Narrative: q. 2.

(2) The timing of transition to extended services

Pre-Employment Transition Services
The VR Transition Youth program collaborates with education officials and partners to offer youth with the most significant disabilities opportunities to gain work experiences that help them prepare for successful employment. These evidence-based applications of learning, which include internships and other work experiences, often lead to successful employment.

VR also provides the opportunity for youth to receive up to four years of extended services funded through VR, when necessary. This is the only situation where VR is permitted to provide extended services.

VR will continue to actively engage and partner in order to:

• Develop a collaborative agreement with APD specific to Supported Employment and removing or reducing barriers for employment for individuals with significant disabilities.
• Implement the Interagency Employment First Agreement between the nine signatory parties. Continue to implement the agreements at the local and state level with appropriate stakeholders.
• Maximize the quality-of-service delivery ensuring an efficient and effective referral process, individual program planning, and coordination of intensive vocational services with extended services available for youth and adults.
• Expand available services through youth-related initiatives.
• Seek additional resources for extended services through collaborations with agency partners, including APD, Agency for Healthcare Administration, Florida Developmental Disabilities Council, Department of Education agencies and other stakeholders.
• Collaborate with community organizations, employers, families and support groups to develop natural supports for Supported Employment extended services.
• Distribute information and train counselors about Social Security Work Incentives. Increase awareness of using a Plan for Achieving Self-Sufficiency or other work incentives as an option for funding extended services. Include training on the new Able Act as a potential way for individuals to fund their own services.
• Provide opportunities for counselors, providers and support coordinators to receive training on innovative employment strategies designed to promote employment success for individuals.

Extended Services
VR’s approach for Supported Employment uses the nationally accepted “best practices” models of Supported Employment services and has added new customized strategies as well. The key to the approach is an emphasis on person-centered planning and the facilitation of natural supports. Individualized job development is conducted and based on job-matching assessments, informed choice, strengths, interests and skills. Individuals are assisted with employment planning and placement by selected providers. Job skills training is provided at the job site either by job coaches or through natural supports of existing resources.

Transition to Extended Services occurs when an individual has sufficient time to learn the tasks and is comfortable in the work culture, has had the supports addressed and is satisfied with the type of work and work hours. At the time of transition, the counselor, providers, individual and others, as applicable, will have agreed that the individual is stable in their employment and expected to succeed. VR counselors confirm this information with the individual, provider and employer. They will continue to monitor the case until the person reaches a successful employment outcome of a minimum of 90 days of stabilized employment after transitioning to extended services.

VR continues to:

• Collaborate with community organizations, families and support groups to develop natural supports as an option for assisting customers on the job site.
• Participate on interagency committees to expand initiatives and increase employment outcomes.
• Seek additional resources for extended services in collaboration with VR partners.
• Emphasize providing services to all racial/ethnic minorities.
• Distribute and provide technical assistance to counselors on the use of Social Security Work Incentives to help with funding extended services.

Extended services are provided and/or funded by sources other than VR. VR works collaboratively with other state agencies and organizations to ensure that extended support services, identified on the individualized plan as needed for employment, are available for as long as the customer needs them.

A program administrator serves as a statewide coordinator who monitors Supported Employment issues that arise in the field and serves as a resource person to field staff. The coordinator also assists leadership when implementing programmatic policies in accordance with federal mandates, developing effective programs, recommending training for Supported Employment staff and other liaison duties, objective as requested.