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Plan: Washington PYs 2024-2027
Combined Plan C

Section: Vocational Rehabilitation Program (Combined or General)

Narrative: l. 7.

Published
Located in:
  • Program-Specific Requirements for State Vocational Rehabilitation (Combined or General)

    The Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Services Portion of the Unified or Combined State Plan must include the following descriptions and estimates, as required by sections 101(a) and 606 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by title IV of WIOA.

    • l. Interagency Cooperation with Other Agencies

      In accordance with the requirements in Section 101(a)(11)(C) and (K), describe interagency cooperation with and utilization of the services and facilities of agencies and programs that are not carrying out activities through the statewide workforce development system to develop opportunities for community-based employment in integrated settings, to the greatest extent practicable for the following:

l. 7. State agency responsible for providing mental health services; and

View corresponding narrative from PYs 2022-2023 (Mod)

Current Narrative:

Health Care Authority Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery (HCA/DBHR): The Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery (DBHR) was moved from DSHS to HCA in 2018 to integrate physical health with behavioral health, thereby providing whole-person care. DBHR manages the majority of public behavioral health services in Washington. HCA/DBHR provides a broad range of community-based mental health, substance use disorder, and pathological and problem gambling services using multiple funding sources to meet broad behavioral health needs. In addition, HCA/DBHR sponsors recovery supports and the development of system of care networks.

DSHS/DVR entered into an Interlocal Agreement with HCA/DBHR in 2019. The purpose of the agreement is to establish a collaborative framework for both agencies to provide employment services for individuals with behavioral health conditions. This framework identifies shared eligibility criteria and defines roles and responsibilities for DSHS/DVR’s supported employment program and HCA/DBHR’s Foundational Community Supports (FCS) supported employment program.

DSHS/DVR and HCA/DBHR coordinate in the following ways: 

  • DSHS/DVR and HCA/DBHR leadership meet on a regular basis for ongoing coordination and collaboration between systems. DSHS/DVR and HCA/DBHR FCS Workgroup meet on a regular basis for ongoing coordination, collaboration for mutual customers enrolled in FCS and DSHS/DVR. 
  • DSHS/DVR and HCA/DBHR participate in the FCS Amerigroup Advisory Committee with DSHS/ALTSA and other FCS providers and stakeholders. 
  • DSHS/DVR is represented as a member of the Washington State Behavioral Health Advisory Council. 
  • DSHS/DVR collaborates with HCA/DBHR’s FCS to serve shared supported employment customers, using the FCS Individual Placement Support (IPS) model of supported employment and DSHS/DVR supported employment services. 
  • DSHS/DVR maintains active referral relationships with treatment providers that are funded through HCA/DBHR contracts with each county. 
  • DSHS/DVR assigned liaison counselors to work with behavioral health agencies across the state, facilitating access to DSHS/DVR services for behavioral health consumers. 
  • DSHS/DVR and DBHR signed a memorandum of collaboration that establishes methods for Medicaid outpatient behavioral health services to be provided as extended services for joint DSHS/DVR supported employment customers. 
  • King County Behavioral Health and Recovery has become a Ticket-to-Work (TTW) Employment Network and is establishing a Partnership Plus Agreement with DSHS/DVR to build a revenue stream from the TTW Program that will fund extended services for those mental health customers who require a supported employment model.