Narrative: o. 7.

LRS continues to collaborate with LWC in identifying effective ways to integrate services and to be involved with the Workforce Commission and its fifteen (15) Workforce Development Areas. LRS is represented on each of the 15 boards and attends meetings as scheduled. There are fifteen (15) Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) established with each of the 15 Workforce Development Boards (WDBs). Within the 15 Workforce Development Areas, 62 American Job Centers have been established. Fifteen cost allocation plans have been completed by the WDBs, and approved by all parties. LRS has a good working relationship with the American Job Centers and continues to pay expenses to the local American Job Centers for our participation, as per the local cost allocation plans. To improve knowledge regarding assistive technology and address other accessibility issues, LRS’ Program Coordinator for Rehabilitation Technology continues to provide consultation to the American Job Centers. In addition, LRS’ REDS serve as the LRS liaison for all American Job Centers within their region and include providing “LRS Public Awareness” as well as services to consumers such as job seeking skills techniques and employment development. LRS and LWC are committed to the success of the American Job Centers and work collaboratively to serve individuals with disabilities at assigned Centers.

As LRS continues to focus on increasing/enhancing quality employment outcomes, every Regional Office now has a REDS position that provides job development/placement assistance to consumers. This assistance may include direct job placement, job shadowing, work experience, on the job training, or custom solutions.

In addition, an Employment Initiative Program Coordinator serves as LRS’ direct contact to the VR Business Network and distributes job leads and information to the regional offices. The Employment Initiative Program Coordinator continues to build relationships with employers by attending job fairs and other diversity meetings that may host employers.   Through the State as a Model Employer (SAME) initiative launched in Louisiana, the LRS Employment Initiative Program Coordinator is tasked with contacting a state agency’s Human Resource Director to inform them that a VR participant has applied for a vacant position with their agency.  This initiative began in SFY 18-19, and a total number of 38 LRS consumers became successfully employed with the State of Louisiana.  LRS continues to participate with Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities (OCDD) in the “Employment First” initiative, which was designed to provide employment as the first option for persons with developmental disabilities as an alternative to institutionalization, and to provide integration/independence in the community.

LRS continues to renew and revise existing local cooperative agreements, as applicable, with all Local Education Agencies (LEAs) in Louisiana. The LRS Transition Program Coordinator continues to collaborate and partner with LDOE, OCDD, Work Incentive Planning Program, Office of Community Services, LWC, and the Office of Youth Development in an effort to network, share information and utilize comparable benefits to enhance VR services to transition students. The primary focus of LRS’ collaboration is to identify and address barriers (e.g. policies, eligibility process, resource allocation); assure effective service provision through the support of local interagency core teams, provide cross-agency training, outreach, engage in capacity building of young adults and family outreach efforts; provide continued support of innovative models and practices related to transition; and provide information and technical assistance. The Program Coordinator provides guidance and information to the Rehabilitation Counselors regarding specific transition issues. Training will continue to be provided statewide. VR Counselors are encouraged to provide services, when feasible, to students determined appropriate for workplace readiness training.

The Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) awarded Michigan Rehabilitation Services (MRS) and Louisiana Rehabilitation Services (LRS) a five-year Disability Innovation Fund (DIF) grant to develop and use career pathways that will assist VR-eligible individuals with disabilities to obtain or advance in competitive integrated employment (CIE) in demand jobs in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM).  The Consortium seeks to remedy long-standing barriers to career advancement and expand economic opportunity for workers with disabilities.  LRS will partner with Southern University’s (SU) Department of Rehabilitation and Disability Studies who will lead the efforts in the project, entitled Validation of Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) Interventions for VR Customers- A Career Pathway for Quality Employment and Upward Mobility in STEMM Fields:  Project STEMM-UP, by providing needs assessments, intervention development, staff training, technical assistance, and evaluation. SU will employ Career Pathway Coordinators to assist LRS participants using SCCT interventions and career pathways for quality employment and upward mobility in STEMM fields. SU staff will also train LRS staff to use these interventions and techniques to provide widespread use of these methods across the state and for use after the project is completed.