Narrative: j. 1. A.

(j) Statewide Assessment

FDBS commissioned a three-year CSNA to determine the vocational rehabilitation needs of individuals with visual disabilities. Dr. Chaz Compton, project director of San Diego State University Interwork Institute (SDSU), led the completion of the CSNA in 2019. The CSNA addresses requirements of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, that states each state unit and the State Rehabilitation Council (SRC) must conduct a comprehensive statewide assessment of the rehabilitation needs of its residents. These needs are for supported employment services, minorities, and other unserved/underserved populations, persons served through other components of the statewide workforce investment system, and the need to establish, develop, or improve CRPs. Dr. Compton conducted interviews with FDBS staff, community partners, consumers and businesses – including 49 individual interviews and 288 as part of a focus group. The interviews took place July through September 2018 in each district office. The CSNA is broken down into several categories.

• Section I - Overall agency performance
• Section II - Needs of individuals with the most significant disabilities, including their need for supported employment
• Section III - Needs of individuals with blindness or visual impairments from different ethnic groups, including needs of individuals who have been unserved or underserved by the VR program
• Section IV - Needs of youth and students with blindness or visual impairments in transition, including Pre-ETS
• Section V - Needs of individuals with blindness or visual impairments served through other components of the statewide Workforce Development System
• Section VI - Need to establish, develop, or improve CRPs in Florida
• Section VII - Needs of businesses

The CSNA utilizes quantitative data for FFY 2015 through 2017 and qualitative data from FFY 2015 through September 2018. The following details the specific methods used for gathering the data for this assessment. The project team at SDSU reviewed a variety of existing data sources to identify and describe demographic data within Florida, including the total possible target population and sub-populations potentially served by FDBS. Dr. Compton used data relevant to the population of individuals with blindness or visual impairments in Florida, ethnicity of individuals, the number of Veterans, income level, educational levels, and other characteristics in this analysis. Contributing resources used in this analysis include the following:

• The 2016 American Community Survey, 1- and 5-Year Estimates;
• U.S. Census Annual Estimates of Resident Population, 2017;
• 2018 Social Security Administration SSI/SSDI Data;
• The Florida Department of Education;
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics;
• Cornell University’s disabilitystatistics.org;
• FDBS case service data compiled at the request of the project team; and
• The Federal Rehabilitation Services Administration’s RSA-911 data for DBS and data submitted and entered into RSA’s Management Information System (MIS).

The CSNA identified the most relevant and pressing needs of FDBS, consumers and community partners. Section O of this plan lists the strategies developed to address these needs.

Overall Agency Performance

• Staff turnover presents a challenge that has an effect on service delivery speed and the continuity of partner relationships. Staff turnover is a common challenge faced by VR agencies across the country.
• FDBS needs to more effectively market services to the community and increase public awareness of the organization.
• Staff training is an essential need.

The Needs of Individuals with the Most Significant Disabilities, including their Need for Supported Employment

• The CSNA cited transportation most frequently as a significant need of consumers; this is especially true in rural areas where options for public transportation are extremely limited. The lack of available public transportation for individuals with disabilities, including individuals with blindness and visual impairments, often presents a significant barrier to employment.
• The CSNA identified assistive technology, independent living skills, and self-advocacy skills training as significant needs for individuals with blindness and visual impairments.
• The fear of the loss of SSA benefits affects the return-to-work behavior of individuals with blindness and visual impairments in Florida; this is also a common concern of SSA beneficiaries across the nation.

The Needs of Individuals with Blindness or Visual Impairments from Different Ethnic Groups, including Needs of Individuals who have been Unserved or Underserved by the VR Program

• For this population, the lack of transportation in rural areas is a significant reason for underserving these areas.
• The FDBS should examine its outreach and service to Hispanic and Asian individuals to ensure that they are aware of services.

The Needs of Youth and Students with Blindness or Visual Impairments in Transition

• All five required pre-employment transition services represent significant rehabilitation needs of students with blindness and visual impairments, with work-based learning experiences being the most significant and important need.
• Youth with blindness and visual impairments need to receive AT early and receive adequate training in its use to maximize the likelihood of their success in post-secondary education.
• Benefits counseling, self-advocacy, and peer mentoring are the needs of youth with blindness and visual impairments.
• Respondents repeatedly cited soft skills training as a need for youth in transition.

The Needs of individuals with Blindness or Visual Impairments Served through other Components of the Statewide Workforce Development System

• The CareerSource Florida Network’s career centers are not effectively meeting the service needs of individuals with blindness and visual impairments throughout Florida.
• The relationship between the FDBS and the CareerSource Florida Network’s career centers remains primarily one of referral.
• There is a need to effectively track and report co-enrollment of FDBS and CareerSource Florida Network consumers.

The Need to Establish, Develop, or Improve CRPs

• Having one primary CRP that provides a full array of VR services in some districts limits choice and affords few options if a change is needed/desired.
• There is an overall need for more providers in rural areas.
• There is a need for more providers that have experience working with individuals that have a secondary disability of mental illness.

The Need for Pre-ETS and Transition Services

• Five required Pre-ETS activities (especially work-based learning experiences)
• Training on the use of assistive technology
• Benefits counseling, self-advocacy, and peer mentoring
• Soft skills training

FDBS works with schools to identify and refer students receiving services under a 504 plan and encourage reciprocity regarding referrals for students with disabilities. FDBS will continue collaborating with the Division of Career and Adult Education to expand opportunities for apprenticeships, internships, and work-based learning experiences for students/youth with disabilities.