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WRC Meeting Minutes

January 25, 2007
Madison, Wisconsin

Call to Order: Linda Vegoe, Chair, called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.

Present: Ben Anderson, Rob Buettner, Jeff Erlanger, Peter Lucas, John Lui, Bill Malone, Roxan Perez, Cindi Pichler, Carol Schaufel, Dan Sippl, Linda Vegoe, Jim Dobrinska Absent: Jodi Hanna, Steve Gilles, Ken Kluever, Gail Kolvenbach, Laura Owens, Dee Truhn Resource staff/guests: Allison Gordon, Patricia Severt, Heidi Hammes, Janice Peters, Linda Raap, Deb Henderson-Guenther, Glenn Olsen, Sandra Berndt Interpreters: Jill Kenehan-Krey, Brenda Prudhom Recorder: Kristin Rolling

Introductions

Announcements

None.

Review of Minutes

One typographical error noted. Anderson/Perez moved/seconded to approve the minutes with the correction. Motion carried.

Old Business

Questions – Any updates to Making Work Pay? Linda Vegoe reported that there are no updates since the October 2006 WRC meeting.

New Business

Pat Severt indicated that she had given everyone a list of the WRC committees, along with a list of WRC Target Issues. For the benefit of new members who have not selected a committee, the committee chairs provided an overview of the role of each committee:

• Evaluation – Evaluates the performance of DVR.
• Reports – Produces the WRC annual report and works with DVR to develop the State Plan.
• Executive – Elected officers and chairs of the other committees.
• IHO subcommittee – Reviews the decisions of the impartial hearings officers

Deb Henderson-Guenther provided an overview of the IHO process – An IHO provides an impartial decision based on the information presented by DVR and by the consumer and/or their representative

Agenda Item: DWD W-2 Policy Updates

Information presented by Janice Peters, Bureau Director for Wisconsin Works, and Heidi Hammes, DWD/W-2 Policy Analyst.

General information about W-2:

• DWD’s Division of Workforce Solutions doesn’t provide direct service – 4-year contracts are awarded to counties, not-for profit agencies and for-profit companies. There are currently 51 contracts around the state.
• Contracts have three budget areas – administration, services and benefits.
• Federal law requires strict work participation rates – there are financial penalties if they are not met.
• Eighty percent of the W-2 caseload is in Milwaukee County

History of assessments for people facing multiple barriers to employment:

• By 2000, there was drastic decrease in the W-2 caseload size. Those still on the caseload had multiple barriers to employment.
• Screening and assessment was considered to identify and address those barriers.
• A workgroup agreed on the barriers that were most important to look at.
• Many of the barriers aren’t always self-identified and are hidden.
• The Barriers Screening Tool looks at functional limitations at home and at work.
• Some areas are domestic violence, learning disabilities, AODA, mental health, trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder.
• The assessment tool is optional but is offered to all applicants. It can be offered at any time.
• If barriers are identified, the applicant is sent for a professional assessment. The assessment is used to develop an employability plan that includes accommodations, etc.
• About 50% of applicants complete the assessment tool.
• There are drastic differences from case worker to case worker in terms of how many people choose to complete the assessment.
• Those who complete the assessment are more likely to receive services.
• The next phase of development will broaden the assessment to include a strengths assessment and will look at the person as a whole, rather than just their limitations and barriers

Discussion

Linda Vegoe suggested a DVR/DWS memorandum of understanding that would allow DVR counselors and W-2 staff share information about common customers, as well as DVR counselors with a W-2 specialty area who thoroughly understand W-2.

Suggestion that W-2 staff work directly with UW-Stout for training related to disability issues.

Janice – W-2/VR interplay is a national issue and one that requires more statewideness in terms of relationships between the two agencies.

The DWS workplan for 2007 will address how to better serve participants with multiple barriers to employment and DVR will be a part of that discussion.

Agenda Item: Disability Navigator Updates (Glenn Olsen)

Navigators help people with disabilities navigate the many programs they interact with. Their primary role is systems change.

There are 15 in Wisconsin. One in each of the 11 WDA’s; 1 who works with TANF (Milwaukee); 1 who works with Native Americans on reservations; 1 who works with Native Americans living off reservation in the Milwaukee area; 1 who works with the South East Asian population in the Wausau/Rhinelander area.

Funding for the program in Wisconsin will run out in June 2007.

The project was the only one that passed the Program Assessment Rating Tool and was not funded.

Five funding scenarios have been identified:

1. Funding runs out.
2. Budget is not passed and the program continues as is.
3. Congress puts the funding back in the budget.
4. Approach other agencies for funding.
5. Roll the program into the Making Work Pay demonstration project.

Anderson/Lui moved/seconded a motion for the WRC Executive Committee will write letters to elected official and the DWD Secretary in support of the Navigator Program and in support of reinstating the funding for the Workforce Investment Grants. Motion carried.

Agenda Item: Committee Reports

Evaluation – Rob Buettner

Working on surveys to groups:

1. Counselors – may expand to include all DVR staff; Select Survey may be available.
2. Vendors – DVR is already addressing some of the WRC concerns.
3. Consumers – may take over the survey that is currently being done by DVR.

Reports – Roxan Perez

• Annual Report has been completed.
• Group will be working on the State Plan next.

Agenda Item: DVR Reports – Report on Deaf and Hard of Hearing (Vince Holmes)

• Using deaf or hard of hearing as the primary code or using it as the secondary code changes the numbers of consumers who are looked at.
• Code usage can be subjective.
• Linda Vegoe provided the CAP perspective on coding – the current system is judgmental and doesn’t take into account everything that may be going on in the person’s life.
• Discussion of the subjective nature of coding and that training has not been provided to staff

Pichler/Anderson moved/seconded that DVR staff should be provided with training on codes to improve consistency and to allow the WRC access to accurate data.

Agenda Item: DVR Reports – Policy Analysts and Their Duties (Linda Raap and Allison Gordon)

• Allison will handle the memorandum of understanding with DPI.
• Linda will handle the DVR training grant and IHO process.
• Both will handle staff training (developing and delivering), answering staff questions, policy academy and writing guidance pieces.

Agenda Item: Disability Summit, NRA Updates (John Lui)

Disability Summit 2006

• Sponsored by ILC and the Governor’s Committee for People with Disabilities,
• The goal was to work with all councils to identify common issues and goals..
• The group will meet again as a follow up to address how councils can work together.
• Some issues with the summit – can’t agree on the issues to work together on; not all groups feel that the statutory councils represent their interests

NRA

• John shares the reports he gets from NRA. He encouraged everyone to learn about national issues and to advocate.
• Linda Vegoe asked John Lui to investigate the NRA position on Navigator funding.

Agenda Item: DPI Update (Sandra Berndt)

The DVR/DPI memorandum of understanding is being updated to reflect changes in IDEA regulations.

• Performance indicators that look at the percentage of youth who have an IEP that will help them achieve post-secondary goals and the percentage of students who have achieved post-secondary goals.

Discussion of bringing DHFS into the discussion reading transition::

• Most referrals for supported employment come from high schools.
• DVR/DPI cooperation won’t be effective without DHFS commitment.
• Language to encourage informed choice and independence, not just supported employment, is needed.

Agenda Item: CSAVR Fall Conference (Linda Vegoe)

• RCEP developed a training CD for SRC members.
• SRC’s are at different stages of development – WRC is ahead in terms of state plan involvement.
• The business network is encouraging state to state coordination between VR agencies and large multi-state corporations.

Agenda Item: Public Comment

Pat Severt reported that she received a phone call from a consumer who expressed concerns about transportation in Kenosha County.

• An agency in Kenosha County fixes old cars and provides them at low-cost.
• W-2 funding may be a possibility.
• The policy academy will be releasing a guidance piece on transportation.

Linda Vegoe reported that the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) has concerns that the needs of people with hearing loss are not being met. Some organizations assume that interpreters serve both deaf and hearing loss. HLAA wants to increase the access to CART (Computer Assisted Real Time) Captioning.

• Suggestion that we include a demonstration of CART at a future meeting..
• CART is also effective for visual learners and those with problems with concentration.

Malone/Perez moved/seconded to adjourn. Motion carried.

Meeting adjourned at 3:50 p.m.