Narrative: d. 2. N. i.

Estimate of the Number of Persons to Be Served During FFY 2015, about 2,950 individuals will be served with Title VI, Part B funds supplemented by Title I funds, at a purchased service cost of about $2,610,000. Under the administrative rule that sets forth Minnesota’s priority–for–service categories, all persons receiving supported employment have three or more serious functional limitations.

The Contribution of State Funding Title VI B and Title I funds are used to prepare people for supported employment. The VRS Extended Employment Program (VRS–EE) provides ongoing employment supports using state funding of $12,075,000 annually that flows to community rehabilitation programs. More than 80 percent of this state funding provides extended services for persons in competitive employment with supports. The VRS–EE "basic" program serves all disability groups. An additional state appropriation of $1,555,000 is dedicated to extended supported employment services for persons with serious mental illness since it has been historically difficult to obtain ongoing support services for this population.

System Complexity and Limited Capacity Funding for supported employment, within which Title VI Part B funds play a relatively small part, is governed by a myriad of federal and state laws and rules covering many categories of services. For example, a network of private, not–for–profit organizations, licensed by the Department of Human Services Disability Services Division, provides training and habilitation services that may include supported employment. People with mental illness may receive work–related support through the State Comprehensive Mental Health Act. In these instances, each county determines the level of service that will be provided.

Title VI B supported employment funds are distributed on a fee–for–service basis under fee schedules developed with service providers. VRS collaborates with the Departments of Education and Human Services and county and local service providers to facilitate access to other funding and service resources. During development of a vocational rehabilitation employment plan, the vocational rehabilitation participant and the service team design a supported employment framework that best meets the participant’s needs. Planning for eventual long–term supports in the community is a crucial part of planning during VRS’ time–limited period of service. Minnesota has redistributed available VRS–EE funding to address waiting lists in some areas of the state.

Strategic Goal for Effective Partnerships In FFY 2016, under the designated state unit’s strategic goal for effective partnerships, VRS will continue to facilitate a statewide planning collaboration to better understand Minnesota’s supported employment needs, revise the State Rule to shift more state dollars to integrated competitive supported employment work sites, address current service capacity and gaps, particularly those related to the development needs of community rehabilitation programs, the needs of transition–age youths, and the needs of underserved populations.