Narrative: a. 1.

All agencies, except for those that are independent consumer-controlled commissions, must describe the following:

1. input provided by the State Rehabilitation Council, including input and recommendations on the VR services portion of the Unified or Combined State Plan, recommendations from the Council's report, the review and analysis of consumer satisfaction, and other Council reports that may have been developed as part of the Council’s functions;

RSA recently rolled out the Program Year. Due to this, the State Plan is now due March 2, 2020. This leaves little time to read, review and provide meaningful comments on the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation portion of the State Plan. The SRC would have appreciated more time in which to provide useful and succinct comments. 

Goal 1: To obtain at least 1000 successful closures for DVR clients in FFY 2018 and 2019 thereby substantially maintaining solid employment outcomes for DVR clients in Maine.  

These employment outcomes and goals from 2018 through 2019 will be impacted by the change in serving more youth in school. DVR has seen a decrease in their overall employment outcomes, as DVR will not realize successful outcomes from these in school youth for a few years. In addition, with the focus of DVR’s resources to in school youth, there may be fewer VR resources for adults with disabilities.

The SRC feels DVR has done great work on all objectives and strategies to achieve this goal. The SRC suggests DVR keep this goal, along with its objectives and strategies going forward. Preliminary evaluations show improvement with client retention. Great work DVR!

Goal 2: To serve all individuals with the most significant disabilities in a timely manner, which means determining eligibilities within 60 days and developing plans for employment for all consumers within the new 90-day time frame.  

DVR will continue to maintain no wait list for those individuals in categories 1 and 2 and will monitor the ability to again serve those in category 3 in the future. 

DVR has done an awesome job reducing the number of days from application to eligibility and from eligibility to Individual Plan for Employment (IPE), consistently meeting the new standards. They have policies and procedures in place to continue to meet these standards.  Is VR able to continue to serve all individuals in categories 1 and 3 given the requirements around Pre-ETs and the lack of a contract award in two regions of the state?

Regarding the objective of determining if DVR can check for proficiencies in how they process the work of providing services. The SRC feels DVR has done this and feels it is part of their philosophy. The SRC does not feel this continues to be an objective.

The objective, and its strategies, for those with significant intellectual disabilities to be able to access the waiver for long term employment supports after closure is a great idea. However, the SRC wonders how this helps reduce the number of days from eligibility to IPE? The SRC wonders if this should be a separate goal.

The last objective under this goal talks of DVR continuing the “Employment First” philosophy and reducing the unemployment rate of people with disabilities by 5%. Once again, the SRC does not how this helps reduce the number of days from eligibility to IPE. The SRC wonders if this should be a separate.

Goal 3: To ensure that individuals with disabilities who may be unserved or underserved or who have minority status have access to DVR services.

DVR has done great work getting those who are unserved, underserved or have minority status access to VR services. The SRC feels DVR has policies and procedures in place and this work is a part of the core work they do. The SRC feels this needs to continue to be a goal with objective and strategies as it is part of the ongoing work, they are committed to doing.

Goal 4: Maine DVR will partner with the larger workforce development system to improve opportunities and access for DVR clients as measured annually by documented collaborative activities, technical assistance, and training.

The SRC is unsure if Maine’s Disability Employment Initiative Grant is still available. This objective was for 2016. The SRC suggest taking this objective out of the DVR portion of the State Plan.

DVR is still in an Order of Selection for Category 3. Therefore, the objective should continue to be a part of DVR’s portion of the State Plan.

DVR honors all MOUs so the SRC does not feel this needs to continue to be an objective under this goal.

DVR should continue to look for grant opportunities that are in keeping with the BRS mission.

Goal 5: Maine DVR will partner with Adult Education, the SWIB, and the larger workforce development system to incorporate and apply the new rules related to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). 

This is ongoing. 

Goals in the current plan were written prior to implementation of the new employment service delivery model.  How will this process change any/all goals?

How will VR ensure consistency across Regions 4/5 where no awards were granted in the new employment services model for those regions?

How is client choice being addressed in Region I, II and III where the new service delivery model is being implemented?

How will VR address the drop in successful employment outcomes for adults with disabilities given the new WIOA requirements for serving youth?

How will VR effective measure consumer satisfaction with both VRCs, the process, and CRPs?