Narrative: a. 1.

The Colorado Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) has had a State Rehabilitation Council (SRC) for more than twenty–seven years. The SRC mission statement is:

“The Colorado State Rehabilitation Council provides individuals with disabilities a strong, substantive role in shaping the programs and services established to support their employment goals and aspirations and to provide clients of vocational rehabilitation services a mechanism to influence at the systemic and policy level the direction of vocational rehabilitation programming.”

The SRC meets every other month and has a yearly retreat. The SRC has three subcommittees: Membership; Quality Assurance; and Planning, Performance and State Plan (PPSP). Minutes are maintained of all SRC meetings, subcommittee meetings and retreats. Minutes summarize the advice and recommendations provided to DVR by the SRC. DVR continues to work closely with the SRC to share and discuss information on finances, personnel, services to clients, agency policies, state rules, federal standards and indicators, customer satisfaction, the wait list, and any other items that impact the extent, scope and effectiveness of rehabilitation services.

One significant event that has the potential to impact DVR services is the transfer of DVR to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE). On May 8, 2015, Governor John Hickenlooper signed SB15–239, requiring that this transfer take place in two phases, and no later than July 1, 2016. The first phase transfers DVR staff and programs to CDLE and the second phase, through a bill that will be introduced into the Colorado 2016 legislative session, addresses program administration, alignment of services, and compliance with state and federal rules and regulations. SB15–239 directs CDLE and DVR to “engage, involve and seek the advice of DVR’s many interested stakeholders, including the State Rehabilitation Council, in developing detailed programmatic and budget recommendations and plans for a smooth and effective transfer of vocational rehabilitation programs and functions to CDLE”. To this end, the SRC worked closely with DVR and CDLE to establish a stakeholder committee. The committee developed the following goals:

• Engage stakeholders with an open, honest and transparent approach and commitment to building a strong foundation within DVR as it moves to CDLE;
• Create a strategy that includes as many advocates, service providers, staff and clients as possible;
• Provide multiple opportunities and methods for input; and
• Establish trusted relationships with stakeholders for an ongoing dialogue on potential improvements, modifications, corrections, etc. to DVR even after the July, 2016 transfer is completed.

The SRC has been, and will continue to be, instrumental in the ongoing activities of the stakeholder committee. The stakeholder committee hosted ten in–person meetings across the state in the summer and fall of 2015, and used an online and fully accessible feedback form to capture feedback from individuals who were unable to attend the meetings. The stakeholder committee presented an initial report to the Colorado Joint Budget Committee on September 21, 2015 and completed their initial stakeholder outreach activities on October 21, 2015. The outcomes of the stakeholder outreach activities included six common themes suggesting areas for improvement within DVR. These themes were developed into three key areas that DVR and CDLE, together with the SRC and the stakeholder committee, will begin to address as the agencies move toward the second phase of the merger. These three areas are: youth and transition services; blind services; and continuous stakeholder engagement. These areas, and the full results of the stakeholder outreach meetings, were a key component of Colorado DVR’s comprehensive statewide needs assessment (CSNA), and were incorporated into DVR’s goals, priorities and strategies within the vocational rehabilitation section of Colorado’s Combined WIOA State Plan.

DVR participates with the SRC in the quarterly conduct of customer satisfaction, via electronic surveys, focus groups and public meetings. Surveys ask about satisfaction with DVR staff, rehabilitation services, available resources and employment outcomes. Results of customer satisfaction information, and guidance from the SRC, are used to drive more effective and efficient vocational rehabilitation services for customers. Quarterly customer satisfaction results are one data element of DVR’s CSNA, and as such are used to develop the state plan.

DVR regularly seeks the advice of the SRC on pertinent issues, including the development and implementation of the state plan. To this end, DVR and the SRC jointly developed and conducted the 2015 DVR triennial comprehensive statewide needs assessment to determine the rehabilitation needs of individuals with disabilities in Colorado. The SRC and DVR established the goals of the CSNA and developed a plan for dissemination. Results were analyzed to determine findings which were then used to develop potential strategies. The SRC used the results of the CSNA to make recommendations to DVR that informed the state plan’s goals, priorities and strategies. Additionally, the SRC and DVR will continue to conduct public hearings in person, by telephone and electronically to obtain comment on the DVR state plan and on potential policy changes that are a part of the state plan.

As a result of the 2015 CSNA and the SRC’s related activities, the SRC makes the following recommendations to DVR for the upcoming state plan period:

SRC Recommendation 1

The Colorado Division of Vocational Rehabilitation will increase numbers served. This will be done by encouraging and welcoming new applicants with disabilities that are in need of services in order to obtain employment. Offices will be open and friendly. New materials will be developed that focus on the successes of DVR and the website will reflect this. Unserved and underserved populations will be targeted and some of these include individuals with criminal histories, individuals with limited education, people with mental illness, homeless individuals, individuals with intellectual and multiple disabilities and others. Outreach to community partners to generate referrals and educate them will be crucial. Some of these partners will include workforce centers, employers, educators, parents, and others. As outreach is provided, technical assistance will be given to educate all communities about the Colorado Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.

SRC Recommendation 2

All DVR staff will receive ongoing training in order to provide effective and high quality services to their consumers. An inter–disciplinary approach may be employed where counselors and others with expertise work with staff to build skills. Training areas may include development of excellent customer service skills for office staff, counseling and guidance, specific disability trainings with resources available, work incentive training, assessment, cultural competence, or job development. Training may also include best practices for implementation of the key elements of WIOA, including customized employment, using “discovery” as part of the assessment process, or person–centered planning practices.

SRC Recommendation 3

Vendors working with Colorado DVR shall receive training so that they will have a clear understanding of the rehabilitation process and will be effective and qualified to work with counselors and their consumers for the consumers’ success. Training topics should include specifics on the rehabilitation process, increased cultural competence, clear understanding of disability issues, supported employment, use of interpreter and translation services, and more. Training may also include best practices for implementation of the key elements of WIOA, including customized employment, using “discovery” as part of the assessment process, or person–centered planning practices. Job coaches must be trained in order to provide effective services.

sRC Recommendation 4

Colorado DVR will create an active plan to provide innovative and effective transition services to youth with disabilities across the state of Colorado. This will include work with all stakeholders including the Colorado Department of Education, special education teachers, parents, workforce centers, and youth with disabilities. Stakeholders will have a clear understanding of DVR’s role, will understand the referral process and know when and how to make referrals. DVR should develop policies in order to collaborate with schools and workforce centers to provide pre–employment transition services to younger youth prior to their referral to vocational rehabilitation.

SRC Recommendation 5

Colorado Division of Vocational Rehabilitation shall decrease avoidable delays in services to DVR applicants and consumers. Examples of delays identified in the comprehensive statewide needs assessment include long waits for intake meetings, long waits for meetings with DVR counselors, long waits for assessment services, delays due to lack of assistive technology in rural communities, and delays due to lack of skilled vendors especially in the areas of job development and placement. Other areas identified include long waits for job maintenance services and lack of updated technology for rehab consumers and for DVR staff.

SRC Recommendation 6

Colorado DVR shall actively work closely with the executive and legislative branches of Colorado government to fully utilize Colorado’s share of Rehabilitation Services Administration matching funds. In order to create effective and far reaching success in the employment of people with disabilities in Colorado, the full allotment of funds must be available. Ongoing communication with the legislature will focus on the success that Colorado DVR is having in all areas of operation.