Narrative: p. 1. A.

 DVR has made progress toward all of the identified goals and priorities and innovation and expansion activities established within the 2016 Combined State Plan. DVR will maintain process made in each of these areas, but has not identified these as ongoing goals for the 2020-2023 plan cycle.

Goal 1: DVR will increase outreach and vocational rehabilitation services to communities and cultures throughout Colorado, with emphasis on underserved populations

• Strategy 1: Establish partnerships with community partners, workforce centers, educators, business and other community resources to identify and connect with underserved populations and potential applicants for VR services.

Progress: Since 2016, DVR has improved existing partnerships with workforce centers and adult education to identify and connect with potential applicants. This has occurred through cross-education of staff across core programs and required partners, an increase in collocation, DVR’s involvement with the Job Seeker Services Alignment team, which seeks to improve the customer experience for participants across partners. Additionally, DVR has established collaborative partnerships with several Department of Corrections facilities, ensuring incarcerated individuals who are preparing to re-enter society are provided with information needed to make informed decisions about whether DVR may be able to assist with employment upon release. Similar efforts have been attempted with Juvenile Justice facilities and DVR will continue to pursue these partnerships to ensure detained and incarcerated juveniles with disabilities are connected to DVR when appropriate.

Local offices have developed partnerships with agencies providing substance abuse counseling in order to increase outreach efforts to individuals experience substance abuse, another underserved population in Colorado. These partnerships have resulted in increased referrals to DVR of individuals served by these organizations. Individuals who are deaf-blind were also identified as an underserved populations through DVR’s previous CSNA. The Blind and Low Vision Services (BLVS) unit continues to collaborate with stakeholders to improve services across the State to individuals who are blind/visually impaired. Currently, in 2019, BLVS has a counselor who has ASL skills, which leads to improved communication with individuals who are deafblind. Additionally, BLVS has a Counselor who is knowledgeable about immigration services and policies. The unit has two counselors specializing in services to youth, while the other counselors are gaining skills in this area.  There are also two counselors who are working towards being specialized in the self-employment process. In an effort to further improve services to individuals who are blind/visually impaired across the State, there have been several trainings offered to, and provided to, staff regarding the specific needs of those who are blind/visually impaired. DVR also continues to collaborate with the regional representative from the Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind.

DVR recently created a Partnership Engagement and Communication Manager who leads and coordinates DVR’s efforts to outreach to various stakeholder groups. This staff develops a monthly stakeholder newsletter that is emailed to stakeholders sharing general information about DVR, opportunities for involvement, relevant events, etc. Additionally, this position coordinates a DVR workgroup for all staff representing DVR on workforce development boards, with the intention of supporting more effective and engaged involvement of DVR staff on local boards, thereby creating more positive partnership at the local level.  

As described elsewhere, DVR has sought to develop a more effective partnership with the American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Services programs in southwestern Colorado. Significant progress has been made in this area, particularly with the Southern Ute Tribe. Cross-training and collaboration support more effective identification of individuals who may be served by both programs and key representatives from each program continue to explore strategies to further streamline this outreach and coordination of services.

• Strategy 2: Explore the expansion of technology and social media to provide better access and information to Coloradans.

Progress: Upon moving to CDLE, DVR worked closely with the Department’s Government, Policy, and Public Relations (GPPR) unit to update DVR’s website, establish social medical accounts, and develop updated marketing materials. With support from GPPR, DVR has been able to create marketing materials that are professional, accurate, and more appealing to potential clients and partners. In partnership with GPPR, DVR maintains social media accounts to ensure a virtual presence and create additional opportunities for potential clients to find DVR and learn about the services available and within the last couple of years identified a lead staff person who manages social media efforts. DVR’s Partnership Engagement and Communication Manager regularly posts engaging content of DVR’ social media, including Facebook and Twitter. Content routinely highlights successes, strategies for making work places more inclusive and diverse, opportunities for stakeholder input, and other relevant topics helping individuals to learn more about DVR.

DVR continues to seek other opportunities to utilize technology in order to improve the experience of DVR clients. Strategies such as the use of electronic signatures for many aspects of the VR process have been identified as potential change to business practices that would facilitate an efficient experience for both DVR clients and staff, while making DVR more accessible to individuals living in very rural areas of the state.

Goal 2: DVR will expand transition services to Colorado’s youth with disabilities, including pre-employment transition services (PETS), to Colorado’s students with disabilities

• Strategy 1: Develop and update cooperative partnerships with Colorado school districts/BOCES, education providers and core workforce development programs to encompass PETS requirements.

Progress: DVR has worked closely with the Colorado Department of Education to ensure school districts/BOCES are well informed of pre-employment transition services.  All education partners have received training in pre-employment transition services. Districts/BOCES with School-to-Work Alliance Programs have incorporated pre-employment transition services into these programs. Several education partners have worked with local DVR offices and the Youth and Transition Services unit to explore opportunities to improve referral processes for students with disabilities and strategies for providing pre-employment transition services.  DVR and education continue to work together to refine these processes and ensure students in need of pre-employment transition services are identified and appropriately connected with DVR. Similar efforts have been completed with other workforce development programs to ensure all partners are knowledgeable of the services available to students with disabilities. 

Ensuring these partnerships are effective is an ongoing effort due to staff changes and evolving business practices. Most recently, these efforts have been expanded to include career and technical education programs, post-secondary workforce readiness, adult education/dropout prevention, individual career and academic planning, post-secondary education, the Colorado Workforce Development Council, and Employment First. All partners are working together toward identifying consistent messages to promote partnerships which encompass who DVR can enhance and support existing programming through pre-employment transition services.

• Strategy 2: Create a youth transition unit within DVR to expand and innovate excellent transition services throughout the state.

Progress: DVR created a Youth and Transition Services Unit (YSTU) in 2016, and it has continued to evolve since that time to ensure effective management of transition services. Moving forward, the unit will be structured within Field Services and report to the Competitive Integrated Employment Manager. YSTU consists of a Manager, a Contracts Manager, and 2 new Transition Coordinators positions. Additionally, there are 4 regional Lead Counselors for Transition who provide technical assistance and training to counselors working with youth across the state, and support effective partnership with education at the local level. This team meets monthly to identify promising practices that can be replicated in other areas, identify gaps in data needed for effective strategic planning, and work toward achieving the goals established by the unit with regard to transition services

• Strategy 3: Explore the provision of transition services to groups of youth with disabilities who may have not yet applied or been determined eligible for vocational rehabilitation services and if feasible, develop policies and processes to provide these services.

Progress: DVR has developed policies and procedures guiding how pre-employment transition services are provided to potentially eligible students with disabilities and many of these services are provided in group settings, though not specifically through the authority to provide services to groups.

Instead, students “enroll” through a straightforward referral form in order to ensure complete reporting information is available. While the number fluctuates throughout the year, over Program Years 2017 and 2018, an average of 71 potentially eligible students enrolled with DVR to receive pre-employment transition services each month. All five pre-employment transition services are available to these students, with significant interest in Work Based Learning Experiences and Workplace Readiness Training.

Several interesting partnerships have developed as a result of DVR’s active partnering with service providers and school districts to provide pre-employment transition services, including Workplace Readiness and Job Exploration boot camps, industry specific workshops, youth leadership training, entrepreneurial programs, employer driven summits, classes in financial literacy, etc.

Current strategies have resulted in DVR’ full expenditure of the pre-employment transition services set-aside. Therefore, DVR has a pre-employment transition services workgroup explore process improvement strategies that will allow DVR counselors to work more efficiently in order to ensure more students have access to these important services. As efficiencies are explored, policies specifically addresses services to groups may be warranted (e.g. the development of podcasts or webcasts to reach students with relevant pre-employment transition services).

Goal 3: DVR will Increase the skills of DVR staff and service providers to assure a 21^st century understanding of the labor market and the provision of quality services that meet the needs of Coloradans with disabilities

• Strategy 1: Implement integrated professional development for DVR staff with WIOA partner programs to elevate internal expertise and equip them with the tools necessary to operate a comprehensive, holistic approach to talent development for business and industry, putting particular emphasis on leveraging the synergies resulting from the merger of DVR and CDLE.

Progress: Since the implementation of WIOA, DVR has been closely engaged with WIOA partner programs to ensure cross-education across partners and ensure a comprehensive approach to services for all participants.  DVR is represented on the Job Seeker Services Alignment team, which seeks to create alignment of process, procedures, forms, and data collection to the extent possible across all programs, in addition to promoting cross-education across partners and co-enrollment of participants.  Further, this team seeks to ensure ongoing opportunities for cross-education among partners to occur. These professional development opportunities occur at the state, regional, and local level to ensure consistent information and support local partnership. DVR’s Business Outreach Specialists are members of CDLE’s broader Business Services Team, and serve as a conduit to bring real-time Labor Market Information (LMI) back to their local teams. Further, DVR received intensive technical assistance from the Job Development Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center with the goal of infusing LMI into the comprehensive assessment process to establish employment goals that tie into available LMI, leading to higher wages and increased self-sufficiency of clients.

DVR provided training on The Career Index Plus (TCI+) career information system for staff, including Rehabilitation Counselors, Rehabilitation Technicians, and Business Outreach Specialists. DVR also partners with the Department’s Industry Partnership Coordinator to ensure DVR staff have access to the Virtual Job Shadow career information system,

• Strategy 2: Develop processes to ensure a statewide cadre of qualified vendors able to meet the requirements of working with disability-related issues.

Progress: DVR has an established vendor registration process, which involves review of provider qualifications to ensure individuals providing services have the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to provide high quality vocational rehabilitation services. DVR has a Vendor Relations Specialist who supports local teams in developing new vendors when needed. This staff also offers technical assistance to vendors when required to ensure appropriate qualifications and all procedures are followed. DVR shares information with vendors about available training that would support the development of skills relevant to the services they provide. Legislation in 2018 created a requirement that supported employment providers complete nationally recognized training or certification in supported employment, allocating funding to reimburse providers for associated costs.

• Strategy 3: Implement the Colorado LEAN process to assure a customer-focused, continuous improvement culture of operational excellence.

Progress: DVR has undertaken a LEAN initiative to improve processes within the agency. This effort lead to the development of a Process Improvement team which has focused on identifying duplication and inefficiency within DVR operations creating burden for DVR staff and delays for clients.  A number of policy and procedural changes have been implemented as a result of this team’s effort, which are expected to save staff time and assure the VR experience is positive, effective, and efficient for customers. These efforts are ongoing. Current projects include improved business process related to case documentation of the comprehensive assessment and Individualized Plan for Employment, refined fee structure and business processes for job placement services, review of eligibility process to improve timeliness, and the development of guidance and tools to support more efficient pre-employment transition services. Each of these projects are expected to be implemented before the end of Program Year 2019.

GOALS 4: Build and strengthen stakeholder relationships to increase employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities

• Strategy 1: Expand the involvement of DVR staff in regionally-focused sector partnerships to champion career pathways within business and industry for individuals with disabilities.

Progress: DVR staff are active on Colorado’s State Technical Assistance team supporting the development of sector partnerships. Additionally, several BOS have been engaged in the development of sector partnerships across the state, including Retail. Healthcare, and Manufacturing. Several BOS are also regularly involved with planning and implementation of sector partnership events.

• Strategy 2: Align business outreach efforts with partner agencies to leverage the identification of employment opportunities and expand awareness of disability employment competency within the business sector.

Progress: DVR’s BOS have been included into CDLE’s broader Career and Business Services Team, and serve as a conduit to bring real-time LMI to their local teams through conversations with business and involvement with sector strategy initiatives. This team of BOS routinely provide disability awareness training to business partners throughout the state to improve awareness of disability employment within the business sector. DVR’s Business Relations Unit Manager is a member of the Business and Career Services Executive Committee which is tasked with service alignment, partnership, policy review, and procedural implementation of best practices across Career and Business Services. In addition, DVR BOS and Workforce Business Development representatives across the state have developed and continue to enhance working partnerships for co-prospecting and delivery of business services.

Each year, DVR partners with CDLE’s GPPR unit to promote National Disability Employment Month in October, ensuring greater visibility across stakeholders. This efforts included engaging stakeholders through social media, highlighting dual-customer successes through a series of video testimonials, and awarding annual “Shining Stars of DVR” awards to showcase several employers, clients, and service providers making strides in the employment of individuals with disabilities.

• Strategy 3: Explore the provision of technical assistance to businesses that are seeking to employ individuals with disabilities and as feasible, develop policies and processes to provide these services.

Progress: DVR has included services to employers within its service delivery policy, supporting these important services as being within the scope of service provision for DVR for both staff and stakeholders.  DVR’s Business Relations Unit (BRU) takes a lead in providing technical assistance and other services to the business community to support the employment of individuals with disabilities. The BRU reviewed and revised the goals and strategies for DVR business services, implementing an updated mission and vision of the unit effective May 2019. This work resulted in a streamlined focus to business within 4 key areas: recruitment; education; retention; and partnership. A variety of services and technical assistance are provided to businesses within these priorities. A new DVR Business Services Policy and Procedure Manual was also developed and implemented in summer 2019.  

Goals Carried Over From Previous Plan

• DVR will have thirty day contact with all clients to increase client engagement and enhance the client-counselor partnership.
  • Based on feedback received from clients, staff, and stakeholders a requirement for meaningful contact every thirty days was determined to be unnecessarily burdensome. It did not achieve its desired effect of improving client engagement.  Re-evaluating this requirement, led to a policy change requiring meaningful contact at least once every other month. This policy change has allowed for greater flexibility within the counselor relationship and supports client engagement while accounting for the unique circumstances and preferences of each eligible individual.
• DVR will improve case file documentation reflecting personalized and meaningful contact with clients,
  • DVR has maintained policies and procedures referenced in the prior State Plan that have led to improved case file documentation.  DVR continues to monitor the quality of case file documentation, providing coaching, training, and guidance to staff as necessary.
• DVR supervisors will meet regularly with counselors and staff to model excellent guidance and counseling skills as well as motivational interviewing so that counselors and staff can in turn use these skills with clients.
  • Additional training has been provided by Dr. Jared Schultz from Utah State University to support DVR supervisors in developing their clinical supervision skills.  Dr. Schultz will continue to provide coaching to DVR supervisors as they support counselors to engage in effective counseling with those they serve. 
• DVR will generate, monitor and use information to make sound fiscal decisions to ensure the ability to provide effective individualized services to clients.
  • DVR’s leadership routinely utilizes a broad range of available data in order to make fiscal and programmatic decisions needed to ensure individualized client services. This team constantly monitors available information and adjusts strategies as needed to provide a seamless experience for clients.
• DVR will continue collaborative efforts and working relationships between local DVR offices and mental health centers and between local DVR offices and agencies serving clients with intellectual disabilities.
  • DVR maintains collaborative partnerships with both mental health centers and agencies serving individuals with intellectual disabilities.
• DVR will continue to work actively within the realm of education to assure that youth with the most significant disabilities are accessing career, transition and employment services, including supported employment.
  • DVR continues to work actively with education partners to assure youth have access to pre-employment transition, transition, and employment services, including supported employment.