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WRC Meeting Minutes
January 15, 2009
Madison, Wisconsin
Present: Ben Anderson, Rob Buettner, Jim Dobrinska, Charlene Dwyer, Steven Gilles, Jodi Hanna, Alvin Hill, Ron Jansen, Vivian Larkin, Peter Lucas, Bill Malone, Ashley Marshall, Al Noll (for John Lui), Roxan Perez, Cindi Pichler, Carol Schaufel, Dan Sippl, Linda Vegoe Absent: Jill Gonzalez, Ken Kluever, Gail Kolvenbach, Patricia Lerch, John Lui, Laura Owens, Dee Truhn
Resource Staff/Guests: Patricia Severt, Vince Holmes, William Parke-Sutherland, Manuel Lugo, Leslie Mirkin, Kathleen Enders
Interpreters: Carol Goeldner, Amy Schroeder
Recorder: Kristin Rolling
Call to Order
Linda Vegoe, Chair, called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.
Roll Call
Introductions
Announcements
None.
Review of Minutes
Anderson/Perez moved/seconded to approve the minutes of the October 16, 2008 meeting.
Motion carried.
Old Business
None.
New Business
None.
Updates
DPI - Steve Gilles
The Statewide Transition Conference will feature a track for youth for the first time.
NRA – Charlene Dwyer
Beverlee Stafford is the new NRA Executive Director
ILC-W – William Parke-Sutherland
Starting the process of collecting input for the State Plan for Independent Living. A schedule of hearings will be shared with the WRC when it’s finalized.
Charlene Dwyer and Mike Bachuber will present at NCIL in February about how DVR and ILCW work together to develop the SPIL
Agenda Item: Committee Reports
Evaluation
Rob Buettner reported. The committee is in the process of deciphering the results of the DVR Vendor Survey
Reports
Ashley Marshall reported. The WRC Annual Report for FFY 08 is complete and has been sent to the Governor and RSA.
The pre-printed version will be ready in the spring.
Executive Committee
Linda Vegoe reported. Recommendations for appointment to this council should be given to Pat Severt
Agenda Item: State of the Department DWD Secretary Roberta Gassman
- WI is feeling the effects of the global economic crisis.
- Strict limits have been placed on travel and hiring.
- Wisconsin Congressman Dave Obey is involved in writing the economic stimulus package.
- Governor Doyle has supported DVR GPR increases in his last two budgets. Earnings vs. service costs are a good investment for WI.
- People with disabilities can fill high skill jobs and help drive the economy.
- Thanked the WRC for their role in improving W-2 service delivery for participants with disabilities.
Agenda Item: Due Process and WRC’s Role Royce Bolin – DVR Impartial Hearing Officer
- Prior to 1989, client appeals were heard by DVR.
- The regulations then changed to an impartial hearing process.
- DVR currently has 6 IHO’s.
- Review of the IHO process:
- Three options for consumers – informal review, mediation (not binding) and a formal appeal.
If a consumer chooses a formal appeal:
- Pre-hearing conference to determine the issues
- 5 days prior to the hearing, all parties share their exhibit and witness list
- Many times, an agreement is reached at the pre-hearing stage
- Impartial hearing is scheduled if an agreement is not reached
- After the hearing, the IHO has 30 days to issue their decision
WRC Member Question - Why would a consumer pursue an appeal?
Answer – Due process is the avenue that is offered to consumers if they disagree with a decision made by DVR
WRC Member Question – What are a consumer’s options if they don’t agree with an IHO decision?
Answer – Consumers can pursue their grievance using the court process
WRC Member Question – Can a consumer represent themselves in an appeal or are their organizations that represent them?
Answer – A consumer can represent themselves, hire an attorney, a family member or friend or request a representative from the Client Assistance Program or Disability Rights Wisconsin.
Agenda Item: State of WDA 10 Leslie Mirkin, WDA 10 Director
Commitment:
- To provide DVR consumers with services related to and resulting in employment.
- To reduce expenditures to enable more people to be activated from the DVR OOS waiting list.
- To provide DVR staff the necessary supports so they can provided needed services to consumers
Challenges:
- To provide employment-related services to consumers who sometimes seem more interested in deliverables.
- To coach staff to understand and explain DVR policy so consumers understand; and receive services consistent with the Rehab Act.
- To find employment opportunities for individuals during these challenging economic times.
- To counsel consumers and staff to work together in partnership to reach goals
Areas Served:
- Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Jefferson, Marquette, Sauk Counties
WDA 10 organization:
- 1 Director
- 1 VR-Supervisor + temporary assistance of a second VR-Supervisor to assist with coverage coordination of 3 VRC vacancies of 4 VRCs in Sauk and Columbia Counties; and clinical supervision of 6 VRCs-in-training in WDA 10
- 25 VRC’s – 2 on medical leave; 1 on military leave; 2 vacant
- 10 CCC’s – 1 vacant; 1 CCC announced retirement on 1/12/09
- 5 teams – 5 VRCs and 2 CCC each
Statistical data:
|
Measure |
FFY 08 |
YTD |
|
Successful closures goal |
441 |
523 |
|
Successful closures achieved |
532 |
168 |
|
% of goal achieved |
120.6% |
32.1% |
|
Rehab Rate |
43.6% |
51.5% |
|
Total cost of successes |
$4,276,503 |
$1,264,408 |
|
Average cost of successes |
$7609 |
$7526 |
|
Average Hours worked |
27.28 hrs/week |
27.00 hrs/week |
|
Average Hourly wage |
$11.45 |
$10.99 |
|
Cost benefit |
200% |
200% |
|
Eligibility timeliness |
92.0% |
98.3% |
|
IPE dev timeliness |
91.3% |
91.3% |
|
SSA reimbursements |
$150,000 |
Approx $33,921 |
|
Total cases with IPE |
2,215 (26 VRCs) |
2,059 (25 VRCs) |
|
Average caseloads w/ IPE |
85.2 |
82.5 |
Current projects being developed:
- MOU with Department of Corrections – referrals to DVR of inmates upon release.
- MOU with Department of Health Services, Dane County, and several private non-profit agencies – Blended funding.
- WDA 10’s Adjustment to Disability group.
- Office relocations – Dane and Sauk County.
- Video Conferencing.
- HR – position fills.
Outreach to partners:
- Counselors mentor graduate students from UW-Madison Rehab Psych Dept.
- DVR Staff represents the DCJC as a SHRM member • Host interns from China, Taiwan, and Japan.
- Participate in Job Center inter-agency trainings and orientations.
Director is a member of:
- UW-Madison RCE Advisory committee
- AmeriCorp Disability Inclusion Advisory Committee
- Mental Health Council
- Workforce Development Board
- MFTCSW Examining Board
Staff presentations to:
- UW student classes
- Local provider agencies and support groups
- Local School Districts and State Agencies
Agenda Item: DVR Administrative Report Charlene Dwyer, DVR Administrator Manuel Lugo, DVR Deputy Administrator
- The updated DVR State Plan is due July 1, 2009; it is effective for FFY10, beginning October 1, 2009
- Public hearings will be held jointly with the WRC on April 1, 2009 – 1 hearing will be held at the RFW conference site in Kohler and 1 at the Public Library in Madison.
- The DVR State Plan is used as a strategic planning document in addition to providing compliance measures and assurances required by RSA.
- The Governor will release his budget proposal on February 10th.
- He could request a GPR increase for DVR to capture Wisconsin’s full federal allocation for DVR.
- The Council of State Administrator’s of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR) is requesting $500 million to be added as part of the federal recovery Act package and that these funds not require a state match.
- Federal Fiscal Year 2008 Accomplishments..
- 3641 successful rehabilitations, 115% of goal.
- There is a 220% return on taxpayer invest in VR.
- With the DVR/DPI/DHS agreement is in place. DVR will track data for transition students and examine trends.
- A pilot of the new DVR/DFS W-2 agreement is in place in Milwaukee and a document has been developed to guide the coordination of services between agencies.
- Updated consumer information folders were developed and distributed statewide. The information focuses on DVR as an employment program..
- Centralized scanning has been implemented to remove that workload from field staff and to improve consistency of casefile document storage.
- Comprehensive staff training has been rolled out. It focuses on VR job demands and expectations and is regionally specific. The training utilizes a competency checklist to measure outcomes.
- DVR will help consumers make more informed choices about employment goals by focusing on careers and sectors that are experiencing growth.
- DVR will be purchasing videoconferencing equipment to reduce travel expenses. Both staff and consumers will benefit form the expanded videoconferencing capacity.
- DVR is seeing a pattern of decreased case aids expenditures. The
pattern is attributed to:
- Lower caseloads resulting in lower expenditures due to the Order of Selection.
- Training field staff on “deliberate practice” decision making; if spending trends continue DVR will be in a position to increase the number of people who are invited from the waiting list each month.
- DVR continues to be involved in projects related to the Medicaid
Infrastructure Grant at DHS.
- $9.9 million grant.
- 36 projects, 25 of them focus on increasing employment opportunities for people with disabilities
WRC Member Question (comprehensive staff training) – Is the competency checklist related to the CRC competency checklist?
Answer – Yes
WRC Member Question – How many wait listed applicants decline services when they are invited off of the waiting list?
Answer – About 75% of invitations result in the development of an employment plan.
Agenda Item: Public Comment None
Anderson/Buettner moved/seconded to adjourn. Motion carried.
Meeting adjourned at 4:15 p.m.