Narrative: d. 2. Q. ii.

Upon completion of time-limited SE services, the ongoing job skills training assistance and other necessary long-term support is transitioned to a third party, group or individual through a Cooperative Agreement or Extended Services Support Plan Agreement. MDRS entered into 109 new Extended Services Support Plan Agreements from October 1, 2013 through June 30, 2015. These 109 new agreements are in addition to the agreements previously established and still ongoing. WIOA increased the maximum amount of time for SE staff to provide time-limited supported employment services to 24 months. However, the rate of transitioning a client to extended services is dependent upon the needs of the individual, his/her family, the employer, the third party agency, and other involved individuals. Since SE staff members and the extended service provider will have been collaborating in the provision of SE services throughout an individual’s VR program, such transitions are normally smooth and do not cause job disruptions.

MDRS will continue to cooperate in the networking of services with entities that have supported employment facets or other applicable and/or similar resources, such as the state’s workforce development one-stop system. Such collaborative efforts are essential for effective planning, development, implementation and continuation of SE arrangements. Service networking will involve developing and identifying appropriate job sites, tapping existing or future job training resources, utilizing concurrent staffing opportunities, and other occasions for programmatic and budgetary interfacing.

Expansion of the SE Program is expected as a result of extensive outreach, staff development, interagency training, dissemination of information, identification and dissemination of information about best practices, technical assistance, and an emphasis on interagency collaboration for identification of potentially eligible individuals and service delivery to clients. MDRS continues to emphasize person centered planning by partnering with the Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities, MDE, and other entities in promotion of this service provision.