Commission on Disability & Employment

November 16, 2016: 9:00 AM
Frances Perkins Room, MDOL Commerce Drive, Augusta, ME

State Workforce Board COMMITTEE ON DISABILITY AND EMPLOYMENT November 16, 2016 9:00 AM ? 11:30 PM Central Maine Commerce Center 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta Commissioner?s Room Call in: 877-455-0244, Conference code: 2121366385 AGENDA 9:00 Welcome, Review/approve September meeting?s minutes 9:15 DEI Recommendations for Sustainable Systems Change ? Peaches Bass 10:00 SWB Updates, WIOA Implementation Update ? Garret Oswald 10:30 Break 10:45 Follow up on other Employment for PWD Efforts and CDE Annual Report discussion - all 11:30 Adjourn Next Meeting: January 25, 2017 (Wednesday) 9:00 ? 12:00 Central Maine Commerce Center Frances Perkins Room

COMMITTEE ON DISABILITY AND EMPLOYMENT MEETING

11/16/16

Present: Jennifer Kimble, Don Rice, Jeanie Coltart, Jane Moore, Gayla Dwyer, Karen Fraser, Peaches Bass, Rachel Dyer

Staff: Cheryl Moran, Garret Oswald, Joshua Howe

• Jennifer Kimble opened the meeting with welcomes and introductions and asked for approval of the 9/21/16 meeting minutes. • Cheryl Moran stated there are 3 corrections pointed out by Peaches Bass on page 2, near the top of the page asking to substitute 2 words force to motivate and players to providers, and spelling correction segue. • Don Rice motioned. Gayla Dwyer seconded. Minutes approved as written after corrections.

DEI Recommendations for Sustainable Systems Change ? Peaches Bass • Peaches provided a handout in reference to the Disability Employment Initiative Sustainability meeting held on July 25, 2016 with Ginny Carroll, David Klein, Dawn Mealey and Peaches Bass including the conversation she had with Jeff Sneddon, Executive Director of the Central/Western Maine Workforce Development Board (CWMWDB) on November 7, 2016. The handout covers areas such as: Areas for sustaining efforts undertaken during Disability Program Navigator (DPN) and the Disability Employment Initiative (DEI); Training needed for all staff ? (Ticket to Work 101, VR staff needs this training in order to know the importance of the ticket after a customer has completed their services - automatic referral to a BES case manager); Assistive Technology, Employment Network/Ticket to Work; Integrated Resource Teams; and Financial Assessment (which was not discussed at the meeting).
The DEI Grant includes paying attention to sustainability and to change your system permanently for the betterment of People with Disabilities (PWD). The DEI Grant ends on January 21, 2017 with an extension in process. WIOA requires more integration services. They want to look at what?s doable, manageable and good practice. She is in the process of developing more SOP?s with the CareerCenters in a way that does not single out PWD?s and the CareerCenter Managers will be responsible to make sure SOP?s around this is followed. Recently, Peaches met with Josh Howe, Program Coordinator SWB responsible for the implementation strategy of the WIOA State Unified Plan, Ginny Carroll, Division Director of Policy & Evaluation MDOL BES and Eric Dibner, ADA/IL Coordinator Rehabilitation Services to discuss universal access. Universal access is part of the WIOA State Unified Plan. She did stress they will not expect staff to be experts in assistive technology.
Ticket to Work ? How can we attract or capture folks that are receiving SSI or SSDI because we are not doing such a good job at the CareerCenters.
People should be spoken to sooner before assigning a ticket especially if they are considering working.

SWB Updates, WIOA Implementation Update ? Josh Howe, Garret Oswald, Cheryl Moran • Josh stated his primary function is implementation strategy of the WIOA State Unified Plan. The Unified Plan received final approval with provisions. Now he is in the process of folding the provisions into the word document and once completed, the Plan will be available on the SWB website. The Steering Committee has been meeting to gather all the elements to accomplish what needs to be done. • Garret reiterated saying we are moving right along with implementation of the Plan. • Cheryl was pleased to report that the Older Worker Committee (a sub-committee of the SWB) reinstated the Silver Collar Employer Award. The Silver Collar Employer Award has not been awarded since 2013. The Silver Collar Employer Award is an annual award chosen by the members of the State Workforce Board?s Older Worker Committee that honors employers whose policies and practices match the needs of mature employees by capturing their skills and experience, strong work ethic, flexibility, and enthusiasm. Recipients of the 2016 award are The Hinckley Company (Trenton), Goodwill Industries of Northern New England (Gorham) and RH Foster (Hampden).

Follow up on other Employment for PWD Efforts and CDE Annual Report discussion The committee members discussed about what they would like to see in the annual report and provided recommendations to be added: 1. When a customer comes into a CareerCenter, new or on-going, should be asked if they are receiving SSI or SSDI so they will not miss the opportunity of being eligible to receive a ticket in the Ticket to Work program. (Peaches Bass) 2. Interagency release form. (Don Rice) 3. Benefits and tickets ? accountability of CareerCenter Managers. (Jennifer Kimble) 4. Sustainability practice ? A Workshop for PWD including VR clients that are job seekers. (Jane Moore) 5. Financial Assessment ? anyone receiving employment and training services, this should be part of their package. (Peaches Bass) 6. Boards should consider having a disability committee or a Universal Access committee to address ongoing accessibility issues related to language/culture, disability, and geography (rural, remote, poor access to transportation). (Peaches Bass) • Jennifer Kimble ? we will provide a summary of what we talked about throughout the year although not much has changed from last year. Cheryl and I will provide the first draft to members for review and comment and also provide a deadline. The C D & E Annual Report is due January 1st. • Garret Oswald ? stated there is a Bill to fix the date to submit the Annual Report from September 1st to January 1st. Other ? • Rachel Dyer ? provided an update on the Blue Ribbon Commission in reference to the transportation legislation. She stated they are still meeting. She believes the final recommendation will be a pilot program. • Rachel also explained about the voucher system which is access to a certain amount of funding regarding transportation. She indicated that there is a lot of discussion around who would qualify for this.

Meeting adjourned

Next meeting: January 25, 2017 (Wednesday) from 9:00 to12:00, Central Maine Commerce Center, Frances Perkins Room

Respectfully submitted by Cheryl Moran

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