Wyoming

Strategies for the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation to meet performance goals are as follows: 

• Strengthen the alignment of the Division program with the other core programs through a unified strategic plan, common performance accountability measures, and delivery of services through the One–Stop model.
• Continuing to emphasize the achievement of competitive integrated employment by individuals with disabilities through the Employment First Initiative.
• Expanding services to support students and youth with disabilities who are transitioning from secondary education to postsecondary education and employment. 

No specific disability related information found.  (Page 171)

The Wyoming Employment First Task Force established by the State Legislature in 2014 (Statute HEA 0053) has developed a Strategic Plan that includes FY 2016, 2017 and 2018. The task force has developed a dash board that includes information and statistics from Department of Workforce Services, Behavioral Health Division, Wyoming Department of Education, Department of Family Services and Mental Health. The Employment First Consultant is responsible for the establishment of community employer groups that have hired individuals with disabilities. The purpose of these groups is to educate other employers on the benefits of hiring individuals with disabilities. (Page 325)

Individuals who are intellectually disabled

Objective: Improve and expand services to persons who are intellectually disabled.

Method: The Division partnered with other State agencies to hold an “employment first” conference in July 2014. The goal was to educate consumers and employers about the benefits of integrated and competitive employment. (Page 350)

• Customized screening and referral of qualified applicants to employers.
• Customized employment–related services to employers, employer associations, or other such organizations.
• Coordination of activities
• Employment and training activities are coordinated with child support enforcement activities of State agencies carrying out part D of title IV of the Social Security Act.
• Employment and training activities in coordination with cooperative extension programs carried out by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
• Employment and training activities coordinated with activities that facilitate remote access to services provided through the One–Stop delivery system, including access through the use of technology.
• Improving coordination between workforce investment activities and economic development activities; promoting entrepreneurial skills training and microenterprise services.
• Improving services and linkages between the local workforce investment system and employers, including small employers, in local areas.
• Strengthening linkages between the One–Stop delivery system and the unemployment insurance programs.
• Improving coordination between employment and training activities and programs for individuals with disabilities. This includes programs carried out by State agencies relating to intellectual disabilities and developmental disabilities, as well as other activities undertaken by the statewide Independent Living Councils, and activities carried out by centers for independent living.
• Other Federal agency supported workforce development initiatives, under the departments of Transportation, Energy, Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Health and Human Services, and Defense. (Page 147)

No specific disability related information found.

Fourteen (14) of the sixteen (16) VR Field offices are co-located with our Employment and Training colleagues. Fifteen (15) of the field offices should already comply with section 188 of WIOA as well as applicable provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. § 12101 et. seq.) We also work with the individual landlords in building the State does not own to ensure that concerns about accessibility are addressed. All Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors are either licensed CRC’s or are in the process of completing an accredited Master’s in Rehabilitation Counseling program. Additionally, all VR staff undergoes annual training to enhance their skills to address the needs of individuals with disabilities - including accessibility. (Page 229)

Wyoming offers physical and programmatic accessibility of facilities, programs, services, technology, and materials for individuals with disabilities at each of our facilities across the state. All 16 field offices and satellite offices meet the applicable provisions of the ADA and section 188 of WIOA. (Page 230)

No specific disability related information found.

Wyoming DVR is developing a pilot Project SEARCH program in Albany County. Project SEARCH has programs in 47 states and is highly recommended by the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) to help DVR agencies meet the Pre Employment Transition Service requirements found in WIOA. As such, DVR is working with the following partners from: Education: Local School District, Career Technical School, Educational Service Center, several neighboring / contiguous school districts, etc.; Community Rehabilitation Partner (provider of job coaching and job development); Developmental Disabilities Agency or Mental Health Provider (for follow along services); Local Employers (Page 326)

The five new program elements are financial literacy education, entrepreneurial skills training, services that provide labor market and employment information about in-demand industry sectors or occupations in a local area, activities that help young people prepare for and transition to postsecondary education and training, and education offered concurrently with and in the same context as workforce preparation activities and training for a specific occupation or occupational cluster. (Page 525)

Disability Determination Services is responsible for determining the eligibility of Wyoming residents who apply for disability benefits under the Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income programs.

The following research questions guided this comprehensive statewide needs assessment for individuals with disabilities: 

1. What are population estimates and characteristics of individuals with disabilities in Wyoming? How do these compare with Division of Vocational Rehabilitation customers?
2. What are estimates and characteristics of individuals who receive Social Security disability benefits (SSDI and SSI)? How do these compare with Division customers?
3. How do the processes and outcomes of Wyoming vocational rehabilitation services compare with other states? What are the anomalies and are these of concern?
4. What do vocational rehabilitation customers perceive as their unmet needs and barriers to successful outcomes?
5. What do rehabilitation providers perceive as unmet needs and barriers to successful outcomes for their customers? How do provider perceptions of needs and barriers compare with the customers’ perceptions?
6. What groups appear to be unserved or underserved by vocational rehabilitation services? What are the unmet service needs of these groups?
7. What are barriers and special service needs of racial and ethnic minority populations with disabilities? (Page 213)

Customers need assistance in understanding benefits and the impact of employment on benefits. Consumers and providers both identified a lack of knowledge about the impact of employment earnings on benefits. Recent studies indicate that benefits planning services are correlated with higher earnings for vocational rehabilitation customers. (Page 214)

Security Act, benefits under the supplemental nutrition assistance program established under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, assistance through the earned income tax credit under section 32 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and assistance under the State program for temporary assistance for needy families funded under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act; and

b) Referral to the services or assistance described above, as appropriate

Currently, Wyoming has 78 active sponsors with 363 active apprentices. These numbers are dynamic; they change with the needs of businesses to train workers. ; (Page 247)

The Wyoming Employment First Task Force established by the State Legislature in 2014 (Statute HEA 0053) has developed a Strategic Plan that includes FY 2016, 2017 and 2018. The task force has developed a dash board that includes information and statistics from Department of Workforce Services, Behavioral Health Division, Wyoming Department of Education, Department of Family Services and Mental Health. The Employment First Consultant is responsible for the establishment of community employer groups that have hired individuals with disabilities. The purpose of these groups is to educate other employers on the benefits of hiring individuals with disabilities. (Page 325)

Responsibilities of the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation include: 

1. Division transition consultants shall coordinate with the Department of Education, Special Programs Division and local education agencies to develop and provide a system for seamless transition from school to work/training for students with disabilities.
2. Be responsible for the provision of technical assistance, consultations, and the development of statewide program strategies and procedures applicable to youth with disabilities.
3. Provide technical assistance to Department of Education personnel through formal and informal training, joint problem–solving, and exchange of information on policies and procedures.
4. Division of Vocational Rehabilitation transition consultants will participate in the annual data analysis which is performed each fall. (Page 319)

The Division Central Office has a lending library that contains some reference materials relevant to vocational rehabilitation counseling. Reference materials are often requested by field staff or area managers and may be purchased for their use. In–service speakers and trainers often provide research information, as do many conference presenters. Program consultants in the Division’s Central Office stay current on trends in their specialty areas and share their findings with field staff. Specialty areas include the Governor’s Committee for Employment of People with Disabilities; the ADA; supported employment; staff training and quality assurance; transitions from school to work; Telephone Relay Service (TRS); deaf services; Business Enterprise Program (BEP); and small business planning. All Division staff members have Internet access for research purposes. (Page 335)

• Increase employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities in Wyoming.
• Rehabilitate at least 715 individuals with disabilities. In Federal fiscal year 2015, the Division successfully closed 662 individuals with disabilities.
• Improve outreach to and referral services from local education agencies to aid transitions from school to work through efforts of the Division transition consultant and counselors.
• Improve services to veterans with disabilities by having a program consultant act as a liaison between the Division and the Veterans Administration.
• Increase by at least five the number of clients with significant disabilities who start small businesses or are self–employed. In Federal fiscal year 2015, the Division closed 22 clients with small businesses. Clients will be assisted in setting up small businesses by using the Small Business Development Fund and other resources.
• Successfully rehabilitate in supported employment 300 or more individuals with the most significant disabilities. In Federal Fiscal 2015, 316 such people were closed successfully. Due to concerns about changes with services providers and their service focuses, the Division is concerned that it might not be able to meet the same level of employment as in previous years.
• Improve the recruitment, training, and retention of staff. (Page 343)

The 2012 assessment of rehabilitation needs identified four populations of concern in Wyoming: Persons with mental illnesses, students with disabilities who are in transition from school to work, persons with intellectual disabilities, and persons with acquired brain injuries.

• Students with disabilities continue to be a special concern for the Division. Because of distances and limited staff available, the Division has struggled to provide adequate services to the 48 school districts in Wyoming. To increase our impact, the Division has hired full–time transition consultants to coordinates effort at the state level, as well as to reaches out to the school districts and explain our services and how we can better serve disabled people. The Division has assigned all counselors a local school district or high school to aid in the focus on providing services to students and youth with disabilities.
• The Division will continue working with mental health centers and other community rehabilitation programs to improve job opportunities for with clients with mental illnesses and to provide the support services necessary so clients can be successful and independent. (Page 352)

Goal 1. Increase employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities in Wyoming.

• Rehabilitate at least 715 individuals with disabilities.
• Increase services to minority individuals with disabilities.
• Improve services for students and youth in transition from school to work.
• Improve services to veterans with disabilities. 

Results:

• The Division successfully rehabilitated 662 individuals with disabilities.
• In Federal fiscal year 2015, the Division worked with 381 clients who self–identified as something other than white, non–Hispanic. This compared 387 in FFY 2014. (The Division worked with 289 fewer clients in FFY 2015 than in FFY 2014)
• In FFY 2015, the Division worked with 1,439 transition clients compared to 1,562 in FFY 2014.
• The Division worked with 271 identified veterans in FFY 2015 compared to 236 in FFY 2014. (Page 354)

Community rehabilitation programs providing supported employment services in Wyoming must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities. Mental health centers providing supported–employment services must be certified by the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Division of the Wyoming Department of Health.

The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation’s management information system (Wyoming Rehabilitation and Employment System, or WYRES) includes criteria to measure integration, client satisfaction, scope of service, client wages, hours worked per week, variety of work options, and disability groups served. This data collection system allows the Division to make informed decisions to modify, improve, or expand supported employment services delivered through community rehabilitation programs and mental health centers. (Page 357)

Wagner-Peyser, Adult, Dislocated Workers & Youth -- Wyoming at Work

Wyoming currently uses and intends to continue using an information management system called Wyoming at Work. It is operated by a third party vendor, Geographic Solutions.

The Wyoming at Work system facilitates common data collection for Wagner-Peyser, Adult, Dislocated Worker, Youth, Migrant Seasonal Farm Workers, Veterans Employment and Training Services and Trade Adjustment Assistance. Reporting of WIOA and Wagner-Peyser data and performance outcomes, including Veterans Program data and outcomes, is accomplished through the Federal Data Reporting and Validation System (eDRVS).

The management information system collects and stores the data for required Federal reports including: (Page 202)

Wyoming continues to work towards data alignment and integration across the six core programs, unemployment insurance, and the state’s education systems. Several core programs and future combined plan programs are already integrated from an intake, case management, and reporting perspective. The integrated programs are Wagner-Peyser, Adult, Dislocated Worker, Youth, Trade Adjustment Assistance, Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers, and Veterans. Presently, management information systems are not fully interoperable. However, for research purposes, including evaluation, Research and Planning’s data (illustrated in the graphic, “Research & Planning’s Administrative Records Data Providers”) either is, or will be, integrated across Social Security numbers and student identifiers, for descriptive analysis, and predictive, and explanatory purposes. As the graphic shows, Research and Planning obtains student records, including personally identifiable information, from all of public education for research and evaluation, including WIOA purposes. Employer information is collected quarterly from unemployment insurance and workers’ compensation records. Administrative records for research purposes are collected on a weekly, quarterly, semester, and annual basis. WIOA participant records are acquired quarterly, while Vocational Rehabilitation and Adult Education are collected annually. Beginning with PY 2016, Adult Education and Vocational Rehabilitation records will be collected on a quarterly basis. Research and Planning’s established data collection and management system will be sustained by Workforce Services to evaluate performance, provide user-friendly information, and enhance knowledge about the workforce system. Research and Planning’s data collection and management system will also be used under WIOA to meet longitudinal tracking and evaluation research requirements. (Page 220)

6. Assign vocational rehabilitation counseling personnel to work with educational agencies in formalizing collaborative efforts on student planning, referral development, and tracking.
7. Make available relevant data about eligibility for vocational rehabilitation services and tracking information about employment outcomes for students and youth with disabilities. Review agency data collection procedures to improve and track vocational rehabilitation services and employment outcomes.
8. Division counselors shall assist local education agencies in planning for transitions of students with disabilities from school to post–school careers and life. Division counselors shall act as consultants for students, parents, and the local education agencies during IEP/transition meetings scheduled prior to eligibility determination by DVR. When requested by the LEA, DVR shall ensure that DVR counselors/representatives participate in the evaluation process of students who have applied for or otherwise requested DVR services in the development of the IEP or 504 plan of eligible students. (Page 320)

The Division Central Office has a lending library that contains some reference materials relevant to vocational rehabilitation counseling. Reference materials are often requested by field staff or area managers and may be purchased for their use. In–service speakers and trainers often provide research information, as do many conference presenters. Program consultants in the Division’s Central Office stay current on trends in their specialty areas and share their findings with field staff. Specialty areas include the Governor’s Committee for Employment of People with Disabilities; the ADA; supported employment; staff training and quality assurance; transitions from school to work; Telephone Relay Service (TRS); deaf services; Business Enterprise Program (BEP); and small business planning. All Division staff members have Internet access for research purposes. (Page 335)

• Increase employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities in Wyoming.
• Rehabilitate at least 715 individuals with disabilities. In Federal fiscal year 2015, the Division successfully closed 662 individuals with disabilities.
• Improve outreach to and referral services from local education agencies to aid transitions from school to work through efforts of the Division transition consultant and counselors.
• Improve services to veterans with disabilities by having a program consultant act as a liaison between the Division and the Veterans Administration.
• Increase by at least five the number of clients with significant disabilities who start small businesses or are self–employed. In Federal fiscal year 2015, the Division closed 22 clients with small businesses. Clients will be assisted in setting up small businesses by using the Small Business Development Fund and other resources.
• Successfully rehabilitate in supported employment 300 or more individuals with the most significant disabilities. In Federal Fiscal 2015, 316 such people were closed successfully. Due to concerns about changes with services providers and their service focuses, the Division is concerned that it might not be able to meet the same level of employment as in previous years.
• Improve the recruitment, training, and retention of staff. (Page 343)

The Division continues to seek creative job strategies, including helping clients start small businesses. The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation is partnering with other divisions within the Department of Workforce Services to educate employers and to develop more employment opportunities for persons with disabilities. (Page 351)

• The Division is continuing to work on expanding opportunities for clients to start small businesses. The Division has a full–time small business consultant who reviews all self–employment opportunities to ensure their viability and to provide some start–up funding.
• The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation continues to work with the State Human Resources Department to ensure that quality applicants are applying for positions with the agency. The Division continues to work with appropriate master’s degree programs in the region to identify potential candidates and to explore internship opportunities. The Division posts available openings on the State website and through social media. Other sources of recruitment are identified for geographical areas when it is difficult to find candidates. The Division continues to provide opportunities for staff to earn a master’s degree and to be able to sit for the CRC exam. Staff members also are given the opportunity to participate in continuing education training throughout the year to maintain their credentials. In 2014, the Wyoming Legislature approved raises for all staff members who met certain requirements. The raise took effect July 1, 2014, and a second raise was implemented on July 1, 2015. (Page 352)

Vocational Rehabilitation - WINRS

The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation currently utilizes Libera, Inc. System 7 product for case management. The system is designed and operated by Libera, Inc. of Jamestown, New York. The General Rehabilitation Program, Supported Employment, Small Business Program, and Youth Transition Program are managed with this system. Regular updates will occur to the system to maintain compliance with State and Federal requirements. The Division installed this system on August 31, 2015. Newer modules and system upgrades will be continually added to improve and streamline the services available to the Division staff as they work to assist the eligible disabled population in Wyoming.

The Division uses multiple layers of security to meet State and Federal data compliance measures and policies, and to protect client information from unauthorized access or disclosure and possible misuse or abuse. The Division uses the latest Internet technology standards to encrypt and secure all Web application traffic. Client SSNs are hidden after Workforce Services staff members enter the SSNs into the system. Servers housing the databases containing SSNs are “single-purpose restricted” to cleared system administrators. All database backups are encrypted using the most current standards. Only authorized Department of Workforce Services’ staff can view all client information through a highly secure software interface. Authorized Department staff members are instructed on the appropriate handling and protection of this data by the Vocational Rehabilitation management team. (Page 201)

Business Enterprise Program

This program is responsible for administering vending machine placement and services in State buildings and small businesses that may operate in State buildings. The program is a part of the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and has an assigned program consultant who manages and oversees the program. This necessitates close working relationships with vending service providers, building administrators, job coaches, community rehabilitation programs, and other government agencies.

The main objective of the Business Enterprise Program is to help individuals with disabilities plan and set up small businesses. Other entities are often involved in this process, including the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Small Business Development Centers, the Wyoming Women’s Business Center, the Wyoming Business Council, Social Security, private businesses, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development, and the Rocky Mountain Inventors and Entrepreneurs’ Congress. (Page 314)

Technical assistance (TA) is part of all monitoring visits to address current questions and challenges to meeting performance. If trends are identified in multiple programs, additional training is planned and made available to all programs. In addition to this TA, the three (3) areas identified in section C above will be addressed. Webinars, trainings, and dissemination of materials, links, and PD opportunities will be covered in our new monthly PD newsletter.

Professional development activities will include emphasis on evidence-based reading instruction, research-based instructional strategies, effective data quality collection, integrated education and training, use of technology in the classroom, serving students with disabilities, career pathways implementation, instruction in numeracy, writing, English instruction and language acquisition, distance learning, participatory learning, content standards, embedding social capitol skills (aka employability skills) into classroom management and instruction, and content standards. Transition to postsecondary education and training programs will be a collaborative effect among the core partners and community partners.

COLLABORATION.—In carrying out this section, eligible agencies shall collaborate where possible, and non-duplication of effort among partners will be a priority in order to maximize the impact of the activities above. (Page 302)

Section identified but no detailed information specifically addressing disability focused implementation.  (Page 386)