fairs, employer breakfasts and business recognition events designed to engage employers.
   

Strategy 5: DVR will form a Charter Group to assess youth transition services including Pre-ETS and develop and implement strategies to improve and expand services. Goal E.

In 2015, DVR implemented a major restructuring of school to work transition services in response to the WIOA requirement to provide Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS). This included establishing a cadre of VR counselors and Youth Employment Specialists to work exclusively with high school students. DVR believes it is time to reassess this restructuring and look at how both Pre-ETS and VR services for students and youth could be improved.

In Program Year 2020 the Charter Group will develop a series of recommendations on how to improve and enhance Pre-ETS services in Vermont. Upon review and approval by the DVR management team, these recommendations will be implemented in Program Years 2020 and 2021.

Strategy 6: Explore and expand strategies to serve and support the older worker with disabilities. Goal F.

DVR will implement the following strategies to expand and improve services for older workers:

• In partnership with CWS, DVR will implement job fairs specifically designed for older workers in local districts.
• DVR will reach out to the Area Agencies on Aging to make them aware of DVR services as an option for older Vermonters with disabilities.
• DVR will provide training to counseling and job placement staff related to serving older Vermonters with disabilities.  

Strategy 7: Explore strategies to assist DVR consumers retain and advance in employment. Goals A, B, C and J.

DVR 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 8. Continue to explore strategies to develop and expand services for underserved populations including individuals who require supported employment through partnerships and grant and funding opportunities. Goals I and J.  

DVR has an ongoing development group specifically designed to identify and respond to grant and other funding opportunities to develop and expand services for underserved populations. The group meets monthly to research and review opportunities and when appropriate apply for funding.

DVR has strong relationships with other state and community agencies. We consistently rely on these partner relationships to explore opportunities to meet the needs of underserved populations. For example in 2019, DVR partnered with the Vermont Department of Health to use opioid funding to implement employment services for individuals in recovery. This population includes individuals with disabilities.   

Strategy 9: In partnership with VDOL plan and implement apprenticeship opportunities for DVR consumers. Goals A, B, C, D and J.  

DVR is a sub-awardee in a grant project with VDOL to develop and implement apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship opportunities. As part of the grant project DVR and VDOL will:

• Develop a tool kit for Business Account Managers on how to establish apprenticeships with local employers.
• Partner with Community College of Vermont and other training providers to provide the required training curriculum
• Pilot apprenticeships in local DVR districts with the local DVR counselors, employment staff