1. Effective Practices in Building an Inclusive Workforce:
The California Disability Employment Initiative

2. Panel Members
David H. Mayer, DEI State Project Advisor, Employment Development Department
Maiknue Vang, Program Supervisor, Madera Workforce Investment Corp.
Kasia DeMauri, Disability Resource Coordinator, Golden Sierra Job Training Agency
Les Roberson, Disability Resource Coordinator, Managed Career Solutions

3. CDEI History
Built upon previous Disability Program Navigator initiative, which sought to improve services in the AJCCs’ system and improve employment outcomes of persons with disabilities.
Since 2010, U.S. DOL awarded over $95 million to 26 states through 5 rounds of DEI implementation.
The primary difference between the DPN and DEI Project is the addition of clear expectations for performance outcomes (training, placements, retention).
The DEI is jointly funded and administered by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA) and the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP).

4. CDEI Objectives
Supports extensive partnerships, collaboration and service coordination across multiple systems in each state.
Designed to implement successful strategies to promote employment of adults/youth with disabilities
across multiple workforce, social, and disability systems in each state.
Adults- 18 and older with disabilities
Youth with disabilities

5. NATIONAL DEI GRANTEES
Round 1 – 9 States: Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Virginia Round States: California, Hawaii, Ohio, South Dakota, Tennessee, Washington, Wisconsin Round 3 – 7 States: Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Rhode Island Round States: Alabama, Alaska, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Maine, New York, Virginia Round 5 – 6 States: California, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, South Dakota
Some states, including California received a second DEI funding. California was funded in Round 2 and Round 5.
California receive $6 million for Round 2 and $2.5 for Round 5

6. DEI Purpose The DEI is designed to:
Improve the education, training, and employment opportunities and outcomes for adults or youth with disabilities who are unemployed, underemployed, and/or receiving Social Security disability benefits.
Help these people with disabilities find a path into the middle class through exemplary and model service delivery by the public workforce system.
(2011 DEI SGA)

7. DEI Primary Objectives
Enhance, expand and promote universal access to the public workforce system
Assist in improving physical and program accessibility
Increase job placement opportunities for adults with disabilities through training
Strengthen relationships with employers
Build staff capacity

8. DEI: Pilot & Control Groups
Pilot groups receive program and administrative funding to develop local DEI project.
Control groups receive administrative funding for data collection.
The outcomes of individuals across the two groups will be compared to evaluate the effects of the DEI.
State applicants for DEI randomly divided into pilot or control groups.
It is the intent of EDD that data from pilot sites outperform control sites and show a continued need for DOL’s support for the project.
The five pilot recipients to receive DEI funding: The Control Group Sites to receive administrative funding:
Madera County WIB Merced County WIB
Golden Sierra Job Training Agency North Central Counties Consortium
City of Los Angeles Economic and Workforce Development Dept. Sacramento Employment & Training Agency
SF Office of Economic and Workforce Development San Bernardino County WIB
Verdugo WIB S.E. Los Angeles County (SELACO)

9. CDEI Key Elements-1
1. State level DEI Project Lead to guide and support Disability Resource Coordinators (DRC). 2. DRC at local WIB to implement DEI strategic approaches. 3. Participation in the Ticket to Work Program as an approved Employment Network

10. CDEI Key Elements-2
4. Sustainability of DRC position and continuation of promising practices. 5. Evaluation of DEI using quantitative and qualitative data from grantees.

11. Strategic Service Delivery Components
Partnerships and Collaboration
Integrated Resource Team (IRT)
Leveraging Resources/ Blending and Braiding Funds
Asset Development
Self Employment/Customized Employment
DEI grantees identified 2 or more strategic components for their service delivery approach.
The Current DEI Project focuses on strategies to improve the connection between PWD and existing Career Pathways programs by partnering with community colleges and other education partners, human services, businesses and other partners engaged in Career Pathways programs.

12. Partnerships and Collaboration
Coordination with a variety of partners that provide services which impact people with disabilities
Partnering across multiple systems/programs to provide employment related supports necessary to address multiple challenges
Collaboration will assist each partner in REALLY knowing what services and resources the other partners have to offer. This can effectively wipe out duplication of services. It also assists partners in integrating resources and funds to ensure that customers receive the most comprehensive services possible.
It’s important to remember that the customer doesn’t “BELONG” to an agency. Our primary goal should always focus on the success of the customer, not our program! (And that can be a hard one to swallow for most Administrators!)

13. Integrated Resource Team (IRT)
Promising practice identified by the DPN initiative.
Team comprised of representatives from different agencies and service systems that come together to coordinate services and leverage funding to meet the employment needs of an individual with a disability.
The job seeker is actively involved in the IRT.
The job seeker is actively involved in the IRT and works with providers to identify and strategize how their combined services and resources can benefit and support an individual job seeker’s education, training, or employment goals. IRTs lead to improved communication and coordination of services for those impacted by multiple systems and benefit variables.

14. Leveraging Resources, Blending/Braiding Funds
Leveraging resources involve 2+ agencies contributing to the individual job seeker’s education, training or employment.
Blending funds: Funding streams are indistinguishable
Braiding funds: funding streams remain visible
Integrating resources and services and blending and braiding funds are often incorporated into the IRT approach.
Leveraging Resources – The job seeker with a disability may have multiple challenges that are best addressed through a diversified funding strategy. For example, supportive services may be covered by one provider, while training costs are covered by another agency or program.
Blending Funds: describe mechanisms that pool dollars from multiple sources and making them indistinguishable. Funding streams are indistinguishable
Braiding Funds: utilize similar mechanisms, but the funding streams remain visible and are used in common to produce greater outcomes

15. Asset Development
Asset development strategies include various approaches to enhance long-term economic self- sufficiency.
Financial Literacy Trainings
Individual Development Accounts (IDAs)
Social Security Administration (SSA) Work Incentives
Earned Income Tax Credit and other tax provisions
Budgeting
Credit Repair

16. Self and Customized Employment
Self Employment
Viable alternative to traditional employment
Flexibility to meet career and financial goals
More autonomy-Hours Type of Work and Income
Customized Employment
Flexible process meets the needs of job seeker and employer
Based on match between strengths, conditions and interests of job seeker and needs of employer
Self-employment has long been an employment alternative for individuals seeking a new or better career.
Self-employed persons have increased latitude in determining the hours they work, the type of work they do, and how much money they make.
Customized employment will often take the form of: task reassignment; job carving; job sharing; self-employment.
Customized employment provides an avenue to employment for job seekers who feel that traditional job search methods do not meet their needs.

17. Ticket to Work Program (TTW)
The TtW program is designed to assist SSA beneficiaries return to work through the assistance of Employment Networks (EN).
SS Beneficiaries receive a “Ticket”, which may be assigned to an EN (of their choice) for assistance in achieving their desired employment goal.
Many SSA beneficiaries do not know that the program exists. This will allow the Pilots to market the program to eligible customers.
There is no actual Ticket. There was an actual Ticket for the first few years of the program, but the eligibility is quite cut and dried.

18. TTW Program Benefits Participation Benefits:
Medical reviews will be waived while participating in the TTW program.
You can keep your Medicare or Medi-Cal benefits after cash benefits end due to work earnings.
If cash benefits end and you lose your job because of the same disability, you do not have to reapply for Social Security Benefits.
These benefits are immensely important to SSA beneficiaries. Many have been told that if they go back to work, they will lose their benefits, with no recourse or action. Under Ticket to Work, there are several safeguards that assure the Ticketholder that benefits are protected. Certified Benefits Counselors, sometimes called CWICs or WIPAs, are available to explain in detail how a Ticketholder’s benefits will be affected when they go to work.
Certified Work Incentives Counselor and Work Incentive Planning and Assistance

19. DEI Best Practices and Models
Increase Expectations of Serving People with Disabilities

20. DEI Best Practices and Models
Service Delivery Flow Co-Case Management with Partners Disability “Leads” at Each AJCC

21. DEI Best Practices and Models
Relationships with Primary Partners
Vocational Rehabilitation
Mental/Behavioral Health
Independent Living Center

22. DEI Best Practices and Models
Building Capacity Through Training and Education

23. DEI Best Practices and Models
Peer Mentoring

24. DEI Best Practices and Models
Employer Outreach and Education

25. DEI Best Practices and Models
Ticket to Work And Benefits Planning

26. What happened after DEI?
Sustainability
What happened after DEI?

27. Any Questions or Comments?

28. Additional CDEI Resources
DEI project resources:
Asset development resources:

29. Additional CDEI Resources
EN/TTW program resources:
Accommodation/accessibility resources:
Employer assistance resource:

30. Contact Information
If you would like more information about the DEI project:
Maiknue Vang, Madera Workforce Investment Corp-
(559)
Kasia DeMauri, Golden Sierra Job Training Agency-
(530) x236
Les Roberson, Managed Career Solutions-
(323)
David Mayer, Employment Development Department-
(916)