1. DEI Peer Community of Learning:
DEI as an intersection for VR under WIOA
Facilitated by: Miranda Kennedy, NDI Technical Assistance Team
Guest Presenters: Jim Kreatschman, Alaska VR, Youth Transition Coord.
Nikki Powis, Alaska DEI Project Statewide State Lead
DEI Peer Community of Learning 2016

2. Moderator Moderator: Miranda Kennedy
Title: Director of Training for the DEI and TA Liaison, NDI Technical Assistance Team
Organization: National Disability Institute
Laura

3. DEI Peer Community of Learning
This DEI Peer Community of Learning will provide Disability Employment Initiative (DEI) grantees with an opportunity to learn about Alaska’s experience and the evolution of their partnership and collaboration with Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) over three rounds of DEI funding and how this sets them up for success under WIOA.
Following the 20 minute presentation from our Alaska DEI Project and their VR counterparts, we will have an interactive discussion on progress made and strategies to build stronger partnerships with VR and achieve quality employment outcomes for mutual customers under WIOA.
Read slide – (after) We will be using polling questions to get a sense for where everyone is at in terms of our topic for discussion. We will then be posing some discussion questions to help guide and provide a bit of structure to our dialogue today. We look forward to hearing your thoughts and ideas, as well as the actions you are taking on this topic and how you view 188 and the reference guide and incorporate it into your work with the DEI.

4. Presenters Presenter: Nikki Powis Title: Alaska DEI Project Lead
Organization: Alaska DOL
Presenter: Jim Kreatschman
Title: Alaska VR, Youth Transition Coordinator
Organization: Alaska Vocational Rehabilitationinfo
Laura

5. Evolution of the DEI/VR connection
Alaska was awarded a Round 1 grant that has concluded and a 4 grant that is coming to conclusion in January of 2017 so we have several years of experience developing a framework for partnership, coming to understand the roles of the DRCs and VR counselors as they relate to each other and have some successes and some challenges around jointly serving clients.
Our Round 1 and Round 4 DEI grants focused on adults and building an effective Employment Network. Therefore our goal was to create a seamless transition to and from VR to the DEI services with particular focus around Partnership Plus. Our initial strategy was for the Assistant Chief of VR and the DEI statewide lead to demonstrate the collaboration by travelling to all the VR offices around the state and having joint meetings between VR counselors and DRCs.
We quickly learned that VR had some resistance and concerns over working together, there was a perception that DEI was after VRs Social Security Reimbursement money and a general feeling that the DEI staff may be lacking in their ability to serve VR customers. Once we were able to help VR counselors feel more secure about the partnership things took off and we experienced some initial success. However, although there was an MOA outlining how the agencies would work together the process was not made fully systemic and no formal procedural changes were made. As a result the initial referrals dropped off.
Once we realized that the informal approach would not work the VR chief made a commitment to incorporate Partnership Plus referrals into a systemic change for VR and we have seen some improvement. All is not perfect and we continue to work through the challenges, but have through this experience developed a greater understanding of one another’s mission, how we can work together and at the front line level DRCs and VR counselors are working more collaboratively and realizing the value of joining forces around an individual. This lay the ground work for the work we are now doing under WIOA especially with youth through the DEI round VI grant.

6. DEI/VR Service Intersection
With the passage of WIOA and the award of a DEI Round VI grant for Alaska that focuses on youth, there was a unique opportunity to create a joint vision for looking at how VR and DEI intersect and work together at the statewide and service delivery level to provide a continuum of services and fill identified gaps.
With DVRs 15% set aside for in-school youth with disabilities (1.5 million for Alaska) and the DEI project’s focus on career pathways leading to sustainable employment for youth with disabilities, the stage was set to develop an approach that maximized our ability to reach youth where they are by coordinating services. When we intersect EVERY youth benefits and receives the transition services they need regardless of their connection to school.

7. DEI/VR Service Matrix
One of the first things we did was to identify how we could leverage DEI funds and services around PETS and compliment the requirements that VR had under WIOA to serve in-school youth. We discussed the framework that would be put in place for PETS and how DEI could intersect and compliment the services to ensure youth who fell outside of PETS eligibility were included and that there was a progressive service delivery model that extended beyond the 5 PETS service requirements.
As a result we developed the Matrix you see on your screen that illustrates the population each agency serves. When we put it all together we could see how each youth could benefit and how our model would allow for coordination in outreach activities, joint funding and access to enriched services.
This not only brought our resources together, but also allowed for a more nimble service delivery system that meets youth where they are in life.
This is best illustrated in our work with youth involved with juvenile justice and those in the foster care system, a high priority underserved population. Coordinating services has allowed us to bring comprehensive services, to all youth with a particular focus on the high risk youth, in a cost affective manner.

8. Intersecting Projects
Transition Camps
One of the ways in which we have intersected VR and DEI is through the development and implementation of Transition Camps. These camps are delivered within the schools as a part of the school day and also within the Juvenile Justice facilities and with special population groups such as youth in state protective custody.
The camps are 3-5 days of transition activities that help the youth identify their interests, explore post-secondary opportunities, and develop goals towards a career. Initially the camps were a way to meet VR’s WIOA requirements for PETS services. However, by joining forces we have been able to expand services and the benefits to youth beyond the limitations of PETS to truly meet the needs and expand the population served. We have recognized that through a coordinated effort with co-funding the result is that all youth are being served in a comprehensive way and at reduced cost to both agencies.
The connections do not cease with VR and DEI as WIOA Title I b youth funds are leveraged as well as the school districts and Department of Education also having financial skin in the game. This model not only allows for a greater investment on all sides, but also ensures sustainability beyond the DEI project.
Beyond the camp -
DRCs continue to work with the youth after transition camp to build skills, Develop ILPs, develop a career pathway plan and facilitate co-enrollment into WIOA or VR as applicable.
The camps provide the hand-off to DVR for eligible youth needing intensive support.

9. Other Intersecting Projects
JOBZ Club
Jobz Club was the creative vision of the VR transition coordinator. Jobz Club takes the ODEP “Skills to Pay the Bills” curriculum, coupled with NCWD’s “411 on Disability Disclosure” and the addition of some career exploration into the schools and other youth facilities and is delivered by teachers as an after school activity. VR pays the teacher to deliver the curriculum over a 9 week timeframe. DEI has assisted by having DRCs provide a train the trainer experience to staff within the Juvenile Justice system, a residential behavior health treatment facility for youth and WIOA youth grantees. Again through this project DEI and VR has been able to expand their reach and impact youth in a broader way.

10. Other Intersecting Projects
Regional Career Preparation and CTE
The goal of the VTE Program is to provide students with opportunities to apply what they have learned in school to real life situations with a mission to
provide youth with the skills and knowledge necessary to make a successful transition from school to life. VTE seeks to excite kids about their future and connects students to corporations and businesses state-wide and provides opportunities for students to earn college credits and specific career
related certificates while still in high school.
VTE is run through the Chugach School District but is open to students statewide. Although the district provides some funding and other organizations and businesses contribute, the cost of attendance for many is out of reach as smaller rural districts don’t have the funding to send students to this multi day opportunity. However, through the VR/DEI connection funding and assistance is available for youth who would not normally have this great option available to them.

11. To gain a little more information on how comprehensive the Voyage to Excellence Program is, this slide describes the spectrum of experiences that are offered to youth. You can read this yourself and a the link to the program is on the previous slide

12. Other Intersecting Projects
Summer Youth Employment
DEI and VR are partnering with the City and Borough of Juneau, Zach Gordon Youth Center and the South East Alaska Independent Living Center to provide a summer youth employment project to youth with disabilities. This joint venture will provide a pre employment training curriculum, career assessment and exploration and paid employment with the city and borough of Juneau throughout the city parks through the summer.
This project leverages multiple partners and funding sources to provide a 10 week experience to a cohort of youth.

13. DEI and VR create a (positive) Black Hole!
Our joint projects leverage funds and resources from:
Juvenile Justice
Office of Children’s Services
WIOA Title One
Department of Education and Early Development
Local Educational Agencies
Native Corporations
Business/Industry
Post-Secondary Education/Training Institutions
This intersection creates that pull for partnerships and collaboration. blending and braiding resources and funds, naturally sets up a framework for Integrated Resource Teams and impacts the system as a whole to drive change.
Working together brings so many resources to the table, to such a wide population of youth, the gravitational pull brings in other partners.

14. It may be a little cliché, but in the words of Henry Ford “Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, working together is success”. From our humble beginnings of coming together, working through the challenges to keep it together, to developing a shared vision to serve youth we are working together and experiencing the beginnings of success!

15. DISCUSSION
DEI Peer Community of Learning 2016

16. Participation To engage in the discussion
A: Click on the “raise hand” icon to have your line un-muted and ask your question/make your comment.
B:Submit it to the host in writing via the Chat or Q&A Box to the right, or…

17. Discussion Questions
How has the DEI impacted your state/local area’s relationship w/ VR?
Does VR in you state/local area recognize the DEI and DEI strategies as opportunities for intersecting under WIOA?
What are you doing, in your role, to facilitate the connection between VR and Workforce under WIOA?
What have you found to be effective (or ineffective) in working with VR at the individual customer level (IRTs) and at the systems level? Lessons learned…
What is your best advice to your DEI peers about working with VR?
What else should we all be doing to maximize the opportunity that WIOA offers for closer working partnerships with VR?

18. Contact Information
Miranda Kennedy
NDI Technical Assistance Team
National Disability Institute P: E:
Nikki Powis
Alaska DEI Project Lead E:
Laura