Crossing the Agency Boundaries on Employment for Youth with Significant Disabilities Capacity Building Institute May 8, Presented by the National Community of Practice on Transition

Session Collaborators Dara Baldwin, NCIL Catherine Burzio, TACC Joanne Cashman & Mariola Rosser, IDEA Partnership Catherine Fowler, NSTTAC Joan Kester, GWU/Mid- Atlantic TACE Center Down Rowe, NPSO Judy Shanley, Easter Seals Linda Tasco, AZ DDD 2

Bringing People Together on Issues Capacity Building Institute 2012 Decision to work on integrated employment CoP leads the work 3 webinars..co-lead by organizations, states and TA centers WI request to the CoP ( LRE and Transition) Bring it back to Capacity Building Institute 2013 What next????? 3

What we did … Three Webinars Get the Picture – February 20, 2013 Get in the Picture – March 27, 2013 Change the Picture – April 24, 2013 Follow this work on sharedwork site: 4

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Get the Picture: Post School Life for Students Significant Disabilities Dara Baldwin Dawn Rowe 7

IDEA Purpose To ensure that all children with disabilities have available to them a free appropriate public education that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs and prepare them for further education, employment, and independent living. IDEA Regulations § 300.1(a) 8

Guiding Questions What do we know about the post school experience of students with significant disabilities? What is the family perspective on post school experience? How do developmental disabilities staff view the post-school experience for youth with significant disabilities? What opportunities and challenges school staff and developmental disabilities staff face in transitioning youth with significant disabilities? 9

Guiding Questions How do vocational rehabilitation staff view the post-school experience for youth with significant disabilities? What opportunities and challenges school staff and vocational rehabilitation staff face in transitioning youth with significant disabilities? What have Centers for Independent Living (CIL) learned in supporting young adults in the community and employment? 10

11 Post-School Outcomes Continue to Remain Bleak for Youth with Disabilities 11 Source: Part B SPP/APR 2012 Indicator Analyses

Get the Picture: Family Perspectives ABILITY TO MAKE INFORMED CHOICES – youth and their families must develop Self-Knowledge, Self-Determination, Knowledge of Adult Systems, and be engaged in the process. 12

Person-Centered Approach Services and supports designed to meet needs of the individual—before, during and after transition Based on a vision of the future Begin thinking about transition sooner than later—it’s all about collaboration Life-long process 13

Transition to Employment Begin discussion as early as age 14 Encourage work experiences during school breaks Collaborate with families/caregivers, students and high school teachers New transition service being created for all DDD participants interested in going to work Split programs to encourage work experience Increased awareness about VR Transition Services; Populations served 14

Employment = Empowerment Through employment PWD are empowered to live independent lives It takes a village!! Collaboration is Key!! 15

Get in the Picture: Connecting with Efforts to Improve Community and Employment Outcomes Joan Kester Linda Tasco 16

This webinar showcased many exciting national initiatives which promote integrated, competitive employment for transitioning youth with disabilities. Participants will learn about the goals of each initiative, cross-stakeholder engagement, how to connect to state and local projects, where to tap into resources, and have an opportunity for dialogue. 17

A Better Bottom Line: Employing People with Disabilities NGA Chair’s Initiative Delaware Governor Jack Markell Use your connections to students to set high expectations for individuals with disabilities. Old expectation: “Will I get a job? New expectation: “What job will I get?” Engage your own networks to promote awareness about the skills and abilities of people with disabilities Consider each state’s policy framework and align your efforts to the maximum extent possible 18

Vocational Rehabilitation Employment Initiatives The purpose of the Rehab. Act and VR program nationally is to empower individuals with disabilities to maximize employment, economic self ‑ sufficiency, independence, and inclusion and integration into society Council of State Administrators of VR (CSAVR): Transition Services Committee CSAVR VR-Business Network Examples of Employment Initiatives – Delaware Early Start Supported Employment – Mid-Atlantic Transition Leadership Council – Models of Replication 19

20 Projects of National Significance: Partnerships in Employment Systems Change Purpose of these Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Grants: To enhance collaboration across existing State systems, including programs administered by State Developmental Disabilities agencies, State Vocational Rehabilitation agencies, State Educational agencies, and other entities to increase competitive employment for youth and young adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities.

Employment First: What Is It?  General theme: Employment in the community is the first/primary service option for individuals with disabilities APSE Statement on Employment First Employment in the general workforce is the first and preferred outcome in the provision of publicly funded services for all working age citizens with disabilities, regardless of level of disability. 21

State Employment Leadership Network: What We’ve Learned  National membership network of state intellectual and developmental disability agencies Currently 27 member states  Systems change must fit within overall culture of state  Systems change requires both:  big picture perspective and leadership  willingness to get into “nitty gritty” policy and practice details  Slow and steady wins the race  It’s not one thing, it’s a lot of things 22

Youth Transition Demonstration Grants: Social Security Administration The Youth Transition Demonstration (YTD) is a random assignment research study to promote and rigorously evaluate promising strategies to help youth with disabilities become as economically self-sufficient as possible as they transition from school to work. YTD is part of a broader initiative to encourage disability beneficiaries to work. Partners: Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. (MPR), MDRC, TransCen, Inc. 23

Change the Picture: Promoting more integrated employment & change expectations with transition personnel Catherine Burzio Catherine Fowler 24

Success Stories South Dakota Dept. of Human Services (DRS): Project Skills Program Ronda Lynch, MS, CRC, Sr. Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor Melissa Flor, Assistant Director, Special Education Program, South Dakota Department of Education Contact: Melissa Flor Walgreens Indiana Statewide Consortium (WISC)-Services Contact: James Emmett Alternative Work Concepts, Inc. Jacque Gerdes, Assistant Director Scott Whetham, Program Coordinator

Involving Families Sean Roy – Begin giving information on employment & employment supports in middle school (to parents) Support for transition & employment related parent training & advocacy Meaningful work done around new ways to make sure families are involved & viewed as partners. This includes addressing pre-service gaps in the way we train teachers & youth service professionals  Circle Seven Workforce Board in Indiana  Children’s Aid Society of New York  CIL of North Fla. HS/HT Program

Tips & Takeaways Start Early! Ask, Speak up, Ask again! Work from the expectation…employment for ALL Youth to Work Coalition (NSTTAC) Youth to Work Coalition

Project ACTION (Accessible Community Transportation in our Nation) Building an Accessible Transportation Continuum for Students with Disabilities to Support Transition EducatorsSafe Routes to Schools Pupil Transportation K12 Campus Transportation Higher Education Public Transportation Interconnected Systems and People Students & Families org/

The Transportation Connection 1.Across the three topics addressed through the Webinars this year, how do you see accessible transportation options for students fitting into these topics? 2.Access to transportation is cited consistently as a barrier to student realization of post-school goals. However, States or local school districts in general, don’t seem to have policies and strategies to ensure that educators can teach transportation content, or students have opportunities to learn about a range of transportation options. How can we enhance the integration of transportation in transition services? 29

What’s the follow up… Creating a tool relating the LRE concepts to transition and preparation for employment (based on OSEP letter to WI) – Less than 10 slides with notes – Ideas for presenting the tool to start local dialogue – Completed by June 30, 2013 – Volunteers welcome Go to WIKI to sign up and/or follow this workWIKI 30

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What the LRE and Transition Practice group will do… Keep integrated employment in the national and state dialogue Bring it up in your team meetings and Capacity Building Institute plans Get involved in the CoP activities throughout Contribute your ideas on the WIKI ( Sign- up to stay connected 32

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How do we build on webinar content and in what forums? Discussions on Sharedwork? Topical briefs and dialogue guides? What additional topics do we want to address? Hangout with a bunch of passionate people! Learn lots and acquire resources! Be a thought leader and share your talents! Be a part of this national initiative! 34 Start the dialogue in your community…