~~DVR - DVR also works to address skills gaps through its relationships with other agencies, both public and private, that provide services to individuals with disabilities. DVR maintains cooperative agreements with public and private non-profit agencies such as programs that serve individuals with developmental disabilities, individuals with mental health and/or substance abuse disabilities, and community rehabilitation programs. (Page 26) Title I
The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) maintains relationships with other agencies, both public and private, that provide services to individuals with disabilities. DVR maintains cooperative agreements with public and private non—profit agencies such as programs that serve individuals with developmental disabilities, individuals with mental health and/or substance abuse disabilities, and community rehabilitation programs. Some of these agreements have been in effect for more than 20 years. The agreements provide for cooperation in key areas such as respective roles related to joint constituents, agency financial responsibilities including terms of reimbursement, liaison relationships to promote information flow, joint referral processes, and dispute resolution. DVR maintains ongoing relationships with several councils throughout the state that have missions related to individuals with disabilities including the State Council for Persons with Disabilities (SCPD), the Developmental Disabilities Council (DDC), the Governor’s Commission for Community Alternatives, the University of Delaware Center for Disability Studies, the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, and the Governor’s Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity (GCEEO). These councils address issues of common concern to the disability community. (Page 213) Title IV
DVR and DSAMH collaborate on the implementation of the Evidence—Based Supported Employment Project. The goal of the collaboration is for mental health services organizations to provide integrated mental health and supported employment services. The project uses a team approach to respond to the employment needs of individuals with the most significant mental health disabilities by creating a system of services and supports. Since 2012, the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health (DSAMH) has built its mental health services upon an ACT/ICM Team model. A Request for Proposal was published and new providers were secured, offering multiple teams in each County. Two existing providers also made the transition to the new model. The model was refined further in 2014, eliminating ICM Teams and assigning those individuals to ACT Teams. DVR and DSAMH are continuing to work with the new and continuing providers to develop integrated mental health and supported employment services using ACT team model, throughout the state. While the program has experienced some participation and outcome setbacks during the transition to the ACT team model, both DVR and DSAMH are committed to moving forward and engaging more individuals with significant mental illness in employment. Per the cooperative agreement, DSAMH provides extended services to youth and adults who have obtained employment through supported employment and have reached employment stabilization. (Page 226) Title IV
DVR continues to work with the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDDS) and the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health (DSAMH) to maintain good inter-agency relationships. DVR, DDDS and DSAMH have Memorandums of Understanding to address program integration, shared staff and employer training, customized employment, the overall shared serving of our mutual consumers and post-employment follow along services. The collaborative efforts with DDDS and DSAMH have enhanced integrated competitive employment and wrap around support services for persons with significant mental illness and cognitive disabilities statewide. (Page 231) Title IV
DVR is currently meeting semi-annually with all ACT team community partners, specifically front line workers and supervisors, DSAMH ACT management and DVR front line workers to share best competitive integrated employment practices and to apply consistency across providers and agencies. All new community partner employment specialists experience customized employment training via DVR. Quarterly meetings are held with community partners to review contractual employment responsibilities. Contracts with community partners have been modified to require all job ready consumers be registered with DOL one-stop Employment and Training JobLink web based career pathways focused case management system. (Page 232) Title IV
The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health (DSAMH) jointly administer an Evidence—Based Supported Employment Program to individuals with mental illness. This supported employment program has struggled since DE transitioned their services to an ACT model, however leadership at both agencies continue to see it as a priority, and effort has been focused on identifying and training the staff on the ACT teams to provide the supported employment supports. As staff is learning the new model of providing services, supported employment supports have been difficult for them to incorporate into other responsibilities and many staff members are not trained on providing employment supports. Due to this transition, DVR has developed an agreement with additional service providers to ensure job development, placement, and supports are provided to individuals with mental illness who qualify for supported employment services. The DVR and DSAMH have also collaborated efforts and funds to assist providers in hiring employment staff who will assist the ACT teams in doing job development and placement for individuals with mental health disabilities. The DVR Transition Coordinator provides technical assistance and administrative support for the supported employment program for individuals with DD/ID and the DVR Deputy Director oversees supported employment for individuals with mental health disabilities. (Page 251) Title IV
DVR leverages long—term extended services that are funded by the Division of Developmental Disabilities Services or, for transition students and youth with mental health disabilities, the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health. By leveraging the long—term supports through DDDS and DSAMH, DVR is able to expand supported employment services to youth with the most significant disabilities. DVR also uses Title I funds to supplement Title VI funds for supported employment. When extended services are not available through the support of DDDS or DSAMH, DVR will support extended services for a period not to exceed four (4) years. During the four years of DVR—supported extended services, alternate sources of extended services supports will be pursued, including the development of natural supports. (Page 251) Title IV
For adults with most—significant disabilities, DVR provides supported employment services for individuals who have developmental/cognitive disabilities and individuals who have mental illness. Adults with developmental/cognitive disabilities receive services from the same vendors as the youth participants. Adults with mental illness are served through the mental health ACT teams. DVR has liaison counselors who are present at the ACT team locations in order to coordinate services. (Page 262) Title IV
At least quarterly, representatives from the Division of Developmental Disabilities Services (DDDS) and the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health (DSAMH) meet with DVR program staff to address issues related to the smooth transition from DVR services to the extended services provided by the other divisions. (Page 263) Title IV
Individuals with the most significant mental health or cognitive disabilities who are identified as appropriate for supported employment services will have the following services available: 1. Assessment services to assist the individual in selecting an appropriate vocational goal consistent with the individual’s unique strengths, resources, interests, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities and informed choice. 2. Job development and job placement in an integrated work environment based on the results of the assessment. 3. Intensive job coaching services on—site and/or off—site to enable the individual to become stabilized in his or her employment. 4. Upon stabilization, DVR and the agency identified to provide extended services commence the transition to extended services. DVR will be the lead service provider, facilitating communication with the individual, the employer, and the extended service provider for a minimum of 90 days following stabilization. 5. The individual will be eligible for post—employment services for those services unavailable through the extended service provider for a time period not to exceed four (4) years. (Pages 264-265) Title IV
The Division for the Visually Impaired (DVI) has Memorandum of Understanding agreements with the Division for Developmental Disabilities Services (DDDS), the Department of Education (DOE), the Department of Labor’s Vocational Rehabilitation Division (DOL DVR) and with for the Department of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (DSAMH) to provide wrap around Supported Employment and coordinate extended services for folks with most significant disabilities in DVI. Specific supported employment vocational rehabilitation services best practices are provided as per the Dartmouth Psychiatric Research Center Evidence Based Supported Employment model. (Page 285) Title IV
Individuals with mental health support needs receive similar services through a different, comprehensive Medicaid authority: 1115 waiver entitled PROMISE through the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health; this program offers an array of services such as career exploration, on the job supports, transportation, personal care, orientation and mobility training, assistive technology, and other services to help individuals gain and maintain employment based on their specific needs and tailored to their interests; stretch limited State dollars by partnering with the federal government, increasing individual independence, and strengthening the State’s workforce; and, provide a strong foundation for Delaware’s ongoing efforts to ensure that transition aged individuals with disabilities have a clear path to employment. DVI actively partners and consults with DSAMH on the implementation of the PROMISE program to ensure that individuals with visual impairments, including mental health disabilities, are provided with employment services to the greatest extent available. (Page 289) Title IV