Job-Driven Technical Assistance Center (JD-VRTAC): Massachusetts Commission for the Blind Vision Works Consortium – Collaboration to Outcomes Joe Buizon / Employment Services Supervisor, MA Commission for the Blind Carol Cullins / Employment Services Specialist, MA Commission for the Blind Rachel Kerrigan / Marketing Manager, Perkins School for the Blind Dina Rosenbaum / Chief Program Officer, Carroll Center for the Blind

Webinar Objectives To provide the framework of the JD-VRTAC project for MA Commission for the Blind To share the background and motivation for choosing to collaborate with Perkins School for the Blind and The Carroll Center for the Blind To describe JD-VRTAC project purpose & goals To explain JD-VRTAC project implementation To share JD-VRTAC project accomplishments To provide insight to some of the unexpected challenges & lessons learned from JD-VRTAC project To reveal current status of JD-VRTAC project To articulate what was most helpful from the TA and Learning Collaborative throughout this process To share next steps, future direction, & goals

JD-VRTAC Goals Improve skills of state VR agency staff, other rehab professionals & providers of VR services, who are trained to provide “job-driven” VR services & supports to PWD, employers & customized training providers. Four Topic Areas: Business Engagement Employer Supports Labor Market Information (LMI) Customized Training Providers www.explorevr.org

In Collaboration with: JD-VRTAC Partners Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI), Univ. of Massachusetts/Boston In Partnership with: Jobs for the Future (JFF) Univ. of Arkansas/CURRENTS Univ. of Washington Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR) United States Business Leadership Network (USBLN) Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) In Collaboration with: National Council of State Agencies for the Blind (NCSAB) Technical Assistance Center Collaborative

JD-VRTAC Technical Assistance The JD-VRTAC provides 3 types of TA: Intensive: 11 VR agencies participated in Cohort 1 of the center’s Intensive TA and 8 agencies will participate in Cohort 2 of the center’s Intensive TA. Agencies receiving Intensive TA become members of a Learning Collaborative to share strategies and solutions. Targeted: Several agencies have requested targeted TA related to one of the four job-driven topical areas. Additionally, the Center is hosting communities of practice and forums on relevant issues. Universal: The Center hosts and archives webinars on topics related to the four job-driven topical areas and presents project information at CSAVR and NCSAB. 

JD-VRTAC Learning Collaborative As part of receiving intensive TA, states attended 2-3 in-person Learning Collaborative meetings to provide project updates, collaborate across agencies, and participate in topical discussions Learning Collaborative states participate in conference calls with their cohort to discuss job-driven topics 18 state VR agencies are part of the JD-VRTAC Learning Collaborative

Massachusetts Commission for the Blind Background and Services Established in 1906 Provides wide range of social and rehabilitation services to MA residents of all ages who are legally blind 6 regions, 4 offices VR Unit comprises vocational rehabilitation counselors, 2 employment services specialists Wrap around services: assistive technology, rehab teachers, orientation & mobility instructors

Mission for each Partner The Massachusetts Commission for the Blind (MCB), an agency of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, provides the highest quality rehabilitation and social services to individuals who are legally blind, leading to independence and full community participation. MCB accomplishes this critical mission by working in partnership with consumers who are legally blind, families, community agencies, health care providers, and employers Perkins School for the Blind prepares children and young adults who are blind with education, confidence and skills they need to realize their potential The Carroll Center empowers those who are blind and visually impaired to achieve independence and to lead a fulfilling life.

Perkins School for the Blind Perkins Business Partnership is a collaborative of some of the region’s best-known businesses that is working to increase employment for individuals who are blind or low vision and raise awareness of this issue in the business community. Pre-Employment Program is an intensive one-week residential workshop that equips young adults with the skills necessary for workplace success.  Work Based Learning

Carroll Center for the Blind The Carroll Center is a private vision rehabilitation agency providing residential and community based services. As part of our residential services we offer a variety of community internship experiences for young adults and newly blind adults to explore employment, apply skills and solidify confidence. Real World of Work Summer: internships for teens. Eye-Work: paid college internship. Vocational Transition: 5-month program combining skills, work experience, and college readiness. Two-month Job Preparation: Internship experiences for adults. Computing in Employment: 6 weeks intensive computer skills for employment. Project Search: On-the-job training through partnership with a hospital. Vision Use in Employment: adapting job sites

JD-VRTAC Project Background 1 MCB has the advantage of working with two non-profit organizations that are nationally recognized innovators in provision of blindness services. Under the JDVRTAC RFP, MCB was looking for strategies to strengthen the partnership with the CRPs, engage and collaborate in a coordinated outreach to employer partners, and build a model of collaboration that highlights and builds on each organization’s strength.

JD-VRTAC Project Background 2 With MCB’s requirements both on the national and state levels, JD-VRTAC aligns perfectly with the agency’s strive for a coordinated and systematic approach to successful employment for consumers. Employer partner engagement efforts had been tracked on a spreadsheet by Employment Specialists, thus, MCB had no way of knowing in real-time how involved the business partners were, or which of the business partners have a record of active engagement with consumers who are legally blind, nor which partners are actively engaged with the CRPs and to what extent.

JD-VRTAC Project Purpose and Goals Strengthen the strategic partnership between MCB, Perkins, and Carroll the Center and develop a shared database of Massachusetts employers; Streamline communication between three partners; and Streamline outreach efforts and communication to employers. There were more goals originally, but some were cut to focus on those that would be most effective . Project goals

JD-VRTAC Project Implementation Held brainstorming session with various stakeholders from each organization and the JD-VRTAC team Refined our mission and vision for the collaborative Wrote and signed the Memorandum of Understanding to establish ground rules. Used the Annual Job Fair as a platform to introduce VisionWorks.

Annual Job Fair for Individuals with Visual Impairments Sponsored by The Carroll Center for the Blind, Massachusetts Commission for the Blind, National Braille Press, Perkins School for the Blind and Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard. 7th Annual Job Fair on October 25, 2017 28 employers and 50 job seekers Features: Onsite interviews Speaking program to educate recruiters One job seeker was hired at Tufts Health Plan. 8 additional job seekers have found employment since the job fair.

JD-VRTAC Project Accomplishments Established the VisionWorks Consortium and announced publicly at the 6th Annual Job Fair. All 3 organizations signed the Memorandum of Understanding. MCB purchased Salesforce. All parties have begun gathering employer data. Training and implementation will begin in 2018.

Challenges and Lessons Learned 1 Did not originally have a good and clear understanding of the time and resources involved in the project. Partners challenged by identification of staff to participate and time commitment. Before the MOU was signed by all parties, there were a lot of questions from all parties regarding their specific roles and responsibilities, who owns the software, what happens if a partner pulls out after a time, what if a key employee leaves, etc.

Challenges and Lessons Learned 2 Many things had to be done in tandem – while MOU was delayed, the three partners continued to work together in the same way they always had without being formalized. The database turned out to be a big under-taking; each question would turn out more questions. Who will house the database? What are the data elements? Who from each organization will have access to the database and to what extent (editing vs view only)? Determine the levels of engagement

Current Status of JD-VRTAC Project Salesforce database has been purchased and installed. Employer data from all three partners has been uploaded to Salesforce. Identified the key players at MCB, Perkins, and CCB. Developing a training manual. Results from the October 2017 Job Fair for Individuals with Visual Impairments being tracked and data entered into Salesforce.

What was most helpful about receiving TA? Keeping ambitious goals realistic Keeping the 3 partners on track and guiding them with unbiased advice Providing information about what other state agencies with similar projects have done, challenges they have encountered, and things that worked well (i.e., NJ Blind, VT General, Nebraska)

Next Steps, Future Directions, and Goals Finalize training Begin actually using database Develop regular meeting schedule for three partners to share experience, what is going well, what is not working well, success stories, etc. Adjust as needed

Questions?

JD-VRTAC: (State VR) Contact Information State VR Agency Presenter Contact Information: Joe Buizon Phone: 617-626-7607 Email: joey.Buizon@state.ma.us JD-VRTAC TA Contact Information: Linda Mock: Linda.Mock@umb.edu Vito DeSantis Vito.DeSantis@umb.edu