ATTACHMENT 4.4

Views on State Policy and on the Administration of the State Plan

Assurance: This attachment describes how the State unit takes into consideration the views regarding State policy and administration of the State Plan that are expressed in the consumer satisfaction surveys conducted by the State Rehabilitation Advisory Council. This attachment also summarizes annually (1) the advice provided by the Council, including recommendations from the annual report of the Council and other reports prepared by the Council; (2) the State agency’s response to the advice and recommendations, including the manner in which it has modified its policies and procedures based on the survey of consumer satisfaction; and
(3) reasons for rejecting any advice or recommendations of the Council.

 

Advice and recommendations provided by the Council and DRS response

The State Rehabilitation Advisory Council provides the following advice and recommendations on DRS programs and operations and on the State Plan for Vocational Rehabilitation Services, the Title VI Part C Supplement, and the Strategic Plan for Innovation & Expansion (I&E Plan):

 

Employment of People with Disabilities

l The Council recommends that DRS promote job development by: 1) Encouraging tele-commuting opportunities, such as a "PC center" to which employees of more than one employer travel; 2) Expanding the Southwest Region’s economic development project; and 3) Helping employers identify job opportunities for people with disabilities.

l The Council recommends that DRS expand its efforts with regard to job placements, including temporary placements, in the public sector (city, county and state).

l The Council recommends that DRS continue to collaborate in planning and implementing Career Connect, the One Stop Career Center for integrating the vocational training and employment services of Department of Labor programs such as the Employment Service, the Job Training Partnership Act, and the Older Workers Employment Training Program.

l The Council recommends that DRS continue to work with customers, the state Medicaid agency, community-based organizations, etc. in developing additional ways to make personal assistance services available to VR customers and other people with disabilities, such as encouraging the development of a Medicaid Waiver for people with brain injury who are at risk of institutional placement.

One of DRS’ highest priorities with regard to employment of people with disabilities is job development. DRS presently promotes a number of marketing and training initiatives aimed at job development, including the Regional Marketing Specialists’ work with regional employment networks; participation of local staff in collaborative planning and implementation of Career Connect; partnership with Crestar Bank and the President’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities (the Virginia Business Leadership Network); and collaboration with the Micro-Enterprise Development Program of Virginia’s Department of Economic Development.

DRS also continues to explore new ways to increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities and increase job placements in high-quality jobs. In this year’s I&E Plan, DRS reports on the success of ongoing job development and placement initiatives which include contracting with Fairfax Opportunities to develop "work porting" and telecommuting opportunities for VR customers, and working with Crestar Bank on home-based customer service jobs. DRS also reports in the I&E Plan on a project, being done in collaboration with Virginia’s Economic Development Partnership agency, to use financial incentives as a job development and placement strategy in Southwest Virginia, particularly in rural areas. This year, DRS entered into a cooperative agreement with Scott County Schools and Fluor Daniel Corporation to purchase welding equipment for the school to train VR customers to be employed at Fluor Daniel. To date, the program has been successful, with seven customers hired by Fluor Daniel. In another job development initiative, DRS has purchased software for accessing the Directory of Occupational Titles, performing a "transferable skills analysis" of a customer’s work history, and evaluating a customer’s skill level with different computer programs.

DRS promotes employment opportunities for VR customers in Virginia's public sector in large part through sponsorship of workshops, technology demonstrations, and other events for State agencies, as described in the I&E Plan. In addition, DRS and the other state disability agencies have established a committee to promote the employment of people with disabilities in state government and to advise state agencies on available resources for hiring people with disabilities. As one of its initiatives, this committee in the past year placed five articles in Commonwealth Currents, a publication for Virginia governmental employees, on people with disabilities in the workplace. DRS is also excited about its development of a Web Page which describes agency activities and resources and which promotes public sector employment opportunities through links to job listings for, among many other employers, the Virginia disability agencies, the Department of Personnel and Training (State jobs), the Virginia Employment Commission, and the Federal Government.

With respect to the recommendation on personal assistance services (PAS), the agency continues with plans to develop additional was to increase the availability of PAS for VR customers and other people with disabilities. More than 100 VR customers with severe disabilities received consumer-directed PAS over the last twelve months through VR funding. Because it is evident that this service improves DRS’ ability to serve people with the most severe disabilities more effectively, the agency established a new position, which was filled in April 1998, which has as its primary focus the provision of technical and consultative services to field staff to ensure the efficient and effective administration, development, and quality assurance of PAS as a specialized vocational service for the agency's customers with the most severely disabilities.

Effective July 1, 1998, there will be an appropriation of $80,000 for a pilot personal assistance program for individuals with brain injury. In addition, under Senate Joint Resolution 158, there will be a study of services for individuals with brain injuries which will include the exploration of a Medicaid Waiver for people with brain injury. DRS also will continue its work, as described in the I&E Plan, in providing Life Skills Training for persons with brain injury and challenging behaviors and working with the CILs to provide employment support to VR customers.

 

Vocational Rehabilitation Process

l The Council recommends that DRS continue to address follow-up and post-case closure issues by, for example:

l Providing counseling and person-centered planning on career advancement to customers at the time their VR case is closed.

l Tracking VR customers and their employment status after case closure; determining who DRS’ "repeat customers" are and why they return to VR; determining why non-employed customers who do not return to VR have not done so.

l Investigating possible ways in which the agency or another organization or individual might be able to 1) assist an individual whose VR case has been closed with issues such as workplace accommodations, job placement, job advancement, etc., and
2) assist employers of the agency’s VR customers in the event that problems or issues arise following closure of the customer’s VR case.

l The Council recommends that DRS investigate giving customers vouchers for purchasing VR services, particularly those provided by Employment Services Organizations (ESOs). It is believed that a voucher system would empower customers, promote choice, help the customer and the counselor in the process of selecting an ESO, and encourage vendors to provide better service in order to attract and keep customers.

Over the past several years, there has been a heightened awareness at DRS that the customer is responsible for his/her employment planning and outcome, and that the relationship between customer and VR counselor is a partnership which is based on consumer choice and participation. As a result, the agency has explicitly shifted the focus away from the VR process and towards "the person" in its skills training and orientation programs for field staff (e.g., new VR Counselors, Program Support Technicians, Rehabilitation Technology Liaisons/Vocational Evaluators). Thus, what is sometimes called "person-centered planning" is a regular part of the services provided to VR customers by the agency’s counselors and other field staff. In addition, a number of VR counselors, and all members of the Supported Employment Resource Teams and the Project UNITE staff, have received specialized training in person-centered planning (through, for example, a training grant to the Virginia Institute for Developmental Disabilities).

One result of this focus on the person is that DRS counselors, vocational evaluators, and other staff frequently assist VR customers with long-term career planning, including planning for career advancement, as a regular part of their VR program. Generally, it is through services received at the beginning of the VR process (such as vocational evaluation) or throughout its entire course (such as counseling and guidance) that the customer learns how to deal with job and workplace issues that may arise following closure of his/her VR case. DRS will continue to investigate ways to ensure that planning for possible post-case closure issues takes place; this may take the form of written customer/counselor arrangements at the time the VR case is closed.

Presently, there is no provision in the VR system for providing services to customers after case closure. We know, however, that many VR counselors maintain informal relationships with customers well after case closure, and provide guidance and assistance on issues that may arise during their employment. Research shows that a relatively small percentage of VR customers return to the VR program following case closure. Those who do return tend to do so because of changes in their condition that are related to their disability or changes in their employment needs (e.g.. their need for accommodations). It is important for customers to know that returning to DRS for assistance in these instances may be appropriate and beneficial. Any specific mechanisms for providing other types of assistance after case closure would have to be reviewed to determine if they comply with the provisions of the Rehabilitation Act.

The complicated issue of using vouchers for purchasing VR services will require review over the next year. DRS will continue to work with the members of the SRAC to decide whether vouchers can and should be implemented.

 

Communications

l The Council recommends that DRS continue to work with customers, other state agencies, Disability Services Boards, community-based organizations, etc. to increase awareness of the services available in Virginia for people with disabilities. The Council recommends that this effort include services available to individuals with disabilities who are not current/potential VR customers, such as Information and Referral (I&R) services.

l The Council recommends that DRS work with customers, other state agencies, Disability Services Boards, community-based organizations, etc. to publicize information of interest and/or importance to VR customers and other individuals with disabilities, such as the passing of the Assistive Technology Device Warranties Act "Lemon Law" by the Virginia General Assembly.

l The Council recommends that, given the rapidly increasing number in Virginia of people with disabilities whose primary language is not English, DRS continue to develop outreach efforts, accommodations, communication methods, etc. that will allow it to "stay ahead" of the situation.

l The Council recommends that, when soliciting input from customers via a meeting or another public forum, DRS make maximum use of the "lessons learned" from its past experiences, including: 1) combining public hearings with other meetings, 2) following a relatively unstructured format, 3) seeking customer input to agency strategic planning and program development efforts not only during the State Plan public comment period but throughout the year, and 4) providing accommodations which facilitate communication (e.g., real-time captioning for deaf participants). The Council also recommends that DRS continue to investigate additional methods of encouraging people with disabilities to participate in DRS’ strategic planning and program development efforts.

l The Council recommends that DRS staff provide it with follow-up, including presentations at SRAC meetings, on Transition issues such as School-to-Work, job-readiness upon exiting high school, early DRS intervention, etc.

DRS understands that it has an important role to play in communicating information of interest and/or importance to VR customers and other people with disabilities. DRS’ goal is not only to increase public awareness of its own programs and of other services available to Virginians with disabilities, but also to ensure that its customers are informed quickly, accurately, and completely whenever important issues or newsworthy developments arise. In addition to traditional written materials, such as press releases, fliers, and brochures, DRS regularly uses electronic media, including e-mail, HandiNet, and the Web pages for the Commonwealth’s five disability agencies, to disseminate important information in a timely fashion and to reach as wide an audience as possible. DRS wishes especially to inform the public of customer and employer success stories, and to publicize the number of people the agency helps gain employment each year.

The I&E Plan describes the collaborative effort undertaken by the five disability agencies to provide 24-hour information and referral (I&R) on employment, education, independent living, assistive technology, financial assistance, the rights of people with disabilities, etc. TTY Mail, the "automated attendant" selected for the I&R system, is considered to be the most accessible product on the market; TTY Mail provides recorded information at all hours, and allows the option of speaking with an information specialist during business hours. The I&R system is scheduled to become operational in FY 99.

DRS recognizes that the number of individuals in Virginia whose primary language is not English is rapidly increasing, and continues to take measures to ensure that communications and outreach with these individuals are complete and effective. DRS currently uses interpreters as needed to facilitate non-English communications between VR customers and staff, and publishes agency publications in both English and Spanish; both of these activities will continue. The agency is presently investigating software programs which will efficiently translate forms, letters, etc. into other languages.

DRS is committed to soliciting and using the opinions of people with disabilities in its planning and program development efforts, and will continue to seek creative, effective ways to do so. DRS is also committed to using what has been learned from past efforts, especially the public hearings conducted for the State Plan, in order to improve its methods of obtaining input from customers. As a result of this year’s public hearings, DRS plans to make additional provisions, such as real-time captioning at public meetings, for communicating with customers who are deaf or hard of hearing. DRS also plans to continue to look for public meeting sites that are close to public transportation as well as accessible to individuals who use wheelchairs or other assistive devices. In addition, the agency is currently investigating ways to use the technology of the Internet, both to make it easier for people with disabilities to participate in scheduled planning and program development activities, such as the State Plan public hearings, and to provide a forum for public comment throughout the year. In the coming year, it is anticipated that more information will be placed on the agency's Web Page to provide customers with information on agency activities and events.

DRS also recognizes the importance of maintaining good communications with the SRAC. Major agency planning and implementation issues are regularly discussed at the quarterly SRAC meetings, while critical issues that may arise in the interim are communicated to the Council through mailings, faxes, and e-mail. At the request of the SRAC, staff are providing reports to the SRAC committees to keep them apprised of developments that are occurring, the impact of policy changes, and steps which the agency has taken to address the advice and guidance given by the SRAC members.

 

Views expressed in consumer satisfaction surveys

The Council presently analyzes the effectiveness of, and consumer satisfaction with, DRS’ VR services by using information gathered through the agency’s Consumer Satisfaction System (CSSYSTEM). The CSSYSTEM utilizes multiple methods of assessing consumer satisfaction with DRS, including a survey, conducted on a year-round basis, of a random sample of individuals from among the approximately 10,000 people each year who complete the VR process after receiving DRS services. Typically, about eight out of ten people who received VR services from DRS say they were satisfied with DRS overall.

In FY 1998, DRS proposed a pilot program to hire an outside organization to conduct the survey of VR customers. The SRAC requested that DRS utilize a competitive bid process so that individuals and groups other than state universities could compete for the contract. The Council also requested that the contractor be required to make a presentation of the survey findings to the SRAC. Members of the Options/Outreach Committee of the SRAC participated in the review of bids and the selection of the contractor.

In addition to the survey of consumer satisfaction with VR, almost thirty efforts conducted by and for DRS assess customer satisfaction with the agency’s services. Customers who participate in these studies tend to have the same positive views toward DRS as those interviewed in the survey. In addition, these studies consistently show, particularly for the Personal Assistance Services program, very high levels of satisfaction with services, which are consumer-directed.

The SRAC continues to be very involved in efforts to assess consumer satisfaction with DRS. For example, SRAC members document any communications related to consumer satisfaction with DRS services, including reports of problems or complaints with DRS, which occur between themselves and DRS customers. Council members also encourage the customers with whom they interact to participate in SRAC and DRS meetings, public hearings, surveys, etc. The SRAC Options/Outreach Committee considers ways to increase public awareness of both DRS and of the SRAC, as well as continuing to investigate additional methods by which the Council may obtain information directly from consumers, especially information regarding their satisfaction with DRS services.

Modifications of policies and procedures based on the survey of consumer satisfaction

The findings of the agency’s assessments of customer satisfaction have been utilized primarily to support DRS’ overall approach to VR, to reinforce decisions regarding agency priorities, and to suggest areas where DRS might wish to clarify or improve its approach or its priorities. Few modifications in agency policies and procedures are based directly on the results of a consumer satisfaction survey, mainly because the kind of information obtained from such a survey usually does not, by itself, suggest such changes. A consumer satisfaction survey does, however, indicate situations and behaviors that might affect an individual’s satisfaction with DRS, and suggests improvements that might be made, or existing efforts that might be strengthened. Also, as in previous years, the SRAC utilized the information obtained from customers through the CSSYSTEM and other sources in developing its recommendations to DRS to modify agency policies and procedures in response to the views that were expressed.

The findings of the agency’s customer satisfaction assessments continue to its support efforts to:

· Make the improvement of job outcomes a high priority.

· Emphasize personal responsibility and facilitate each customer’s participation in and direction of his/her own VR program.

· Streamline the VR process and eliminate redundant or duplicative procedures, thus
1) speeding up the process overall, and 2) freeing up time for VR counselors to listen, provide additional Guidance and Counseling, etc.

· Provide current and planned training, which emphasizes listening skills, conflict resolution, and sensitivity training.

· Communicate to counselors (through regional and local field office meetings, the Consumer Satisfaction Summit, etc.) the ways in which information on customer satisfaction is being used.

DRS’ assessments of customer satisfaction suggest strengthening existing efforts to:

· Create informational materials, which provide customers with knowledge of what DRS will do for them and of the benefits of participating in VR.

· Reinforce existing counselor behaviors that customers consider to be valuable (e.g., good listening skills).