Narrative: c. 2.

DVR has identified the following enduring priorities, focused on the people DVR services, DVR staff, and DVR partners:

1. DVR innovates with intention to improve individualized and person-centered services and supports that lead to increased prosperity through a dual customer approach.
2. DVR’s leaders support and equip DVR staff to be agile and able to integrate positive change, proactively providing staff strategies to foster flexible, efficient service delivery.
3. DVR adapts processes, technologies, and disciplines that help staff create and enhance relationships with our communities, vendors, employer partners, stakeholders, and the people we serve.

Aligned with these priorities, DVR has an ongoing goal to work with partners and stakeholders to reduce the prosperity gap for people with disabilities by increasing quality employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities.

Additionally, these priorities overlay all goals and strategies on which DVR focuses resources and efforts. 

(A) Support innovation and expansion activities

Goal 1: The SRC and SILC will continue to have appropriate and reasonable resources to continue their work and complete required and related activities.

Strategy 1: DVR will continue to reserve funds for use by the SRC to accomplish their required activities, including gathering customer satisfaction feedback, assisting with the CSNA, and publishing the Annual Report, etc. The funds reserved for the SRC are identified through a shared planning process in which the SRC identifies the resources they will need to fulfill their responsibilities. In recent years, DVR has reserved approximately $35,000 for the SRC.

Strategy 2: DVR will continue to reserve funds for use by the SILC to accomplish their required activities including the development of the State Plan for Independent Living (SPIL). The funds reserved for the SILC are identified through a shared planning process, in which the SILC identifies the resources they will need to fulfill their responsibilities and goals. In recent years, DVR has reserved approximately $48,000 for the SILC.

(B) Overcome barriers to accessing VR and supported employment services

Goal 1: Increase co-enrollment and cross-program enrollment to ensure partners connect people with disabilities to DVR when appropriate. 

Individuals with disabilities may benefit from multiple programs within the statewide workforce development system, yet true active co-enrollment remains low for individuals with disabilities. Despite cross-training, frequent turnover, high caseloads, and differing program requirements at times make truly coordinated service deliver a challenge. 

Strategy 1: Improve community partnerships to support efficient co-enrollment processes and coordinated service delivery.

• DVR will increase active co-enrollment from 187 individuals in PY2022 to 235 in PY2023. DVR will further increase active co-enrollment by 25% through PY2025 to 295 individuals.

Strategy 2: Engage in outreach and awareness campaigns to improve access to vocational rehabilitation services for unserved or underserved populations.

Goal 2: Reduce administrative burden for people seeking services, DVR staff, and community providers throughout the VR process.

DVR must identify or create efficiencies within business processes in order to ensure access and engagement with the VR program. The administrative burden throughout the VR process has been identified by people receiving services, DVR staff, and community partners as a deterrent to seeking services or continuing to work with the VR program. Identifying opportunities for increased efficiency and rapid engagement of people seeking services, will allow DVR to ensure that more people reach a plan for employment and receive the services they need to achieve high quality employment outcomes. 

Strategy 1: Implement an improved referral process, including the ability to submit an initial referral online reducing duplication.

Strategy 2: Continue analysis to define the most significant paperwork burdens for both staff and people receiving services, updating the plan to reduce this burden and ensure clear roles and responsibilities.

Strategy 3: Improve the experience of people receiving services by targeting the most common areas impacting the customer experience (i.e., timeliness of service, communication, and ease of processes) and monitor effectiveness of any changes implemented.

Strategy 4: Explore modernizing DVR’s electronic case management system to improve efficiencies in mandatory case documentation.

Goal 3: Ensure adequate staffing levels and structure to meet the needs of the people receiving services. 

Colorado has experienced increased turnover throughout the last several years. Persistent or repeated staff vacancies disrupts the service delivery experience for people receiving services, increases the burden on staff who remain, and lowers morale. 

Strategy 1: Continue to implement and expand a strategic staff model that emphasizes a team approach to support rapid and ongoing engagement of people receiving services. 

Strategy 2: Review onboarding and training processes across all staff classifications to promote retention, professional development, and continuous improvement.

(C) Improve and expand VR services for students with disabilities, including the coordination of services designed to facilitate the transition of such students from school to postsecondary life (including the receipt of VR services, post secondary education, employment, and pre-employment transition services)

Goal 1: Continue to fully expend the 15% pre-employment transition services reserve.

Strategy 1:Improve collaboration and stakeholder engagement in order to improve student access to higher quality transition services, including further use of the Sequencing of Services framework developed in partnership with the Colorado Department of Education.

Strategy 2: Identify opportunities to provide pre-employment transition services more efficiently and continue to improve their effectiveness, such as implementing an on-demand curriculum and evaluation tools to measure student progress.

(D) Improve the performance of the VR and Supported Employment programs in assisting individuals with disabilities to achieve quality employment outcomes.

Goal 1: Increase the number of successful closures and the average wages of individuals closed successfully, while meeting or exceeding WIOA Common Performance Measures.

Strategy 1: Develop vendors and improve the vendor relationship through consistent processes, evaluation of vendor quality and outcomes, and vendor training.  

Strategy 2: Continue to improve counseling and guidance efforts, as well as other opportunities such as Registered Apprenticeships, Skills-Based Hiring, Career Pathways, and Work-Based Learning, in order to develop IPE goals that will lead to quality employment outcomes in key industries.