Alaska’s Customized Employment Grant (CEG) State Division of Vocational Rehabilitation

CEG Background Sept. ’02 ODEP awarded the Customized Employment (CEG) to Alaska Workforce Investment Board(AWIB). Sept. ’02 ODEP awarded the Customized Employment (CEG) to Alaska Workforce Investment Board(AWIB). DVR (Division of Vocational Rehabilitation) assigned the lead project role for Alaska. DVR (Division of Vocational Rehabilitation) assigned the lead project role for Alaska. Planning, guidance & oversight done in conjunction with statewide steering team representing by key members in Alaska’s workforce leadership Planning, guidance & oversight done in conjunction with statewide steering team representing by key members in Alaska’s workforce leadership Initial CE pilot sites (1 CEG staff person at each site): Juneau Job Center Juneau Job Center Kenai Job Center Kenai Job Center Mat Su Job Center Mat Su Job Center Anchorage-Muldoon Job Center Anchorage-Muldoon Job Center Fairbanks Job Center Fairbanks Job Center By 2007, expand to a total of 11 job-centers By 2007, expand to a total of 11 job-centers

SYSTEMIC CHANGE FOCUS: ALASKA COMMITTED TO: A systemic change to our workforce development system in more effectively serving those with disabilities utilizing CEG best practices. ALASKA COMMITTED TO: A systemic change to our workforce development system in more effectively serving those with disabilities utilizing CEG best practices. ALASKA’S STEPS TO UTILIZING CEG AS A CATALYST FOR JOB-CENTER RE-DESIGN: ALASKA’S STEPS TO UTILIZING CEG AS A CATALYST FOR JOB-CENTER RE-DESIGN: 1) ; Contracted with Joe Skiba (Organizational & System Change Consulting) for Job-Center assessment of “choice” & related services at our five full service job centers. All job-center partners, local management and statewide leadership involved. This helped prompt and reinforce areas for re-design consideration 1) ; Contracted with Joe Skiba (Organizational & System Change Consulting) for Job-Center assessment of “choice” & related services at our five full service job centers. All job-center partners, local management and statewide leadership involved. This helped prompt and reinforce areas for re-design consideration

CEG/RE-DESIGN STEPS CONTINUED: 2) 2002; Alaska Workforce Investment Board (AWIB) adopting “Customized Employment” as the pilot to help address identified areas of systemic improvement and associated re-design initially identified in above “choice” assessment 2) 2002; Alaska Workforce Investment Board (AWIB) adopting “Customized Employment” as the pilot to help address identified areas of systemic improvement and associated re-design initially identified in above “choice” assessment 3) 2002; Statewide workforce leadership team (CEG Steering Committee) for support and guidance relating to CEG project & job center redesign 3) 2002; Statewide workforce leadership team (CEG Steering Committee) for support and guidance relating to CEG project & job center redesign 4) 2002-current; On-going TA and consulting with Joe Skiba at all field sites and with leadership; produces functional “service delivery process map” for improved consumer and business service 4) 2002-current; On-going TA and consulting with Joe Skiba at all field sites and with leadership; produces functional “service delivery process map” for improved consumer and business service

CEG/RE-DESIGN STEPS CONTINUED: 5) 2002-current; Statewide CE training by Mike Callahan & Civa Shumpert at all five demo job centers for piloting re-designed services; service team based discovery, profiles, JD planning process, portfolio and customized job development 5) 2002-current; Statewide CE training by Mike Callahan & Civa Shumpert at all five demo job centers for piloting re-designed services; service team based discovery, profiles, JD planning process, portfolio and customized job development 6) ; Five CE Project Assistants working with local job-center & community partners in training and initial service team development to implement CE tools to demonstrate model for good service design 6) ; Five CE Project Assistants working with local job-center & community partners in training and initial service team development to implement CE tools to demonstrate model for good service design 7) 2003-present; Aligning new job-center re-design efforts to support and reinforce service teams and related CE components: discovery, team JD planning, portfolio development, customized JD/placement and development of natural support systems 7) 2003-present; Aligning new job-center re-design efforts to support and reinforce service teams and related CE components: discovery, team JD planning, portfolio development, customized JD/placement and development of natural support systems

CEG/RE-DESIGN STEPS CONTINUED: 8) ; Juneau Job Center becomes the first to successfully implement new re-design by re-located staff and changing service delivery to embrace key CE elements. CE funds used to assist in this process 8) ; Juneau Job Center becomes the first to successfully implement new re-design by re-located staff and changing service delivery to embrace key CE elements. CE funds used to assist in this process 9) ; The other four full-service job centers begin similar process to implement re-design 9) ; The other four full-service job centers begin similar process to implement re-design 10) present; “Integrated Employment Services (IES)” model in place at Muldoon Job Center with recent expansion to other job-centers (Fairbanks, etc.) 11) 2005; Kenai & MatSu Job-Centers complete initial re- designs in alignment with Juneau Job Center model 12) 2005-present; Anchorage-Muldoon & Fairbanks job center re-design in process utilizing above principals

CEG/RE-DESIGN STEPS CONTINUED: 13) ; Internal & External evaluation process to help identify “best practices” to sustain; helps clarify and reinforce areas relative to re-design 14) 2005; steering committee support on major CE and related re-design features to sustain: discovery, profile, service team coordination, JD planning team process, integrated employer service model and customized JD. 15) 2005; Major workforce partner adopts CE as pilot: Division of Public Assistant (DPA) launches their customized employment project: “Family Centered Services” at Fairbanks and MatSu for long-term welfare recipients

CEG/RE-DESIGN STEPS CONTINUED: 16) 2006; “Alaska Job-Center Service Integration Committee” (AJIC) developed for both CE projects and related re-design initiatives; “sustainability & policy” subcommittees in place as subgroups 17) 2006; Expansion to provide training, T/A and mentoring for CE implementation at Sitka & Ketchikan Job Centers 18) 2007; CEG scaled back to 2.25 positions to focus on: a) continuing sustainability and long-term policy development using CEG best practices with alignment in re-design strategies a) continuing sustainability and long-term policy development using CEG best practices with alignment in re-design strategies b) CE expansion so a total of 11 of Alaska Job Centers are utilizing CE service model by Sept 2008 b) CE expansion so a total of 11 of Alaska Job Centers are utilizing CE service model by Sept 2008

Adopting service design & tool “best practices” Service team model with CE “Discovery” foundation is effective in helping consumers with complexities to successfully find and keep a job. It also facilitates effective cross-training of resources. Service team model with CE “Discovery” foundation is effective in helping consumers with complexities to successfully find and keep a job. It also facilitates effective cross-training of resources. Use of Discovery approach in contrast to deficit based assessments. Discovery results in a detailed consumer “profile”, that addresses critical aspects of the person, related to their contributions, conditions and preferences. Use of Discovery approach in contrast to deficit based assessments. Discovery results in a detailed consumer “profile”, that addresses critical aspects of the person, related to their contributions, conditions and preferences. Utilization of “profile” elements into specific tasks and locations where these are performed Utilization of “profile” elements into specific tasks and locations where these are performed Utilization of facilitated “job planning meeting” to ensure effective strengths based, person-centered, job- development that meets both job-seeker and employer needs Utilization of facilitated “job planning meeting” to ensure effective strengths based, person-centered, job- development that meets both job-seeker and employer needs The use of job carving, job redesign and job restructuring The use of job carving, job redesign and job restructuring

Adopting service design & tool “best practices” CE job-development planning meeting is very effective in helping achieve consumer choice and successful employment CE job-development planning meeting is very effective in helping achieve consumer choice and successful employment Person centered planning and informed choice approach as essential in meeting needs of those with complex lives Person centered planning and informed choice approach as essential in meeting needs of those with complex lives Strengths based approach Strengths based approach Individuals building career pathways especially for those with limited job experience Individuals building career pathways especially for those with limited job experience Values exchange (client contributions & employer benefits) embedded into job negotiation process Values exchange (client contributions & employer benefits) embedded into job negotiation process

Adopting service design & tool “best practices” Many features of CE model have application to larger population Many features of CE model have application to larger population Employers appreciate the above approach from their perspective Employers appreciate the above approach from their perspective Community service providers are very responsive to participating at our job centers and contribute significantly Community service providers are very responsive to participating at our job centers and contribute significantly CE facilitates better job matching & job customization CE facilitates better job matching & job customization We must attain a substantial base of available, trained and competent vendors to contract CE services in the future to ensure sustainability We must attain a substantial base of available, trained and competent vendors to contract CE services in the future to ensure sustainability

Adopting service design & tool “best practices” Use of service teams as a vehicle to provide wrap around supports for complex situations Use of service teams as a vehicle to provide wrap around supports for complex situations Full utilization of braided funding, benefits planning and joint planning efficiencies Full utilization of braided funding, benefits planning and joint planning efficiencies Detailing external or natural supports and the training of employers on how to use these Detailing external or natural supports and the training of employers on how to use these The benefit of considering micro enterprise ventures for some participants The benefit of considering micro enterprise ventures for some participants Detailing external or natural supports and the training of employers on how to use these Detailing external or natural supports and the training of employers on how to use these

SYSTEMIC CHANGE INDICATORS: Job-Center partnering into the community: ILs, School District, Mental Health and CRPs Job-Center partnering into the community: ILs, School District, Mental Health and CRPs Utilizing of CE services outside the “CEG grant” Utilizing of CE services outside the “CEG grant” Co-enrollment “service team” expansion: DVR, ES- WIA, DPA, IL, Schools, Mental Health, etc Co-enrollment “service team” expansion: DVR, ES- WIA, DPA, IL, Schools, Mental Health, etc Expansion of common job-center training, assessment and intake efforts Expansion of common job-center training, assessment and intake efforts Re-designed job centers with effective navigation, triage, integrated employer service teams and self- employment practices Re-designed job centers with effective navigation, triage, integrated employer service teams and self- employment practices Consistent support from Alaska’s workforce leadership for CE sustainability and policy development of “best practices” Consistent support from Alaska’s workforce leadership for CE sustainability and policy development of “best practices”

KEY TO LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY: Design common job-center triage that helps identify those clients needing more intensive services such as discovery Design common job-center triage that helps identify those clients needing more intensive services such as discovery Further systemic development of common job center assessment & staff training in alignment with “discovery” Further systemic development of common job center assessment & staff training in alignment with “discovery” Braided & individual budget funding approaches Braided & individual budget funding approaches Effective utilization of self-employment opportunities Effective utilization of self-employment opportunities Further development and refinement of youth transition & self-employment services in Alaska utilizing CE Further development and refinement of youth transition & self-employment services in Alaska utilizing CE “Alaska Job Center Integration Committee” leadership support essential to continue re-design efforts that are in alignment with sustaining these best practices “Alaska Job Center Integration Committee” leadership support essential to continue re-design efforts that are in alignment with sustaining these best practices Commitment to on-going workforce system innovation Commitment to on-going workforce system innovation

ALASKA DVR CEG STAFF CONTACTS: STATEWIDE CEG COORDINATION: Sean O’Brien; STATEWIDE CEG COORDINATION: Sean O’Brien; , , FAIRBANKS JOB CENTER: Bob Friend; FAIRBANKS JOB CENTER: Bob Friend; , terri , terri JUNEAU JOB CENTER: Margie Thomson; JUNEAU JOB CENTER: Margie Thomson; , , KENAI JOB CENTER: Bob Friend; KENAI JOB CENTER: Bob Friend; , robert , robert MATSU (Wasilla) JOB CENTER: Holly Mooney; MATSU (Wasilla) JOB CENTER: Holly Mooney; , , ANCHORAGE MULDOON CENTER: Tom Rainey; ANCHORAGE MULDOON CENTER: Tom Rainey; , ,