Part 1: Introduction to The Role of the DRC Hosted/Facilitated by: Laura Gleneck with the NDI Technical Assistance Team Presented by: Miranda Kennedy and Brian Ingram with the NDI Technical Assistance Team DEI Grantee Training Series / The Role of the DRC 2015

Host / Moderator Host / Moderator: Laura Gleneck Title: Project Manager for the DEI, NDI Technical Assistance Team Organization: National Disability Institute

Learning Objectives Participants will come away from today’s DEI Grantee Training with the following: National DEI program office’s vision of the DRC Role State and Local Level interpretations of the DRC Role Characteristics and Practices of most effective DRCs Role DRCs play related to DEI Intervention Strategies

AGENDA Evolution of the Disability Resource Coordinator (DRC) position DRC position with the DEI Definition of a DRC DRC Role at the Individual Level DRC Role at the Systems Level Characteristics and Practices of Effective DRCs Service Delivery Components and the Role of the DRC

Evolution of the Role of the DRC

Evolution of the DRC position Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Legislation Programmatic Access Language and WIA Section 188 Disability Checklist Consumer Navigator RSA Systems Change Grant – Disability Program Navigator (DPN) Work Incentive Grants (WIG) 2000 – 2006 DPN Initiative and additional WIA funding – Disability Resource Coordinator Disability Employment Initiative (DEI) – present

Presenters Presenter: Miranda Kennedy Title: Director of Training for the DEI and TA Liaison, NDI Technical Assistance Team Organization: National Disability Institute Presenter: Brian Ingram Title: Director of Training for the DEI and TA Liaison, NDI Technical Assistance Team Organization: National Disability Institute

The DRC position within the DEI

DRC Position within Round 4 DEI According to the Round 4 SGA: Required components of ALL Round 4 DEI Projects: 1.State Level DEI Project Lead 2.Disability Resource Coordinator (DRC) 3.Become an Employment Network 4.Required Strategic Service Delivery Component Partnership and Collaboration 5.2 or more of the other 6 DEI Strategic Service Delivery Components Integrated Resource TeamsBlending and Braiding Funds, Leveraging Services Asset Development StrategiesGuideposts for Success Customized EmploymentSelf-Employment

DRC Position within Round 5 DEI The Round 5 SGA states that it will fund the following activities: 1.Using the Integrated Resource Team (IRT) approach to integrate resources and services, blend and braid funds, and leverage resources across multiple service delivery systems; 2.Participating in the Social Security Administration's (SSA) Ticket to Work Program to access training and employment resources; 3.Fostering partnerships and collaborations at the state and local levels; 4.Implementing the "Guideposts for Success”; 5.Implementing customized employment; 6.Hiring/designating a dedicated staff person, at the local level, with workplace and disability experience and expertise (Disability Resource Coordinators or Disability Program Navigators); 7.Using Universal Design Principles; and 8.Aligning adult and youth career pathways programs with the use of Individual Learning Plans.

Definition of a DRC

According to the Round 4 SGA The DRC position, among other responsibilities will: Help expand the workforce development system to serve as Employment Networks under the Ticket to Work program Help to service Ticket Holders Implement a DEI project’s strategic service delivery components Develop and maintain partnerships and collaborative activities Assist with the American Job Center staff and partner training Focus on adults or youth to help develop and refine replicable models and expertise Assist in maintaining and ensuring the accessibility of the American Job Center Network, and Help ensure that job seekers with disabilities access all of the different programs and services they need. For example: Connect to WIA case manager and/or WIA training dollars Work with ILCs, VR counselors, MH case managers, etc… Sign up for AJC workshops and accessing needed accommodations, and Facilitate an Integrated Resource Team approach NOTE: while the DRC will help make connections, the programs will provide the direct services.

According to the Round 5 SGA The DRC position, among other responsibilities, will: Assist in identifying and leveraging disability-related resources and partners to support a collaborative on career pathway efforts; Advise on how to effectively promote the participation of individuals with disabilities in career pathways systems and programs; Coordinate with career pathway program’s direct service delivery staff, including career coaches; Assist with LWIB, AJC staff, community college, business, and other partner trainings (e.g., on such topics as the Ticket as a potential resource for training funds, accommodations, assistive technology, discovery process, or assessments); Assist with the recruitment of individuals with disabilities to participate in career pathways programs and connect to the AJC services; Help expand the workforce development system to serve as Employment Networks; Help Ticket Holders to participate in career pathways programs; Help ensure that job seekers with disabilities access all the different programs and services they need, including core, intensive, and training services offered through the AJCs to participate in existing career pathways programs; and Facilitate an Integrated Resource Team (IRT) approach to leverage resources for individuals with disabilities to fully participate in existing career pathway programs and achieve their employment goals

State and Local level interpretations of the DRC Role

State and Local level interpretations of the DRC position There have been 37 DEI projects in 26 states since DRC Implementation Examples ¼ or ½ time DRC who is also WIA case mgr. Full-time DRC covering one AJC ½ time DRC who is also ½ time CWIC Full-time DRC covering multiple AJCs Consequently, there have been a wide array of interpretations of the DRC position and ways in which the position has been implemented by state DEI projects and local level DEI pilot sites.

Breaking Down The Role of the DRC

Breaking down the DRC Role What does this mean for the DRC working… at the individual level? at the systems level? And how can the DRC be expected to do both?

The Role of the DRC at the Individual Level

Basically, the DRC is an advocate At its core the DRC’s mission is to: Increase ACCESS for the individual job seeker with a disability to the wide array of Job Center services and programs Ensure that needed supports and accommodations are in place for that individual

Role of the DRC at the INDIVIDUAL level The reason we are focusing on the individual job seeker with a disability FIRST is because everything else (e.g. systems change, building capacity of the AJCs) will flow out of that. 1.Outreach: DRC performs outreach on behalf of the local workforce system/AJC to engage individual job seekers with disabilities into the customer flow. 2.Access: DRC ensures that individual customers with disabilities have access to the customer flow, and the outcomes associated with that flow, once engaged. 3.Support: DRC ensures that staff have the support they need to provide services to customers with disabilities.

DEI Case Study #1

Outreach: A DRC Begins to outreach to providers in their community. As a Part of this effort they contact the manager of the local office of the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation. The DRC is scheduled to present at a VR staff meeting about the DEI project specifically and the AJC generally. As a result of this presentation the DRC is contacted by the regional Deaf and Hard of Hearing Specialist (a counselor at the office who had heard the DRC’s presentation) who tells the DRC about a jobseeker on her caseload she feels could benefit from AJC services, but who uses American Sign Language (ASL), and will need to use interpreting to receive any services at all. The Specialist then asks the DRC if this would be possible?

DEI Case Study #1(cont.) Access: The DRC assures the Counselor that such a request is reasonable but asks if she would be willing to coordinate the date and time of the visit with the center with the DRC, and if the VR counselor can provide an ASL interpreter for the initial visit, The VR counselor agrees. Once a date and time are established the DRC has an initial visit with the AJC staff who will be facilitating the orientations on the day the customer will be participating and gives them an overview about the customer and the expected presence of an interpreter. The DRC then schedules a time after the orientation for the AJC staff, the customer and herself to discuss next steps while the interpreter is present. Finally the DRC speaks with the center manager to inform her of the situation and get the possible need to provide ongoing ASL interpreting for this customer on the radar of management.

DEI Case Study #1(cont.) Support: The DRC schedules a time for follow up with the AJC Staff who will be giving the orientation in order to answer their questions, now that they have had time to process what was shared in the initial meeting, about ASL, ASL interpreting and the possible impacts that having a participant using ASL interpreting might have on the delivery of the orientation, and the development of next steps for the customer. The DRC researches local ASL providers and determines their availability and cost, then reports back to the center manager with this information which prompts a further discussion between them about how to serve a customer that uses ASL interpreting in the center.

The Role of the DRC at the Systems Level

Role of the DRC at the SYSTEMS level The DRC is a SYSTEMS CHANGE AGENT! Bringing individuals with disabilities into Job Center Customer Flow will: Help identify opportunities/bottlenecks as a result of specific individual level situations that arise Trigger the Job Center to problem-solve issues around that specific individual, which will result over time in the Job Center building the capacity at a systems level to support job seekers with disabilities (plural) Systems level supports include: Interagency Committees Partnership and Collaboration Asset Coalitions Workforce EN

Role of the DRC at the SYSTEMS level Outreach: DRC performs outreach on behalf of the local workforce system/AJC to engage individual job seekers with disabilities into the customer flow. Access: DRC ensures that individual customers with disabilities have access to the customer flow, and the outcomes associated with that flow, once engaged. Staff Support: DRC ensures that staff have the support they need to provide services to customers with disabilities. Identify Programmatic Challenges: DRC identifies programmatic challenges to access impacting MANY individuals with disability and/or challenges to employment. Advise on Possible Programmatic Solutions: DRC points to possible solutions to programmatic challenges based on individual examples where access was achieved for customers with disabilities. Sustainability of DEI Practices and Change in Policies

DEI Case Study #2

Outreach: The jobseeker and the interpreter show up as scheduled and participate in the orientation. Afterwards the customer AJC Staff and DRC meet to discuss next steps while interpreting is still available. The customer expresses an interest in training services and the AJC Staff explains the process necessary to access them. The DRC asks the jobseeker if he would be open to scheduling a meeting with the DRC, AJC Manager, and VR counselor to discuss how to best support the jobseeker as they work toward getting funding for training, the customer enthusiastically agrees. The DRC follows up first with the AJC manager and explains the outcome of the orientation and the follow up meeting with the VR counselor, the manager agrees to attend. The DRC then follows up with the VR counselor who also agrees. At the meeting the steps the jobseeker will need to complete are identified and the AJC Manager and VR counselor agree on a plan to share the cost of interpreting while the jobseeker works to access training funds and the cost of the training should the jobseeker be successful. At the meeting, the job seeker discloses that they receive SSDI and would be interested in benefits planning through the Workforce EN and would consider assigning their ticket once it becomes available.

DEI Case Study #2(cont.) Access: The DRC, using the steps identified at the meeting begins scheduling interpreters for the dates and times listed. She also begins prepping the AJC Staff who will be providing these services hoping this will ensure all goes smoothly. She is careful to bill the services in the way outlined at the meeting. She also schedules follow up meetings with the jobseeker after scheduled activities and while interpreting is available to get feedback, provide ongoing work incentive counseling, and identify any ongoing access challenges the jobseeker might be experiencing. The DRC makes sure to prep the WIA case manager and then to attend the training eligibility meeting with the jobseeker. As a result of this meeting the customer is enrolled in WIA training services.

DEI Case Study #3(cont.) Support: The AJC manager, seeing these activities, asks if the DRC can prepare a training for AJC staff about serving Deaf and Hard of Hearing customers to be presented at their next staff meeting. She also asks the DRC to prepare a targeted training for the WIA case managers about how and when to use ASL interpreters, and how best to support a jobseeker using interpreting through planning, training, and placement. After the jobseeker is enrolled in WIA training services the AJC Manager, WIA case Manager, and Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor ask the DRC to interview training providers in the jobseekers chosen field to identify what supports are available through the training provider and how willing the providers might be to partnering and communicating as the jobseeker engages in the training beginning with providing a tour of the training facilities for the jobseeker prior to enrollment in the program. As a result of this experience the AJC and the office of vocational rehabilitation begin discussions on standardizing the splitting of interpreting costs for shared customers, and strategies for serving shared customers with Tickets.

DEI Case Study SUMMARY

Individual Level Outreach to Partners educating them on AJC services Creating a Referral stream Bringing more people with disabilities into the AJC Customer Flow Training and Modelling serving people with disabilities to staff Modelling Active Resource Coordination Modelling how to run an Integrated Resource Team (IRT) System Level Identify Programmatic Challenges Advise on Possible Programmatic Solutions Sustainability of DEI Practices and Change in Policies

Service Delivery Components and the role of the DRC

Service delivery components and the role of the DRC IRT’s can increase access Individual level: Supports customer in accessing center services (ARC) Positions customer to access Intensive/training services Addresses resource gaps Models for, and supports center staff in serving jobseekers with disability and/or multiple challenges to employment Systems Level: Addresses programmatic challenges to access by creating successful solutions to these challenges Identifies opportunities to partner with other providers by modeling the benefits of taking advantage of those opportunities Creates a record of performance in WIASRD for jobseekers with multiple challenges to employment and/or disability

Service delivery components and the role of the DRC Workforce EN can increase access by: Individual level: Allows a Jobseeker on social security disability additional support services that can increase access to center services(work incentives counseling, career exploration, job coaching or negotiation, and follow up services for example). Systems level: Creates a demand for accessible center services by feeding ticket holding jobseekers into the center’s customer flow Creates a revenue stream that can be used to support service strategies that increase access to center services.

Service delivery components and the role of the DRC Partnership and collaboration/blending and braiding can increase access by: Individual level: Increasing coordination around shared customers Helping to address resource gaps and multiple challenges to employment Allowing a customer to benefit from the expertise held in multiple systems simultaneously Systems level: Expediting and simplifying referrals and collaboration between providers Providing targeted supports to specific demographics Positioning participating systems to maximize opportunities to expand

Service delivery components and the role of the DRC Asset Development can increase access by: Individual level Helping jobseekers understand how income and the effective use of work incentives can stabilize their financial situation and maintain it over time Note: It is VITAL that Asset Development activities are tied to Benefits Planning, which is provided as part of many Workforce EN services. Helping jobseekers contextualize how the many small tasks they are doing now can lead them to financial security over time Systems level Giving AJCs access to financial planning tools, and financial planning services for their customers (This includes ALL customers, not just individuals with disabilities) Helping financial and vocational providers understand and take full-advantage of how their services reflect and support each other

Service delivery components and the role of the DRC Customized Employment/ Self Employment Individual Level -Customized Employment allows for very tailored and targeted supports for the individual -In a Self-Employment situation the whole job is customized to meet the customers needs. Systems Level -Utilizing Workforce EN revenue to support Customized and Self-Employment services and supports for Ticket Holders.

Service delivery components and the role of the DRC Guideposts for Success Individual level The DRC can use the principles of Guideposts serve to identify the potential partners and resources that should be at the table and be actively coordinated to ensure that youth is supported in achieving their stated outcomes. Youth gets the opportunity to explore and be supported while being connected to an array of activities and resources that allow them to be confident in their transition to adulthood including addressing community living and the world of work. Systems Level The Guideposts for Success framework can be used by the public workforce development system as a means to increase access by utilizing a holistic approach in serving youth in transition.

The Role of the DRC with Career Pathways The DRC position, among other responsibilities, will: Assist in identifying and leveraging disability-related resources and partners to support a collaborative on career pathway efforts; Advise on how to effectively promote the participation of individuals with disabilities in career pathways systems and programs; Coordinate with career pathway program’s direct service delivery staff, including career coaches; Assist with the recruitment of individuals with disabilities to participate in career pathways programs and connect to the AJC services; Help Ticket Holders to participate in career pathways programs; Help ensure that job seekers with disabilities access all the different programs and services they need, including core, intensive, and training services offered through the AJCs to participate in existing career pathways programs; and Facilitate an Integrated Resource Team (IRT) approach to leverage resources for individuals with disabilities to fully participate in existing career pathway programs and achieve their employment goals

The Role of the DRC with Career Pathways cont. The Role of the DRC is to position both the customers and the system to explore opportunities within the Career Pathways. “Traveler, there is no path, the path must be forged as you walk.” – Spanish Poet, Antonio Machado

Characteristics and Practices of Effective DRCs

Characteristics of Effective DRCs A belief that people with disabilities can work A belief that the American Job Centers can serve people with disabilities at all levels of service and achieve program outcomes using the enhanced supports of the DEI

Characteristics of Effective DRCs cont. Strategic Thinking: Ability to prioritize issues and redistribute scarce resources to achieve maximum outcomes Ability to target and tailor your activities to meet the needs of your AJC staff, partners, and the disability and business community in your area New Thinking: A willingness to work with very different kinds of people and meet them where they are at A willingness to abandon your assumptions An ability to accept the current state and work within it while you are also trying to change/improve it

Resources and Supports for DRCs

Resources & Supports You can access resources and supports for your role as a DRC by connecting with: Your fellow DRCs Your state leadership team Your national Technical Assistance Liaison The DEI website:

Questions/Comments

Contact Information Miranda Kennedy, Director of Training NDI Technical Assistance Team P: E: Brian Ingram, WIA Expert NDI Technical Assistance Team P: E: