Narrative: d. 2. N. ii. II.

The Division believes that the most effective and efficient strategy to accomplish this is by expanding and strengthening its collaborative linkages with relevant state agencies and/or private not-for-profit agencies for the provision of supported employment and extended support services. The activities to be conducted during FFY16 and beyond reflect a continuation and refinement of activities performed over the last several years.

DVR continues to work actively within the realm of education to assure that youth with the most significant disabilities are accessing career, transition and employment services including supported employment services along with all Colorado youth. DVR has worked to infuse best practices within these areas, so that the needs of youth with the most significant disabilities are considered and met. Colorado DVR and Colorado Department of Education state-level staff work and travel as a team throughout the state to respond to requests and to provide training, technical assistance and facilitation to local community agencies, such as schools and adult organizations, as these entities work to provide collaborative transition services to youth with the most significant disabilities.

The Office of Behavioral Health applied for and, with DVR’s support, was accepted into the Johnson and Johnson-Dartmouth Community Mental Health Program. This program included $380,000 to fund an Individual Placement and Support (IPS) Trainer for four years. Upon completing the program, OBH has continued funding an IPS trainer position and is committed to IPS being implemented in all 17 Community Mental Health Centers. Training in IPS has been expanded and provided to DVR counselors, supervisors, and leadership through an annual Colorado IPS Conference, Regional IPS Roundtable Training, and Mental Health Consortium meetings. DVR is a member of the Colorado State IPS Leadership team.

In 2016, Senate Bill 16-077 was passed creating an Employment First Advisory Partnership (EFAP), which identified partner agencies of Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE), Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF), Colorado Department of Education (CDE), Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS), and Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE), and tasked the partnership with making recommendations to increase opportunities for competitive integrated employment for persons with disabilities. While the work of EFAP is not limited to youth with the most significant disabilities, if implemented, several recommendations ask partner agencies to identify strategies to increase resources for extended services and expand supported employment opportunities for this population. The EFAP’s preliminary report and recommendations were presented to members of the General Assembly in January of 2018. These recommendations include actions such as implementing Department-wide Employment First practices and policies; implementing training for service providers on evidence-based practices to expand employment outcomes; and developing appropriate funding structures that will increase employment service and support capacity for people with disabilities within Colorado to align outcomes with the definition of competitive integrated employment within WIOA. DVR, and other partner agencies, are actively engaged in beginning the work to implement the recommendations made by EFAP.