GETTING IN SYNCH WITH THE NEW TITLE V Follow-up Strategies are the Key to Success

New Performance measures require: Forgetting some of the old No more placement No more SCSEP retention Thinking in terms of quarters rather than days Strategic planning of all placement activity Reconsidering when and how follow-up occurs All follow-up revolves around placement activity Reflection of timing and quality of placement

Program Management and Service Delivery Implications All levels of project staff are affected by this new approach to managing and implementing program activities

Management Implications:  Timely reporting  Frequent team meetings  Quarterly performance analysis

Subgrantee-Level Management Uncertainties abound when projects are “people driven” and outcomes are defined by “people results” Manage proactively: project managers who wait for things to happen most often get into trouble What to look for When to look How and when to intervene Staying on top of all follow-up activity

No less than monthly team meetings If monthly goals appear to be slipping, begin holding weekly meetings to discuss whether the project path will change, and if so, how Helps ensure that staff view unforeseen variations as incrementally solvable problems rather than roadblocks or rationales for underperformance Makes people focus on goals for the week Provides sense of commitment: goals vocalized, if unmet, must be explained why unmet Allows project manager to seek out the strengths in people; look for, and exploit, the skills people have Just because they have a particular role doesn’t mean it cannot change to utilize their strengths (or avoid their weaknesses) Provides for the best case management for all follow-up activities scheduled or in process

Quarterly Performance Analysis Track performance variables Once a variable falls outside an acceptable range managers must identify causes and take action Manage Foreseen Variations to the Plan First identify events that could affect the project Make a list of risks or opportunities ID different courses of action to deal with events as they materialize Key outcomes to watch: Service level (full enrollment; waiting list; planned recruitment activities) Positive exiters: planned job development activities; OJE contracts; new host agencies with hiring potential Trend in all other exiters; which types of exits can be better managed

Analyzing the Outcome Information Monthly, quarterly, and year-to-date performance data should be compared to benchmarks Last year’s data from the same time period Targets established for the time period Substantial differences between latest data and benchmarks should be flagged for later consideration and possible action Identify unusual outcomes on each performance goal Seek Explanations for Unusually High or Low Outcomes Don’t forget to bear in mind rolling performance measures --- outcomes credited in current program year occurred up to four quarters previous to the current one Follow-up is KEY!

Service Delivery Implications:  Timing of placements  Resource allocation  Recruitment  Job Development  Follow-up

Service Delivery Implications Timing of placements Ideally at the end of quarters OJE the easiest means to manage quarter-end placements Job development activity heightened during the final month of each quarter Need to manage other exiters to control the “divisor” Do you pay for job search? Do not exit until participant obtains a job (leave without pay while job searching) Watch/handle judiciously IEP terminations This doesn’t mean to ignore the job-ready

Resource allocation: Recruitment, Job Development and Follow-Up Trend analysis will tell you when to focus all staff on a particular task If placements are tracking at quarter’s end, recruitment must be a focus of the beginning of each quarter OJE – employer development and intensive job development if placements are not keeping pace Third quarter is the magic quarter … all hands on deck for placement Fourth quarter … all-out recruitment push

Follow-up Strategies are the Key to Success

Timing & Quality of Follow-up What triggers follow-up? When do you do it? Who does it? Who do you follow-up with? What do you want to know? How will you elicit the information? Do you have any alternatives? What will you do with this information?

Who Does Follow-Up? Staffing patterns Participants divided by case load … or … Entire enrollment divided by function One staff person responsible for all follow- ups? Shared responsibility? Same individual updating IEPs? Pros/cons? Job developer? Pros/cons? Administrative staff? Pros/cons? Training Implications

EXERCISE

Figuring Out the Follow-Up Case Load Minimum of 4 contacts with each positively exited participant over a month post-exit period This is if all goes perfectly and the placement “sticks” … and you are able to successfully combine data gathering More common pattern will be 8 + contacts per exiter over a 1 year period Possibly additional contact if support services or further job development are required—or if you “lose” the participant

Entered Employment ( monthly placement average? ) Retention for Six Months Average Earnings Retention at One Year Follow-up Staff Other Step Responsible Duties

Training is Critical Follow-up is now a job that is equal in time and importance to job development More intricate re: timing, and more complicated re: information to gather and report No credit for 4 performance goals if follow-up is missed or only peripherally done

Four Performance Measures Require Follow-up Activity

Entry Into Unsubsidized Employment Definition: The percentage of those not employed prior to participation who are employed in the first quarter after the quarter of exit (any wages greater than $0) divided by the number of participants who exit during the quarter Follow-Up Issues: Timing requires additional case management Judicious follow-up with all exiters at beginning and mid quarter What triggers follow-up? When do you do it? Who do you follow-up with? What do you want to know? How will you elicit the information? Do you have any alternatives? What will you do with this information?

TRIGGER: positive exiters; all other exiters minus exclusions WHEN: earliest-1 st month following the exit quarter WHO: participant and supervisor WHAT: Participant … job satisfaction; any difficulties, training or support service needs. Supervisor … satisfaction with placement; issues project can help resolve to ensure placement success; customer satisfaction survey … Both: reminder of continuing contact HOW: on-site visit best; telephone with follow- up mailed survey USE OF INFORMATION: to job developer if no longer working; to case manager if support services needed

Retention In Unsubsidized Employment For Six Months Definition: The percentage of those employed in the first quarter after the exit quarter who were still employed in both the second and third quarters after the quarter of exit divided by the number of participants who exit during the quarter Management Issues: [what to look for, when, how to intervene] Measure closely tracks average earnings since it uses the same time period Timing requires additional case management Follow-up early in the final quarter to allow time for re- placement if necessary Any employment in the appropriate quarters will count, including self-employment and temporary employment

Retention Follow-up Issues: Measure closely tracks average earnings since it uses the same time period Any employment in the appropriate quarters will count, including self-employment and temporary employment Timing requires additional case management Follow-up early in the final quarter to allow time for re- placement if necessary What triggers follow-up? When do you do it? Who do you follow-up with? What do you want to know? How will you elicit the information? Do you have any alternatives? What will you do with this information?

TRIGGER: all participants achieving entered employment the prior quarter; all who earned $1 the first retention quarter WHEN: The first month of both the second and third quarters after the exit quarter WHO: participant and supervisor WHAT: Participant … job satisfaction; any difficulties, training or support service needs. Supervisor … satisfaction with placement; issues project can help resolve to ensure placement success; 2 nd retention quarter wage data for 1 st retention quarter … Both: reminder of continuing contact HOW: Telephone; fax or for wage data USE OF INFORMATION: to job developer if no longer working; to case manager if support services needed

Average Earnings Definition: Of those participants who are employed in the first, second, and third quarters after the quarter of program exit, total earnings in the second and third quarters after the exit quarter, divided by the number of exiters during the period Management Issues: [what to look for, when, how to intervene] Close connection with retention Quality of employment (Starting wage and advancement; Part-time v. full-time) Quality of training and CSA work experience Matching skill development and work experience to employer needs in the community Job search skills training Employer outreach campaign to attract multiple employers from a variety of industries Targeted follow-up and offer of support services during the retention period

Average Earnings Follow-up Issues: Close connection with retention Targeted follow-up and offer of support services during the retention quarters What triggers follow-up? When do you do it? Who do you follow-up with? What do you want to know? How will you elicit the information? Do you have any alternatives? What will you do with this information?

TRIGGER: All participants achieving retention WHEN:First month of the 2 nd retention quarter and first month of the 4 th quarter after the exit quarter WHO: Employer or participant WHAT: Earnings statement for the 2 nd and 3 rd quarters after the exit quarter HOW: Telephone with fax or follow-up USE OF INFORMATION: Entry into data base

Additional Measure: Retention at One Year Definition: Of those participants who are employed in the first quarter after the exit quarter: the number of participants who are employed in the fourth quarter after the exit quarter divided by the number of participants who exit during the quarter Management Issues: [what to look for, when, how to intervene] Timing requires additional case management Any employment in the appropriate quarters will count, including self-employment and temporary employment

Retention at One Year Follow-up Issues: Timing requires additional case management What triggers follow-up? When do you do it? Who do you follow-up with? What do you want to know? How will you elicit the information? Do you have any alternatives? What will you do with this information?

TRIGGER: All those who achieved retention for 6 months WHEN:the first month of the 4 th quarter after the exit quarter WHO: Participant WHAT: Job satisfaction; any difficulties, training or support service needs HOW: Telephone USE OF INFORMATION: to job developer if no longer working

EXERCISE