Oklahoma

DSU Programs Field Representatives serve on the Developmental Disabilities Advisory Council. DSU Employment Support Services (ESS) staff and State level Transition Staff participate on the Employment First Alliance, which has a national goal of increased competitive integrated employment by 50% in the states. As a result of the Employment First Alliance, the Oklahoma Legislature passed the Employment First Law which became effective November 1, 2015. (Page 246)

The DSU serves eligible individuals with the most significant disabilities and barriers to employment first. When all priority groups are open and it is determined there is a need to implement Order of Selection, the first group to close is priority group 3, then priority group 2, and last priority group 1. If all three groups are closed, the first one to open is priority group 1, then priority group 2, and last priority group 3. (Page 271)

In an effort to increase services, DSU is initiating a customized employment program in FY 2017. The DSU has also developed a pilot project with the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS) to provide a more intensive supported employment program for youth with serious mental illness. DSU has MOAs with ODMHSAS and Developmental Disability Services (DDS) of the Oklahoma Department of Human Services to assist with the expansion of supported employment services and funding for extended services. DSU is pursuing technical assistance and training from the Office of Disability Employment Policy’s (ODEP) Employment First State Leadership Mentoring Program in an effort to develop braided funding resources for expanded services. In addition, DSU assists youth with the most significant disabilities to access SSA work incentives, employment networks, natural supports and private pay options for extended services. (Page 273)

DSU will provide outreach to increase the number of Rural Employment CRPs in order to increase services and better meet the employment needs of individuals with disabilities in the rural areas of the state.

In an effort to increase services, DSU is initiating a customized employment program. The DSU is developing an expansion plan to fund the additional services required under the Work Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). (Page 233)

In an effort to increase services, DSU is initiating a customized employment program in FY 2017. The DSU has also developed a pilot project with the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS) to provide a more intensive supported employment program for youth with serious mental illness. DSU has MOAs with ODMHSAS and Developmental Disability Services (DDS) of the Oklahoma Department of Human Services to assist with the expansion of supported employment services and funding for extended services. DSU is pursuing technical assistance and training from the Office of Disability Employment Policy’s (ODEP) Employment First State Leadership Mentoring Program in an effort to develop braided funding resources for expanded services. In addition, DSU assists youth with the most significant disabilities to access SSA work incentives, employment networks, natural supports and private pay options for extended services. (Page 273)

Factors that impeded the achievement of meeting goals and priorities include;

• Lack of DSU contracted CRPs in rural areas of the state
• Lack of options for DSU employment contracts to meet the needs of all individuals with significant barriers to employment (i.e. Customized Employment; Intensive SE Services)
• Lack of joint contracted DSU/DDS CRPs (Page 292)

Oklahoma is encouraging the braiding of funding and leveraging of resources through the state’s new resource leveraging tool to be released in the fall of 2016. In this online tool, state agencies, including the core partners, can identify existing workforce development activities and send requests to partner. These requests are then supported and facilitated with the assistance of the Office of the Governor, if needed. Similarly, with the release of this tool, the Office of the Governor, under Oklahoma Works, in July of 2016, challenged each state agency and each Workforce Development Board, to identify one new partner (private or public) to engage. (Page 70)

No specific disability related information found.

No specific disability related information found.

The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission (OESC), the Oklahoma Office of Workforce Development (OOWD), and the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education (ODCTE) through the Oklahoma Works centers, strive to expand capacity, enhance partnerships, and improve service delivery to improve training and employment opportunities and outcomes for youth and adults with disabilities who are unemployed, underemployed, and/or receiving Social Security disability benefits. Staff work daily with a variety of partners locally and across the state that provide services to individuals with disabilities and the general population either directly at the Oklahoma Works centers or through referrals to partner facilities.

These partners include education/training institutions; employers; healthcare, mental health, and childcare facilities; faith-based organizations; community-based non-profits; legal assistance providers; and other state and federal agencies, such as the Department of Rehabilitation Services, Veterans Administration, Department of Human Services, Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Department of Corrections. Many of these linkages are formal and codified in memorandums of understanding.

OESC, OOWD, and ODCTE work to develop and support increased employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities (utilizing appropriate state and federal funding streams). Oklahoma Works Center staff routinely refer individuals with disabilities to the OKDRS for more intensive training and job placement opportunities. OKDRS has three certified Social Security Administration (SSA) Work Incentive Counselors working and co-located within Workforce Centers and another three rotating between the remainder of the Oklahoma Works Centers and OKDRS offices.

Oklahoma Works Center staff and OKDRS Benefits Planners collaborate to assist job seekers receiving SSA benefits. Specifically, when referred by center staff, an OKDRS Benefits Planner will explain the importance of working at the highest possible level and above SSA’s Substantial Gainful Activity benchmark. Job seekers are provided general information concerning the impact of work on SSA disability benefits. Upon applying for VR services, these individuals would then also receive detailed reports illustrating the impact of work on other benefits and services the individual may be receiving, such as TANF, SNAP, UI compensation, Veteran’s benefits, etc. OKDRS Benefits Planners address concerns of individuals with disabilities about the possibility of losing benefits and help them understand and maximize their work incentives. (Page10)

The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission (OESC), through the Oklahoma Works Centers, strive to expand capacity, enhance partnerships, and improve service delivery to improve training and employment opportunities and outcomes for youth and adults with disabilities who are unemployed, underemployed, and/or receiving Social Security disability benefits. Staff work daily with a variety of partners locally and across the state that provide services to individuals with disabilities and the general population either directly at the Oklahoma Works centers or through referrals to partner facilities.

These partners include education/training institutions; employers; healthcare, mental health, and childcare facilities; faith-based organizations; community-based non-profits; legal assistance providers; and other state and federal agencies, such as the Department of Rehabilitation Services (OKDRS), Veterans Administration, Department of Human Services, Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Department of Corrections. Many of these linkages are formal and codified in memorandums of understanding. (147)

Workforce Center staff and OKDRS Benefits Planners collaborate to assist job seekers receiving SSA benefits. Specifically, when referred by center staff, an OKDRS Benefits Planner will explain the importance of working at the highest possible level and above SSA’s Substantial Gainful Activity benchmark. Job seekers are provided general information concerning the impact of work on SSA disability benefits. Upon applying for VR services, these individuals would then also receive detailed reports illustrating the impact of work on other benefits and services the individual may be receiving, such as TANF, SNAP, UI compensation, Veteran’s benefits, etc. OKDRS Benefits Planners address concerns of individuals with disabilities about the possibility of losing benefits and help them understand and maximize their work incentives. ( Page 147- 148)

Oklahoma’s Workforce System recognizes opportunities to reach Oklahoma’s businesses and employers with a powerful message of Access for All. Through relationships old and new, OKDRS and OKABT will lead the workforce partners in working to arrange and deliver training to businesses and employers that will reduce their hesitation to hire job seekers with disabilities and to identify ways to educate about the benefits of directly recruiting and hiring job seekers with disabilities. The creation of fact sheets and other concise deliverables will help businesses and employers to understand not only their obligations, but also the importance of hiring and promoting job seekers with disabilities.  (Page 149)

OKDRS utilizes its ADA Coordinator as a resource to provide consultation, technical assistance, and site reviews to identify accessibility issues to all workforce system partners and other agencies, entities, and businesses and employers. The OKDRS ADA Coordinator provides training in various aspects of the Americans with Disability Act and the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design to staff and supervisors of these entities as well. These services are available in order to advance the promotion of equal access for individuals with disabilities in programs, services, and buildings statewide. (Page 11)

• DSU moving towards highlighting benefits package on position announcement (DVR/DVS)
• Increase academic development of staff (DVR/DVS)
  • Staff participate in out-of-state training centers and consumer organizations conventions and meetings (DVS)
  • Provide educational sponsorship for employees (DVR/DVS)
• Competitive Salaries
  • Career progression and market salary adjustments
• Supervisors and Counselors striving toward the same goal (DVR) (Page 266)

Social Security Administration Certified Benefits Planners 

DSU has three certified Social Security Administration (SSA) Work Incentive Counselors working and co-located within Workforce Centers and another three rotating between the remainder of the Workforce Centers and DSU offices. Workforce Center staff and DSU Benefits Planners collaborate to assist job seekers receiving SSA benefits. DSU Benefits Planners explain the importance of working at the highest possible level and above SSA’s Substantial Gainful Activity benchmark. Job seekers are provided general information concerning the impact of work on SSA disability benefits. Upon applying for VR services, these individuals would then also receive detailed reports illustrating the impact of work on other benefits and services the individual may be receiving, such as TANF, SNAP, UI compensation, Veteran’s benefits, etc. DSU Benefits Planners address concerns of individuals with disabilities about the possibility of losing benefits and help them understand and maximize their work incentives.(Page 274)

The DSU Innovations Unit is coordinating the process of submission of an Intensive Technical Assistance grant with the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The grant has been awarded to the DSU along with ten other VR agencies nationwide, affording access to a very strong network of technical assistance providers under the JDVRTAC umbrella which includes ICI, the University of Washington, the University of Arkansas Currents, Jobs for the Future (JFF), the United States Business Leadership Network (USBLN); the Association of University Centers on Disability (AUCD); and Powers, Pyles, Sutter, and Verville, PC (PPSV). Apart from the intangible benefits this learning opportunity entails, the total services, travel and consultancy gained with this one-year grant adds resources to the agency equivalent to what it would obtain through thousands of dollars in contractual arrangements.

The purpose of JDVRTAC is to identify, adapt, embed, and sustain job-driven practices into vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies. These practices will lead to improved employment outcomes for people with disabilities by developing a knowledge base on the following four topical areas, 1) Labor market information (LMI), 2) Services to employers, 3) Building and maintaining employer relations, and 4) Services to providers of customized and/or employer driven training. (Page 275)

To help build a foundation for the Access for All initiative, the DSU and Oklahoma ABLE Tech (OKABT), partnered to provide regional Access for All academies, webinars, newsletters, and weekly tips statewide. The one-day seminars focused on accessibility in the built environment and in technology, as well as some of the legal drivers to create accessible points of contact between workforce system partners and job seekers in Oklahoma. These academies are critical training components to help staff close the gaps in workforce utilization, income, and poverty among people with disabilities. To best prepare job seekers to gain employment, workforce system staff must be aware of the benefits and requirements for ensuring accessible workforce services and environments. The academies help workforce system staff focus on the requirements for better employer engagement and promoting physical and programmatic accessibility to employment and training services for individuals with disabilities.

The Access for All webinar series will bring focus on accessibility, legal, policy, and technology as they relate to job seekers with disabilities. Topics will include: An Overview of the Access for All Initiative in Oklahoma; Technology Accessibility 101: An Introduction to Accessibility in the Web; Accessibility Basics in Microsoft Word 2010; Basic Technology Accessibility Testing; An Overview of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act; and Workforce Center Structural Accessibility Toolkit Update. (Page 280-281)

Oklahoma’s Workforce System recognizes opportunities to reach Oklahoma’s businesses and employers with a powerful message of Access for All. Through relationships old and new, DSU and OKABT will lead the workforce partners in working to arrange and deliver training to businesses and employers that will reduce their hesitation to hire job seekers with disabilities and to identify ways to educate about the benefits of directly recruiting and hiring job seekers with disabilities. The creation of fact sheets and other concise deliverables will help businesses and employers to understand not only their obligations, but also the importance of hiring and promoting job seekers with disabilities.

DSU utilizes its ADA Coordinator as a resource to provide consultation, technical assistance, and site reviews to identify accessibility issues to all workforce system partners and other agencies, entities, and businesses and employers. (Page 282)

The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission (OESC), through the Oklahoma Works centers, strive to expand capacity, enhance partnerships, and improve service delivery to improve training and employment opportunities and outcomes for youth and adults with disabilities who are unemployed, underemployed, and/or receiving Social Security disability benefits. Staff work daily with a variety of partners locally and across the state that provide services to individuals with disabilities and the general population either directly at the Oklahoma Works centers or through referrals to partner facilities. (Page 289)

No specific disability related information found.

Private and public sector representatives also serve on Governor’s Council committees charged with developing and recommending initiatives to enhance and implement Oklahoma’s workforce and economic development strategy. Those committees are: Workforce System Oversight Committee, Youth Program Committee, Career Pathways Committee, and Healthcare Workforce Committee. Recommendations are taken to the full Council for action.

The Governor’s Council is staffed by the Oklahoma Office of Workforce Development (OOWD). OOWD also staffs the Workforce System Oversight Committee, the Career Pathways Committee, and the Youth Programs Committee. The Department of Health staffs the Healthcare Workforce Committee. (Page 122)

• Create a plan for Career Pathways efforts to be based on industry sectors within Oklahoma’s state and regional ecosystems.
• Establish strategies to support the use of career pathways for the purpose of providing individuals, including low-skilled adults, youth, and individuals with barriers to employment (including individuals with disabilities) with workforce development activities, education, and supportive services to enter or retain employment.
• Create and use Career Pathways approaches to increase the proportion of low-skill learners who ultimately earn a degree or certificate.
• Increase high school graduation rates - decrease high school dropout rates.
• Increase the percentage of Oklahoma workers with a recognized postsecondary credential. (A credential consisting of an industry-recognized certificate or certification, a certificate of completion of an apprenticeship, a license recognized by the State or Federal government, or an associate or baccalaureate degree.
• Reinforce the alignment with Registered Apprenticeship for earn-and-learn opportunities.
• Use performance data to demonstrate progress and impact, thereby supporting partner buy-in and reinforcing continued engagement over time.
• Make Career Pathways part of the Board certification process.
• Introduce employers and educators to the value of partnering by describing best practices and success stories.
• Develop or research pilots and models. (Page 124)

Outreach and communication will be essential components of developing and implementing the State’s RA strategy and partner/industry engagement activities. The inclusion of subject matter experts such as the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education, the Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance, the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology and other established Oklahoma Works partners during the strategic planning phase of the grant will help the State build upon existing strategies to expand and diversify Registered Apprenticeship (RA) as a viable workforce development strategy in Oklahoma, and to reach grant milestones and expand apprenticeships to additional businesses and industries, and additional, underserved populations. Oklahoma will have a strong focus on creating RA opportunities for individuals displaced due to the decline of the State’s Oil and Gas Industries, and increasing RA opportunities for special populations such as women, out-of-school youth, minorities, individuals with disabilities, veterans and others. Career pathways for the health care industry will also be a focus as Oklahoma expands Registered Apprenticeship opportunities in the State. There are currently no known apprenticeships in the health care industry. (Page 178)

10. Whether your organization’s activities coordinate with other available education, training, and social service resources in the community, such as by establishing strong links with elementary schools and secondary schools, postsecondary educational institutions, institutions of higher education, local workforce investment boards, one-stop centers, job training programs, and social service agencies, business, industry, labor organizations, community-based organizations, nonprofit organizations, and intermediaries, for the development of career pathways;

11. Whether your organization’s activities offer flexible schedules and coordination with Federal, State, and local support services (such as child care, transportation, mental health services, and career planning) that are necessary to enable individuals, including individuals with disabilities or other special needs, to attend and complete programs;

12. Whether your organization maintains a high-quality information management system that has the capacity to report measurable participant outcomes (consistent with question 4 above) and to monitor program performance; and

13. Whether the local areas in which your organization is located have a demonstrated need for additional English language acquisition programs and civics education programs. (Page 214)

In an effort to increase services, DSU is initiating a customized employment program in FY 2017. The DSU has also developed a pilot project with the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS) to provide a more intensive supported employment program for youth with serious mental illness. DSU has MOAs with ODMHSAS and Developmental Disability Services (DDS) of the Oklahoma Department of Human Services to assist with the expansion of supported employment services and funding for extended services. DSU is pursuing technical assistance and training from the Office of Disability Employment Policy’s (ODEP) Employment First State Leadership Mentoring Program in an effort to develop braided funding resources for expanded services. In addition, DSU assists youth with the most significant disabilities to access SSA work incentives, employment networks, natural supports and private pay options for extended services. (Page 273)

Ticket to Work Program 

Coordinated activities under Ticket to Work are delivered by a statewide Ticket to Work Coordinator. The coordinator will organize activities within the DSU and with partnership employment networks (EN’s) to ensure the needs of ticket holders are met at a maximum level. Ongoing outreach efforts will be conducted to recruit new partnership employment networks in order to provide more opportunities to assist ticket holders in reaching Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) level employment outcomes. The coordinator will continue to oversee the ticket to work hotline and will provide ticket holders with information and referral for state VR, partnership EN’s, and external EN’s. (Page 274)

Reporting Processes:

The workforce system partners are utilizing the Oklahoma Works, Key Objective: Data, to integrate and use workforce and economic development data to inform policy, track progress, and measure success. Under this objective, Workforce Partners have identified the “Common Connectivity” strategy in the form of a common intake portal as a priority for the state. Oklahoma is seeking the USDOL Reemployment and System Integration Dislocated Worker grant to secure the necessary resources to design and implement a common intake system in Oklahoma. If received, the State will be able to make more progress toward a coordinated system. Oklahoma is also continuing to leverage data infrastructure, such as that developed through the Workforce Data Quality Initiative and State Longitudinal Data Initiative grant, to continue to implement coordinated data collection and reporting. (Page 117)

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.

Oklahoma is focused on accessibility for all job seekers and businesses and employer’s work sites throughout all levels of Oklahoma Works. Working with the Governor’s Council for Workforce and Economic Development (GCWED), system partners bring sharper focus on developing and employing more Oklahoman’s with disabilities. (Page 146)

OESC complies with Section 188 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 (WIOA) [29 CFR 38]; there are trained bi-lingual staff located in the Workforce Centers and Unemployment Insurance Service Centers for on-site language interpreting for English language learners customers, as well as, Telephone Language Interpretive Services and Document Translation Services. The local one-stop center, based on funding availability, may provide access to Google Translate for individuals who are English-language learners and for whom translators may not be available. Additionally, the one-stop center will partner with local Adult Learning Centers to provide literacy services to LEP clients. (Page 150-151)