Narrative: d. 2. H. ii.

DVR and the Office of Community Living (OCL) continue to work in collaboration to effectively plan and coordinate the provision of supported employment services to individuals with the most significant developmental disabilities by the OCL community services agencies and DVR to avoid duplication of services, thereby maximizing available resources. As a result of this collaboration, much progress has been achieved in making community-based integrated employment available for persons with developmental disabilities.

Within this collaborative relationship, DVR is responsible for the provision of supported employment services including, but not limited to, job coaching. However, due to the expertise and proven history of OCL in training individuals with the most significant developmental disabilities, the local OCL community service provider is typically used by the rehabilitation counselor to provide such training and other supported employment services.

The OCL community service provider must be registered with DVR to be able to provide supported employment services to DVR clients. Services are purchased in accordance with DVR’s fee schedule and service providers must meet the standards and credentials as required for the provision of specified supported employment services. Systems have been designed to encourage local level development of supported employment strategies between all DVR field offices and OCL supported employment service providers.

Colorado has joined the State Employment Leadership Network (SELN). SELN brings together state Developmental Disability agencies for sharing, educating and providing guidance on practices and policies around employment to its members. DVR collaborates with the OCL on activities with SELN and as part of this, OCL has a staff person dedicated to spending at least fifty percent of his time focused on employment for persons with developmental disabilities. SELN is currently conducting webinars on topics identified at last summer’s roundtable meetings. Colorado DVR has partnered with the Office of Communty Living to hold regional roundtables to create discussions about issues faced by persons with developmental disabilities looking for competitive employment. Attendees included DVR staff, vendors, family members and Community Center Board provider staff. These roundtable meetings included presentations by DVR and OCL staff as well as breakout sessions in which groups reviewed and discussed relevant topics such as on-going support, individual supported employment, and line of sight supervision.

There are twenty Community Center Boards (CCBs) in the State of Colorado. Community Center Boards are organizations designated in statute as the single entry point into the long-term service and support system for persons with developmental disabilities. Each Community Center Board is responsible for intake, eligibility determination, service plan development, arrangement of services, delivery of services, case management, monitoring, and other functions.

DVR continues to have lead counselors who work specifically with individuals with developmental disabilities to help more effectively coordinate and provide quality services for these clients. These counselors serve as regional liaisons, providing training, guidance and support to all counselors in their region to establish standards of practice with the local CCB’s. In addition, their duties include functioning as a subject matter expert and serving as a liaison between the CCB and the local DVR office as well as various community partners, vendors and independent contractors. These individuals will also work as a team in conjunction with the Supported Employment Program Coordinator to identify emerging trends and issues, develop new and or unique services in the community as necessary and evaluate existing programs for persons with developmental disabilities.

DVR has developed an interagency agreement with Health Care Policy and Financing, including the Office of Community Living.