1. Implementing Oregon’s Employment First Policy
Expectations of Executive Order 13-04:
Implementing Oregon’s Employment First Policy

2. Presented: YTP Statewide Conference February 20, 2014
Mike Maley, Department of Human Services (DHS)
Mitch Kruska, Department of Education (ODE)
Stephaine Taylor, Vocational Rehabilitation (VR)

3. Overview The Employment First Movement
Executive Order (EO) & the Youth Transition Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
Partner agencies
Mutual and agency responsibilities
What each agency will do
What you can do
Questions and discussion

4. The Employment First Movement
All people with disabilities can work:
At integrated jobs;
For at least minimum wage or industry standard pay;
And participate in community
Systems-change to promote integrated employment as a priority of day services by:
Aligning policies with real job outcomes
Creating guidance for service coordinators
Updating rate setting methods and structures

5. Employment For People With Disabilities in Oregon
Oregon’s Employment First policy (2008)
Office of Disability & Employment Policy (ODEP) grant ( )
Lane v. Kitzhaber lawsuit (filed in 2012 and ongoing)
SB22B (2013)
The Executive Order (April 16, 2013)
Transition Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) (May 16, 2013)

6. Executive Order 13-04 DHS (VR and ODDS) and ODE shall work:
“…to further improve Oregon’s systems of designing and delivering employment services to those with intellectual and developmental disabilities …”
Work “toward fulfillment of Oregon’s Employment First Policy,” including
Reduced state support of sheltered work over time
Increased investment in employment services
(April 16, 2013)

7. EO Target populations
Working age individuals with Intellectual and other Developmental Disabilities (IDD) in sheltered workshops
School age children and transition age youth with IDD who are found eligible for Developmental Disability and/or Vocational Rehabilitation services
School age children and transition age youth in public schools eligible for Special Education and related services

8. Youth Transition MOU
“Youth with disabilities will leave school with a post-secondary education plan or integrated inclusive employment at minimum wage or greater.”
The Office of Developmental Disability Services Vocational Rehabilitation Oregon Department of Education Oregon Council on Developmental Disabilities
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), ¶4.1 (May 16, 2013)

9. Office of Developmental Disability Services
Provides community-based supports and services to children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Eligible individuals and their families can access service coordination and a variety of other services, including appropriate employment supports.

10. Vocational Rehabilitation
Mission: Assist Oregonians with disabilities to achieve and maintain employment and independence.
Eligible individuals can access a wide range of employment services and supports including:
Job search assistance,
On the job training, and
Assistive technology.

11. OR Department of Education
Special Education is governed by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA):
Ensures that all children with disabilities have available to them a free and appropriate public education that:
Requires special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs and
Prepares them for further education, employment, and independent living choices.
20 USC 1400(d)(1)(A)(emphasis added)

12. OR Council on Developmental Disabilities
Authorized under the DD Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 to:
Assure that individuals and families have a voice in systems change
“Engage in advocacy, capacity building, and systemic change activities that …
Promote self-determination, independence, productivity, and integration and inclusion in all facets of community life”
42 USC 15001(b)(1)

13. Mutual Responsibilities
Work with Policy Group to design and implement multiple strategies to accomplish full implementation of this order
Allocate responsibility, funding commitments and authority to ensure agency performance
Explore ways to leverage or co-invest resources
Coordinate outreach efforts to target populations
Collaborate with brokerages, county DD programs and service providers to achieve goals

14. Employment Services ODDS and VR will:
Create policies that require evidence-based and individualized employment services
Base employment services on each person’s capabilities, choices and strengths
Provide such employment services to at least 2,000 people over the next nine years beginning July 1, 2014
Executive Order 13-04, Sec. IV

15. Career Development Planning ODDS and VR Actions
Focus career planning on strengths, abilities, choices and the greatest number of work hours
Focus vocational assessments on interests, strengths and abilities for a good job match
Develop career plans for people in sheltered workshops who will receive employment services and for youth before they leave school
Policies will “include presumption that all individuals in the ODDS/VR target populations are capable of working in an integrated employment setting”
Executive Order 13-04, Sec. VI

16. Training ODDS and VR will:
By July 1, 2014, establish competency-based training standards for all specified employment services
By July 1, 2016 only purchase employment services from agencies or providers qualified to provide such services under the new standards
Executive Order 13-04; Sec. VI

17. Outreach and Awareness
ODDS and VR will:
Develop an outreach and education program by January 1, 2014 to:
Explain benefits of employment
Address concerns of families
Address perceived obstacles to participating in employment services
Encourage individuals and families to ask for employment services
Executive Order 13-04, Sec. VII

18. Provider Capacity ODDS and VR will:
Make efforts to ensure there are enough qualified employment service providers to deliver services and supports
Make the best use available resources in their budgets to do so
Executive Order 13-04, Sec. VIII

19. ODE will:
Appoint staff to focus on system-change in schools and communities
Establish Statewide Transition Technical Assistance Network to assist transition services in schools
Support legislative or rule changes to prohibit local education agencies from contracting for assessments in sheltered workshops

20. OCDD will:
Educate self-advocates, families and others about high expectations for employment
Engage self-advocates and families in the Employment First movement
Invest in strategies to achieve integrated employment outcomes
Oregon Family Networks
Person Centered Plan Facilitator Training
We know that having high expectations of yourself is the key to success. In short, if you believe you can – you will.
High expectations from others (parents, teachers, friends, case managers, providers, etc.) is also critical factor for success.
Focus on the vision; behaviors will follow
Self-determination
Independence
Productivity, Integration, Inclusion
Presumed employability –
All means all – These expectations apply to all people with disabilities – including those with significant disabilities

21. Successful Transition Through Collaboration
Student & Family
ODE
OCDD
ODDS VR

22. What to expect
No more funding or buying assessments in sheltered workshops by 7/1/14
No more funding or buying sheltered workshop placements for:
Transition age youth with I/DD by 7/1/15
Adults who are newly eligible for services by 7/1/15
Adults who have services but not in sheltered workshops by 7/1/15
Employment Services rule changes
Executive Order 13-04, Sec. III and IX

23. What to expect Provider, case manager and agency training
DHS “Integrated Employment Plan” by 11/1/13
New quality improvement initiative by 7/1/14:
Promote Employment Services
Evaluate quality of Employment Services
Twice a year progress analysis with data analysis and quality improvement activities
Executive Order 13-04, Sec. IX, XII, XIII

24. What to expect Policies for Career Development Planning
Core competency requirements for Employment Service providers by 1/1/14
Between 7/1/14 and 7/1/22, DHS will provide employment services to at least 2,000 people
Joint trainings and best practices outreach between ODE, ODDS, VR and OCDD
Executive Order 13-04, Sec. V, VI, IV
MOU, ¶5 (May 16, 2013)

25. What you can do VR Counselors:
Attend skill development trainings
Encourage providers to attend trainings
Participate in IEP meetings as soon as possible
Teachers and Special Education Directors:
Help IEP teams build strong transition plans
Collaborate with partners, pilot projects and families

26. What this means for you DD Case Managers and Personal Agents:
Attend skill building trainings
Participate in IEP meetings
Manage DD employment supports for students who find paid jobs while still in school
Families and Students:
Invite VR Counselor and DD Case to IEP meetings
Request services that will lead to a job or post-secondary education, including meaningful work experiences.

27. Questions?

28. Contact information
Michael J. Maley
Oregon Department of Human Services
Sally Simich
Oregon Department of Education
Keith Ozols
Vocational Rehabilitation
Jaime Daignault
Oregon Council on Developmental Disabilities