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Annual Report 2001
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Annual Report 2001
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The Vermont State Rehabilitation Council works to promote customer directed and
effective vocational services; better job opportunities for Vermonters with
disabilities; and increased public and private sector employment of people
with disabilities. As part of this effort, the Council works to eliminate
attitudinal barriers to acceptance and success for people with disabilities
and advocates for the job accommodations and community services that make it
possible for people with disabilities to find and maintain job security and
success.
2001
Highlights of Council Activity
·
Added a sixth School to Career counselor to cover up
to three more high schools
·
Establishment of a database which links people who
want to work at home to employers who have work they would like done at home.
Twenty-three people have p
·
Recruited six new members to serve on the Council
·
Collaboration with the Vermont Center for Independent
Living (VCIL), the Governor’s Committee on Employment of People With
Disabilities, the Department of Employment and Training, and the Statewide
Independent Living Council (SILC) to establish a Governor’s Summit
·
Successfully advocated for a VR Counselor upgrade
commensurate with new educational requirements
·
Partnered with VR to develop the Consumer
Satisfaction Survey and select a contractor to conduct the Survey
·
Worked with VR to establish and disseminate ten Fact
Sheets designed to improve customer knowledge of services so they can make
informed choices
·
Successfully worked to increase the General Fund
allocation by $116,000 to draw down $312,669 in Medicaid match to expand the
JOBS program in two regions of the state and expand to two new regions.
These programs are designed to increase the employability of youth
between the ages of 16 – 22 who are labeled emotionally behaviorally
disordered by establishing collaborative relationships between the Departments
of Developmental and Mental Health Services, Social and Rehabilitation
Services, Corrections, and the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.
This has led to 133 youth being served.
·
Monitored all VR programs and worked with VR to
continue to be customer
Dear Friends and Colleagues:
We want
to thank our fellow members of the Vermont State Rehabilitation Council (SRC)
for electing us to serve as Council Co-Chairs. Together we have embraced
aggressive and exciting plans for the coming year.
We
believe the key to our success in the coming year is our commitment to build
upon the vision this Council has worked so hard to maintain: customer choice,
satisfaction, and involvement in every level of the rehabilitation process. We
believe these goals will be maintained and strengthened by our partnerships
with Vocational Rehabilitation, the citizens of Vermont who are customers of
their services, and many other organizations which promote high quality
employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
We look
forward to working with each of you, the Governor's Office, the Vermont
Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, and the Vermont business community to
achieve our shared mission of “providing leadership that promotes meaningful
employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities” within the State
of Vermont.
This
year we accomplished our goal of strengthening the partnership between the SRC
and VR. The growth of this
partnership will continue to be a goal for which we hold ourselves
accountable.
We
remain committed to work with other councils, Vocational Rehabilitation, and
Vermont’s public and private employers to remove existing barriers to
meaningful employment of individuals with disabilities.
All Vermonters need the opportunity to live independently, enjoy self
determination, make choices, contribute to society, pursue meaningful
careers, and enjoy full inclusion and integration in the economic, political,
social, cultural, and educational mainstream of our society.
To that
end, the Council has identified the goals listed under “Goals and Objectives”
in this report.
If we accomplish these goals, we believe Vermont will
be a better place to live for all of us, and especially for people with
significant disabilities.
Sincerely,
Peter Grassadonia, Co-Chair
Hugh Bradshaw, Co-Chair
Dear
Colleague,
The Vermont Division of Vocational Rehabilitation enjoys a positive, productive partnership with the Vermont State Rehabilitation Council. Over the years, we have worked together to improve vocational services for Vermonters with significant disabilities. The Council has been a strong voice with public policy makers about the needs of job seekers with disabilities. In the past year, Council members have increased telecommuting opportunities for VR customers. They have been strong supporters of the JOBS Program to serve high-risk youth with emotional behavioral disabilities. Thanks to the hard work of the Policy and Procedures subcommittee, fact sheets on many VR services are available to customers that describe in simple terms the service and the policy guidelines. The slowing economy will present many challenges to VR and the Council in maintaining equal access to employment for people with disabilities. I am confident that the Council will seize the opportunity to educate employers and the general public on the value of hiring people with disabilities. I look forward to another successful year of working together with the State Rehabilitation Council.
Diane Dalmasse
Vermont Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
State Rehabilitation Council Partnerships
This
year the SRC has worked to expand our partnerships with the Vermont Coalition
for Disability Rights, the Vermont Independent Living Council, the
Governor’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, and the
Vermont Center for Independent Living.
The
Vermont Coalition for Disability Rights (VCDR) and the SRC have worked
together on legislative issues such as increasing funding to expand transition
programs. We also worked to
maintain the current level of funding for both Vocational Rehabilitation and
other programs which affect people with disabilities such as Attendant Care,
Developmental Services, and Mental Health Services. We have maintained a
presence on the Education and Legislative committees of VCDR.
The Governor’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities (GCEPD) and the SRC have collaborated on the Governor’s Employment Summit. We were an active participant and organizer for last year’s Summit and we reviewed the recommendations from that Summit. The SRC also lent its support to the first Youth Leadership Forum and was very excited about its outcomes.
The
Vermont Center for Independent Living (VCIL) has many programs with which the
SRC has collaborated. For example, we participate in the Transportation Task
Force which was instrumental in putting a focus on transportation as the theme
for this Governor’s Summit held in December.
Lack of appropriate transportation is a huge barrier to employment for
many people with disabilities. The SRC has also become an active participant
in the ADA Coalition and took part in a meeting to discuss the state of the
ADA in Vermont.
The
strongest, and our most valuable, partnership is with the Division of
Vocational Rehabilitation. This partnership has lead to more customer choice
and a better service delivery system for people with disabilities. This
collaboration has lead to better networking with other SRC’s on both
regional and national levels.
The
year 2001 was a very exciting year for the development and or expansion of new
programs within Vocational Rehabilitation and the State Rehabilitation Council
is proud to have been a part of these initiatives.
·
Welfare
to Work / Reach-Up – The Division has worked with PATH (the state welfare agency) and
the Department of Employment and Training to put together a program which will
serve welfare recipients who have disabilities. Vocational Rehabilitation now
has Reach-Up counselors in each office to serve this population.
·
School
to Work
– Vocational Rehabilitation has expanded its services to transition age
students.
·
JOBS
– This is a program to assist young people with emotional / behavioral
disabilities to find work and adjust to adult life. We were able to expand
this program to two more areas of the state. This has led to collaborations
with the Departments of Corrections, Mental Health, and Social and
Rehabilitation Services.
·
Social
Security / Robert Wood Johnson Grants – These grants have allowed VR to hire benefits
counselors who work in the local VR offices, the Vermont Center for
Independent Living, and local mental health agencies. These counselors work to
explain how the different benefits will be affected when a person goes to
work. These Grants also allow VR
to put on trainings for people receiving benefits and for agencies explaining
incentives now in place for a person to go to work.
·
Ticket
to Work
– Vermont Vocational Rehabilitation was chosen as one of the pilot sites for
the Ticket to Work program. This
program will help SSI/SSDI recipients who want to work get the support
services they need.
1.
The
Council will in partnership with VR:
·
Review
and recommend changes based on the Consumer Satisfaction Survey
·
Identify
unmet needs through the Needs Assessment Survey
·
Encourage
other agencies to work on identified needs by sharing the information with
them
·
Monitor
the Client Assistant Program to look at strengths and weaknesses of the VR
program
2.
The Council will support educational issues that:
·
Foster
consistent and effective statewide transition services for all students with
disabilities.
·
Promote
integrated job training opportunities.
3.
The Council will support health care issues that:
·
Encourage
federal/state parity of health care coverage for all disability groups.
·
Allow
entry or return to work, without loss of healthcare benefits for individuals
with all disabilities.
4.
The Council will support aging and disability issues that:
·
Encourage
identification of individuals who are not currently receiving services, but
are interested in obtaining employment.
·
Promote
employer awareness of the value of hiring older persons with disabilities.
5.
The Council will support employment issues that:
·
Eliminate
barriers for transportation.
·
Promote
customer informed decision-making in accessible housing options.
·
Increase
access to technology/assistive technology.
·
Encourage
diversity and integration in employment, education, and job training programs.
·
Encourage
options for self-employment and Telecommuting.
Steering Committee: The Steering Committee oversees the day-to-day function of the SRC and acts on behalf of the Council when time doesn’t allow for full Council input.
Policy
& Procedures:
This committee reviews VR policies and spending guidelines and gives input to
the development of the Consumer Satisfaction and the Needs Assessment surveys.
This
year the Steering Committee met eight times to transact business for the
Council. We held the Vocational
Rehabilitation public hearing for their state plan at one of the meetings. This
Committee worked on the structure of the quarterly meetings to encourage
greater participation of the SRC membership and to make sure all SRC members
were represented on the committees. The emphasis on involvement has lead to a
more active Council. The
duties of the Steering Committee are to oversee the work of the committees, to
develop the agendas for the quarterly SRC meetings, and to supervise and
direct the SRC Coordinator. The
Steering Committee also takes action on any item that needs a decision in
between quarterly Council meetings. Work Plan 2002 1)
To
ensure the efficient and effective functioning of the Council. 2)
To
assess and propose changes to the By-Laws as needed. 3) To support and assist all other committees in meeting the 2002
work plan goals 4) To direct, supervise, and evaluate the SRC Coordinator Membership & Education Committee The
Membership and Education Committee has been busy this year bringing the SRC
membership into compliance with Federal Regulations. The recruitment program
developed last year was put into place, from that effort three new SRC members
have joined the Council and three more are awaiting the Governor’s
appointment before joining the SRC. This
Committee has found it difficult to recruit from the ranks of employers, the
State Human Resource Investment Board, or the Workforce Investment Boards.
This year we have made progress in recruiting two business people who are
willing to serve on both the SRC and the Employment Trends Committee. The
Committee conducted one training for members which was attended by its three
newest members. A Training Notebook was put together and distributed to the
members who were involved in the training. 1)
Continue working with the recruitment plan and meet business
membership and Work Force Investment Act requirements 2)
Improve
the training new Council members receive 3)
Develop a plan to expand the leadership potential of the members of the
Council Policy and Procedures Committee Over the past year, the Committee was able to complete
several tasks. We wrote ten (10)
Fact Sheets, revised the Consumer Satisfaction and Needs Assessment surveys in
preparation for new surveys to be conducted in 2002, revised the entire
Vocational Rehabilitation Policy and Procedures Manual (which included a new
mediation policy), and revised the State Rehabilitation Council's By-Laws. The
Fact Sheets were developed to help VR customers better understand the process
of rehabilitation and the services available.
Fact Sheets were printed and distributed to all VR local offices where
they will be available to all service applicants/recipients. The
Consumer Satisfaction Survey was updated and a Request for Proposal has been
published. Competitive bids will
be reviewed and a firm will be selected to conduct a telephone survey through
the random selection of VR customers. The satisfaction of deaf and
hard-of-hearing customers will be assessed using alternative methods sensitive
to communication issues. A
sub-committee comprised of SRC members, VR staff, and VR customers has been
working on these communication issues and will report to the SRC on possible
solutions. The
Needs Assessment Survey is modeled on the 1998 National Organization on
Disabilities (N.O.D.)/Harris Survey of Americans with Disabilities.
A similar survey was completed in Vermont in 1999 and the Council will
replicate that survey next year. The
Request for Proposal will be published this winter with the expectation that
the survey results will be available next Spring, in time for the development
of the VR State Plan. The
mediation policy was added to Chapter 105 of the VR Policy and The Committee also reviewed the SRC's By-Laws and
drafted language approved by the full Council to change the Council leadership
from a Chair and Vice-Chair to having Co-Chairs.
This change better reflects the Council's practice of having two people
equally share the duties and responsibilities of the two officer positions.
1.
Review
the data from the Consumer Satisfaction Survey and recommend changes, as
needed. 2.
Review the data from the Needs Assessment and recommend changes, as needed. 3.
Review the use and usefulness of the ten Fact Sheets already 4.
Review
and revise, as necessary, Part II of the Policy and Procedures Manual, which
covers process issues. 5.
Review
quarterly reports from the Client Assistance Program and make
commendations, as needed. 6.
Take
appropriate action based on recommendations of the sub-committee working on the issue of including people
who are deaf The
Vermont State Rehabilitation Council’s Transition Committee has among its
membership people who have contacts with other statewide organizations that
have a common goal of improving transition services for high school students.
This year, the Transition Committee has made a commitment to monitor
the progress in transition services for high school youth as a result of the
State’s ability to hire Transition VR Counselors.
Transition Counselors have enhanced VR services to students with
disabilities and have, ultimately, been able to increase the number of
services to students upon graduation. For
students who are in school, the counselors have been able to educate students,
teachers, and families about the services available after graduation, assist
with curriculum development, and provide consultation so that students are
better prepared for employment or post-secondary education. The
Committee has been able to develop linkages and network with various statewide
groups and organizations that work to improve transition services.
Through our Committee, we have been able to coordinate our efforts with
the Statewide Interdisciplinary Team, State Core Transition Team, and the
Green Mountain Self Advocates.
This
has been a year in which we have kept our focus on monitoring progress from
advocacy efforts of previous years to ensure that we are able to maintain the
progress we have made in improving transition services. Our goals for the upcoming year will be focused on this continued
effort. Work
Plan 2002 1.
Monitor
progress with transition services statewide by creating a presence at the
statewide counselor meetings. 2.
Respond
to requests for advocacy from statewide groups who work with youth and
transition issues. 3.
Advocate
within the State Legislature and Vermont Department of Developmental and
Mental Health Services for continued funding for employment services for
people with developmental disabilities. 4.
Review
the results of the VR Satisfaction and Needs Assessment surveys and make
recommendations to the Vermont Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and other
appropriate organizations. Rehabilitations
In the Transition Caseloads
Served
In the Transition Caseloads OVERVIEW: The
SRC Employment Trends Committee was charged to focus on exploring
work-from-home opportunities for VR customers throughout Vermont.
It was determined that many Vermonters with disabilities could benefit
from telecommuting options to address barriers of transportation, physical
mobility, child care and scheduling flexibility to name a few. ACTIVITIES: Julie
Noel has been exploring training and placement opportunities with National
Technical Commuting, Inc. (NTCI). The
total cost for equipment, training and placement is approximately $7,000.
There are currently no training slots, but 4 customers (one from each
of the regions) have been identified as candidates for this program.
It is hoped that when the next round of trainings is announced, these
individuals will have the opportunity to enter the program, thus giving us an
idea of the effectiveness and benefits of this telecommuting initiative. The
Committee has been closely involved with the IDX transcription training
program; to date, 10 individuals with disabilities have completed the training
and are currently working at home as medical transcriptionists.
These are high wage jobs with benefits.
As this report is written, the most recent training is being held in
the Rutland area and five VR customers are enrolled.
A future training in Burlington is scheduled for later this year. Pat
Nagy, a DET representative and member of the Employment Trends Committee, has
developed and marketed a new section of the DET website that features resumes
for persons interested in work-from-home opportunities.
This database can be easily accessed by area businesses, and it is
hoped that as the Committee continues efforts to expand telecommuting
employment in Vermont, this database will become a critical link between
employers and potential candidates. Another
project initiated by the Employment Trends Committee was a survey mailed to
businesses throughout Vermont exploring current telecommuting efforts,
attitudes toward telecommuting as an option for both small and large
employers, and questions focused on whether or not respondents would be
interested in developing telecommuting options for their workforce. The results of the survey indicated that many employers are
wary of telecommuting, and others are somewhat interested, yet do not feel
they have the resources to institute change. 2001/2002 GOALS The
Committee has determined that continuing to nurture telecommuting options is
to be the focus of the coming year’s efforts.
This year the focus will be on meeting with those businesses who are
already involved in telecommuting programs in an effort to gather the
resources necessary to provide interested businesses with options, guidance
and technical assistance. Initially,
the Committee will canvass the business communities throughout the state to
arrange for face to face meetings with those employers and employees already
involved in telecommuting, and to develop a “tool kit” based on the
information gleaned from these meetings.
Once the information has been gathered and prepared, an effort to
distribute this information to interested parties will proceed. It
is hoped that by addressing the concerns many businesses have regarding
telecommuting, the Committee will be able to nurture new initiatives. Placement
in the Telecommunications Field Another goal for the Committee for the upcoming year
is to recruit more businesses to join the SRC.
It has been clear for some time now that the SRC is lacking business
representation, a critical component of an effective SRC.
By bringing more businesses to the table, we hope to develop additional
strategies for increasing the employment of people with disabilities here in
Vermont. Vermont State Rehabilitation Council Members Ingrid Anderson Jim Moulton Dominick Bonura Susan Peck Beth Diedirich James Fleshman Ralph Gallo
Carol Leech
Matthew Roland
Karen Colgrove
Hugh Bradshaw, SRC Co-Chair
Lynette Over
Susan Powers
Michael Ferguson Lisa
Smedy
Ex Officio:
Diane Dalmasse Thomas A. Pombar Sharon
HenaultWork Plan 2002
Work Plan for 2002
1998 - 2001 Ages 16 - 22
1998 - 2001 Ages 16 - 22
NTCI
IDX TRANSCRIPTION PROGRAM
VERMONT DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING DATABASE
BUSINESS SURVEY
SRC RECRUITMENT
Committee:
Employment Trends
Community
West
Burke, VT
Committee:
Steering
Springfield,
VT
Committee:
Middlebury,
VT
Specific
Disability Groups Representative
North
Hero, VT
Committee:
Transition
Specific
Disability Groups Representative
Waterville,
VT
Committee:
Employment Trends
Business/Labor/Industry
Representative
Williston,
VT
Committee:
Employment Trends
Specific
Disability Group Representative
Rutland,
VT
Specific
Disability Groups Representative
White
River Junction, VT
Committees: Steering, Chair
Specific
Disability Group Representative
Plainfield,
VT
Committees:
Transition, Chair; Steering, Policy & Procedures
VR
Counselor Representative
Morrisville,
VT
Committee:
Employment Trends
St.
Albans, VT
Committee:
Policy & Procedures
Client
Assistance Program Representative
Burlington,
VT
Committees:
Employment Trends, Chair; Steering
Business/
Industry/ Labor Representative
Winooski,
VT
Committee:
Transition
Rutland,
VT
Committee:
Policy & Procedures, Employment Trends
St.
Albans, VT
Committee:
Transition
Montpelier,
VT
Committee: Transition
Barre, VT
Steering, Membership & Education
Waterbury,
VT
Rehabilitation
Services Coordinator, State Vocational Rehabilitation
Waterbury,
VT
Executive Coordinator
Island
Pond, VT
State
Rehabilitation Council Home Page
