Kansas Youth Vision Team: Serving Our Neediest Youth Atlanta, GA September, 2006

Who Are We? Kansas Department of Commerce Kansas Department of Commerce Kansas Department of Education Kansas Department of Education Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services Kansas Juvenile Justice Authority Kansas Juvenile Justice Authority Topeka Youth Project Topeka Youth Project Social Security Administration Social Security Administration Kansas Enrichment Network Kansas Enrichment Network Kansas Housing Authority Kansas Housing Authority Kansas Gear Up Kansas Gear Up Kansas Commission on Disability Concerns Kansas Commission on Disability Concerns Workforce Investment Act Local Area One Workforce Investment Act Local Area One Native American Workforce Investment Program Native American Workforce Investment Program College and University Systems College and University Systems

What Do We Want To Accomplish? Insure the neediest of youth and those with disabilities including Native Americans receive the services they need Insure the neediest of youth and those with disabilities including Native Americans receive the services they need Education Education Job skills training Job skills training Improve employment outcomes for youth Improve employment outcomes for youth Qualified, educated workers Qualified, educated workers Prepared for the workforce Prepared for the workforce Enhance communication and collaboration among agencies Enhance communication and collaboration among agencies Interconnection of resources Interconnection of resources Link for shared data and communication Link for shared data and communication

How Will We Do This? Bring state and federal partners together Bring state and federal partners together Promote local community involvement Promote local community involvement Identify existing services and resources Identify existing services and resources Determine gaps and service needs Determine gaps and service needs Interconnect services and resources Interconnect services and resources Provide a forum for communication Provide a forum for communication Build on current initiatives Build on current initiatives National Governor’s Association Policy Academy on Improving Outcomes for Young Adults with Disabilities National Governor’s Association Policy Academy on Improving Outcomes for Young Adults with Disabilities Kansas Enrichment Network Afterschool Programs Kansas Enrichment Network Afterschool Programs

What is the NGA Policy Academy? Our Core and Home Teams: Our Core and Home Teams: Governor’s office, Kansas Senate, Special Education, Vocational Rehabilitation, Developmental Disabilities, Physical Disabilities, Traumatic Brain Injury, Technology Dependent Children, Mental Health, Native American Education, Student & Parent, University of Kansas, Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities, ADA Coordinator, Department of Labor, Department of Commerce, Department of Health and Environment, Department of Education, Community Mental Health Center, Community Developmental Disabilities Organization, Independent Living Center, Family Advocacy Organization, Consumer Advocacy Organization, Youth Leadership Forum, Commission on Disability Concerns, Workforce Investment Board, Tribal VR, One Stop, Haskell Indian Nations University, Department of Transportation, Department of Housing, and young adults with disabilities.

What is the NGA Policy Academy? Our Vision: Our Vision: Establishment of a responsive, collaborative, seamless service delivery system that is inclusive of language and cultural differences and results in quality outcomes for all citizens with disabilities regardless of severity, emphasizing youth with mental illness and youth with disabilities who are of Native American, Hispanic, and Asian descent.

What is the NGA Policy Academy? Our Goals and Activities: Our Goals and Activities: Establishment of a statewide interagency agreement on employment & transition that is committed to by all agencies through a signed Memorandum of Understanding. Establishment of a statewide interagency agreement on employment & transition that is committed to by all agencies through a signed Memorandum of Understanding. Design and implementation of a shared data collection, tracking, monitoring, and reporting system across agencies. Design and implementation of a shared data collection, tracking, monitoring, and reporting system across agencies. Assign a Governor-appointed Statewide Interagency Collaboration Team on Disabilities with oversight and monitoring responsibilities. Assign a Governor-appointed Statewide Interagency Collaboration Team on Disabilities with oversight and monitoring responsibilities. Incorporate effective cross-agency outreach, training, and outcome strategies within all agencies. Incorporate effective cross-agency outreach, training, and outcome strategies within all agencies.

What is the Kansas Enrichment Network? Statewide program Statewide program Opportunities for learning Opportunities for learning Expand school-linked, school-based programs Expand school-linked, school-based programs High quality, affordable after school programs High quality, affordable after school programs Enhance education of neediest youth Enhance education of neediest youth Print media campaign Print media campaign

What are Our Next Steps? We would like to: We would like to: Continue to build on the commitment of our partners Continue to build on the commitment of our partners Expand our team Expand our team Explore funding ideas Explore funding ideas Develop new projects Develop new projects Obtain advanced technical assistance Obtain advanced technical assistance

For More Information, Contact: Michael Huffman Youth Services Coordinator Workforce Development Division (785)