Narrative: l. 2.

Jointly Developed State Plan Goals and Priorities

Program Years 2022-2023

The Massachusetts Commission for the Blind Rehabilitation Council (RC) and MCB have reviewed the 2019 version of the jointly developed state plan goals and priorities to determine which items should remain priorities, which items no longer require the same focus as in 2019, and whether additional goals and priorities should be areas of focus going forward.  Despite the decision to focus on the following goals and priorities, the MCB and the RC will continue to evaluate the way in which vocational rehabilitation services are provided, the quality of those services, and MCB’s financial capacity to serve consumers.  MCB and the RC have developed these goals and priorities with consideration of the challenges posed by the Covid pandemic.

The RC and MCB have jointly developed the following goals and priorities for PY22-23.

Goal I

Increase job retention, as measured by the Rehabilitation Council’s evaluation process to track progress toward the goal.

Priorities

• Review literature and data on job retention trends and best practices.
• Develop an evaluation process to measure job retention for both consumers whose cases have been closed (rehabilitated) and for consumers who are currently receiving services.
• Establish a process to regularly monitor and report on the job retention status of both rehabilitated and current consumers.
• Develop and deploy training on self-advocacy to assist consumers in successfully advocating for reasonable accommodation needs.

Goal II

Increase employment options for VR consumers, as measured by the Rehabilitation Council’s evaluation process to track progress toward the goal.  This includes reporting on increasing business partnerships, VR consumers engaging in career development and job search, and consumers obtaining employment.

Priorities

• Develop and implement plans to increase training opportunities for transition and pre-employment transition) consumers per RSA’s requirements.
•  Continue to enhance the agency’s internship program to increase consumers engaged and employment partnerships.
• Increase consumers’ proficiency in keyboarding/touch typing by offering training and by encouraging consumers, especially those going to college, to acquire such skills.
• Coordinate with the other partners of the Massachusetts workforce development system, particularly MassHire, to better enable the partners to provide appropriate assistance to individuals who are legally blind.  MCB technical assistance and infrastructure funding to MassHire Career Centers delineated in state and local memoranda of understanding.

Goal III

Measure and evaluate the effectiveness of VR programming and services as measured by the Rehabilitation Council’s evaluation process to track progress toward the goal.

Priorities:

• Evaluate the continuing implementation of electronic registration of legally blind residents of Massachusetts and appropriate referral to VR of working-age registrants and the timely processing of VR referrals. 
• Continue to develop metrics to understand trends in referral to VR and registration of legally blind persons.  The metrics developed will address timeliness, volume, demographics, etc.
• Examine the current MCB survey methodology. Tailor questions to address accessibility, equity, inclusion, and consumer concerns.  This priority will require a closer relationship between the RC and appropriate MCB staff.
• Review and analyze studies and surveys to develop ways to obtain additional feedback aimed at improving VR services.
• Survey providers and partners that interact with the VR system and consumers.
• MCB and any consultants will continue to partner with RC to include a consumer, employer, and community partner perspectives into future survey design.
• Annually review the agency performance on statistical measures of effectiveness and recommend actions to improve performance when appropriate.
• Review consumer survey tools to determine whether they are in need of revision.

Goal IV

Help consumers, including students and potentially eligible students, to develop and increase the independence needed to be successful in competitive employment, as measured by the Rehabilitation Council’s evaluation process to track progress toward the goal.

Priorities

• Increase and adjust Assistive Technology services and training for  eligible MCB consumers to support those currently working to maintain or advance their employment opportunities.
• Continue to increase access to computers and basic keyboarding skills in order to enable more MCB registered consumers to acquire basic job readiness skills. Additionally, educate consumers about the importance of these skills.
• Continue to increase consumers’ access to adaptive equipment as measured by the number served by the agency’s Technology for the Blind Unit or referred to the Carroll Center’s training program.
• Continue to improve accessibility of pre-employment transition, transition, and college students’ access to educational materials, resources and websites.
• Continue to improve communication and collaboration between MCB VR counselors and all other state, federal, contracted and private agencies providing technology, vocational training and employment services to MCB consumers, including eligible and potentially eligible pre-employment transition consumers.
• Continue to provide appropriate after-school assistive technology and orientation and mobility services as pre-employment transition services to eligible and potentially eligible middle and high school students.
• Continue to provide appropriate job exploration and counseling pre-employment transition services such as mentorships and exposure to real life career information.
• Provide appropriate work readiness pre-employment transition services in areas such as financial management, budgeting, and social skills.

Goal V

Continue to improve the quality of communication between MCB and stakeholders, as measured by the Rehabilitation Council’s evaluation process to track progress toward the goal.

Priorities

• Ensure that consumers participating in VR  receive direct and accessible communication about changes to MCB policies and procedures that might affect them.
• Ensure that the Rehabilitation Council has information that is as timely, accurate, complete and as accessible as possible, in order to enable the RC to provide MCB with the most meaningful feedback.
• As the economy changes, continue to engage with the business community to assess their evolving labor needs.