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WRC Meeting Minutes
May 3, 2012
Green Lake, Wisconsin
Present: Ben Anderson, Cayte Anderson, Rob Buettner, Jim Dobrinksa, Stephanie Drum, Julie Ferchoff, Mike Greco, Jodi Hanna, Alvin Hill, Ron Jansen, Patricia Lerch, Kristin Stern, Linda Vegoe, Matthew Zellmer
Absent: Wendi Dawson, Steve Gilles, Monica Kamal, Tina Koehn, John Lui, Roxan Perez
Resource Staff/Guests: William Parke-Sutherland, JoAnna Richard, Craig Wehner
Recorder: Kristin Rolling
Call to Order
Linda Vegoe, Chair, called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.
Roll Call
Announcements
DVR would like to create an award in memory of former WRC member Bruce Borden. The award will be given annually to an individual who has provided exceptional leadership and advocacy in disability and employment issues.
B. Anderson/C. Anderson moved/seconded to establish the Bruce Borden Memorial Award.
Minutes
B. Anderson/A. Hill moved/seconded to approve minutes with one correction.
Approved.
Old Business
None.
New Business
The Wisconsin Family Assistance Center for Education, Training and Support (FACETS) is currently offering a training for youth in transition called "Getting and Keeping the First Job." WRC member Matthew Zellmer is the trainer.
Updates
National Rehabilitation Association – Cayte Anderson
- The NRA national conference will be held in Chicago, August 24th and 25th.
National Coalition of State Rehabilitation Councils – Linda Vegoe
- At the spring meeting in April, state rehabilitation council chairs joined vocational rehabilitation administrators to visit their states’ Congressional delegation about VR services. The Wisconsin information was localized for each legislator and had a big impact on them.
Independent Living Council - Wisconsin – Ron Jansen and William Parke-Sutherland
- As the council has developed, members have become increasingly involved in advocacy and policy.
Wisconsin Disability Benefits Network – Stephanie Drum
- Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) funding will end June 30th.
Agenda Item: Workforce Development Area 4
Craig Wehner, WDA 4 Director
WRC Member Question: Are people with disabilities being hired in state government?
Answer: Yes, through DVR’s state internship on the job training initiative, DVR consumers can interview for state jobs, anticipating that the internship could result in full-time, permanent state employment.
WRC Member Question: Do your local offices have enough staff?
Answer: There are currently two vocational rehabilitation counselor vacancies, but they have been approved to be hired. When those are filled, the WDA will be staffed at 100%. Three VRCs will be retiring soon and five of the staff in the WDA have been there less than six months.
WRC Member Question: What are the greatest barriers to IPE development?
Answer:
- Providing the type of staff education and support that allows them to take risks.
- Service provider capacity and waiting lists in other agencies.
- Allowing enough time for guidance and counseling to assist consumers in determining their job goal.
WRC Member Question: How does DVR work with consumers who are also involved with Worker’s Compensation?
Answer: Each case is very individualized so we work cooperatively with WC in each individual case to assist the consumer.
WRC Member Question: Are your staff involved in local chambers or Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) chapters?
Answer: Local teams are discussing how to build those relationships.
WRC Member Comment: It’s important to be a member of those groups for relationship building, not just as an occasional presenter.
WRC Member Question: Does DVR track long-term success in employment for consumers?
Answer: No. After a placement, DVR tracks the case for 90 days before closing it successfully. Cases in Supported Employment are tracked for a longer period of time. DVR consumers can receive post-employment services when needed and appropriate.
Agenda Item: WRC Elections
- Chair: Linda Vegoe
- Vice-Chair: Jim Dobrinska
- Secretary/Treasurer: Rob Buettner
Agenda Item: DVR Reports
Mike Greco, Acting DVR Administrator
Agenda Item: Order of Selection (OOS)
JoAnna Richard, DVR Deputy Administrator
After a lively discussion, the following motion (B. Anderson/J. Ferchoff moved/seconded) was approved (one abstention):
- Virtual Exercise #2 will be used in the DVR State Plan unless significant public comment indicates that a different Virtual Exercise should be used.
Agenda Item: DVR State Plan – Attachment 4.2 (c)
Joanna Richard, DVR Deputy Administrator
- State Plan Presentation (Slides 1-13)
Agenda Item: State Plan Discussion
Linda Vegoe, WRC Chair
- State Plan Discussion (Slides 14-29)
Recommendation #1: Maintain recommendation
Recommendation #2: Maintain recommendation
Recommendation #3: Amend recommendation to include local staff joining employer groups in their WDA’s.
Recommendation #4: Maintain recommendation
Recommendation #5: Amend to include WRC monitoring of the implementation of the new Order of Selection process and request quarterly reports from DVR on OOS status.
Recommendation #6: Amend to include information about strategies to serve underserved group and the activity related to the new DVR online application.
New Recommendation: The WRC recommends that DVR pursue options to secure confidential office space for vocational rehabilitation counselors. The WRC believes that confidential office space is a critical component in developing the consumer/counselor relationship and offers DVR consumers the necessary privacy to discuss disability and health issues with their DVR counselor openly and honestly. Confidential office space is also critical for DVR counselors who have ethical obligations to maintain the confidentiality of DVR consumer information.
Agenda Item: Public Hearing
None.
R. Buettner/B. Anderson motion/second to adjourn.
Meeting adjourned at 4:00 p.m.