Kentucky

The agency does accept this input and will briefly define this item. 

The SRC recommended that the agency be more specific when it comes to what other agencies will assist with education on and provision of supported employment services. The agency does accept this input and will add “and other agencies” after the Arc of Kentucky because we need to utilize more resources for education and funding of Supported Employment services, such as the Kentucky Association of Supporting Employment First (KYAPSE), the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities (BHDDID), the Kentucky Rehabilitation Association (KRA), UK Human Development Institute, EKU Center of Excellence, most of the Comprehensive Care Centers in the state, and many Supported Employment providers. (Page 191)

5. The Supported Employment Branch works closely with Kentucky APSE (Association of People Supporting Employment First) and its committees, and the 874K Coalition (a statewide Disability Advocacy Group) in a unified effort to secure additional state dollars for supported employment extended services.

6. The Supported Employment Branch has been active in the development/improvement of Kentucky’s Medicaid Waivers to create workable systems for coordinating supported employment services for eligible participants. Expansion of the supports for Community Living Waiver (Kentucky’s Medicaid Waivers for individuals with Developmental Disabilities) and the Michelle P Waiver has resulted in increased referrals to OVR for supported employment services for mutually eligible participants. The self–determination and Participant Directed Services within Medicaid hold much promise for supported employment funding for extended services. A new Medicaid Waiver containing better service definitions and fee structures to support and fund supported employment services rolled out in 2014.

7. The Supported Employment Branch works cooperatively with the Arc of Kentucky, among other groups, such as the Kentucky Association of Supporting Employment First (KYAPSE), the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities (BHDDID), the Kentucky Rehabilitation Association (KRA), UK Human Development Institute, EKU Center of Excellence, most of the Comprehensive Care Centers in the state, and many Supported Employment providers, to educate families about supported employment and enlist their assistance in impacting additional funds for supported employment. ( Page 206-207)

The Office will seek to expand services to not served and underserved counties as well as not served and underserved disability groups, including youth with the most significant disabilities and will encourage continuous improvement in supported employment by monitoring the state fiscal climate for opportunities to partner with KY APSE (Association for Persons in Supporting Employment First) to advocate for increased state funding for extended support services, maximizing the existing dollars for extended support services through collaborative agreements and contracts, increasing knowledge of Kentucky’s plan for self–determination strategies, especially within the Medicaid Waiver (Supports for Community Living, Michelle P) programs, continuing partnerships with local Community Mental Health Centers, recruiting new Providers, providing training and technical assistance to new supported employment agencies, and providing consultation and technical assistance to OVR staff and Providers as needed, researching better ways to fund and/or deliver services. For example, an enhanced fee for Vocational Profile development has been developed, piloting and expansion of new programs through establishment projects, and training providers in the use of strategies for individualized services such as customized employment and systematic instruction. (Page 249)

The Kentucky Business Leadership Network, which is affiliated with the U. S. Business Leadership Network, is to promote enduring partnerships between business and industry and agencies that provide vocational support services for Kentuckians with disabilities (currently inactive but plans are place to reestablish the network). 

Community rehabilitation providers in the provision of employment services. 

Kentucky Association of Persons in Supporting Employment first whose mission is to “promote the improvement of Supported Employment services for persons with significant disabilities experiencing barriers to employment through education, advocacy, collaboration, policy change, elimination of barriers, empowerment and community participation”. OFB has a staff person serving on the State APSE board.

• Department of Medicaid Services
• Department of Community Based Services–Public Assistance Programs (Page 293)

State Conferences attended were: the State Association of Persons Supporting Employment first Conference in February, Governors EEO Conference in November, Eye Opening Symposium in October, Assistive Technology staff attended the University of Kentucky 12th Annual Institute in Assistive Technology in July (sponsored by the State programs under section 4 of the Assistive Technology Act of 1998 KATS) and Independent Living and Older Blind Counselors attended the University of Kentucky Annual Summer Series on Aging in June, Kentucky Association of Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (KAER) in March, Kentucky AHEAD in May, the Kentucky Career Center Youth Summit, the Kentucky Career Center Employer Conference and Kentucky Rehabilitation Association Conference in Louisville in September. (Page 325-325)

(A)Study Findings Service Needs and Gaps Based on a thorough review of findings across the survey, interview, and agency data, the following service needs were identified for individuals with disabilities, including those with most significant disabilities. These are Job placement services (including supported employment and customized employment), Health care, including medical and mental health treatment, Benefits and financial planning, Supportive or ancillary services (e.g., transportation, housing),Long–term supports, and Transition services for students and youth/young adults. Comments from key informants who provide services within, or interface with, Kentucky’s medical and mental health systems, may serve to clarify the findings related to health care needs. The broad areas of concern related to the limited capacity of our healthcare system, geographic gaps, saturation of providers accepting particular types of insurance and high cost of co–pays making care unaffordable for some people. While the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and resulting expanded number of Kentuckians with insurance coverage has improved the access to medication for many, informants noted that some serious needs still exist and likely will continue to exist because of a lack of capacity to provide care to those who need it. Particularly in more rural areas, respondents noted that some people must travel great lengths to find physical and mental health providers; others do not have access to transportation and thus are not able to receive sufficient care. Another issue identified by informants is related to the saturation of providers because finding treatment for individuals on Medicaid is difficult as providers have capped the number of patients that they will accept. Finally, while more residents have health insurance, copays are often not affordable and thus individuals still do not seek out treatment because of financial strain. Supported Employment and capacity of CRP providers is another major focus of the needs assessment. To this end, an interesting finding was that several OVR districts appear to have limited options when it comes to CRP providers. Four districts (Elizabethtown, Madisonville, West Liberty, and Whitesburg) (Page 228)

The Office will seek to expand services to not served and underserved counties as well as not served and underserved disability groups, including youth with the most significant disabilities and will encourage continuous improvement in supported employment by monitoring the state fiscal climate for opportunities to partner with KY APSE (Association for Persons in Supporting Employment First) to advocate for increased state funding for extended support services, maximizing the existing dollars for extended support services through collaborative agreements and contracts, increasing knowledge of Kentucky’s plan for self–determination strategies, especially within the Medicaid Waiver (Supports for Community Living, Michelle P) programs, continuing partnerships with local Community Mental Health Centers, recruiting new Providers, providing training and technical assistance to new supported employment agencies, and providing consultation and technical assistance to OVR staff and Providers as needed, researching better ways to fund and/or deliver services. For example, an enhanced fee for Vocational Profile development has been developed, piloting and expansion of new programs through establishment projects, and training providers in the use of strategies for individualized services such as customized employment and systematic instruction. (Page 249)

Needs/Concerns 

• Increasing the types of available jobs through customized employment and job development
• Transportation options for underserved counties of Kentucky
• Vocational case management to address home, family and personal issues
• Availability of assistive technology that responds to the changing needs of today’s information based workplace
• Assessment for the need for benefits counseling and/or personal finance management
• Increased need for work based learning or community based work experience 

Recommendations/Strategies 

• Increase agency capacity to provide job placement services through establishment grants for Community Rehabilitation Providers (CRPs) to offer customized employment services, job coaching, job development, and transition age work experiences. (Page 331)

No specific disability related information found.

No specific disability related information found.

Project CASE is a collaborative effort between state vocational rehabilitation agencies, adult education, secondary and post–secondary education, career centers, employers and other partners to demonstrate how career pathways can help individuals with disabilities acquire the marketable skills and attain recognized credentials that lead to employment in high–demand occupations. In Kentucky, two pilot projects are planned in the Metro Louisville and Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program (EKCEP) regions; these will engage seven and 23 counties respectively. (Page 64)

Workforce Preparation 

KYAE has recently completed hosting train-the-trainer events and has provided an online curricular resource to all programs in order to enhance their contextualized workforce preparation services.

The initiative initially started with an employability skills pilot in which participating program staff were trained to contextualize standards-based, academic instruction with employability skills that had been vetted through focus groups, including an employer focus group.

The recently introduced online curricular resource represents a partnership investment by KYAE and DWI of WIA Workforce Incentive Funds, renewing a contract for Worldwide Interactive Network’s (WIN) online curricula courseware. The product not only provides WorkKeys/NCRC preparation, but “soft” skills (essential) and CCRS-based curricula tracks. Along with the administration of badge-supported curricula and assessments, the essential skills track concludes with a Kentucky Essential Skills Certificate (KESC). Additionally, this online courseware is available to other state agencies with the exception of K-12 - where school districts may avail themselves to alternate courseware licenses. (Page 169)

2. The Division of Behavioral Health (DBH) and OVR partnered together, and in 2010, Kentucky became the 12th state to participate in the Dartmouth College, Johnson and Johnson, Supported Employment Initiative to demonstrate the effectiveness of the IPS model for supported employment (Individualized Placement and Support, an Evidence–Based Practice). The first local pilot projects were launched prior to the close of 2010. Through the Dartmouth Project, a new SE funding partner was added when the Greater Cincinnati Health Foundation provided funding for 2 of the local pilots in Northern KY. IPS Supported Employment now includes all 14 Kentucky Community Mental Health Centers. In FY 2016 the partnership with Behavioral Health continues with the addition of 5 IPS sites outside of the Community Mental Health Centers and 2 sites serving those with substance abuse. (Page 206)

10. The Supported Employment Branch staff participates frequently in IEP and Transition Planning meeting for individuals, and in broader scope with Special Education planning units throughout the commonwealth to develop supported employment services for students exiting schools. Again, additional dollars will be needed for extended services in order to adequately serve the students. A pilot project began in 2010 to demonstrate the effectiveness of Supported Employment/Community Rehabilitation Programs agencies working together with Post–Secondary Education programs to include people with developmental disabilities in classes and other college campus activities. This program has now become permanent and has 3 Comprehensive Transition Programs (Page 207)

(3) Beginning in 2010, OVR has partnered with the Division of Behavioral Health (DBH) to implement the Individual Placement Service (IPS) Model, an evidenced based practice in Supported Employment for consumers with severe mental illness. The program started with four pilots and has grown to include all 14 Comprehensive Mental Health Centers (CMHC). In 2015, DBH provided OVR with $250,000 to issue a Request for Proposals to select five pilot sites to implement IPS outside of the CMHCs. It provided an additional $100,000 to implement IPS for consumers with Substance Abuse.

OVR serves on numerous councils that also have representation from the Department for Medicaid Services, DIDD and DBH, including the Commonwealth Council for Developmental Disabilities (Page 212-213)

Skills Enhancement Training (SET) process the new employees receive an overview of the agency mission, philosophy, values, federal and state laws, appropriations, budget and planning, eligibility, assessment, vocational goal development, plan development, pre–employment transition services, confidentiality and ethics, services, supported employment, rehabilitation technology, diversity, disability awareness, Social Security Administration (SSA), Ticket to Work, Workforce Investment Opportunities Act (WIOA), common measures and information, personal care attendants and topics on specific disabilities. Training programs for all staff emphasize informed consumer choice and maximizing consumer direction of individualized rehabilitation plans. In prior years particular importance was placed upon the 1998 Amendments, but the content has now changed to reflect the passage of WIOA. Information regarding to current research is disseminated to all staff via formal training opportunities as well as through other technological resources such as the Internet and email. The agency has a dedicated website for training information delivery to all employees which includes a portal to information on the agency, required trainings for employees, a training calendar and announcements regarding upcoming training initiatives. The agency also encourages staff to utilize the webinars offered through other entities both within and outside of state government. The information for registration and participation is disseminated via email to all staff. One partner in this endeavor is the Human Development Institute (HDI) from the University of Kentucky. In addition to our work with HDI on the Supported Employment Training Project the employees also utilize the webinar series topics offered by them during a spring, summer and fall training program on topics related to the rehabilitation field and specific disabilities. The rehabilitation counselor mentor program was implemented in June 2002 with pilot programs in six districts. There are currently 27 counselors that have been through the training program that serve as mentors in 10 out of 15 districts. Annual recruitment is conducted to increase the number of available mentors and annual training is implemented to assure that they are prepared for their role. Beyond the formal annual training there are other training opportunities provided to continually develop their skills in the program to assure that the needs of the new employees are being addressed. This is also an opportunity to keep them aware of current policies and laws that impact the agency and their work with the employees. College and university level classes have been an integral element in staff career development. The agency has strongly encouraged continuing education to meet CSPD standards and in the past has provided tuition assistance for staff to pursue degrees at the master level. The program is currently suspended due to the loss of the In–Service Training Grants as well as budgetary constraints within the state. The agency will continue to encourage employees to utilize the CSPD grants at the universities to help them achieve their academic goals in rehabilitation. As appropriate the agency will continue to support employee advancement through reclassifications within state government. Instances include academic achievement leading to skill and knowledge increase directly related to their job that will allow them to assume additional duties to reflect their increased skills and expertise. The agency continues to see the retirement of agency leaders and is cognizant of the need for leadership succession. The agency has utilized various opportunities to achieve this goal, including coordinating with the Kentucky Association of Rehabilitation Leadership to provide training to current and future leaders. Three sessions were provided during intensive workshops on leadership topics. The Academy of Leadership Exploration and Preparedness program (ALEAP) is designed to provide staff with opportunities to learn about and develop foundational skills. This is a collaborative program with both OVR and OFB. Staff first must participate in the prerequisite required courses (online and classroom setting of 50–60 hours of instruction) through the State Personnel Governmental Services Center. ALEAP II consists of three face to face sessions on a variety of leadership topics and the completion of a project. (Page 224)

The Office will seek to expand services to not served and underserved counties as well as not served and underserved disability groups, including youth with the most significant disabilities and will encourage continuous improvement in supported employment by monitoring the state fiscal climate for opportunities to partner with KY APSE (Association for Persons in Supporting Employment First) to advocate for increased state funding for extended support services, maximizing the existing dollars for extended support services through collaborative agreements and contracts, increasing knowledge of Kentucky’s plan for self–determination strategies, especially within the Medicaid Waiver (Supports for Community Living, Michelle P) programs, continuing partnerships with local Community Mental Health Centers, recruiting new Providers, providing training and technical assistance to new supported employment agencies, and providing consultation and technical assistance to OVR staff and Providers as needed, researching better ways to fund and/or deliver services. For example, an enhanced fee for Vocational Profile development has been developed, piloting and expansion of new programs through establishment projects, and training providers in the use of strategies for individualized services such as customized employment and systematic instruction. (Page 249)

Supported employment offers more than just the assistance needed to find and learn a job. It provides the necessary ongoing support to help an individual maintain employment. Kentucky has identified 85 supported employment providers throughout the state. Individualized strategies are also utilized to arrange for supported employment services outside of "organized programs" when necessary (i.e. coworkers at the job site may provide support paid for with various resources; independent supported employment specialists may be hired, etc.). More than three–fourths of Kentucky’s 120 counties have access to supported employment programs. The lack of accessible and dependable transportation often limits access to supported job opportunities. Extended support services are provided by each local supported employment program utilizing funds from a myriad of sources, including the Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities (DBHDID) , the Kentucky Council on Developmental Disabilities, city and county government, United Way, fund–raising campaigns, PASS funding, Medicaid, Supports for Community Living Waiver funds, Michelle P waiver funds and other resources. Most programs utilize a combination of funding sources for the provision of extended support services. Natural supports are encouraged (such as co–worker, peer, etc.) and are carefully monitored by the supported employment provider. Kentucky OVR’s partner, the Department of Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities (DBHDID), has developed a new Medicaid Waiver that would more adequately fund supported employment services for people with developmental disabilities. The new Supports for Community Living Waiver 2 (SCL2) was rolled out during the 2014 calendar year. It has increased the fee structure and modified the service definitions for supported employment. Kentucky’s supported employment programs have primarily served individuals with intellectual disability and individuals with chronic mental illness. This is largely due to greater availability of funding for extended support for these two groups. Individuals with other disabilities are served if funding for extended support is available and if the supported employment provider has the expertise to meet that individual’s needs for employment training and support. Kentucky has become the 12th state to participate in the Evidence –Based, Johnson and Johnson sponsored, Supported Employment Initiative via Dartmouth College. The goal is to demonstrate the effectiveness of the Individualized Placement and Support (IPS) model for supported employment for people with serious mental illness throughout Kentucky. In July 2011, four sites in Kentucky began pilot site implementation. In 2012, two sites were added. In 2013, three sites were added. In 2014 BHDDID required that all Community Mental Health Centers implement the IPS program as one of the four evidence based practices required in their state plan. A Statewide Coordinator, employed through the University of Kentucky, Human Development Institute, oversees the pilot sites. A second coordinator was hired in late 2013. The Office of Vocational Rehabilitation and the Kentucky Division of Behavioral Health collaborate as Team Leading agencies for the project. The Kentucky Association for Persons in Supported Employment (KY APSE) has been successful in creating greater supported employment awareness among the legislators in Kentucky’s General Assembly. (Page 270)

No current plan to hire additional staff, instead focusing on training of current staff and cross utilization of staff from other departments. Training existing staff is continuing quarterly. Recent quarterly training has emphasized BTQ standards. Annual training was completed August 22 – 24, 2016, which included all staff and cross utilized staff. Staff realignment occurred to merge functions, improve collaboration and efficiencies. Cross departmental utilization is occurring by utilizing of one lower authority appeal (referee) and six higher authority appeals staff (commission writers) to assist with adjudicating cases. The realignment allowed the branch to move staff into positions that better fit their skill sets. The cross utilization of staff allows the branch extra staff to utilize during times of seasonal increases in the volume of issues. The training will increase staff performance on resolving issues, provided clearly defined expectations of performance, and increase the inefficiency of the staff in resolving issues which will lead to more timely first payments. Unemployment Insurance is requesting a regulation change that will adjust the employers 15 day protest period to respond to a notice of initial claim and notice of potential benefit charges. This will remove the barrier of employers waiting 15 days to respond to adjudicators. These more timely employer responses will result in less time needed to resolve issues and quicker first payment promptness. This will reduce claimants having to wait to request first payment until the 16th day after filing an initial claim is filed. In addition to all of the changes, the branch has also implemented of a new pilot program which began on August 2, 2016. The new program utilizes a split chargeability issue system. The performance of the staff participating in the pilot program will be measured against the performance of staff not involved in the pilot program to determine if the program is effective in reducing the promptness of first payments. Budgetary constraints for UI IT development as well as prioritization of IT projects, delayed final development and implementation. Ongoing analysis and movement toward mainframe independence are factors in considering the order in which projects are completed and resources, both financial and staffing, are allocated. The new enhancements to the functionality to the internal claim intake system were not completed until early 2016. Since implementation fourteen help desk tickets have been created to improve the newly implemented system. Monitoring and assessment will be accomplished through daily, weekly and monthly reports reflecting issues received, issues worked and remaining issues. These reports will include a comparison of the pilot program data with the non-pilot program data. Monthly Interstate Section team meetings will be held to assess existing efforts and results and discuss improvements. (Page 429)

We currently have in place five other innovative programs that provide high school students with a variety of work–based learning, financial literacy, self–advocacy training, job exploration, career counseling, and workplace readiness training opportunities that exist in the community with employers, in our rehabilitation center, and in post–secondary institutions.

The Summer Youth Boot Camp Program focuses on job exploration, workplace readiness training, and self–advocacy and is held at the Charles W. McDowell Center in Louisville. It is an intensive four week program based on the work of Dr. Karen Wolffe that introduces employability skills to transition aged individuals. The curriculum is specific to individuals that are blind or visually impaired.

The Summer Work Experience Program is in collaboration with Community Rehabilitation Providers. CRPs are paid to find work experiences in competitive integrated settings for transition aged individuals. The work experiences last six to eight weeks and the students are paid by the Office for the Blind for the time worked. The goals of the work experience are to provide community based career exploration and the opportunity to practice work readiness skills. It is also hoped that by participating in the work experience program, employers will be open to providing more opportunities for individuals who are blind or visually impaired in their communities. (Page 310) 

Existing legacy case management systems across WIOA Title I, Wagner Peyser, Vocational Rehabilitation and Adult Education are disparate and insular: Currently, the Office of Employment and Training (OET), the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) and the Office for the Blind (OFB) are supported by insular case management systems that respond to requests for the following programs: 

• Wagner Peyser Labor Exchange (Employ Kentucky Operating System - EKOS)
• Unemployment Insurance – both benefits and tax/collections (Mainframe and Kentucky’s Electronic Workplace for Employment Services – KEWES)
• Veterans Program
• Migrant and Seasonal Farm Workers Program
• National Emergency Grants
• High Growth Job Training
• Foreign Labor Certification
• Health Care Tax Credit System
• Trade Adjustment Act
• Work Opportunities Tax Credit
• Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 (WIOA)
• Student data
• Customer records, services provided and costs of services for individuals with disabilities and blindness – Case Management System (CMS)
• Social Security Reimbursement tracking and processing
• Social Security Ticket to Work assignment tracking and processing (Page 67- 68)

The Case Management System (CMS) supports consumer case management activities, authorizes related payment transactions, generates reports/report information and contains a Social Security Reimbursement subsystem for all Title IV consumers, both for OFB and OVR. Consumer information, including confidential medical information, is collected to open a case within the respective agency. Agency services are based on the signed Individualized Plan for Employment between consumer and agency counselor. The system can attach scanned case documents, record staff provided services, staff activities, track comparable benefits, track consumer education and 

Training advancements. There is a Social Security Reimbursement module within CMS that enables each respective agency to seek reimbursement for the cost of the services provided to agency consumers receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments. There is a Maximus module that generates files that are submitted to Social Security for the Ticket to Work program and tracks responses and ticket assignments. In July 2016, Kentucky ceased WIA data collection and reporting and began working to implement WIOA data collection and reporting requirements in addition to other USDOE and state reporting. CMS is a staff only application with a web front end. An interface exists between CMS and eMARS, the state’s payment system, to enable processing of payments to, and refunds from, vendors. The system is Section 508 and Bobby compliant and staff use screen readers such as JAWS, ZoomText and WindowEyes, as well as speech recognition software such as Dragon Naturally Speaking. (Page 68-69)

A local area may request Rapid Response funding in the form of Dislocation Grants and Additional Assistance Grants to serve potentially TAA–eligible worker groups in the same manner it requests funds for all other worker groups. The only difference is that Additional Assistance funding can’t be used to fund training once a worker group is covered by a TAA certification. If a TAA petition is certified, the state’s TAA program is responsible for identifying individuals potentially eligible under the certification through worker lists supplied by the employer and/or UI claimant information. 

The TAA program then uses a standard mailer to contact the potentially eligible individuals, inviting them to attend a Trade Orientation Session to learn about program benefits and register. At Trade Orientation Sessions. (Page 129)

The vocational rehabilitation programs use a case management system called Accessible Web-based Activity Reporting Environment (AWARE) that is specifically designed for vocational rehabilitation programs. This system enables counselors to manage cases, managers to monitor cases, and the agency to prepare and submit required reports to RSA in a timely manner. All client data is captured and maintained in the AWARE case management system, such as information on client employment outcomes, including position title, employer, wages, hours, benefits, etc., and is provided to the Rehabilitation Services Administration, U. S. Department of Education through quarterly and annual reports. The company that programs the software will revise the system to produce any WIOA required data. Due to the especially strict confidentiality requirements imposed by the Rehabilitation Act and the sensitive nature of information about disabilities and medical conditions, the case management system is a closed system, accessible only by authorized employees. NMDWS has established a data sharing agreement to provide necessary wage data to support the programs’ activities. (Page 112)

These individuals work together to ensure that companies receive unified and coordinated information and services related to their workforce development needs. The KSN allows for the bringing together of the workforce and economic development programs and resources, thus providing a variety of ways to build workforce skills and ease training costs for employers. Through such options as reimbursable grants and tax credits for classroom training, on–the–job training, tuition and certification training, train–the–trainer travel, and entry level and skills upgrade training; Kentucky has resources that allow flexible and customizable training specific to company needs. Early in 2016, KSN partners will gain access to a Customer Relationship Management system based on a Sales Force platform. Phase 1 will allow for shared access to employer contact and needs, and Phase 2 later in 2016–2017 will add the capacity for KSN partners to add and assess employer programs and resources via the Sales Force application. OVR, in conjunction with the Kentucky Office for the Blind and Office of Employment and Training, hosted an Employer Summit in 2015 to highlight the benefits of hiring individuals with disabilities as well as the OFCCP regulation requirements. The event was well received with numerous employers seeking additional information on working with the two rehabilitation agencies. This outreach and education with Employers and Businesses across the commonwealth will continue with additional summits convened in regional locations to attract a more diverse employer customer base. The Workforce Partners recognize the regional differences as well as workforce needs and will hold Employer Summits focused specific to the regional sectors and incorporate the post–secondary education institutions as a conduit to meeting the talent pipeline demands. The Statewide Council for Vocational Rehabilitation (SCVR), Kentucky’s State Rehabilitation Council (SRC), includes several employers and a representative of the Workforce Investment Board who provide important input on agency policy and activities related to employment. OVR, in conjunction with SCVR, conducts a Job Placement Month annually in October which includes many events around the state that promote collaboration with employers. Regional Employer Recognition Awards are given out during the month to employers who have hired OVR consumers. OVR will also continue to partner with local initiatives like Project SEARCH in Northern Kentucky and the Coalition for Workforce Diversity in Louisville to identify and educate employers willing to develop new programs specifically designed to focus on hiring and training individuals with disabilities. (Page 210)

 (A) Study Findings Service Needs and Gaps Based on a thorough review of findings across the survey, interview, and agency data, the following service needs were identified for individuals with disabilities, including those with most significant disabilities. These are Job placement services (including supported employment and customized employment), Health care, including medical and mental health treatment, Benefits and financial planning, Supportive or ancillary services (e.g., transportation, housing), Long–term supports, and Transition services for students and youth / young adults. Comments from key informants who provide services within, or interface with, Kentucky’s medical and mental health systems, may serve to clarify the findings related to health care needs. The broad areas of concern related to the limited capacity of our healthcare system, geographic gaps, saturation of providers accepting particular types of insurance and high cost of co–pays making care unaffordable for some people. While the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and resulting expanded number of Kentuckians with insurance coverage has improved the access to medication for many, informants noted that some serious needs still exist and likely will continue to exist because of a lack of capacity to provide care to those who need it. Particularly in more rural areas, respondents noted that some people must travel great lengths to find physical and mental health providers; others do not have access to transportation and thus are not able to receive sufficient care. Another issue identified by informants is related to the saturation of providers because finding treatment for individuals on Medicaid is difficult as providers have capped the number of patients that they will accept. Finally, while more residents have health insurance, copays are often not affordable and thus individuals still do not seek out treatment because of financial strain. Supported Employment and capacity of CRP providers is another major focus of the needs assessment. (Page 228) 

Services to individuals with disabilities provided by Community Rehabilitation Programs. These issues are anticipated as in–demand service and service needs for CRPs in the next three years. These are Job Placement Services, Transition Services, Skills Training, and Supported Employment Services. ESTABLISHMENT GRANTS This Update to the previous CSNA assessed the need to develop, establish and improve community rehabilitation programs, referred to as establishment projects. OVR surveyed staff, consumers and partners on the use of establishment grants to develop innovative programming. The survey asked if there is a need for OVR to fund establishment projects to maximize relationships with employers, improve outcomes and services for transition youth, improve outcomes and services for Social Security recipients, improve outcomes and services for individuals with behavioral health issues, develop supported employment programs in areas of the state where they currently do not exist, and improve outcomes and services for ex–offenders. Item 1 directly addresses the need for more job placement services and also the continuing prominence of ‘Employer Attitudinal Barriers’ as a barrier to employment. Item 2 directly addresses the need for transition services. Item 3 is designed to address the need for more benefits planning assistance. Item 5 addresses the continuing need for more supported employment services, particularly in some areas of the state. Items 4 and 6 address serving the two populations of consumers identified by both vocational rehabilitation counselors and community rehabilitation programs as the largest growing populations they have seen over the previous three years. Counselors were asked to evaluate the importance of several areas of need for establishment projects, including service needs, such as supported employment and employer relationships, as well as services targeting particular populations, such as transition youth and social security recipients. ( Page 223)

Measure: To meet or exceed customer satisfaction rating from the previous year

GOAL II: To provide Pre–employment transition services (Pre–ETS) to Transition Students (ages 14–21) and other transition services to Transition Youth (ages–16–24) to assist them with transition from high school into competitive integrated employment or post–secondary training.

Measure: To provide specific and specialized services to at least 60% of both transition students and transition youth 

GOAL III: Provide information concerning benefits planning and financial planning in order to promote inclusion, integration, and empowerment of individuals with the most significant and significant disabilities.

Measure: All applicants who receive SSA benefits will receive information on benefits planning and at least 50% of them will receive a benefits analysis. (Page 234)

• Evaluate the current transition program to determine trends and needs
• Expand the capacity of the agency to provide Pre–ETS services
• Expand Pre–ETS to transition students (ages 14–21) and other transition services to youth (ages 16–24)
• Offer benefits planning for individuals with disabilities who are Social Security recipients
• Provide information on financial education and asset development
• Enhance job placement services
• Provide supported employment services that lead to competitive integrated employment and improve the number of successful outcomes for supported employment cases across the state
• Develop and apply a process for implementing requirements under Section 511 (Page 236)

According to data from the 2012 American Community Survey, published in the annual Compendium of Disability Statistics, 17.0% of Kentucky civilians living in the community report having a disability, including 15.5% of residents of working age (18–64). This is higher than the national average (12.3% all, 10.2% working age). The rate of Kentuckians reporting a disability remained relatively stable from 2011 through 2012, growing at 1.1% (on par with the national average of 1.2%). Only 27% of individuals in Kentucky with disabilities are employed. Kentucky and Arkansas share the second highest percentage of individuals with disabilities. Kentucky also shares a second place ranking with Arkansas and Louisiana in percentage of individuals who fall below the poverty line at 17.3%. According to the Social Security Administration, 192,721 Kentuckians receive blind and disabled Supplemental Security Income benefits. The Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI), in 2007, reported the percentage of SSI recipients in Kentucky who were working was 2.7% compared to the national percentage of 7.6% (ICI, 2007). In 2007, Kentucky also had 160,122 Old Age Survivor and Disability Insurance (OASDI) recipients/workers with disabilities. These statistics provide a description of the potentially high demand for OVR services based on the number of individuals in the state with disabilities. A review of internal OVR data that was used to develop a Personnel Plan in 2011 indicated that as the average caseload size increases, the rehabilitation rate tends to decrease. (Page 239-240)

G.   Partner with SOAR to increase transportation options in the Appalachian region;

H.   Partner with the Medicaid Brokerage System;

I.   Provide Benefits Planning and Analysis as an option when it comes to addressing health insurance concerns. 

Goal 2: To provide Pre–employment transition services (Pre–ETS) to Transition Students (ages 14–21) and other transition services to Youth (ages 16–24) to assist them with transition from high school into competitive integrated employment or post–secondary training. (Page 251)

(2) As a means of providing Pre–Employment Transition Services, OVR will work with partner agencies in Workforce Development to identify existing apprenticeship programs with employers with which OVR may partner to focus on incorporating students and youth with disabilities into the programs. We do work with the Office of Autism in order to understand how to assist youth on the spectrum with attaining and maintaining employment. A model program focused on creating apprenticeship opportunities for students and youth with disabilities will be developed in such a manner as to be replicated in urban and rural areas alike. This will expand employment opportunities for all the youth and students with disabilities in Kentucky. OVR will continue to participate in an Annual Youth Summit, which provides the opportunity for youth and students with disabilities to meet employers, educators, and service providers. OVR plans to continuously expand the summit to provide employers an opportunity to meet with potential employees or apprenticeship participants. (Page 210)

KCC partners will work closely with Department of Community Based Services (DCBS) to assure customers have knowledge and access to needed resources. One–stop partners are directly involved with two Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) grant initiatives with DCBS. Paths to Promise (P2P) is a pilot program with a robust research component serving eight counties in Eastern Kentucky. The pilot includes moving eligible students into AOKY career pathways. The subsequent allocation of employment and training funds will be dedicated to providing support services to students pursuing education and training in urban areas across the state.

The core partner agencies will coordinate and better align services with Criminal Justice agencies in serving ex–offenders. OVR and OFB work closely with this target population in providing services, supports and referrals to other programs as needed. (Page 58)

Project CASE is a collaborative effort between state vocational rehabilitation agencies, adult education, secondary and post–secondary education, career centers, employers and other partners to demonstrate how career pathways can help individuals with disabilities acquire the marketable skills and attain recognized credentials that lead to employment in high–demand occupations. In Kentucky, two pilot projects are planned in the Metro Louisville and Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program (EKCEP) regions; these will engage seven and 23 counties respectively. (Page 64)

J. Participate in Project CASE, a five–year, RSA–funded grant to the Office for the Blind (OFB) to identify and recruit eligible consumers from OFB and the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) in the Kentuckiana Works and EKCEP Kentucky Career Center areas to pursue career pathways in Information Technology, Manufacturing, Industrial Technology, and the Healthcare, Nursing, and Allied Health fields and provide those consumers with a variety of supports, including job placement assistance after completion of training;

K. Coordinate Rapid Responses to all major community job losses statewide along with other center partners; (Page 255)

A federal Career Pathways grant recently received by the Kentucky Office for the Blind (OFB) from the Rehabilitation Services Administration. OVR will collaborate with OFB on assisting consumers in three career pathways (healthcare, manufacturing, and information technology) in two of Kentucky Career Centers, Kentuckian Works in the Louisville metropolitan area and the Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program (EKCEP) in rural Appalachia. (Page 263)

Workforce Development Boards: OFB VR counselors actively participate on their local Workforce Development Board’s Youth and One Stop committees to enhance and make accessible the programs and services for transition age consumers. Through Project CASE, a program developed from the use of Federal grant funding through the Rehabilitation Services Administration, the Office for the Blind will have stronger coordination and collaboration with the Youth Career Centers and other Kentucky Career Centers. Partnering with Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program (EKCEP) and KentuckianaWorks in the hiring of Career Pathway Coordinators, and in cross–agency training of staff on career pathways for students with disabilities, Project CASE will ensure sustained partnerships. (Page 300)

All the Disability Coordinators in this survey have an expectation that OVR counselors will provide needed assistive technology for post–secondary students. Percentages were high among responses that goals and expectations of working with an OVR counselor included provision of orientation and mobility services, resources for the student/family, vocational/career counseling, open and regular communication, assistance with training/college funding, and assistance with employment upon graduation. While we may help provide financial assistance for tuition and assistive devices, the true strength of our agency is in the vocational counseling services we provide on an individual basis. We must work to remain active counselors, ensuring that students are getting opportunities for work experiences, internships, and apprenticeships through the Career Pathways program. (Page 338)

In order to assure the coordination of services to facilitate the transition students from school to postsecondary life (including the receipt of VR services, postsecondary education, competitive integrated employment, and pre–employment transition services) OFB utilizes the following process. The VR Counselor is responsible for the schools located in their assigned county areas. Counselors work with school staff to identify potentially eligible students assuring that they are given the opportunity to apply for services starting at age 14. While the student is enrolled in school, the VR Counselor works with school staff to ensure the student receives the needed services to aid in the transition to post–secondary life. Services include but are not limited to pre–employment transition services, other VR services and programming offered by OFB, and other services specific to transition aged students by school districts and other entities. VR Counselors provide individualized services and where gaps in services are identified staff work to developed new and innovative services in the students’ home area to better serve this population. One project that aligns with this area in serving students is Project CASE (Creating Access to Successful Employment). In October 2015, the Kentucky Office for the Blind/Kentucky Career Center was awarded the Career Pathways for Individuals with Disabilities Model Demonstration Program Grant (CFDA 84.235N). This federal grant was provided through the Rehabilitation Services Administration (Department of Education) to create a program that would result in greater participation of VR–eligible individuals, including students and youth with disabilities, to acquire marketable skills and recognized postsecondary credentials necessary to secure competitive integrated employment in high–demand, high–quality occupations. Creating Access to Successful Employment (CASE) will help ensure that individuals with disabilities, even at the secondary school level, are not left out of participating in these existing initiatives, and can prepare for and obtain jobs in high–wage and high–demand occupations.

The goals and strategies of this five year project and the evaluation plan for it strongly aligns with the performance accountability measures under section 116 of WIOA. (Page 365 &366)

The plan has served as a blueprint for transforming Kentucky’s workforce services focused on adapting to the changing needs of employers to create a demand–driven, business–led, solutions–based publicly funded talent development system for the Commonwealth. Over the next four years, the new Administration will work with the new Kentucky Workforce Innovation Board on a new strategic plan and new goals. The new plan and goals will inform subsequent modifications of this State Plan and of course the continuing transformation of Kentucky’s workforce system through innovative practices which enhance sustainable economic and job growth to improve the lives of Kentuckians. Kentucky strategies have and will continue to support WIOA’s focus on low income adults and youth who have limited skills, lack work experience, and face other barriers to economic success. Vocational Rehabilitation is a full and actively engaged partner in Kentucky in the workforce system. OFB and OVR are actively engaged in the planning process, on committees and staff serves as project directors on some of the KWIB initiatives. They are advocates in the workforce system for individuals with disabilities. Please refer to the Vocational Rehabilitation section of this combined plan for a comprehensive listing of goals and strategies. (Page 367)

Kentucky’s employment website. 

• The Kentucky Employment Network (KEN) works with UI customers who are profiled as likely to exhaust UI benefits. KEN consists of a workshop that informs the customer of the programs available through the Kentucky Career Center.
• Re–employment Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA) works with UI customers who are profiled as likely to exhaust UI benefits. The grant activities consist of a Kentucky Career Center orientation, job search overview, Individual Employment Plan (IEP) and referral to job services.
• The KCCGO! Dislocated Worker Grant has offered the opportunity to leverage key KWIB strategic plan initiatives including Unified Business Services, Career Center Certification and Sector Strategies and focus those improvements intensively on the long–term unemployed. The KCCGO! grant made available $4,775,418 to local workforce development areas to provide re–employment services including training costs for OJTs, Internships, Registered Apprenticeships, Accelerating Opportunity Scholarships, Work Experience/Tryout Employment, Customized Training, and other training in targeted sectors.(Page 152)

TBCM builds on the functional alignment within the centers and focuses on providing services to job seekers in a consistent, coordinated and efficient way. The systems and tools used in the TBCM approach reinforce functional alignment and integrated service delivery within the centers and among partner agencies. To strengthen this project, Kentucky’s consultant coordinated activities in recognition of and alignment with other key actions in the WorkSmart Kentucky Strategic Plan including Kentucky Career Center Customer Flow, Kentucky Career Center Certification, and Partner for Success and Workforce Academy. Services to Employers are aligned among the core partners through the Business Services teams of the Kentucky Skills Network. Since the implementation of the WorkSmart Kentucky Strategic Plan, a priority has been developing unified and collaborative approach to service delivery in our business services model. It is critical that all the government agencies working to meet the employment needs of business and industry work together taking a solutions-based approach to meeting their needs. This is being done through regional Business Services Teams. WIOA Performance Outcomes Measures Group is a work group made up of the core partners to develop cross-program common measures and address all issues and concerns regarding data collection and reporting. The group is facilitated by the Kentucky Center for Workforce Statistics (KCEWS). The Partner for Success initiative brought together all agencies in the Department of Workforce Investment to develop a unified approach to delivering services. The goal was to create networking opportunities, create awareness of the services each partnering agency delivers and assemble the full array of services delivered to customers in a manner that is efficient, effective and holistic. A top priority of the current Governor’s Discretionary Budget is to advance the work of training of state staff and partners. The new effort will build on previous Workforce Academy curriculum that provided training for all partners at every level of the system. Training has been and will continue to be held regionally inclusive of local level staff covering topics such as WIOA implementation, customer flow, local labor market information, transformational leadership and system transformation. (Page 56)

Existing legacy case management systems across WIOA Title I, Wagner Peyser, Vocational Rehabilitation and Adult Education are disparate and insular: Currently, the Office of Employment and Training (OET), the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) and the Office for the Blind (OFB) are supported by insular case management systems that respond to requests for the following programs: 

• Wagner Peyser Labor Exchange (Employ Kentucky Operating System - EKOS)
• Unemployment Insurance – both benefits and tax/collections (Mainframe and Kentucky’s Electronic Workplace for Employment Services – KEWES)
• Veterans Program
• Migrant and Seasonal Farm Workers Program
• National Emergency Grants
• High Growth Job Training
• Foreign Labor Certification
• Health Care Tax Credit System
• Trade Adjustment Act
• Work Opportunities Tax Credit
• Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 (WIOA)
• Student data
• Customer records, services provided and costs of services for individuals with disabilities and blindness (Page 67)

There is a Maximus module that generates files that are submitted to Social Security for the Ticket to Work program and tracks responses and ticket assignments. In July 2016, Kentucky ceased WIA data collection and reporting and began working to implement WIOA data collection and reporting requirements in addition to other USDOE and state reporting. CMS is a staff only application with a web front end. An interface exists between CMS and eMARS, the state’s payment system, to enable processing of payments to, and refunds from, vendors. The system is Section 508 and Bobby compliant and staff use screen readers such as JAWS, ZoomText and WindowEyes, as well as speech recognition software such as Dragon Naturally Speaking.

Kentucky Adult Education Reporting System The Kentucky Adult Education Reporting System (KAERS) is a nationally-recognized student management system designed and maintained through Kentucky Adult Education and the Council on Postsecondary Education. It is used by all Title II adult education programs to record programmatic, student and fiscal agent information with a student portal for students to view their data and online curriculum. KAERS also has a reporting tool used to enhance program performance, a real-time student tracking function, and integrates external data sources. Data from KAERS is submitted, on a regular basis, to the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) and KCEWS. (Page 69)

OVR subcontracted with the University of Kentucky Masters in Rehabilitation Counseling Program to conduct the triennial Comprehensive Statewide Needs Assessment (CSNA) in the Fall and Spring of 2014–2015. The current study was designed to identify service needs, trends in service needs, disability populations who are underserved, trends in disability populations, and recommendations for OVR. Prior to conducting the needs assessment, the research team reviewed data collection instruments from the 2011–2012 iteration. OVR senior staff provided assistance with revisions and updates to the surveys, making improvements to clarity and ensuring that questions would elicit the kind of information that is needed for strategic planning. OVR staff also assisted with survey dissemination, making sure that the survey reached current and previous customers, staff and counselors, and key workforce partners. As a result of these efforts, response rates for the present CSNA iteration were on par with and in some cases exceeded previous needs assessment surveys. In addition to survey data, RSA 911 case data from FY 2011–2013, state–level population data, and interview data from 21 Key Informants who work in areas of disability and public service throughout the state were analyzed. This information was meant to provide context as well as additional areas of consideration for OVR strategic planning efforts. (Page 228)

In the interim, the current system is being modified to meet the data collection requirements for common measures as well as the additional data elements required for RSA 911 quarterly reporting. We anticipate that the current system will be able to collect the necessary data beginning 7/1/2016 and produce accurate reports for common measures reporting. (Page 235)

The purchase or licensing of other systems that would meet both the needs of the two vocational rehabilitation agencies and those of common measure reporting are being considered. Additionally, the Education and Workforce Development Cabinet, Department of Workforce Investment is exploring the feasibility of purchasing or leasing a single system for all of the data collection needs of the Department including the Office of Employment and Training, OFB, and OVR. The ability to capture the performance accountability measures common to all Kentucky Workforce Investment agencies is currently a work in progress. The Department for Workforce Investment (DW), in partnership with a current federal grant, is testing the potential implementation of software that may have the capacity to capture all customer flow information within DWI. The nationally recognized software is currently being customized to the specific needs of DWI agencies and training has staff has been implemented. Also being tested is the capacity of the software to allow for totally paperless consumer files, the ability of the customer/job seeker to access their information from a website for the purposes of updating information, providing information required by the various agencies and having direct access to employment opportunities in their area. DWI will continue to pilot the use of this system with the ultimate goal of transferring all DWI agencies to a common casework system within two years. Regardless of the system that the Agencies choose to implement, innovations that are anticipated include: paperless cases, electronic signatures, improved reporting access, increased electronic communication and corroboration among Department partners, and system generated notifications and reminders to increase productivity. There have at least been some conversations concerning paperless case pilot projects. In the interim, the current system is being modified to meet the data collection requirements for common measures as well as the additional data elements required for RSA 911 quarterly reporting. We anticipate that the current system will be able to collect the necessary data beginning 7/1/2016 and produce accurate reports prior to the due dates for Rehabilitation Services Administration and common measures reporting. Once a baseline is determined and the relationship between services, partnerships, etc. and successful outcomes and measurable progress is analyzed, strategies will be developed to improve the performance outcomes. (Page 260)

Additionally, the Education and Workforce Development Cabinet, Department of Workforce Investment is exploring the feasibility of purchasing or leasing a single system for all of the data collection needs of the Department including the Office of Employment and Training, Office for the Blind and Office of Vocational Rehabilitation.

Early in 2016 Kentucky Skills Network partners will gain access to a Customer Relationship Management system based on a SalesForce platform. Phase 1 will allow for shared access to employer contact and needs, and Phase 2 later in 2016–2017 will add the capacity for KSN partners to add and assess employer programs and resources via the SalesForce application.

Regardless of the system that the Agencies choose to implement, innovations that are anticipated include: paperless cases, electronic signatures, improved reporting access, increased electronic communication and corroboration among Department partners, and system generated notifications and reminders to increase productivity. (Page 336)

Kentucky assesses the overall effectiveness of the workforce investment system in relation to the strategic vision and goals of the WorkSmart Kentucky and Economic Competitiveness plans, seeking integration of activities and information from all the core programs. The ultimate goal is to increase the long–term employment outcomes for individuals seeking services, especially those with barriers to employment, to improve services to employers and demonstrate continuous improvement. Kentucky will assess the effectiveness, physical and programmatic accessibility in accordance with Section 188 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.), and continuous improvement of the career center. (Page 77)

Describe how the one-stop delivery system (including one-stop center operators and the one-stop delivery system partners), will comply with section 188 of WIOA (if applicable) and applicable provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.) with regard to the physical and programmatic accessibility of facilities, programs, services, technology, and materials for individuals with disabilities. This also must include a description of compliance through providing staff training and support for addressing the needs of individuals with disabilities. Describe the State’s one-stop center certification policy, particularly the accessibility criteria.

Accessibility is addressed on several levels and venues in the KCC. Given that OFB and OVR staffs are housed in many of the career center offices and are a central part of the workforce programs, there is a heightened sense of assuring this topic is addressed. Accessibility is a part of the required certification process under II. Career Center (office) Management: Physical Infrastructure and Accessibility. The standards that apply to this are as follows: (Page 90)

A) IN GENERAL—The local board may designate and direct the activities of standing committees to provide information and to assist the local board in carrying out activities under this section. Such standing committees shall be chaired by a member of the local board, may include other members of the local board, and shall include other individuals appointed by the local board who are not members of the local board and who the local board determines have appropriate experience and expertise. At a minimum, the local board may designate each of the following:

1. A standing committee to provide information and assist with operational and other issues relating to the one-stop delivery system, which may include members representatives of the one-stop partners.
2. A standing committee to provide information and to assist with planning, operational, and other issues relating to the provision of services to youth, which shall include community based organizations with a demonstrated record of success in serving eligible youth.
3. A standing committee to provide information and to assist with operational and other issues relating to the provision of services to individuals with disabilities, including issues relating to compliance with section 188, if applicable, and applicable provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.) regarding providing programmatic and physical access to the services, programs, and activities of the one-stop delivery system, as well as appropriate training for staff on providing supports for or accommodations to, and finding employment opportunities for, individuals with disabilities. (Page 114)