Narrative: q. 1.

Quality

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of July 22 of 2014, emphasizes on the provision of the supported employment services for the consumers with the most significant disabilities. Therefore, the PRVRA in its mission to integrate the people with disabilities into the labor force and towards a more independent living promotes the provision of the supported employment services leading to an employment outcome.

The Office of Support and Employment Modes (OSEM), at the central level of the PRVRA, intends to collaborate, provide assistance and facilitate the applicability of the public policy to the center of support and employment modes (CSEM), at the regional level, on career development services, services to employers and development of support and employment modes for the consumers. The OSEM staff contributes with other operational/administrative offices of the PRVRA, in the coordination and collaboration of efforts regarding the assessment services and the programmatic monitoring and interpretation of data/relevant information to ensure compliance with the VR Portion of the Unified State Plan and the Strategic Plan of the agency.

The PRVRA, though its CSEMs, develops inter/transdisciplinary work teams to ensure that the supported employment services offered by the CRPs are provided uniformly, agile and responsive to the needs of the consumers with the most significant disabilities.

OSEM and CSME staff also carries out monitoring activities with the purpose of verify compliance, project development, quality of services, identify limitations, use of resources, and consumer’s participation, among others.

Scope

Individuals can receive up to 24 months of supported employment services, or more if necessary to achieve job stabilization. In addition, youth with disabilities may receive up to four years of extended services until the youth reaches 25.

The VR counselor identifies those consumers with the most significant disabilities who could benefit from supported employment, in accordance with the federal provisions set forth in 34 CFR 361.34. Such identification begins with the initial interview, the analysis of medical evidence, the analysis of pre-employment skills and any other aspect relevant to the evaluation process.

The supported employment modality is provided through the CSEMs of the PRVRA; which offer support to the VR counselor in order to validate the vocational strengths and needs of the applicants/consumers, as well as to promote them towards competitive integrated employment under such supported employment modality. Prior to the consumer’s referral to the CSEM, he may receive services in the center of assessment and adjustment (CAA) of the PRVRA in order to be evaluated in the following areas:

• Personal skills, daily/family/community living
• Cognitive-Psychosocial skills
• Perceptual-Psychomotor skills
• Training, Job and Work skills

The referral to the CAA will identify that the consumer will be sent to a community rehabilitation program (CRP) to be serviced under the supported employment modality, whereby the evaluation process must have an ecological approach.

The supported employment process has been framed within the following five (5) stages developed for the provision of these services:

Stage I. Determination of Needs

• Revision of documents: assessment of pre-employment skills, needs and support resources
• Comprehensive situational evaluation
• Determination of needs through profile evaluation
• Support: consumer and family
• Drafting of Habilitation Plan.

Stage II. Vocational Preparation/Supplementary Assessment

• Ecological evaluation
• Possible revision of Habilitation Plan
• Continuous support

Stage III. Placement Services

• Marketing Plan
• Promotion
• Occupational analysis
• Job proposal
• Reasonable accommodation
• Recruitment process
• Revision of Habilitation Plan (if it applies)
• Meetings with the employer and the family
• Continuous support.

Stage IV. Training and Job Retention

• Intensive and moderate training
• Development of natural support networks
• Revision of Habilitation Plan (if it applies)
• Evaluation/monitoring
• Submittal of reports
• Meetings with the employer and the family
• Continuous support

Stage V. Stabilization and Closure

• Meetings with the employer and the family
• Beginning of the employment monitoring phase (minimum of 90 days)
• Consumer’s performance evaluation carried out by the employer, supervisor and job coach.
• Identification of extended support to be provided by family, employees (co-workers), and community.
• Satisfaction survey about services provided to consumer/family/employer/counselor.

The previous information about quality, scope and extent of services apply to youth. The PRVRA will continue to provide SE and Extended Services to youth with the most significant disabilities referred from Transition. Through CRIS case management system the CSEM will identify those consumers between ages 14-24.