GATEWAYS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY………………………………………………… ii INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………………………. 1 STATE-OF-THE-STATE…………………………………………………………………. 2 GATEWAYS VISION…………………………………………………………………….. 5 GATEWAYS MISSION…………………………………………………………………… 5 GATEWAYS GOALS……………………………………………………………………... 5 Goal 1………………………………………………………………………………. 6 Goal 2………………………………………………………………………………. 7 Goal 3………………………………………………………………………………. 8 Goal 4………………………………………………………………………………. 9 Goal 5………………………………………………………………………………. 11 Goal 6………………………………………………………………………………. 12 Goal 7………………………………………………………………………………. 13 EVALUATION AND SUSTAINABILITY……………………………………………….. 14 APPENDIX 1: Summary Data Analysis “West Virginia People with Disabilities Background……………………………………………….. 17 APPENDIX 2: 45West Virginia’s Strategic Map for the Employment of People with Disabilities……………………………… 33 APPENDIX 3: GATEWAYS Stakeholders Forum Participants………………………….. 35 APPENDIX 4: Responses from Statewide Groups on Goals 1-7…………………………. 36 APPENDIX 5: Leadership Council List…………………………………………………... 58 Structure and Roles of the Leadership Council, Steering Committee and Work Groups…………………………………………. 60 TABLE OF CONTENTS GATEWAYS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY West Virginia is home to nearly a quarter of the nations disability population - 24.1%, the highest percentage of people with a disability in the nation. A person with a disability in West Virginia is one-third as likely to hold a job and almost three times as likely to be living in poverty as a person with no disability. The (title of strategic plan) provides a vision and a plan for changing the disability and employment paradigm in West Virginia. The Gateways Strategic Plan has broad-based ownership reflecting state-wide, cross-disability input inclusive of all age groups, business communities and stakeholders. In 2006, the West Virginia Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) received funding for a comprehensive employment systems change grant from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS.) Grant funds were utilized to develop a strategic plan for the employment of people with disabilities in West Virginia, entitled “Gateways.” Contracting with the Center for Excellence in Disabilities (CED) at West Virginia University and using the services of the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies and Development, Inc. (CESD), a comprehensive map of West Virginia’s current landscape for employment of people with disabilities was developed. Comparisons with other states, information from surveys and interviews with stakeholders as well as presentations to stakeholder groups around the state, helped determine needs and potential supports. Input was gathered from agencies, organizations, businesses, advocates, policymakers and people with disabilities and their families. This input resulted in the identification of seven areas of focus. A review of these goals through a list-serv of over 100 individuals, presentations to 33 agencies and organizations and a state-level leadership group determined the activities that would carry out this initial 18-month portion of the Gateways Strategic Plan. The Gateways Strategic Plan has high level leadership comprised of people with disabilities, governmental and private sector participants, committed to building a comprehensive state- wide employment system that promotes competitive employment. In order to ensure the full participation of people with disabilities, advocates, businesses and employers as well as high-level agency and organizational stakeholders, Gateways convened a 13 member Leadership Council. This Council will meet quarterly to review progress toward meeting the strategic plan goals and to ensure that Gateways stays current and responsive to the changing West Virginia employment climate. A Steering Committee comprised of agency, advocacy, business, provider and consumer members will be developed to: 1) oversee the day-to- day activities of the strategic plan, 2) ensure agency, business and consumer input and 3) direct needed modifications and/or expansions to the plan. This group will meet bi-monthly and will facilitate, with Gateway’s staff, meetings of six topic-specific Work Groups. Work Groups covering the areas of Employment Supports, Transition, Transportation, Assistive Technology, Employer Relations and Data Resources expand the number of Gateways partners and provide additional “voices” with expertise and/or experience in each of the topic areas. Often Work Group members represent other entities that address the topic area in their own organization’s mission or with already established boards and committees. This three-tiered structure (Leadership Council, Steering Committee and Work Groups) is designed to include a wide-range of stakeholders and to ensure that Gateways is included in ongoing employment activities statewide. Gateways is the blue-print to a consumer-driven support system that effectively increases employment options, demonstrates clear measures of success and is sustainable. Gateways addresses seven topics identified as areas of concern during the information-gathering process. First, the development of a Leadership Council, Steering Committee and Work Groups fulfill the need for a leadership forum where agencies, policymakers, advocates, employers and people with disabilities can direct the comprehensive system of employment for people with disabilities in West Virginia. The Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) has accepted the leadership role, with these partners, for the successful implementation of Gateways. Second, employment supports will be expanded through new collaborations, directed training and technical assistance for supported employment and community rehabilitation programs in the movement to expanded opportunities, choices and competitive employment. Third, transition services and supports will include a statewide Transition Conference that will result in new collaborations and “state-of-the-art” practice and policy enhancements. An emphasis will be on promoting person-centered planning and building employment expectations for transitioning students and their families. Fourth, a booklet, “Getting from Here to There” as well as “ride- share” and web information will expand transportation information for people with disabilities and service providers. Gateways will participate on existing committees already established to address transportation issues in the state, ensuring that disability issues are part of state planning. Fifth, Gateways will promote assistive technology and job accommodation by partnering with the state’s Assistive Technology Program and the national Job Accommodations Network, located in West Virginia. Sixth, an Employer Business Packet with information that supports businesses in hiring people with disabilities will be developed. A series of presentations for employment groups and businesses and marketing activities that link potential employers with positive images of people with disabilities will bring business “to the table.” Seventh, Gateways will review existing employment data in the state to help determine service gaps and identify needed information. A work plan with timelines, responsible parties, and potential outcomes per activity will guide the implementation of Gateways for the next eighteen months. Each goal has a plan for ensuring that successful activities are continued. The Gateways Strategic Plan puts an emphasis on measurable outcomes: on-going evaluation, combined with wide-range input from stakeholders and various data sources will inform and help steer implementation of the plan. Quantitative data or process information will be gathered on the number, range, topics and recipients of Gateways activity. These data will be presented to the Steering Committee and Leadership Council for review to determine if activities are carried out in a timely manner and with the outcomes anticipated. Qualitative data collection will include opportunities for recipients to evaluate training, conferences, materials and technical assistance and rate their satisfaction with participation. A consumer satisfaction survey in Year 3 will help measure whether participants believe that Gateways activity has had a positive effect on employment for people with disabilities. A formative learning process (Plan, Do, Study, Act) will help the Steering Committee, the Leadership Council, DRS and Gateways staff, review the impact and accomplishment of activities and make changes in the strategic plan, as needed, over time. In January 2006, the West Virginia Division of Rehabilitation Services (WVDRS) was awarded a Comprehensive Employment Systems Infrastructure Development grant (CES-ID) from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS.) The CES-ID grant was initiated collaboratively by WVDRS and the Center for Excellence in Disabilities at West Virginia University (CED) in cooperation with the Bureau for Medical Services (BMS), i.e., the state Medicaid agency within the WV Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR.) CED secured the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies and Development, Inc. (CESD) for technical assistance to develop a strategic map with the objective of describing the employment landscape for West Virginians with disabilities and identifying their needs. A team of stakeholders was established to assist with the core design of the strategic planning process. This team consisted of representatives from: The Bureau for Medical Services, Goodwill Industries of KYOWVA, WV Developmental Disabilities Council, Workforce WV, People’s Advocacy Information and Resource Services Center, Bluefield State College, Office of Special Education Assistance, WV Mental Health Planning Council, Job Accommodation Network, the CED and DRS. Technical assistance was provided by CESD and the program staff of CED. Varieties of assessments across different groups were completed. (See Appendix 1.) The voices heard within the state from a wide audience (education, business, advocates and people with disabilities and their families) provided positives, challenges and ideas for improvement. Themes as to what is working well and what is not working were derived from the wealth of information that was gathered. This data analysis won a national award from CMS in 2006. In order to ensure that the plan is current, CED staff conducted thirty-three (33) informational presentations on the strategic map to various stakeholder groups for additional input on the goals and activities. Input from the meetings was entered into a grid, with comments recorded for each goal area covered during the presentation. (For participation and comment see Appendix 2, 3 and 4.) A Leadership Council, representing high-level stakeholders, advocates and people with disabilities was created in May 2007 and served as the major reviewers for the Gateways Plan. (See Appendix 5.) Using comments and suggestions from the grid and the Leadership Council, the writing team was able to refine the activities and objectives for each of the seven goals areas. This draft document was sent out by email to the Leadership Council, the core design team and all other individuals from the stakeholder contacts that indicated that they wanted to review the draft document. Further comments were received and the goal statements, outcomes, activities and resources modified to develop the final goals listed in this plan. This document, “Gateways: West Virginia’s Comprehensive Employment System” is the result of these initial efforts as well as subsequent face-to-face meetings with 33 groups and the creation of a 115-member list-serv to promote on-going input. INTRODUCTION West Virginia has not been idle in dedicating resources and serious efforts to ensure that its citizens with disabilities have every opportunity to live successful and prosperous lives. An array of state agencies, public and private organizations, advocates, and people with disabilities contribute to this effort on a daily basis in very positive ways. Innovative programs and services, such as the WV Medicaid Buy-In Program (health care coverage), the WV Disability Program Navigator (DPN) Project and Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) Program were developed to address ways to reduce barriers and fill gaps that will improve the overall employment system. Like many other states, West Virginia faces significant workforce challenges in matters from economic growth to health care coverage. According to the West Virginia Bureau of Business and Economic research, in 2005 the state posted its fastest year-to-year job growth since 2000, with employment rising 1.3 percent. However, in 2006 the states’ economy lost steam with a major deceleration in employment growth. The state gained only 3500 jobs from the first quarter of 2006 to the first quarter of 2007. West Virginia’s overall unemployment rate averaged 4.9 percent in 2006, just above the national rate average of 4.6 percent. The state’s unemployment rate has converged to the national rate over the last two decades eliminating a substantial gap which developed in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. Although the state unemployment rate is now close to the national average, the state labor force participation rate was only 54.7 percent in 2004, well below the national average of 66 percent. There are a substantial number of citizens not participating in formal labor market activities. The demands on the public sector are often reflective of too many priorities, not enough resources and insufficient planning. Further, fragmented systems, duplicate services and lack of overall breadth and depth of funding resources apply to many areas that are designed to assist people with disabilities. Published statistics by the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) indicate that a person with a disability (PWD) in West Virginia is one-third as likely to hold a job and almost three times as likely to be living in poverty as a person with out a disability. Measurement WV PWD WV (No Disability) Employment Rate 23.9% 71.6% Median household income $23,800 $47,500 Poverty Rate 34.1% 11.6% Source: Census Bureau 2004 American Community Survey West Virginia had the highest percentage of people with a disability in the nation in 2005 at 24.1%. Of the working age population (ages 16-64) of persons with disabilities, this percentage was 21.7% for West Virginia as compared to 12.6% for the United States as a whole. In this age group, West Virginia had the lowest employment rate at 25.5% versus 38.1% for the United States. West Virginia has the highest percentage (11.4%) of 18-64 year old residents receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and/or Supplemental Security Income (SSI.) A variety of general employment services and disability specific employment supports are available as part of West Virginia’s employment infrastructure, including the West Virginia STATE-OF-THE-STATE Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS), Workforce West Virginia, the West Virginia Development Office, fifty-six Community Rehabilitation Programs, Behavioral Health Centers and Ticket to Work Employment Networks. In fiscal year 2006, DRS assisted 2,351 individuals with disabilities to receive vocational rehabilitation services that enabled them to become competitively employed. More than 94% of these rehabilitants were people with severe disabilities. After receiving vocational rehabilitation services, those individuals increased their average annual earnings by some 347%. Although receipt of services greatly enhanced the placement into competitive jobs, there are still a number of individuals who did not obtain their high school diploma or equivalency, which highlights the need for transition services and educational attainment to obtain career advancement opportunities. The DRS Comprehensive Needs Assessment for 2006 emphasized a need for development of services within the community. As a result, DRS is committed to partnering with community service providers and other agencies to build capacity for community service delivery. Many individuals served by DRS received or receive SSI and/or SSDI. There are currently 39 Employment Networks that can be utilized by residents of West Virginia under the Ticket to Work Program. Recent surveys showed that ticket holders in West Virginia numbered 138,232. The breakdown of tickets by disability type is listed below. DISABILITY TYPE STATEWIDE TOTAL Physical 80,115 Sensory 3,226 Cognitive 27,056 Psychiatric 27,835 Total 138,232 Source: Social Security Administration Website Auxiliary components of the employment system, including work incentive policies, are in place and helpful to people with disabilities in West Virginia, but are used sporadically. These auxiliary components include benefits counseling for Social Security Work Incentives, the Medicaid Buy-In Program, tax incentive policy, and access to specialized technical assistance providers such as the Job Accommodation Network (JAN), the WV Assistive Technology Program, Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA), and the Disability Program Navigators, to mention a few. The WorkforceWV Career Centers are also under-utilized by persons with disabilities. CURRENT PRIORITIES IDENTIFIED A compilation of data identified several areas that the strategic plan should address. Stakeholder Oversight: While there are a number of services and programs that are designated to assist people with disabilities in various facets of training and employment assistance, a central, easy access to these services across agencies and providers is lacking. A forum where stakeholders can work together to bring about change is needed. School Transition: School transition is an area where progress is actively occurring including: statewide and district level workshops and forums; transition targeted teleconferencing; transition assessment resource development; focus on improving achievement; attention to differences in graduation and dropout rates for students with disabilities and all students; efforts to increase collaboration and coordination with WV Division of Rehabilitative Services (DRS) and the Department of Education (DOE); development of inclusive educational models and strategies to improve access; and, the opportunity to progress in the general education curriculum. Support for these and additional activities is needed and an emphasis on students’ dreams and choices should guide the process. Transportation: Transportation is an issue that was mentioned numerous times. It appears to be one of the most prevalent concerns among people with and without disabilities and their families. West Virginia has a minimal public transportation system so that the extent of the services provided may not be enough to fulfill the needs of people with disabilities who want to work and continue to live in rural areas. Employers: A general lack of awareness about people with disabilities exists among employers. Some employers indicate that they are not as educated on employment of people with disabilities as they would like to be. Outreach, education and support to employers relating to hiring, training and accommodating employees with disabilities is a much needed area of focus. Accessibility/Assistive Technology: Accessibility issues ranging from physical (ADA compliance) to programmatic (including training and the application process) are issues facing people with disabilities as they seek to enter the workforce. Assistive technologies are vital to many people with disabilities at school and at work. Employment Supports: Several respondents felt that there is a lack of job opportunities for people with disabilities in West Virginia, particularly competitive opportunities. Many felt that the only jobs available for people with disabilities are low level, low paying jobs. There is a significant lack of awareness among the general public about the issues individuals with disabilities face. Greater awareness regarding the contribution of people with disabilities to the workforce and a full range of job choices and supports is needed. Data: Data collection indicated that although much information is available, there is no overarching picture of employment for people with disabilities or a method for tracking employment status. The strategic plan needs to collate available data to capture the “big picture” across agencies, providers and employers. These seven identified areas, then, became the major goals for the strategic plan. Since there is a myriad of passages or avenues for people with disabilities to use, a common name coined for these passages during the planning process was gateways. The concept was to develop a strategic plan centered on gateways - gateways that could be improved from within or developed through intervention. Thus, the enhancement of existing or the building of new gateways to employment constitutes the central planning purpose. An increased presence of people with disabilities engaged in competitive work that builds successful careers and contributes to West Virginia’s prosperity. To strengthen existing gateways and build new ones that result in more people with disabilities participating successfully in the West Virginia workforce. GOAL 1: Engage state policymakers, members of the business community and advocates to provide leadership, build a responsive culture and ensure sustainability of strategic plan goals and objectives. GOAL 2: Enhance the availability and quality of employment supports for people with disabilities through coordination, awareness and person-centered practices. GOAL 3: Strengthen and improve transition services and the transition process for youth and young adults moving from school to post-secondary education or employment. GOAL 4: Increase access to transportation and model effective transportation services and supports for people with disabilities. GOAL 5: Integrate assistive technology, including job accommodations, in the workforce delivery system, in schools and in the work place. GOAL 6: Educate and engage employers to market and develop opportunities for the employment of people with disabilities. GOAL 7: Build and sustain objective benchmarks and data collection processes that provide information for appropriate systems outcomes. GATEWAYS VISION GATEWAYS MISSION GATEWAYS GOALS GOAL 1: Engage state policymakers, members of the business community and advocates to provide leadership, build a responsive culture and ensure sustainability of strategic plan goals and objectives. Potential Outcomes: • Effective statewide leadership through the collaboration of people with disabilities, advocates, governmental and private sector participants in a Leadership Council that will provide input, sound policy recommendations and support for Gateways: West Virginia’s Comprehensive Employment System (CES.) • Continued growth of the Leadership Council to include other key consumer, business and government leaders including legislators. • Ongoing statewide input and active support from a Steering Committee established to ensure broad-based input, advance activities and monitor the employment options and outcomes of individuals with disabilities in West Virginia. • Availability of an infrastructure among leadership level agency partners to promote a positive culture and assist people with disabilities in seeking, obtaining and sustaining employment. ACTIVITIES: July 2007 – December 2008 2007 and 2008: • Identify and convene a statewide Leadership Council that will monitor the implementation of the Gateways Strategic Plan and ensure high level support that may include policy changes. • Communicate regularly with the Leadership Council to ensure their input and ongoing participation. • Convene bi-monthly and continue activities of the Gateways Steering Committee. • Link with other state agency partners to identify common strategies, goals and objectives; enhance collaborative and coordination efforts; and identify approaches for the sustainability of efforts. • Establish six (6) individual workgroups to include additional input into goal areas, add additional voices to Gateways and facilitate specific areas of the Strategic Plan including: employment supports, youth transition, transportation, assistive technology, employer and business participation and data mapping and collection. • Evaluate the direction, success and efficiency of Gateways, quarterly, through the Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) process that reviews on-going activities as well as the movement toward achieving Gateways’ goals and mission. Resources Needed: • Effective Leadership Council members (convened by DRS) to provide input and direction during the implementation of the Gateway’s Plan. (See Membership List) • Dedicated Gateways Steering Committee Members to meet, review and participate in plan activities. • DRS and WVU Center for Excellence in Disabilities (CED) staff support. • Outside participants to facilitate some Leadership Council meetings to ensure all voices are heard. Technical Assistance Needs: • Assistance with development of PDSA process for formative evaluation purposes. • Technical support from National Consortium for Health Systems Development (NCHSD) • NCHSD on building and maintaining effective Leadership Councils and building models of inclusive public policy making. GOAL 2: Enhance the availability and quality of employment supports for people with disabilities. Potential Outcomes: • Increased participation of adults with disabilities in Medicaid Work Incentive Network (M- WIN) and those utilizing the Personal Care Employment Support services. • Enhanced community resources, with supports, developed to eliminate barriers for individuals with disabilities to go to work. • Increased awareness among people with disabilities of their employment rights and protection resources. ACTIVITIES: July 2007 – December 2008 2007: • Continue outreach and education about the M-WIN Program (health care coverage) and the Personal Care Employment Support services and develop a marketing strategy for expanding awareness. • Explore/research the micro-enterprise information from other states to ascertain if WV can replicate these programs to increase supported employment/customized employment options for people with disabilities. • Enhance partnerships between the Community Rehabilitation Programs (CRPs) and community organizations, such as, the DD Council, Mental Health Planning Council (MHPC), Department of Education, and Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) by bringing them together to discuss needs/concerns/challenges and opportunities for competitive/integrated employment and training options. • Participate in meetings of the workforce system to increase awareness about employment supports, person-centered practices and Gateways. • Participate in the State Employment Leadership Network (SELN) through the Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) and explore promising practices that focus on employment and training rather than day habilitation; assist CRPs in developing pre- vocational and supported employment programs. **Many of the 2007 activities will be on-going in 2008. 2008: • Sponsor joint training for community providers and professionals using experts in the field who can provide technical assistance in the development of supported employment/customized employment options. • Disseminate information regarding the State Use program to providers and consumers as a viable training and employment resource for individuals with disabilities. • Partner with and provide education for WV Division of Personnel, state government agencies and others regarding recruitment, hiring and employment of individuals with disabilities utilizing the State Selective Placement process. • Collect consumer satisfaction information on the employment supports provided by M-WIN activities, annually for current participants or monthly for those exiting the program, through outcome interviews and surveys. Resources Needed: • Participation and collaboration with CRPs and community organizations. • Collaboration with the DD Council, Department of Education and Department of Health and Human Resources, Division of Personnel and WV Association of Rehabilitation Facilities (WVARF.) • Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Rehabilitation Research and Training Center for training of community partners. • Collaboration with the State Employment Leadership Network (SELN.) • Partnership with Mental Health Planning Council. Technical Assistance: • NCHSD Technical Assistance: o Support for a state to state exchange on establishing Micro-enterprises for employment options for individuals with disabilities. o Identification of nationally recognized experts in supported and self employment; and o Information on effective models for building the capacity of the provider community on supported and self employment opportunities. GOAL 3: Strengthen and improve transition services and the transition process for youth and young adults moving from school to post-secondary education or employment. Potential Outcomes: • Increased number of transition age students who enter work or post-secondary education. • Increased awareness of available resources for transitioning students prior to students’ graduation through improved partnerships among DRS, Workforce WV, Higher Education, DHHR, Department of Education, consumer groups and others. ACTIVITIES: July 2007 – December 2008 2007: • Discuss and identify opportunities to implement specific job preparation programs during and after high school through the Steering Committee’s workgroup on Transition. • Develop an Interagency Transition Council to implement a continuum of services for education, work and living for high school students. • Develop and maintain linkages between Department of Education (DOE) and adult providers such as WorkforceWV, Independent Living Councils, Community Rehabilitation Programs, etc. to educate parents, consumers and businesses on: work incentives, mentoring, Workforce navigation and community programs. • Develop or facilitate learning opportunities for students, families, and education programs to identify transition service needs and best practice transition models. **Many of the 2007 activities will be on-going in 2008. 2008: • Provide resources regarding formal statewide and local resource mapping activities for providers of services to individuals with disabilities as they transition from high school to adult status. • Sponsor a transition conference (with identifiable products and resources) that addresses key challenges that relate to transition and facilitates linkages with community providers upon graduation. • Promote person-centered approaches that support the “dreams” of transitioning youth through training and technical assistance to educators and families. • Provide role models that demonstrate successful outcomes through conference and mentoring activity. Resources Needed: • Access to data about transitional students/outcomes. • Access to existing transitional plans. • Coordination/collaboration with DRS and Department of Education. • Trainers from existing work incentive/employment programs including CED to provide education presentations. • Collaboration with Work Incentives Planning and Assistance Program, Disability Program Navigators, WVARF, CRPs, Parent Education Resource Centers, WV Parent Training and Information Center, DD Council, DBTAC, National Mentoring Program, Mountain State Parent, Child, Adolescent Network (MSP-CAN), businesses and out-of-school youth. Technical Assistance: • Data analysis support. • Facilitation for dissemination of on-going activities. • Person-centered planning support from statewide experts. • NCHSD Technical Support: o Develop a policy brief on promising practices around youth transition and identify models for consideration for WV partners; o Provide technical support on resource mapping efforts. GOAL 4: Increase access to transportation and model effective transportation services and supports for people with disabilities. Potential Outcomes: • Documented improvements in transportation to and from work for people with disabilities. • Partnerships with the Governor’s Transportation Coordinating Council, the Transportation Alliance and other transportation groups that address issues of transportation for people with disabilities. • Establish links among the Department of Transportation’s Online Transit Providers Directory, CED, DRS, WorkforceWV, Department of Education and other agencies through the Gateways website. ACTIVITIES: July 2007 – December 2008 2007: • Assist the Transportation Alliance, the Governor’s Transportation Coordinating Council and other transportation groups in addressing issues of transportation for people with disabilities through participation in work groups. • Identify transportation supports such as the Good News Garage, Perdidos and others currently available in the state and disseminate information regarding these resources. • Identify existing data sources to build a baseline to measure success of transportation initiatives. • Educate areas without transportation supports so they can be given an opportunity to replicate similar services. • Develop a “Ride Sharing” initiative by placing information in community locations, such as, Workforce WV Centers, DHHR and DRS offices, and the Transportation Alliance website (www.wvride4all.org.) **Many of the 2007 activities will be on-going in 2008. 2008: • Create a handbook “Getting from Here to There” that provides: 1) information about transportation options (i.e., what’s accessible and funding for individuals); 2) information for transportation providers (insurance, drivers, etc.); and 3) guidelines on “how to” coordinate transportation at the local level. • Provide training and technical assistance in grant writing for local groups who want to pursue federal, state or private funding for transportation services. • Disseminate information through agency and consumer organizations regarding working-at- home options. Resources Needed: • Involvement of Governor’s Transportation Coordinating Council. • Partnership with the Fair Shake Network Transportation Alliance. • Assistance of CED staff, workforce partners and transportation pro viders. • Collaboration with Perdidos, Good News Garage, WV Department of Publ Public Transit Association and others that address transportation. Collaboration with Rural Planning and Metropolitan Planning orga • NCHSD Technical Assistan o Identification of promising entification of models currently in existence in West Virginia. GOAL 5: Integrate assistive technology, including job accommodations, in the workforce delivery system, in schools and in the work place. Potential Outcomes: • Increased knowledge among schools, parents, employers, community programs and rehabilitation providers regarding the state assistive technology virtual loan library/recycling bulletin board program. • Expanded information for employers on the ADA and job accommodation through partnerships with Job Accommodation Network (JAN), American Federation for the Blind, DBTAC and others. • On-going partnership with West Virginia Assistive Technology System (WVATS) to train and educate consumers on the availability of assistive technology. ACTIVITIES: July 2007 – December 2008 2007: • Provide education and outreach to employers, teachers, case managers, service providers and the general public regarding the use, availability and funding of assistive technology in the workplace through trainings, materials and technical assistance. • Participate in Partnerships in Assistive Technologies (PATHS) interagency activities. • Market the availability of funding resources for assistive technology such as the Assistive Technology Revolving Loan Fund with partnering agencies and consumers through education and awareness activities. **Many of the 2007 activities will be on-going in 2008. 2008: • Develop resources and provide training to rehabilitation technology and assistive technology service professionals. • Build a state registry of home modification, rehabilitation technology and work place accommodation service providers. Resources Needed: • Up to date information about Assistive Technology via Disability Business and Technical Assistance Centers (DBTAC), WVATS, JAN and DRS Rehabilitation Technology Department. • Database of media outlets, Chamber of Commerce and other business groups for distribution. • Educational materials for service providers, teachers and case managers on assistive technology and job accommodation options. • Coordination with Offices of Disability Services at West Virginia colleges and Universities, Department of Education, LEAs, Community Rehabilitation Programs and WVATS. Technical Assistance Needs: • Participation by JAN, WVATS, DBTAC, and DRS in the development of strategies. • NCHSD Technical Assistance: o Promising practices about A GOAL 6: Educate and engage employers to market and develop opportunities for ployment of people with disabilities. P • Increased busines benefits possible through hiring individuals with disabilities. Increased numbers of individuals with disabilities employed in A 2 • W Advisory Council (EAC) to develop strategies to address the needs of businesses and potential employers of people with disabilities. Partner with JAN to raise awareness and promot disabilities through media opportunities, the creation of new marketing strategies adissemination of information to employers and workforce partners. Bring additional businesses/employers to the table through the Steer Groups and other Gateways activities. 2 • C employers regarding the employment of people with disabilities. Infuse information regarding the employment of people with disab WV marketing plan. Develop an “Employe information on where to access resources, how to get assistance in hiring people with disabilities and information on rights and protections for people with disabilities gearetoward the business perspective. Provide training to job development professionals in developing employment readiness and marketable images. urces Needed: R • Collaboration an International Personnel Management Association – Human Resources (IPMA - HRidentified employers, Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), individualdisabilities and other stakeholders, State Chamber of Commerce and information from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce “Dispelling the Myths.” Collaboration with local existing media outlets, statewide. • Training specialist such as VCU, JAN, EEO, DBTAC. nical Assistance: T • NCHSD Technical o Promising practices for col o Information on messages other states have developed for employers around hiring a o Review and provide advice on materials developed for employers. rticipation of stakeholders on the Employer work group of the Gatewa Committee. p rovide Potential Outcomes: status of people w Strategic Planning activity. An on-going evaluation process for the implementation of the Gateways Strategic Plan thmeasures quality and consum IVITIES: July 2007 – December 2008 2007: WV information. Monitor monthly reports from DHHR and Health Management Systems (HMS) the premium coll participant age, sex, county location, previous Medicaid coverage, amounts paid for premiums and reasons for disenrollment. Coordinate development of annual reports to appropriate state and federal bodies, sucthe annual finder file, premium reports, earned and unearned income reports and the state Buy-In council annual report. Facilitate communication among personnel working on different data systems to ensure accuracy of data reported. **Many of the 2007 activities will be on-going in 2008. : 2 ata information, as baseline, to describe employment staest Virginia, identifying important demographics of working age adults – di where they live, disability type and educational level, among other characteristics. • Continue reporting and data collection efforts. Continue to collect and summarize information on service gaps through the Steering cess and consumer surveys. Committee and its work groups, the PDSA pro • Conduct activity-specific consumer satisfaction surveys and provide summaries for thLeadership Council and the Steering Committee. sources Needed: Collaboration with DHHR, Workforce WV, Education, BMS and DRS. • • • Contracted supp chnical Assistance: • NCHSD Technical Assistance: o Assist with res o Support cross-state sharing o Provide examples of data collection tools (e.g. surveys, MOU agreements, etc.) pport from the CED electronic data collection sy pport from the Data work group of the Gateway’s Ste EVALUATION AND SUSTAINABILITY E T d Steering Committe the timely completion of the proposed activities and the outcomes or results of these activities as well as the satisfaction of people with disabilities with the process and its results. Quantitative, process data will be collected from Gateway’s staff and partners by the CED’s Data Coordinator on the number, audiences, hours and topics of training provided throug a Information is also collected on the number of materials disseminated, media events and the audiences for these. This data collection process is based on a monthly electronic data collection system that has been approved by the CED’s federal funding agency. These data will be presented in tabular and graphic forms to the Leadership Council and Steering Committee onregular basis for review and evaluation of the implementation activities and accomplishments. This quantitative evaluation system records the day-to-day activities of Gateways and whenot these activities were as timely and as comprehensive as projected. Qualitative information will be gathered by Gateway’s staff who keeps records of consumer evaluation of the website, toll-free line and training and media events an a events as well as handbooks and other materials. The results of these written, phone and personal interview surveys will be shared with the Leadership Council and the Steering Committee each year. A general mail and phone consumer satisfaction survey will be conduearly in year three to summarize consumer satisfaction with Gateways and to determine wor not activities of the project have had a positive impact on the employment supports pereceive in their communities and on increasing employment opportunities. Gateways will also conduct a formative learning process that allows for continual improvement. The use of the Model for Improvement: PDSA (Langley, Nolan and Nolan, S e strategic plan includes a three-tiered evaluati induced real changes in the system so that people with disabilities can successfully pursue, gain and maintain employment. The Model for Improvement answers three questions: 1. What are we trying to accomplish? 2. How will we know that a change is an improvement? 3. changes can we make that will result in improvement? The first question was answered by the seven goals and outcome objectives of the Gateway’s Strategic plan that was developed through the 1 ½ year work of the MIG Program and partners. The use of data, especially data related to the consumers’ perceptions of quality, is important to ensure the project is continually focusethe right direction. To answer the question “how do we know a change is an improvement?” themodel determines: a) if a change is made, b) if the change results in meeting an outcome objective and c) if improvement is sustained over a period of time. By using the PDSA, the steering committee can review activities and their impact and present this information to the Leadership Council. Having data to determine the effect of change enhances learning. The third question is answered by developing changes and testing one or more on a small scale throreview by the “customer” or “consumer.” To help develop tests and implement changes, the Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) model is used as a trial-and-learning methodology. Improvemethen, can be ongoing. The Strategic Plan becomes a working document allowing for modification and for enhancement over time. Repeated use of the PDSA cycle moves systems change fromtheories, ideas and hunches to changes that result in long-lasting improvements. For example, an objective under the transition goal is to host a transition conference (“Plan”.) The “Do” component is the documentation of the event, i.e. date, location, attendance and topicWhen the conference is held, evaluations by participants, summaries by presenters a Steering Committee to “Study” the impact of the conference. In this study, the Steering Committee may find that although the conference was well attended and evaluated positively by participants, many attendees saw a need for regional trainings or meetings as a follow-up to thestatewide conference. The Steering Committee may decide to “Act” to modify future confplanning in order to hold post-conference regional forums. Objectives then, for the next would be added to reflect this change. The PDSA process could then be used to study and act on the impact/outcome of this new activity. The Steering Committee and Gateways staff will be trained by the CED Administrative staff in the PDSA. It will be implemented as the formative learning portion of Gateways by month two. SUSTAINABILITY The Gateways Comprehensive Employment System plan is designed to increase competitive employment of individuals with disabilities. T c provide a bridge for ag and training options for individuals with disabilities. The program will facilitate the continuationof work groups that address barriers and enhance opportunities that advance Gateways goalsobjectives. By keeping the Leadership Council and steering committees involved, Gateways will ensure linkages continue among community programs and encourage new and innovative practices as it relates to em c training options for transitioning students. The key to success is collaboration among partnersand the assurance that information is current, updated, and easily available, whether it is information about transition, employment supports, transportation or jobs. Project staff will be dedicated to building the necessary connections among partners and look to maximize the ar of collaboration that will be structured to encourage sustainability of the Gateways goals. GOAL 1: There is a strong commitment from state partners to work together on employment issues at the highest level as demonstrated by the already established Leadership Council. Their representatives are also available for the Steering Committee that will be involved in the day d Rehabilitation Services’ (DRS) leadership. Work groups slated to address specific goals are drawn from respondents who demonstrated their interest during the development of the plan. Many of these groups and individuals expressed an interest in helping this plan succeed. It is anticipated that this participation, at several levels, will be sustained over time. GOAL 2: New partnerships and enhanced interaction with entities that provide employment supports for individuals with disabilities will lay the foundation for improved interagency and interorganizational services. It is anticipated that these new associations will co in through these partnerships, will direct future activity. GOAL 3: Already established activities, such as the Transition Conference, have improvenumber and type of interactions among employment services providers, educators, parentsyouth with disabilities. Gateways’ allows these more g o Department of Education (DOE) ensures that this collaboration will continue, grow and become more and more responsive to identified needs. GOAL 4: Assisting local transportation groups in obtaining funding resources; providing newinformation about transportation options and coordination; and, sharing success statewide, will empower communities to build and continue tra GOAL 5: Through work with existing long-term structures for assistive technology and job accommodations (WVATS, JAN, DRS Rehabilitation Technology), Gateways will collaborate with known supports and help continue their impact. GOAL 6: Gateways will introduce new and innovative methods of marketing and developingstronger employer supports. It is anticipated that, through the Plan Do Study Act review, some of these methods will prove successful and some will w going improvements. GOAL 7: As noted in the Strategic Map, West Virginia needs to look at all available data upowhich to plan and conduct further employment objectives. The development of a wide-range set of information will ass p APPENDIX 1 Summary Data Analysis “West Virginia People with Disabilities Background” ta analysis compiled by the Center for Etrepreneurial Studies and Development (C ing Gateways strategic planning initiative. It serves to focus understanding the people wlities populations and the current status regarding employment and the workforce. Comments and suggestions are welcome. 304.2 Disability and Employment in West Virginia Published statistics by the US Census Bureau indicate that West Virginia had the highest percentage of people with a disability (PWD) in 2004 at 12.0%. For the working age population (ages 16-64), this percentage rises to 20.1% as compared to 11.6% for the United States as a whole. In this age group, WV has the lowest employment rate at 23.5% versus 36.9% for the U.S. Other statistics from the Social Security Administration also show that West Virginia has the highest percentage (11.1%) of 18-64 year old residents receiving Social Security Disability Insurance and/or Supplemental Security Income1. Further analysis of PWD and employment will be broken down into three categories: • Employees – persons with disabilities aged 16-64. • Employers – organizations that can, do, and could hire PWD. • Service providers – organizations that rehabilitate and train employees and match them with employers. Following the analysis of the three groups, will be an economic analysis, benchmarking of other states’ attempts to improve their situations with a focus on the measures that they utilize to assess progress in improving the employment rate, and recommendations for metrics to appraise a comprehensive employment system in WV. WV Employee (PWD) Statistics As seen in the table below, persons with a disability in WV are one-third as likely to hold a job and 3 times as likely to be living in poverty. Measurement WV PWD WV (No Disability) Employment Rate 23.9% 71.6% Median household income $23,800 $47,500 Poverty Rate 34.1% 11.6% Source: Census Bureau 2004 American Community Survey Some other details on West Virginians with disabilities from the 2004 American Community Survey are listed below: • There were 237,600 West Virginians aged 16-64 with a disability in 2004. • The employment rate of working age people with disabilities decreased from 24.8 % in 2003 to 23.9 % in 2004. • The percentage of working age people with disabilities working fulltime/full-year decreased from 15.5 % in 2003 to 13.8 % in 2004. • The median annual labor earnings of working age people with disabilities working full- time/full-year decreased from $25,500 in 2003 to $22,000 in 2004. • The median household annual income of working age people with disabilities decreased from $26,300 in 2003 to $23,800 in 2004. • The poverty rate of working age people with disabilities increased from 27.4 % in 2003 to 34.1 % in 2004. • The percentage of working-age people with disabilities receiving SSI payments increased from 18.8 % in 2003 to 22.0 % in 2004. • According to a recent Harris Poll survey, nearly 66% of PWD want to work Extrapolating for West Virginia that translates to just over 100,000 West Virginian PWD looking for work. Using linear regression analysis certain relationships were determined to have statistically significant correlations (not necessarily causal relationships) and others insignificant in relation to the PWD employment rate for all of the United States. Significant Relationships • Geographic location (East, West, Southeast, Midwest, West, etc.) • Educational attainment • Employment rate of people without a disability (insignificant if the bottom 5 states are not included) Insignificant Relationships • Population density (Ruralness) • Race (in WV) • PWD density (# of PWD in a state divided by total state population) • Median Age • Gender WV Employer Statistics Efforts to obtain information from WV employers and their hiring and employment practices regarding PWD are underway. Meanwhile, the most relevant information on the subject can be obtained from a 2003 Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) national study that randomly surveyed 2,500 members of SHRM. Key findings regarding employers are listed below: • A majority of respondents indicated that their organizations do not participate in any of the employer incentive programs for hiring individuals with disabilities. • HR professionals believe that the ADA has created more unproductive time spent in compliance activities and created a fear that lawsuits will result if individuals with disabilities are hired and then later terminated. • Respondents indicated that approximately 38% of reasonable accommodations cost nothing; 28% cost $1,000 or less; 8% cost between $1,000 and $5,000; and 14% cost more than 5,000. • The majority of respondents indicated that individuals with disabilities comprised less than 10% of their total work forces. WV Service Providers Statistics A variety of general employment services and disability specific employment supports are available as part of West Virginia’s employment infrastructure, including Governor’s Workforce Investment Division, West Virginia Development Office, WORKFORCE West Virginia Career Centers, West Virginia Division of Rehabilitation Services (WVDRS), and Ticket to Work and Self Sufficiency Program. Results from some of these service providers are summarized in the following paragraphs. WVDRS Statistics • In fiscal year 2004, WVDRS assisted 2,063 individuals with disabilities attain competitive employment. The total number of individuals served was 14,965. Based on these numbers a rehabilitation rate of 14% can be estimated. • In 2005, the number rehabilitated into the workforce grew to 2,188 while the number served stayed relatively stable at 14,797. This resulted in a rehabilitation rate near 15%. • Twenty-four percent (24%) of all persons rehabilitated received or receive SSI and/or SSDI. Ticket to Work Statistics • There are currently 39 service providers that can be utilized by residents of West Virginia. • Recent surveys showed that ticket holders in West Virginia numbered 138,232. The breakdown of tickets by disability type is listed below. • DISABILITY TYPE STATEWIDE TOTAL Physical 80,115 Sensory 3,226 Cognitive 27,056 Psychiatric 27,835 Total 138,232 Source: Social Security Administration Website • Roughly 45% of PWD are ticket holders (Social Security Disability beneficiaries.) • Between 40 -60% of people with a physical or mental disability are ticket holders while less than 10% of people with a sensory disability have tickets. WORKFORCE West Virginia Career Center Statistics • <1.0% of West Virginia PWD utilized WV WORKFORCE facilities in 2003. • In 2003, approximately 5% of their customers were PWD. • 52 of the 75 (69.3%) were able to enter into employment. Economic Impact The low employment rate of individuals with disabilities is estimated to cost the nation’s economy more than $200 billion annually2. These costs result form Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments, lost labor productivity, and other factors. SSDI payments to disabled workers, their spouses and children in the United States totaled roughly $6 billion in 2004. Payments to West Virginia PWD beneficiaries totaled $77.7 million, or 1.3% of the total. Average monthly US benefit received was $894.10. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments were an additional source of income for another 1 out of 7 SSDI recipients at an estimated additional value of $29.6 million in WV. Based on 2005 state data, the annual labor productivity in WV is $70,672/worker. The average number employed was 761,000 workers. Average PWD employed were 55,836 workers or roughly 7% of the employed workforce. Assuming 100% efficiency, increasing the PWD employment rate from 23.5% to the national rate of 36.9% would grow the gross state product approximately $532.7 million, or 1%. State Benchmarks Individual states have addressed the decreasing employment rates and increasing costs among PWD in different ways. 48 of the 50 states have a cross-department or cross-agency committee. West Virginia is 1 of the 2 that does not have one. On the East Coast, Maine, Maryland, New Hampshire and Vermont stand out as states with above average efforts and the PWD employment rates are reflective of these efforts. Maryland is one of the few states with a State Department of Disabilities. Maine, Vermont, and Minnesota will be benchmarked for their expected outcomes and measurements. Maine • Employment participation of working-age adults with disabilities. • People with disabilities receiving intensive services from One-Stop Career Centers. • Employment rate of individuals on Supplemental Security Income. • Number of Bureau of Rehabilitation Services clients entering competitive employment. • Number of Maine employers who view people with disabilities as a potential source of skilled, productive workers. • Number of employers who are aware of resources where they can obtain reliable information about providing accommodations to people with disabilities. Minnesota • Employers and businesses that have hired a person with a disability. • Businesses that have hired at least one additional person with a disability. • Businesses that have hired at least three additional persons with disabilities. • People with disabilities hired by BLN-member employers. • People with disabilities in under-represented populations, including racially and ethnically diverse, immigrants, and rural Minnesotans who have been hired. • Awareness of and a positive attitude about hiring people with disabilities. • Number of micro-enterprises and venture capital opportunities (small business loans) among entrepreneurs with disabilities. • Increase in earnings by people who use MA-EPD as a work incentive. • SSDI payments to people with disabilities. • Increased awareness and utilization of key state and federal work incentives and employment services and supports for people with disabilities. • Utilization of the Workforce Centers by people with disabilities. • Number of job placements by Workforce Centers for people with disabilities. • Successful placements by Rehabilitation Services. • Employment outcomes including employment retention, among participants, in peer support and mental health self-management initiatives, and other innovative supports. • Attitudes and expectations about the employment potential of persons with disabilities. • Awareness and utilization of key state and federal work incentives for people with disabilities. • Aggregate number of youth and young adults with disabilities aged 14-25 participating in mentoring programs, paid and unpaid internships, and work experiences. • Number of youth and young adults with disabilities enrolled in post-high school education and training programs. Vermont • Employment rate • Average earnings • Workforce readiness in both hard and soft employment skills. • Awareness and accessibility of gainful employment options among people with disabilities, particularly regarding self-employment. • Awareness, availability, and accessibility of employment support services available to people with disabilities. • Awareness, availability, and accessibility of employment support services available to employers. • Availability and effectiveness of peer resources in the community which are supportive of employment. Recommendations With the multitude of data, numerous state agencies and departments, federal and state legislature, and even more non-profits and service providers involved in one way or another with PWD -- navigating all of the data sources is cumbersome and inefficient (See Process Map). Metrics to assess the environment and efforts should first be separated into 3 categories – inputs, system, and outputs. The relationship between these can be seen in the figure below: WV Comprehensive Employment System for PWDInputsOutputsMedian PWD EarningsPWD Employment RateEmployed PWDUnemployed PWDWV EmployersGovernment (State, Local, and Federal)Service ProvidersPlanning and Leadership Support Many measures can be used to explain the various inputs, outputs, and processes. Some of them are listed below. Input Measures • Employed PWD – Aggregate Number and % of WV population – by county and disability type (Source: American Community Survey and SSA.) • Unemployed PWD - Aggregate Number, % of WV population, Ticket Holder Rate – by county and disability type (Source: American Community Survey and SSA.) • WV Employers – % of employees with a disability; awareness of incentive programs and legislature; Aggregate number and % using the WVCES (Potential Source: WORKFORCE Surveys, WVCES data.) • Government – Funding for disability programs, Coordination of efforts scorecard (would need to be developed.) Process and System Measures Operations of the WVCES can be separated into two groups: service providers and the planning and leadership support. Metrics for the planning and leadership support will most often be centered on completion of specific tasks. Service provider measurements should include the following and be available for each provider and at the aggregate level: • Capacity – # of people per year that the service provider can process. There may be a capacity measurement for different specific objectives (e.g. rehabilitation capacity, GED training capacity.) • Success Rate – # of people reaching goal (diploma, certificate, employment, retention, etc.) divided by number of people processed for that goal. A standard list of goals will need to be established. • Throughput Time –number of days from when a person first contacts a service provider until they are placed into a job and/or complete their goal. • Potential Employees – number of people currently receiving assistance (with demographics to be determined.) • Business Requests – number of businesses requesting an employee; number of requests for employees; number of requests for assistance regarding incentive programs. Output Measures • PWD Employment Rate (Source: ACS) • Median Annual Earnings (Source: ACS) • Any leading indicators?? Many states choose to include other output measures including SSDI and SSI expenditures. The WVCES focus is on assisting persons with disabilities become gainfully employed, not on SSDI and SSI policy and cases. The two output measures above effectively assess the impact of the WVCES in meeting its long term goals. Appendices This diagram is to explain that was constructed to explain a few concepts: • The number of people receiving SSDI and SSI is less than the total number of people with a disability according to the ACS • The number of people with a disability receiving SSI is smaller than the number of people with a disability receiving SSDI • Not all people receiving SSDI and/or SSI are disabled according to the ACS criteria • Not all people receiving SSI receive SSDI and vice versa ACS DisabilityReceiving SSDIReceiving SSI Figure 1: Population of Persons with Disability, Ages 16-64 (not to scale) Figure 2: Employment Rate, Persons with a DisabilityAges 16-640.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 20002001200220032004WVUS Source: Census Bureau 2004 American Community Survey Figure 3: Employment Rate Gap, WVAges 16-640.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 20002001200220032004WV No DisabilityWV Disability Source: Census Bureau 2004 American Community Survey 48.1% gap 37.1% gap Figure 4: Employment Rate Gap, USAges 16-640.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 20002001200220032004US No DisabilityUS Disability Source: Census Bureau 2004 American Community Survey Figure 5 - Disability Population and Age6%7% 12% 29% 52% 8%9% 21% 40% 65% 1.80.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0% 5 to 1516 to 2021 to 6465 to 7475 and overAge Group (years) % of Population with a Disability0.000.200.400.600.801.001.201.401.601.802.00Ratio of WV to USUSWVRatio Source: Census Bureau 2004 American Community Survey Figure 6: PWD Education Attainment25%23% 34% 50% 41% 26% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% USWV% of PWDSome college or above (associate or bachelor's credit) High school graduate (includes equivalency) Less than high school graduate Source: Census Bureau 2004 American Community Survey Figure 7: Ticket Holders vs ACS PWD(Ages 16-64) 80.13.254.9138.2163.461.089.8314.2075150225300375PhysicalSensoryMentalTotalNumber of People (thousands) 00.10.20.30.40.50.60.7Ratio of Tickets to ACSTicket to WorkACSRatio Source: Census Bureau 2004 American Community Survey and SSA Website Source: Census Bureau 2004 American Community Survey Source: Census Bureau 2004 American Community Survey Text Box: Figure 9: % PWD by State (Ages 16-64) Figure 9: % PWD by State(Ages 16-64) < 10.5% 10.5% - 13.0% > 13.0% Text Box: Figure 8: PWD Employment Rates by State (Ages 16-64) Figure 8: PWD Employment Rates by State (Ages 16-64) > 45.0% 37.0% - 45.0% < 37.0% Figure 10: PWD Employment Rate by State Source: Census Bureau 2004 American Community Survey Figure 11: Percentage of Population with a Disability by State Source: Census Bureau 2004 American Community Survey References 1. Social Security Administration, Disabled Beneficiaries and Dependents Master Beneficiary Record file, 100 percent data, and Supplemental Security Record file, 100 percent data; U.S. Census Bureau, 2004 estimates of resident population. 2. Williams, J.M. 1998. Getting answers on hiring the disabled. Nation’s Business. 44(1). http://www.findarticles.com/cf_dls/m1154/1998_Nov_1/53111037/p1/article.jhtml 3. Disability - American Community Survey (ACS). http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/disability/acs.html APPENDIX 2 APPENDIX 3 GATEWAYS Stakeholders Forum Participants GATEWAYS Stakeholders Forum Participants •• WV Department of Education: Office of Special Education Achievement – Leadership • Center for Excellence in Disabilities (CED) State Agency Partnership Council • WV Developmental Disabilities Council (DDC) • WV Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Board • West Virginia Association of Rehabilitation Facilities (WVARF) - Leadership • WV Statewide Independent Living Council (SILC) • WV Mental Health Consumers Association Board (MHCA) • Fair Shake Network • West Virginia Mental Health Planning Council • Transportation Alliance • West Virginia Advocates , Inc. – Leadership + Staff • WV State Rehabilitation Council (SRC) • West Virginia Office of Behavioral Healt • Workforce Investment Board (WIB) – Region 1, Youth Council • Workforce Investment Board (WIB) – Region 1, Business Servic • Workforce Investment Board (WIB) - Region 2 • Workforce Investment Board (WIB) – Region 3 • Workforce Investment Board -Region 4 • Workforce Investment Board -Region 6 • Kanawha County Parent Education Resou • West Virginia Assistive Technology Systems (WVATS) Advisory Council • Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) – Leadership • WV Parent Training and Information (PTI) – Leadership • National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) grams Toda • Americans with Disabilities for Attendant Pro • Work Incentive Planning and Assistance (WIPA) – Leadership + Staff Disability Program Navigator (DPN) – Leadership + Staff • • Strategic Planning Forum – WV Social Work Conference • MR/DD Waiver Families – Leadership • Center for Excellence in Disabilities Consumer Advisory C Reiewers/Participants – group mail and listserv reviewers • • Transition Specialists – 18 LEAs • Forum participants/Registrants • • • Leadership Council = 16 • Transition List Serv hed GROUP gage state policymakers, members of the business communityd a responsive cultu and ensure sstainability of strategic uilreuation (Gateways) with Peer Support Specialists - and already Planning Council • Contact the RAPP (Relatives as Parents program) through the FRNs for support (the one in Martinsbthe strongest with 45 members). * • Work with BCF a WV Traumatic Brain Injury Board • Relationship involvement with legislators – represented on council. • Representative on committees by groups not on council, include Rehab Fund Board. • Include consumers and family members. • Representative fro • Representative from specialists, including Vocational Rehabilitation • Representative from Veterans/National Guard. • Representative from the business community and labor unions. How will consumers (with out agency – organizatio Disabilities Consumer AdvisCommittee Office of Behavioral Health Services oordination, awareness and person-centered practices. • The agency, Div. DD, has their own, new, employment planning initiative – the Supported Employme Leadership Network (SELN). • The SELN will be developing a DD specific plan in the near future. • OBHS has a jointly funded (MH & DD) supported employment project in collaboration with 7 or 8 community providers statewide. • Development of a BLN – Business Leadership Network. Relevant staff development/training initiatives around best p WV Advocates • racticesThe education is to assist consumers & their families not to being af • raid of losing theproviders about supports available form the waiver to allow PWD to work. • ADA Coalition has been charged with Centers for Independent Living (CILs) provide Inform & refer all PWD interested in working to DRS. The Mountain State CIL in Huntington has a supported employment program. The proposed SPIL has a goal fo providing information about work incentives & educating employers abou WV Mental Consumers Association disabilities. The CILs can & do provide some hard & soft skill training to help r I em It is a duplication of services to have several agencies provide the same se resources. Felt that DPN’s in the area could help with this. • Developing entrepreneurships. Region 3 WV DevelopmentalDisabiliti • Teach individuals/emp • Increase training opportunities about Buy-In at conferences. People don’t know about it. • Parts of the state don’t have supported employment services. • Hard to find job coaches for assi • One area used retired senior citizens or veterans to volunteer as job background checks on the volunteers). Workshop • Both job creation and supports to get or keep jobs need to be explored. • Understand the different types of ‘disability’; i.e. depression and diabetes are “h • Concern about clarity of objective wording to make clear MWIN already requires disability. Mental Health Planning Council • Get Peer Support Specialists on Business Advisory councils/boards. • Need more supported employment programs and trained coaches. • Speak to higher education about allowing social work students, Behavioral Health Techs, etc. to be job coaches for a semester as field work/internships. • How to network through current system. Make system accessible. Brain Injury Board • How to talk to one another across the system a • Better marketing for work incentives presented in a way people understand. • Employers need a model for ho on-sight advocacy to assist employer and show it works (Goals 2, 3 & 4). • Person centered practice. • Differences in needs for rural verses urban community. • Use CED web site to send out information. • How to get college supports. Disabilities Consumer AdvisCommittee • Make sure media is inclusive – get employers to advertise with a person with a disability on regular s• Need skills building. • Need person-centered approaches. G Workforce WV GOAL 3: Strengthen and improve transition services and the transition process for youth and young adults moving from school to post-secondary education or employment. A few individuals expressed inte Region 1 Businenit Service UWV Advoc Recommended that we look at Montana’s transportation system. g out of high school into other training, jobs & daily The proposed leadership goal includes students transitioninups involved with this group needs to discu Rehabilitation Council life. It was suggested that all grooutline collaboration. The DBTAC would lik WV Mental Health Consumers continue to promote youth leadership efforts. Include the goals of the Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL) fr • om Washington, DC, comprehensive plan for the transition for students with disabilities. Association • Involve students in the PEER support training. • Have the Consumer’s Association be involved in the annual transition conference. • Invite regular teachers & other personnel to the transition conference to make it a cross-disability effort, since many students with mental health disa behavior disordered classes, or in special schools. The group stated that higher education needs to be at the table to discuss transition for students with Rehabilitation Council disabilities. They want to be part of the Transition Conference when it is held. They recommen explore the role of volunteerism & community service (Commission f students as an option to learn work & other skills prior to deciding o employment. The Commission connects the skills & interests of the student with the needs of an employsite. Recommended that we collaborate with Unit There is a National Mentoring Program developed by the US Dept ofs internship programs. We also need to involve senior citizen center The WV Parent Training & Information wants to be involved. More cooperation needs to be coming in from school counselors/teachers & SSA. A lot of students don’t know what is available to them after graduation. & why target the first objective strictly to making employment an ctually can attend college? expectation? What if they a Workforce WV Region 1 Youth Council • Existing local initiatives include: The school Transition Coordinator organize • invite employers & some service providers to exhibit/talk about job openings. The Transition Coordinator organizes a Parent Summit (for parents of youth in spec. ed) that highlights services, employment supports & work incentives. It is hard to get em • Build It Keep It Share It – Reg. 1 W rn how to use it, & afterwards they can keep it; business spon • Work-based learning is key. • Need employer/community business participation in transition ef • Employer outreach is important; motivate employers with • Focus on out-of-school youth. Other: Public Input • Strengthen & improve transition services & the transition process for youth & young adults moving from school to post-secondary education or employment. • Hold, yearly, a statewide transition conference that makes employment an expectation of all WV students with disabilities through training & presentations to the students, their I teach a program at MTEC called WV TraumaBrain Injury Board SWAP (School to work action program) which provides work-based learning for juniors & seniors w/IEPs. Aof your goals & objectives interest me. • Representation from TBI on work group. • Too much reliance on promotion and existing incentives for supported employment of focus on transition to employment. • Address timing of transition with Department of Education and the Division of Rehabilitation Services. • Need to have someone to work with an individual one-on-one and take them where they need to go. • IEP team making decisions. • Existing model programs and see what works, maintain State Parents Can (MSPCAN). • Case management. • Ideas about transition services: • Include transition services in elementary school; People with disabilities need to start acquiring work skills responsibilities as students in elementary & junior high school. Systems Council • IEPs should include a goal to work part time to acquire “work skills” & interaction with the general public & employer; they should develop job references by the time they graduate. • IEP should include an expectation of employment. Include job readiness in high schools statewide. • • • Plan with the end in mind – servicUse job coaches who understand& a partic • ular job – & teach these job skills to youth before they transition. • Ideas/thoughts about conference: • A yearly conference should be an activity instead of an objective; we should re-write the objective – what do we really want? Objective is too vague - no vision. • Include workshop for parents that focuses on work incentives. • We’ve done conferences for years that haven’t worked. Nothing changes. • Session ideas: social skills, dressing skills, hygiene skills, money & budgeting, communication devices. • Mandate ed • Get in the schools first. • Guidance counselors and teachers need access to resources. • Schools do more training for students with disabilities (SWD) about what field they want to go into. • SW • Educate students and parents about work incentives. • Expectation that SWD go to wo • Specialized programs for SWD for vocational training (Boone County?). • Outreach and education to children and families bef • Help finding a job or work within the limitations of the disability, such as with visual impairments. • Educate students/teachers about DRS transition services (available at age 14), and begin transition earlie• Educate rehab counselors that SWD can do more than janitorial and food service. • Educate one-stops that SWD don’t jus • Get rid of assumption that students don’t • Internships to help with getting a job out of high school. • Have a workshop for parents on wor • Help schools consider individual interests rather than channeling all youth with disabilities into a general career path. Individualize all work experiences. • • Expand person-centered planning to • Bring real people with disabilities with real jobs into the classroom. • Make awareness training m • • • Let people learn on the job. • Better coordinate between parent, student and school for vocational goals after school. • Establish a statewide annual transition conference for consum contact as many families and individuals as possible to go beyond depending on their county systems to send them information, if possible. • Make all vocational school programs completely ac in getting ready. Stop telling the kids this. They n • Identify skill sets for the interview process. Teach/focu • Give employers more impact on school curriculum. • Families still don’t know their rights. p plan for improving transition services for students leaving high school. This is in response to your eight ste Are you aware that CED gave Kanawha County Schools Parent Educator Resource Center a grant last year to improve the transition workshop we already had and distribute it throughout the state? The name of it is Roadmap to the Future. It was developed by Jeanne Grubb who presented it to 9th graders in all eight of our county high schools as well as evenings. That continues to be done every year. We have also trained other county P ERC staff and have presented at PATHS. We would like to know more about your plans for transition and how we may help. Include students with disabilities in on-go WVU CenterExcellence inDisabilities C C • • Be person-centered-assum • Create a handbook for educators – “How to” • Get students involved in extra-curricular and volunteer activity • Schools need to make a plan for Students with DisabCounselors should start transition discussions with S • One counselor could be em • ployed just to help transitioning SWD. • Laws are in place for transition, but not enforced. • Agree to “make employment an expectation”. • One parent was told that she could not attend her child’s IEP and the meeting has been cancelled every tim the parent shows up to attend it. • No system in place to deal with schools that don’t allow parents to attend the IEPs • Some SWD are prepared to leave school but some with potential are jus pay any attention to them or help them learn (no job or vo • Increase community integrated work programs (such as • Start work activities for SWD by age 14. • SWD leaving are surveyed - what is done with the results? Anything? • Many (transition activities?) (SWD?) Don’t fit in with No Child Left Behind. • Counties focus on NCLB rather then • Implementation of NCLB and services for SWD vary across count • Parents are not aware of DRS services or other option for their childrity services that their children m • Parents aren’t aware of other communProfessionals in the school system • aren’t aware of what is available for their SWD. Hire someone to travel around the state to train people in the school system about wha • t services are availain their area for SWD. Transition p • lanning meetinghealth center, DRS, and people from • Inform parents thru informational packets about what services are available for their SW • Parents may be overwhelmed with too much ‘stuff’. • Start the expectation of work by age 14 by informing parents their child can work and keep some benefits. • Go to the parent’s hom • Ask the students and parents what would help them with the transition process and finding and keeping work in the future. • Look into linking up with programs as Upward Bound (a program • Look at the Talent Search program for high achievin WV Work Incentives Planningand Assistance • Ideas/thoughts about the conference: • Transition conference doesn’t get to the real issues of transition; will not lead to long-term employment. • Kids are not going to come to the conference. • Thoughts about existing providers/providers (e.g. PERCs, DRS, etc.) • Clarify PERC focus; are they just an in-school parent resource? • There’s a lack of funding for PERCs. • Maybe we shouldn’t focus on PERCs; use Parent Training Information Centers instead. do services vary by region? Require state • How is DRS involved? Are they involved in middle school? Why to follow mandate – for consistent services statewide. Need to get rid of territorialism. • • Ownership on family instead of special education program • Connect with CRPs and get them involved in transition. • Ideas/thoughts about transition services: • Goal doesn’t address funding or curriculum issue. nd focus on fu • We need to work on doing away with existing process (3-tiered?) aAnn Henderson. • Book for reference – “Beyond the Bake Sale” by ed i • Parent training is difficult; getting them involv • Need transition programs that will go in the home and school. • Tie transition services in IEP using tools like Future’s Planning; mandate that transition services are includedin IEP. Incorporate transition services in IEP earlier (i.e. middle school). • • Focus on functional programs for youth w/disabilities instead of academic; develop individualized programFuture Planning as a goal for all students. • • Stop labeling students as functional or non-functional, this shoots dow grow. • Start career planning earlier. • More vocational rehabilitation with transitioning services. • Start earlier – person-centered planning, mo • “Best Practices” statewide. • Less territorialism when working with the schools. • More Parent Involvement – Prioritize by making home visits. • Establish Parent Advocates to walk the parent through the transition processes. • Provide options for services (Voc. Rehab., Behavioral Health, and/or Community Rehab Program’s) and have them present at IEP’s. • Have Students and Parents better prepared for IEP’s. The School System is failing when it comes to transitioning special need students. • • Parents need to be primary stakeholders. • Do a State-wide information gathering of why • Families taught to be dependent on system - change this mindset through education. *** • Teach parent’s child has a right to a life/let go. ** • Angie Ferrari, Melody Waybright, and Pam Harper volunteered to be speakers to help educate parents/me • Look at Transition Curriculum that already exists in Harrison and Kanawha Counties. • Link kids with employment that has potential to continue after th • Parent said her son went to a transitio • No job coaches/support for students who don’t qualify for waiver. • Teach parents to expect their children to be em • Include lists of work incentives available to employer with resume. e pe • Involve other agencies beside the PERCs - RESA could get morThis child • Educate others like doctors not to say “ • Transition planning should start in elementary school, not at age 14, • See info on RAPPs under Goal #1. • See Goal #1 about finding kids who have actually transitioned. Link kids with MSPCAN/Youth Disability Cauc • Encourage more student • volunteering requirements. Teach teachers the child has a right to a lift/the child has a p • O B S R S W I Council WV Mental Health Consumers Association GOAL 4: Increase access to transportation and model effective transportation services and supports for people with disabilities. Transportation initiatives. • Region 1 needs this (aren’t any models in the area). How • did Bluefield Transit ARegion 1 needs funding or grant writ • ing assistance in this aLook at technical jobs that don’t require transportation, such as telThe draft SPIL has a transportation goal that may be a point of collaboration. • The PEER Recovery Network grant provides transportation fo • Some drop-in centers (Kanawha, Nicholas, & Raleigh counties) have transportation activities. • The Consumers Assoc. is advocating fo • They would like to get money for capital outlay (vans disabilities to drive the vans to transport other people with mental health disabilities or treatment. Burl Anderson stated that they have coordinated transportation in the Wetzel Co. area. The S Rehabilitation Council that we start educating groups on what their responsibilities are regarding insurance, drivergested that we collab assist with coordinating the transportation. They sug member thought that WV still provided transportation grants for capital investments (buying vanalso be transportation studies available from Regional (Investment?) Councils (RICs), DRS, & Morgantown for student transportation. An individual can use Income Related Work Expense (IWREn on transportation if they receive SSI or SSDI, or they can be paired with another persoperson to provide transportation. WV is such a distance state; transportation becomes the #1 issue f oralways run “up the holler,” & persons with a disability are limited to f route. Can this grant $$ be used to purchase accessible vehicles? Can we work with private providers? Wh at abpilot project for group access to transportation with group paying a monthly fee? They developed a draft agenda of items for which they would like to have focusing on increasing transportation options for people include determination of possible funding sources, a single contact person from Easter . ansportation outside Parkersburg/Vienna city limits. F ork • Public Service Commission (DOT) told some counties the they don’t “need” public transportation. • Buses/vans sitti • program participants. • Check with companies who supply modified vehicles or one. • Pilot project in one city or county. • WVATS go to the person to do evaluations instead of making them come to Morgantown. Other Comments (Public Responses) Include Entrepreneur’s With Disabilities Today we have many professionally t d think this is a very important point to put in the language, but limit it to Entrepreneurs with disabilities. WV Work Incentive Planning • Needs: • Connect bus systems/routes. • Extend hours & access (eliminate overbooking). Rural areas have needs. • • How do we leverage federal funds for projects? • Existing initiatives: What system (DPN) Sta • s exist that operate specifically for pwd? Need to assess what services exist throughout the state. • Cabell Co. has system that bills Medicaid – find out more. • Project Action – Easter Seals • Perdidos • Are there alternative forms of transportation (i.e. cabs)? • Some smaller communities have successful programs – we need to look at them. • Transportation should be considered/included in every economic development initiative. • Provide and promote information on transition systems and best practices of models from Project Action and Easter Seals. • Mobility Planning Symposium. • Perdidos does transportation….but where? • Division of Rehabilitation Service Res for the state…need extended hours for shift work…many are overbooked….. • Organization within the state programs, sheltered workshops, community mental health centers, etc., and taxi companies that operate in eacounty. It provides a description of the transportation service, the service area, days & hours of operation & tnumber of vehicles. It also includes a list of head start providers. • Get a grant to fund bus passes. *** • Develop plans to coordinate carpooling in rural areas. • Get cars donated for this population as well as welfare population. Remove policy barriers - Senior vans can only take seniors; Veterans vans can only transport veterans. • Church vans just sit there all week. Head Start vans/school buses not fully utilized. * WV Traumatic Brain Injury Board • Involvement with existing transportation gro • Liability issues – how to know what you can access. • Employers need education on how to address transportation issue employee will be at work. • What community links can an individual access; Find out what exists and disseminate widely. • Establish a model for coordinating transportation. Take a “Local” approach; use friends, neighbors and volunteers schools and in the work place. A few individuals expressed interest in assistive technology. The draft SPIL has a goal to increase the avai Emphasize telecommuting as employment options • Im ConsumersAssociation • prove access to DRS & other funding sources for someone to start their own business so they can wohome • Explore funding for people to become self-employed • Market working from home to employers Higher education needs to be involved to coordinate AT to transitioning students. There was much discussion that WVU has specific programs that are installed on all of the com Rehabilitation Council campus, and many students entering c Then the student must attend training on the AT for the s information out to the schools, informing them of what AT was available there, the information. It was suggested that this information be provided to the DRS rehabilitation technology department. AT may also be available through the RESAs and DRS, in addition to WV Other: Public Input Employers should have to go to a yearly workshop on assistive technology; to learn how th within the company’s grand plan of operations. Most e assistive technology can make their business. • 2 volunteers to be highlig jobs depend on AT. • Include success stories in WVATS newsletter. Systems Advisory Council • Make more voice activated computers in the workplace & classNeed Braille readers/Braille keypads on telephone & computers. Disabilities West Virgin M P ( B ccessfully e GROUP Workforce WV GOAL 6: Educate and engage employers to market with disabilities. Statewide Employment Summit pe • Include businesses that are already hiring MIG staff should present at the Workforce WV c Service Un • onference. • A summit would preach to the choir; instead create job developer positions to change employer attitudes. • Engage for-profit/private sector employer to speak on the advantages of employing a person with a disability. • Do training with local chamber of commerce to reach the “mom & pop” businesses that might not attend the summit. • There is a need for more cross training for this group (BSU) to better educate them on working with businesses; they invited MIG back to do training in Region 1 but not sure if other regions would allow traat BSU meeting. • Attend FRN and WVEAC (WV Employer Advisory Council) meetings to inform/educate. Business Leadership Network • Peer sharing opportunities are key WV Advocates – link inexperienced employers with employers who have experience hiring people with disabilities. • Region 1 has an Entrepreneurship A lliance me• Engaging employers to employ PWD because the (advocates ) dohave a support system. • Employers were seen to be at risk for liability issues and loss of m • The council suggested that Gateways through the state Cham ber of Commerce. It was explained that this prograwhich may facilitate with the development of a Business Leadership Netwo Council • The council suggested that the CILs or PWDs be used WVU Center for Excellence in Disabilities support. • Promote skills and availability – disability accommodations come after employment is offered • Investigate computer sales for opportunities Committee WV Traumatic Brain Injury Board WV Mental Health C A • Must educate employers on disability issues. Skills for maintaining a job Model of Job Coach follow along. • Market STEPSS, PEER Support training and other • Consumer Association projeCollaborate with the Mental Health Planning Council as well as the • DD Council to develop the Business Leadership Network. • Market the tax and other incentives to em • Market Ticket to Work info on hiring PWD and also getting tickets assigned as em Suggested that when inviting employers to the Employment Summit, we invite the top 10 em R C R i focus on all job seekers; inclusve approach. ployers is through the Chamber of Commerce n 2 • WorkKeys Certificate Program. Workforce WV customers that obtain a high enough score on the WorkKeysassessment receive a certificate. They are planning outreach to employers to get them to recognize the • Get customers with disabilities to• Obtain a certificate – maybe the em ployer will recognize the PWD as a qualified candi Other: Public Input I feel like this is the biggest key! If we can actually get a capt that there are tax incentives out there for hiring persons with a disability, and that a “reasonable accommodation” will not cost the company millions of dollars, then I think the employers would be more receptive to hiring individuals with a disability. We have to find a way to break down the myths and stereotypes • Set the stage with employers so they have some element of comfort relating to people with disabilitie• Sheltered workshops beat other entities to employers and present people’s capabilities falsely – present they can do less than they can. Get these people on payrolls of actual employer. • Focus on the economic benefit to employer rather than why people with disabilities need johat they have, not what they don’t have. • Present people with focus on w • Showcase jobs that do not rely on a corporate connection – self-employment. • Stop letting workshops pay people very little money for real work. • Disability education for CEOs and HRs in companies. Association of Social Works • Disability awareness about the different kinds of disabilities. • Educate employers about reasonable accommodations to decrease prejudice. • Educate employers about laws about hiring SWD and PWD, such as the to ask on an application. Workshop • Give people a “purpose” or a chance to work by having them volunteer with a company. • Culture of poverty in WV creates families who depend on the disability checks and don’t know that they can work and keep benefits. • Publish names of companies who hire PWD. • Increase or develop new incentives or programs to help employers hire PWD. • WV Work InPlanning and Assistance (WIPA) Disability Program & • One commented that instead of employers alone, the individual believes the WV Workforce Syst follow this goal. Program Navigat(DPN) Staff West VirginiMental Heal • Get information/display to all job fairs across state. ** • Peer support specialists to educate employers on working with people with disabilities. Cham • bers of Commerce, Rotary clubs, Kiwanis - Get on agendas for statewide Chamber of Commerce m • eetings, insurance, bankers (organizational meetGet list from Better Business Bureau. • • Encourage people with disabilities to volunteer to gain work experience and put on resume. * • Encourage more mentoring programs where business people mentor students with disabilities to improve skills where they need help. • Go to Masons and Shriners statewide, other faith-based statewide conventions meetings to talk to business people, build support. ** • Access people ordered to do community service as part of court system to mentor people with disabilities. Other Comments Community mental health centers know • Providing training for Employers...trainings need, want, and would find beneficial for their busin get sued, or how to fire someone without getting sued. How to m How to retain good employees. Customer Satisfaction, How to win back a dissatisf better business advertisin start slowly adding our agenda and we w • WE NEED TO GAIN THE RESPECT OF EMPLOYERS BY BEING PROBLEM-SOLVERS ess ego. THEM...NOT PROGRAM EXPLAINERS…it is called tapping into the busin • Trade Associations are hot topics...to attend local association meetings...or we can sponsor them associationmeetings) and organize them with WORKFORCE WV. as a side note...WORKFORCE WV at the state level is a mess...but or Regions are very committed to their local businesses, communities...and partners. • Help establish criteria, standards, and a universal definition for JOB READINESS...I think this is a big one with employing PWD's. Employers are clueless to what Rehab is...they assume that it is drug • rehabilitation can help their business and help w ith training new employees. Dissemination of products should be geared toward a marketing brochure for EACH employm • ent sector...Employers hate and won't look through most cumbersome literature. appropriate systems outcomes. Relevant data integration activities or planning. Behavioral Health Services One SILC member suggested contacting DRS regarding a needs assessment that was completed separately from the data collected from people exiting DRS. • Build and expand the data infrastructure, do NOT sustain what is there currentGather accurate data • • Identify universal data collection system Other: Public Input WV TraumaBrain Injur • Start talking the same language - such as definitions for This is something that employers should be able to supply to the W could not complete – time restraints HIPAA regulations can be met with “release” documents Other Comments (Public Resp The way objectives read it sounds like the only employed persons with disabilities are those who come in contact with government agencies. Surely there are other avenues to gather specifics about people in the ERSHIP COU Main Sd, Wes846-49robertc nawon, 558kgoen Rkruentyere Drginf Spnawon, 957lbot Belliena Biom of f B Bitolon, 558 jbia Joh haWe-24odudddlativ, Pireia eciha We-98yerircotbtivancmiHeehuild Str We-02ncns win ary e Aom Bost V40 windle e@ e) fh.D. ctorDepal E Bost V33 @ackheirce) onssioalthavioingeetst 98onion X 5 adkhefori ne & ra, R Vir @w s 5 evarginwvcesr tmeucaevarginess ad@ r Hul Hooginvd rd, Eia 2oseas.12nt otionrd, Eia 2.k12wman ealth & m 350ia 25hhr.o LEst 305org v.u Educhiest, B305v.uhhrResou Hea 301 rg DE tion ementilding330 rg rces lth Fa SHIP COUNC MExWBu11ChPhonE-m Ms. StateDepaBuil1900Char Phon 6 E-m Ms. DireDiviBuilStateCharPhonE-m cilities Mr. CoorWV 5023CharPhonE-ma LIRoncutivkfording Califorlestone: 55ail: rr Penne ADArtment of Admding 1 Kanalestone: 55ail: p Susanctor sion oding 5 Capilestone: 55ail: so DaviddinatoADA Wasleston 92 A adcff Director e Wet Vi, Rom 6rniaven, Wst V8-74 adclf@wo y Hl Cordinatoin, Rom E-1whaBoulev, Wst Virg8-1783 hall@wvadm O'Connell f Public Tra, Room 830tol Complex, West Virg8-0428 connell@d Stewart r Coalition hington Ave, West Virg5-8622 DAcoalitio inia e iniarkfor istra31 ardiniain. nsp iniaot.st nue, Sinia 2 n@aol 2530cewv on East 25305 v tation 25305 e.wv.uE 5304.com org s Institute, West Virginia 25112-0625 PhoE-m Ms. ExeStatP.OInstiPhoE-m Ms. ComDivBur350ChaPhoE-m l: swide: 76l: aherrtiveRehaox te, W: 76l: sharshssioion ou for Mapitol Seston, W: 558- l: mar .tayalthdicareet, est V03 amo Liviwvunci 25wv-srcuman Rvices m 251 nia 253wvdh ounorgrgsou1 .org es nd Roles of the Leaders in approving the fin agency/governmen disabilities. It meets qimplementation of the Gatew to identify overarching ing practices in employ structure positive directions for teasures the success of tstc in achieving outcomes and impactipeople with disabilities in West Virg It has the ability toded. 2) Gate Individuals with disublic agencies andem participate on the Steering Committeeersee each project activitin specific Work Group aPSDA Model for Improvement. These members will groups affiliated with the state Medicaid Infrastructure Grant (MIG) program, the strategic planning initiative, plus others deemed relevant based on the strategic priorit de this plan. Each entity will identiftative to participate onSt Committee. A written agreement will be deth each entity represented that outlin roganization in meeting the goals outl in Gateways and worknts. Membership will be ds and organizations: WV Department of H Bureau of Medical Services Office for Behavioral Health Services Adult Mental Health Divis Developmen Bureau for Children and Families WV Division of Rehabilitation School Programs ams Employment Progr Work Incentive Pla WV Department of Office of Spec ial Education Assistance Parent Educator Resource Center Transition P WV Bureau of Senio A/D Resource st Virginia WORKFORCE We Regional Workforce Investmeogram Navigators Disability Pr V Dept. of Transportation W Governors Coordinatin Social Security Adm Center for Ex State/Federal Cou WV Assistive Technology System AdvV Statewide Independent Living Cou W WV Developmental D WV State Rehabilitati WV Mental Health Planning Co Other Private Entities/OrganiNorthern WV Center for Independe WV Coalition for Peo Goodwill Industries of KYOWVA W WV Mental Health Co Bluefield State C WV National Alliance for the Mentally Ill n Facilities WV Association of Rehabilitatio WV Chapter of the National Asso WV ADA Coalition Fair Shake NetworkWV Transportation A lliance WV Dept. of Transportation P S C S W T c sp T m se 3 There will be six (6) Work Groups, each 1) Employment Supports 2) Transition Services and process for youth 3) Transportation 4) Assistive Technology 5) Engaging Employers 6) Benchmark/Data Collection – Program Evaluation-P Each goal of Gateways will have its own committee or work group will consist of at least one person with a disability, at least one memof the Steering Committee and 4-6 other individuals representing a variety of different agenciorganizations, or businesses who are interested in promoting the specific goal. This group whave the responsibility to implement the specific goal for which the group is assembled Work Group will meet every one to two months, and report to the full Steering Committee atleast every quarter. One person from the Gateways staff will be assigned to assist with each group. Each Work Group will design the implementation process for its specific goal. This willinclude specific activities, outcome measurement, and benchmarks for timelines and persons responsibl The Employment Supports committee (Goal 2) will continue to market programs designed to assist people with disabilities to get or keep jobs or work supports, such as the Medicaid Work Incentive (M-WIN), the Disability Program Navigator (DPN) Project, the Work Incentive Planning and Assistance (WIPA) Program, and the Job Acco e xplore collaboration with new initiatives in the state, like the State EmploymNetwork (SELN.) It will provide resources to increase the number of indivi c ustomized employment, and investigate telecommuting opportunities. The group will be expected to increase participation in the identified proj the state for additional collaboratio n opport The Youth Transition group (Goal 3) will ca educators, regular educators, higher eduntified personnel from other education a transition process for students with disabili design and coordinate a statewi expectation of all students receiving T with the Transportation Alliance, groups to develop and implement innovative will provide training and technical assistan or private grant writing to obtain in ) Work Groups Tsistive Technology gr R ehabilitation Services (DRS), JA(WVATS) Program and the Depa rtment of Educaassistive technology for people with disabiliti and sites where these are available, provide technology through loan progra ployer Work Group (Goal 6) will have the prim T employers. One responsibility will e the benefits of hiring people with disabi f explain non-traditional types of employment to bus customized employment, and telecommuting. It w employer in each type of employment. The Data Collection Work Group ( mplementation of the strategic plan i increase in the number of people with disabilities whoegarding M collect consumer satisfaction information r for current participants or monthly for t surveys. They will oversee infor annual finder file and premium reports fo (CMS), and the annual summary report fo mapping” process that and create a “big picture” of employmen will facilitate communication between personnel workinorted. accuracy of data rep