Narrative: p. 1. A.

DVR has made progress toward all of the identified goals and priorities and innovation and expansion activities established within the 2020 Combined State Plan. 

Goal 1: DVR will work with partners and stakeholders to reduce the prosperity gap for people with disabilities by increasing quality employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities. This goal is carried forward in the next program year. 

• Strategy 1: Promote rapid engagement of people we serve. 

Progress: DVR developed an initial engagement strategy to more intentionally connect with individuals interested in seeking VR services. Rather than an intake process that focuses solely on paperwork, DVR implemented a more holistic initial engagement strategy. This strategy focuses on ensuring the interested individual is informed about the vocational rehabilitation process and what they can expect from working with DVR, including timelines, next steps, what they can expect with frequency of contact, and reasons why their application could be closed before moving forward. It further focuses on building rapport. DVR staff are guided to provide a warm and welcoming environment and create space for applicants to ask questions, regardless of whether the meeting takes place in person or remotely. The meeting is also used as an opportunity to gather information about the individual’s access to and skill level in using technology, including Smartphones, computers, and the internet. DVR staff still gather all necessary demographic information, but the focus has shifted from simply gathering information to be more conversational and relationship-building. A key goal from this initial meeting structure includes setting follow up conversations to promote continuous engagement and activity for the interested individual. DVR is still evaluating whether this shift will impact long-term progress and satisfaction of individuals receiving services. 

DVR is committed to reducing the agency's attrition rate between application to plan. Initial analysis revealed that over the past several years, only 43.9% of applicants received services under an IPE before case closure. DVR has a goal to ensure that 50% of applicants reach IPE by March 31, 2022 and 54.8% of applicants reach IPE by July 31, 2023. For years, DVR has closely monitored plan timeliness to ensure compliance and the speed with which an individual moves through the VR process and has already sustained and strong performance in this area. Many local teams and counselors are committed to further reducing the time it takes for an applicant to reach an approved plan, which increases the likelihood they will reach a plan for employment. DVR recognizes it's not just about timeliness to plan, but also rapid, continuous, and thoughtful engagement of the people served by DVR. Each local team is able to identify specific areas of focus based on the circumstances of their team. Goals include decreasing the plan extension rate; decreasing the average or median number of days or weeks between application and IPE; or increasing the number of plans written. DVR is implementing this goal using Franklin Covey’s 4 Disciplines of Executive, so progress is monitored on a weekly basis with regular meetings, visible scoreboards, and weekly commitments from all staff. 

• Strategy 2: Explore innovative opportunities to ensure continuous operation at full counselor capacity. 

Progress: While DVR has always maintained strategies for covering vacant caseloads and ensuring access to services even when a counselor separates from the agency, 2021 provided an opportunity to significantly expand those strategies. When pre-employment transition services were implemented, nearly all DVR counselors added a caseload of potential eligible students with disabilities to their workload. The DVR counselor is responsible for verifying the student has a disability, as well as coordinating and monitoring their pre-employment transition services. As pre-ETS continue to expand, managing both a potentially eligible caseload and a caseload of applicants and eligible individuals has become increasingly challenging, particularly when an office has counselor vacancies. In the fall of 2021, DVR added four Pre-Employment Transition Services Technicians. These positions are responsible for all potentially eligible students with disabilities receiving services in the office, freeing up counselors to focus on vocational rehabilitation services. This strategy also reduces the recruitment challenges that DVR has faced in recent months of hiring fully qualified rehabilitation counselors. Because the Pre-ETS Technicians are not responsible for eligibility determinations, plan development, or case closure decisions, they are hired with a Bachelor’s Degree, which significantly expands the candidate pool. As DVR evaluates the success of these positions, additional Pre-ETS Technicians may be added.

DVR has long considered adding a “floating” rehabilitation counselor within each region of the state to cover vacant caseloads, reducing the burden on local teams when they are experiencing multiple or long term vacancies. During the summer of 2021, DVR’s team of Regional Managers developed a position description for these positions, which will provide a promotional opportunity for current rehabilitation counselors while also seeking to provide relief for local teams. Additionally, DVR is preparing to utilize temporary staffing to support more administrative tasks, again allowing counselors to focus on tasks that require their level of training and experience. Lastly, DVR is beginning work to look at an overall restructure of business processes to create an interdisciplinary team approach to the vocational rehabilitation process, with the goal of refocusing counselor duties on vocational counseling and guidance, eligibility determinations, plan development, and case closure, while creating a structure for more day to day case management activities to be completed by staff more appropriately qualified for this scope of work. The goal is to reduce the administrative burden for rehabilitation counselors, expand the candidate pool by expanding DVR’s ability to hire individuals who are highly qualified to perform case management duties, but may not have the education and experience required to work as a rehabilitation counselor.  

• Strategy 3: Improve counseling & guidance efforts to develop goals that will lead to quality employment outcomes within key industries.

Progress: From April 1, 2020 through March 31, 2021, DVR established a goal to develop 606 new individualized plans for employment with goals in opportunity occupations. Opportunity occupations are identified as growth industries in Colorado and also have a career pathway: Business and Finance; Education, Training, and Library; Construction and Extraction; and Healthcare Practitioners and Technical. All staff supported achieving this goal through the 4 Disciplines of Excellence (4DX), setting weekly commitments that would support counselors in providing vocational counseling & guidance that would support these quality goals and outcomes. Efforts included providing better access to Labor Market Information and supporting counselors to use this data effectively in counseling & guidance, including a subscription to Emsi, provide access to in depth labor market information and analytics. Counselors also focused on activities throughout the comprehensive assessments, such as evaluating transferable skills. DVR exceeded the established goal achieving 619 employment goals in these broad occupational categories. As these cases closed, DVR found individuals with goals in these occupations, also achieved more successful employment outcomes and higher wages. While DVR does not have a specific 4DX goal associated with this strategy at this time, data are still available and counselors are working to maintain their focus on the use of labor market information and high quality counseling & guidance. 

The Youth Services & Transition Unit also focused attention on supporting counselors and service providers in this area. A number of training sessions were held for counselors to improve their skills in helping students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities  to learn about career pathways and explore these jobs within these pathways. The unit has also developed a Community of Practice and provided opportunities for partners to explore how they can best meet the needs of students with IDD. 

• Strategy 4: Work with SRC to identify key data points to monitor and track progress of all eligible individuals.

Progress: In the fall of 2020, SRC requested DVR complete an analysis of racial equity within the vocational rehabilitation program. The analysis was completed and the report published in December 2020, evaluating the diversity of people served by DVR, including and an analysis of services and outcomes, as well as an exploration of the diversity among DVR’s staff and leadership. The SRC also worked with DVR to update the data points that are included in the Annual Report. DVR also provides the SRC with updates on key data points, including successful employment outcomes, averages wages, and the number of skills based hiring training sessions provided. SRC continues to request various data with which they are interested and DVR makes reasonable efforts to provide all requested data timely.

• Strategy 5: Explore developing a baseline measure of overall customer experience/improve customer experience.

Progress: DVR gathers customer satisfaction data through an online survey that is available to all individuals who access DVR. DVR monitors results on a quarterly basis, sharing the results with agency leadership and the SRC. Additionally, the SRC conducts an annual customer satisfaction survey of all individuals who have an open service record or were closed in the previous six months. The results of this survey are explored by the SRC and shared with DVR leadership through a report the SRC publishes in the fall.  Additionally, DVR routinely evaluates various performance measures, such as eligibility and plan timeliness, and frequency of contact. These are all areas that are commonly identified on customer satisfaction surveys as impacting the customer experience. 

• Strategy 6: Outreach & awareness campaigns to improve access to underserved populations. 

Progress: The SRC completed some outreach to learn more about the barriers to individuals who experience homelessness and those involved with the criminal justice system during the summer of 2021. Participation in their outreach efforts was limited, but the data gathered was considered as part of the comprehensive statewide needs assessment. Additionally, DVR continues to explore opportunities for improved partnership with various community partners who serve individuals with disabilities, including education, human services, Centers for Independent Living, and others. However, given the need to focus attention on adjustments to business practices related to COVID-19 restrictions, as well as increased workloads for many staff as they incorporate these changes and cover other vacancies driven by staff turnover, DVR has not prioritized specific outreach efforts at this time.

Goal 2: DVR will create a culture of growth and development to support staff retention and high quality service delivery to individuals with disabilities. This goal is being retired, though DVR maintains a priority to support and equip DVR staff to be agile and able to integrate positive change, proactively providing staff strategies to foster flexible, efficient service delivery.

• Strategy 1: Develop actionable and individualized growth and development goals.

Progress: All DVR supervisors work with each staff member during their performance management planning and evaluation meetings to identify growth and development goals. The goals may range from inservice training, attending conferences, completing special projects, mentoring on particular areas of interest or growth. The intent is to ensure staff are able to explore professional development that will support their growth within their current position and/or prepare them for future opportunities. Developing these goals is now part of DVR’s normal performance management processes and will continue each performance cycle.  

• Strategy 2: Pilot State as Model Employer strategies and support other businesses regarding inclusive hiring. 

Progress: DVR led an effort to establish a disability affinity group within the Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE). This group provides an opportunity for employees who have a disability, regardless of whether the disability has been disclosed or any accommodations are needed, to come together and share their experiences as individuals with disabilities. The group is not directly about impacting policies within CDLE, but rather about creating a welcoming and inclusive culture. Several members of this group participated in National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) activities within the Department to help build awareness within the Department of how disability impacts our colleagues and their experience of disability in their professional and personal lives. 

Additionally, DVR worked with stakeholders to initiate legislation during the 2021 legislative session that authorizes a disability hiring preference pilot within the Department. The legislation authorizes CDLE to provide five extra points during the application review to an applicant who provides documentation of their disability, increasing the likelihood that the individual will have the opportunity to move forward to an interview. The disability information will be maintained confidentially and will not be disclosed to the hiring manager. The preference will function very similarly to a veterans hiring preference that has been in place in Colorado for many years. The disability hiring preference will be piloted in CDLE in partnership with the State’s Department of Personnel & Administration (DPA), though other departments may also consider implementing the pilot. The effectiveness of the pilot will be monitored over the next several years with a final report to the State Personnel Director in 2027. 

DVR also partnered with the CDLE’s Division of Human Resources to develop disability hiring guides. These guides provide instruction and tips on inclusive hiring practices for people with disabilities, including tips for ensuring that the interview process is inclusive, readily offers accommodations, and that those involved with an interview panel understand how they can support an inclusive process.

• Strategy 3: Develop an internal staff committee to advise leadership on opportunities to improve organizational culture. 

Progress: DVR has developed an internal staff committee known as the Great Outcomes (GO) team. The group continues to evolve to ensure that it is focused on positive culture change and supports morale, staff engagement, and overall workplace culture. The group is made up of staff across classifications and throughout the state and is primarily individual contributors. In 2020, they led a Transformational Wellness initiative to support a focus on overall health and wellness of staff within the division. The group is also currently exploring the creation of a mentoring project that will pair up new staff with more tenured staff to help new staff feel more connected to the organization. 

DVR supported establishing a brief EDI taskforce to evaluate the EDI. DVR staff also regularly engage with various department-wide affinity groups, focused on disability, racial minorities, LGBTQ+, and allies. These groups allow individuals from various perspectives to connect with others within the department who identify in a similar way to share how their identity and diversity impacts their experience at work. These groups are completely voluntary by those who choose to participate and participation is supported by DVR. 

Goal 3: DVR will support the implementation of Employment First in Colorado, through the Office of Employment First and DVR’s Employment First Initiatives. DVR is retiring this goal, though remains committed to supporting Employment First and this work is incorporated into many of DVR's initiatives and methods addressed throughout the Combined Plan. 

• Strategy 1:  Monitor & support ongoing development of the Colorado Office of Employment First  

Progress: Since July 1, 2019, DVR has maintained an interagency agreement with Colorado’s University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD), JFK Partners, located within the Department of Pediatrics of the University of Colorado School of Medicine to establish the Colorado Office of Employment First (COEF). The key functions of the COEF are to coordinate, evaluate, and monitor EFAP recommendations across state agencies to increase CIE; to be the primary source of training across Colorado communities in the area of Employment First policy and practices; to provide technical assistance to employers and state agencies for developing and implementing supported employment models; be the focal point for Employment First communications; and develop sustainability of the COEF. COEF has a mission of leading Colorado toward equitable employment reaching all people with disabilities through collaboration, systems innovation and training excellence.

Colorado’s Competitive Integrated Employment Manager currently monitors the established IA with support from DVR’s finance team to ensure the COEF is meeting the obligations of the IA and fulfilling its objectives. Monitoring and supporting the development of the COEF has not been without challenges and any new organization is faced with obstacles in establishing their role within the overall Employment First structure within Colorado, developing staff and business practices to achieve their mission, and becoming self-sufficient with an ongoing funding structure. The COEF has focused on developing and providing a range of training to promote CIE, including but not limited to, Customized Employment, Individual Placement and Supports, and Person-Centered Planning. COEF has facilitated implementing the Disability Benefits 101 website and associated tools in Colorado to create greater access to benefits planning information. They also support the collection of  more complete employment data of individuals with significant disabilities. DVR continues to work with the COEF to ensure that their areas of focus are aligned with the recommendations made by EFAP and meet the most critical needs for furthering Employment First within Colorado. Moving forward, DVR expects the COEF to become increasingly self-sufficient and DVR’s oversight to be reduced as they continue to develop and diversify their funding. 

• Strategy 2: Effectively utilize Employment First staff positions.

Progress: DVR created four staff positions to further Employment First initiatives. These positions were funded for a limited time, with initial funding ending June 30, 2022. The positions created were: IDD Supported Employment Trainer/Coordinator; Behavioral Health Supported Employment Trainer/Coordinator; Benefits Planning Trainer/Coordinator; and State Advisor on Disability Employment. DVR found a mix of successes and challenges with these positions. DVR already had a strong collaboration with Supported Employment counterparts at Colorado’s state agencies implementing supported employment for individuals with IDD (HCPF) and individuals with behavioral health disorders (CDHS-OBH), but lacked the staff capacity to engage as effectively as desired to further expand these programs, ensure ongoing collaboration, and support improved competitive integrated employment outcomes for individuals receiving services through these programs. Having dedicated staff positions focused on these areas allowed DVR to engage more fully and proactively in developing these areas of supported employment, including expanding evidence-based and promising practices such as IPS and Customized Employment. These positions completed over 240 Employment First related training sessions to DVR staff, including several geared towards increasing effectiveness and quality of VR services focusing on Customized Employment methods, Individual Placement and Support practices, and benefits planning and work incentive processes. Having a position focused on benefits planning has allowed DVR to increase awareness and resources for staff to make better use of available benefits planning resources, given many individuals with significant disabilities find the risk of losing benefits a deterrent to pursuing CIE. DVR has experienced turnover in this position and has been unable to fill the position for the last half of 2021, limiting the overall continued impact. Lastly, the State Advisor on Disability Employment focused on supporting state agencies to ensure inclusive hiring practices. This position engaged with human resources teams across state agencies, as well as the Department of Personnel & Administration, seeking to develop State as Model Employer strategies. This position was instrumental in ensuring the disability was included in an Equity Statement issued by Governor Jared Polis; instituting a process of regularly evaluating and updating the effectiveness of ADA accommodations within the Division to ensure employees with disabilities have access to the most appropriate accommodations to meet their needs; and initiating legislation that will create a disability hiring preference pilot within the Department, with the option to expand to other departments. 

While outcomes from these positions are difficult to measure, particularly given the impact of COVID-19 on the number of individuals with significant disabilities seeking CIE, as well as the shortage of professionals providing these services, DVR believes dedicated staff supporting Employment First Initiatives has been a positive addition to ensuring CIE is available to all individuals who want to work, regardless of their disability. As such, DVR has sought approval from the legislature to maintain these FTE to continue to support Employment First Initiatives within DVR.  

• Strategy 3: Support SRC to effectively coordinate EFAP & support progress on EFAP priorities and recommendations. 

Progress: SB16-077, which created the EFAP, established the SRC as the lead agency to coordinate the EFAP. An Employment First committee has been added to the SRC structure, which takes primary responsibility for managing the work of the EFAP. The EFAP meets every other month, has established committee governance documents through the structure of the SRC, and to date has met legislated timelines and requirements. DVR provides both administrative support and a full-time SRC Manager to ensure the SRC and EFAP have the necessary staff support to accomplish their mandated responsibilities. A sunset review of the EFAP by the Department of Regulatory Affairs led to an indefinite continuation of the EFAP, under the existing organization structure. Therefore, DVR and the SRC will continue to ensure the EFAP has adequate support to achieve their mandated functions.