Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Liberty Plaza, 335 George Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901

rwjms.rutgers.edu/boggscenter p. 732-235-9300 f. 732-235-9330

David Michael Mank, PhD Professor Emeritus Indiana University Bloomington, IN

Enhancing Employment: The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act

and Other Recent Developments

May 11, 2017 DoubleTree Suites by Hilton, Mt. Laurel, NJ

The attached handouts are provided as part of The Boggs Center’s continuing education and dissemination activities. Please note that these items are reprinted by permission from the author. If you desire to reproduce them, please obtain permission from the originator.

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Enhancing Employment: The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act 

and Other Recent Developments

Developmental Disabilities Lecture Series  May 11, 2017

David Mank, Ph.D.Professor EmeritusIndiana Universitydmank@indiana.edu

Notable Employment Related Developments2014‐2017

Oregon – Department of Justice Settlement Agreement

AbilityOne ®

14(c) Proposed Legislation

CMS Integration Language

Home and Day Settings

CMS – Notice of Performance Based Payment Options for Employment   

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act

Oregon Department of JusticeSettlement Agreement

Transition

Metrics

Capacity Building

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AbilityOne ®

Contracting Concerns

75% Requirement

Possible Reform Aligned with Olmstead and ADA?

14(c) Subminimum Wage

Advisory Committee Recommendations

States Initiatives

Proposed Federal LegislationSenateHouse of Representatives

CMS

Settings/Integration

Typical Settings

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CMS Payment

Outcomes Payments

Initial Milestones

Sustained Employment

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act

Advisory Committee

Transition

Collaboration State DD/VR/Medicaid Office

Oregon – Department of Justice 2015 Settlement Agreement 

January 2012 – December 2015 Class ActionPeople in Sheltered workYouth at risk

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Oregon Department of JusticeSettlement Agreement

Transition

Metrics

Capacity Building

Background

Vocational Assessments in Workshops for youth

Decreasing numbers in Integrated Employment over years

Context of Olmstead Decision and ADA

Oregon Actions

Governor’s Executive Orders – 2013, 2015

Integrated Employment Plan

Capacity Building Training and technical assistance

Quality Assurance Plan

Outreach

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Key Terms of Agreement

“Closing the front door”

Employment Services to 7,000 (4,900 youth)

At least 1,115 in integrated employment

Overall reduction in number in SW

Agreement Includes

Outreach

Training and technical assistance

Funding approaches

Transformation grants

No one required to leave SW

Seven years 

And, around the country

Rhode Island agreement

State Employment Leadership Network

Office of Disability Employment Policy grants

AIDD Partnerships in Employment grants

CMS

WIOA

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From impossible to possible ….

From possible to beneficial ….

From beneficial to allowed ….

From allowed to preferred ….

…. to the same standard as everyone else

Employment

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act: Key Provisions

Much larger role of Vocational Rehabilitation in transition from school to work

15% of Vocational Rehabilitation funds for transition servicesLimits to use of subminimum wage

Those under 24 should be offered competitive integrated employment

Emphasis on those with high support needs

Key Provisions

Definitions of supported employment and customized employment

Definition of competitive integrated employment

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Full time or part time work at minimum wage or higher, with wages and benefits similar to

those without disabilities performing the same work, and fully integrated with

coworkers without disabilities.

Competitive Integrated Employment

Key Provisions

Formal cooperative agreements between Vocational Rehabilitation, State Medicaid Office and Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities State Agency

Creation of advisory committee

Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated 

Employment for Individuals with Disabilities (ACICIEID)

January, 2015 – September, 2016

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Prepare Findings, Conclusions And Recommendations For The Secretary Of Labor On: Ways to increase competitive integrated employment People with intellectual/developmental disabilities Individuals with significant disabilities

Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities (ACICIEID)

Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities (ACICIEID)

The use of Section 14(c) (1938) Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Ways to improve oversight of such certificates

Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities (ACICIEID)

DUTIES INCLUDE “Committee advise the Secretary on development and 

implementation of coordinated policies and job‐driven strategies across federal agencies”

Evaluate the use of 14(c) in light of goals of competitive integrated employment 

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Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities (ACICIEID)

DUTIES INCLUDE Review existing federal policy and make 

recommendations (including employment services, long‐term supports, family support, and transportation)

Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities (ACICIEID)

COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP Self‐Advocates (3) Employment Service Providers (2) National Advocacy Organizations (3) Academics (2) Employers (2) Other Representatives (5)

COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP US Department of Labor Employment and Training Wage and Hour Office of Disability Employment Policy

Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disability CMS SSA Rehabilitation Services Administration

Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities (ACICIEID)

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Transition to Careers Complexity in Delivering Competitive Integrated Employment Marketplace Dynamics Building State and Local Capacity

Sub‐Committees

AbilityOne® 14(c) FLSA Data Funding Wrap Around Services Employment Success/Benefits   Ticket To Work 

Additional Sub‐Groups

2016 Recommendations

See website for full record of committee report

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Overall Capacity Building

The way in which employment services are funded

How employment services and outcome data are gathered and analyzed

Overall Capacity Building

How personnel are prepared, trained and supported to carry out their roles to facilitate CIE

Oversight and direction provided by federal agencies as CIE is expanded

Capacity Building for Youth

For youth to effectively transition to adult employment there needs to be:

Early work experiences

Family involvement and support

Professional development and training

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Capacity Building for Youth

Systems integration for seamless transition

Available and transferable assistive technology

Capacity Building Through Changes in the Use and Oversight of 14(c) Certificates

Subminimum wages paid under certificates allowable under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)

Congress amend the FLSA to allow for a multi‐year, well‐planned phase out of Section 14(c)

The Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor engage in stronger oversight of the current use of 14(c) certificates

The federal government assist states with building capacity of service systems to provide CIE services as alternatives to those provided under programs using a 14(c) certificate

Building Capacity in the Marketplace

Increased business and employer engagement will be necessary to increase CIE and will require:

Increased and more effective communication and outreach to businesses

Specific business‐oriented professional development for employment services personnel

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Building Capacity in the Marketplace

Incentives to create work experiences as preludes to employment

More accessible transportation

Hiring initiatives in high‐growth industries, particularly healthcare

Additional outreach to federal contractors regarding the OFCCP Section 503 regulations which establish disability hiring goals

Revisions to federal tax incentives and credits available to employers who hire people with disabilities

Capacity Building in Specific Federal Agencies

Increasing CIE will require partnerships and complementary actions among multiple federal agencies, including these activities:

Establishment of a cross‐agency working group to provide policy guidance and technical assistance on services that complement CIE

Demonstrating how the waiver of certain requirements in use of the Ticket‐to‐Work program will enable youth receiving SSI/SSDI to access services across systems that lead to CIE

Developing a policy reform initiative designed to increase the number of SSI/SSDI beneficiaries in CIE while simultaneously maintaining eligibility for income maintenance and essential health benefits

Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment in the AbilityOne® Program

Reforming the AbilityOne® program so that it can create CIE opportunities on a broad scale will require:

Amending the Javits‐Wagner‐O’Day Act (JWOD) to fully align the Act with modern federal disability law and policy goals by reforming the criteria for contract procurement selection and for program eligibility

Research on current use of AbilityOne® in order to identify how the program is serving the target population and to determine steps for improving its ability to create CIE opportunities

Evaluation of the implementation and impact of AbilityOne® reforms

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Practical Strategies for School to Work

Examples from Indiana and Seattle

Emphasis on interagency collaboration

Emphasis on Transition Outcomes: “Jobs by June”.

Vision and Goals

Outreach to families while students are still in school

Transition Fairs

Roles for School Personnel

Access to the general curriculum

Community skills

Soft skills

Individual Transition Plan

Collaborate

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Role of Vocational Rehabilitation

Early involvement 

Presumption of eligibility

Post – employment support services extended from 18 to 24 months (WIOA)

Collaborate

Roles of Employment Services Providers

Available to youth still in schoolDiscovery processAccess to work experiencesJob Development

Job matching and/or customized employment

Employer development and support

Technology as possibleOngoing job supports

Process for Individuals and Families

Transition FairsOrientationEligibility  for adult employment services

Timelines – Month by month. Final school 1 – 2 years

Application processGetting connected to VR and an employment provider

Transition checklistsJob experiences and a jobhttp://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/community‐human‐services/developmentaldisabilities/services/school‐to‐work.aspx

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Employment Providers Connection

Choosing a provider

Or

“Embedded” providers in schools

Pros and Cons

Funding Strategies

The art of the possibleBlended and braided fundingFlexibility?

Additional Resources

Center on Community Living and Careers at Indiana Institute on Disability at Indiana University

Indiana Secondary Transition Resource Centerhttps://www.iidc.indiana.edu/pages/cclc‐transition

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School to Work Outcomes in King County, WA

Nearly 70% of youth and families engage (up from 50%)

60% to 70% leave school with a job

Good variety of jobs

Some variance in hours worked

Expanding capacity

Lessons Learned

Leadership mattersClarity of MissionCollaborationTraining and Technical AssistanceImportance of outreach to multi‐cultural communitiesShared commitment among collaboratorsStarting “early”.Benefits planningCreative funding

Challenges

Including “All”

Limits to long term supports

Maximizing Hours

Unevenness 

Multi‐cultural communities (14+ languages for website information)

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New Horizons: Indiana and Washington

Earlier start on Transition

Expanding capacity

Earlier Family Outreach

Sustainable data systems

Keeping all partners connected

Questions and Discussion

What is already working for you?

What is your Mission?

What are your goals?

Who do you need?

What is possible in 6 months? A year? 5 years?

Notes

Notes

Notes

Notes