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Today’s materials are posted on the DDS website at: https://www.dds.ca.gov/initiatives/stakeholder-events/

La presentación de hoy se publicará en el sitio web del DDS en: https://www.dds.ca.gov/initiatives/ds-task-force/

Comments? Questions? Email WorkServices@dds.ca.gov¿Comentarios? ¿Preguntas? Mande su correo electrónico a WorkServices@dds.ca.gov

I would be curious if the EDD data can be limited to ages 22-64 to determine what part of this population are students in Workability or TPP programs.

Link to the dashboard - https://www.dds.ca.gov/rc/nci/nci-interactive-dashboard/in-person-survey-ips/

I believe the information that Will Sanford brought up is important to look at: Can the PIP and CIE data, be sliced by supporting Service Code rather than Regional Center? As PIP and CIE are both sub-codes within vendored Service codes?

What innovative strategies and practices do we recommend for increasing paid work experiences and employment for people with developmental disabilities?

jessica.grove@dor.ca.gov, dsei@dor.ca.gov

1. Where are we strong, what exists that is helping people with DD getting jobs?

Thank you for letting me present to you today. If you would like to receive the surveys we have developed, please send an email to the dsei@dor.ca.gov email inbox. We have one for feedback on what would draw you to a business, and one for businesses on what would incentive them to participate.

There is infrastructure in place (albeit needs to be updated) and the state has invested in Employment First including training and new expectations.

Rebecca Lienhard, would love to see anything you have to share.

Supported Employment (and Customized Employment) have demonstated track record of working to get people employed and supported. It has been underfunded for 30 years. Other states fund job coaching, for, example at much higher rates.

Assessment/Discovery and specific training that helps people get past barriers to gainfully get employment opportunities.

We are strong in making this a priority. We are building strong infrastructure and building relationships in the community to support our cause.

What would make those initiatives even better?

Understanding the current business environment so we can best tailor the program to not only meet the need of the consumer but the business as well.

Better data collection, better funding for person-centered outcomes, innovative funding and support for remote work, self-employment, innovation for transportation providers

There is a real need for technological literacy – ensuring that individuals with ID/DD have access to technology and training opportunities to become familiar with the latest (and expected) online skills and resources

We also need to do a better job on sensitivity training of the employers and their staff to accept a diverse co-worker.

We need new service models developed to support persons with all needs. With that, we need to provide vendors with rates that will allow them to offer competitive wages for staff with the knolwdge and skills needed to support individuals who have previously been "determined" to not be ready for employment.

Improve the process through service coordination to inspire clients to pursue employment.

Agreed. Technical literacy can create a pathway to jobs with virtual options. This approach can help mitigate transportation issues.

We should investigate other states that use "tiered" funding structures to compensate support providers more if they serve those with more complicated and/or severe disabilities . As the Lanterman Act says, we should be serving those (in Employment (and in all services) ) "regardless of severity of disability"

What would make initiatives better: Grants should prioritize partnerships. Because so many barriers have to do with siloes/piecemeal approaches across the state, consider giving "points" to grant proposals from multiple organizations who have thought through strong ideas that emphasize cross-sector/interagency collaboration

We need to develop a legitimate micro-enterprise service model to appropriately support individuals seeking to develop their own business.

3. WHAT IS EMERGING IN OUR COMMUNITIES, IN THE STATE, WITHIN OUR NATION, THAT WE COULD CAPITALIZE ON TO INCREASE EMPLOYMENT?

Work from home options

Employer engagement that focuses on addressing business needs and adding value - improving workflow and supporting key staff-- combined with discovery, Customized Employment. Not just promoting the idea of "hiring people with disabilities"

Yes Rosalinda, remote work could fit for many in our community

Agreed. Placing people with disabilities in the workforce is much more than a social service need.

Thank you Carl!

This is really great input, Austin

Great point Carl, more funding for job exploration

4. WHAT CHALLENGES DO WE FORESEE? WHAT ARE THE LARGER EXTERNAL BARRIERS THAT MAY IMPACT OUR IDEAS?

Continued staffing crisis.

Yes, Katherine

AI-- and the automation of jobs

Social Security needs modernization

Assess the whole person when it comes to employment opportunities. The relationship that is built with employers by job developer is crucial to get opportunities to exist. Assess how hiring disabled can benefit the employer.

Workforce

Employment is more than just the skill set to do a particular job/task. Employment is also the ability to manage a social environment and being able to contribute at that level.

Public safety. Safety in public transportation, etc.

Communication access in Competitive Integrated Employment. ASL interpreters (AS Carl highlighted)

Totally agree with Arturo regarding Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts must understand Disability and Disability culture in their programs and organizational change processes. We should be developing a more expansive way to helping employers manage and benefit from diversity.

Our goal needs to be inclusive of ensuring our clients are supported in joining and participating in the social aspect of their jobs

5. WHAT MIGHT WE WANT THESE GRANTS TO FOCUS ON? WHAT DO WE RECOMMEND?

Pandemic - what are the obstacles?Engage with employers;Engage with service providers;Incentives to job coaches

Be open to grants targeting All sizes of employers - remember a lot of employment happens with small to medium employers

Employment opportunities for ALL persons

Great ideas, Jackie

Training job developers and coaches on Lean and other business principles and customized employment methods

Not just focusing on unemployment, but also underemployment.

Yes, I agree with Sara too

My recommendation would be to use some funds for peer sensitivity training. We invest on outside job coaches but we need someone from the inside to help support our clients in integrating them into the work force. A peer mentor program that will include a type of train the trainer approach. Basically the peer mentor would guide our clients through integration into the employee groups and support the existing employees and how to be inclusive and sensitive to the needs of our clients.

We also have a large number of people who are sitting at home, not doing anything. Focus needs to be on all populations, not just those who are in workshops currently. There are a lot of people who have unmet needs. Would like to see funding around remote work and career development/job exploration in different fields

Have a project to demonstrate how business can be incented (and/or compensated for) to develop expertise in supporting their own employees with disabilities- more natural than external job coach on an occasional basis

Creating wrap around services to address social barriers and encourage the idea of employment- provide work-based learning opportunities and discovery opportunities through Community training/Day services.

Rosalinda-- yes! There are many ways to incentivize more and better use of peer/natural supports in workplaces.

Great points made by Harry Bruell: Challenges: Equity (no incentives to support people with greater needs or to place in more career-oriented jobs for more hours), Access, and Independence (current payment for job coaches incentivizes providers to maximize coaching rather than maximizing independence - consider paying for hours worked by individual rather than hours coached)

Allow for flexible funding for transportation to be included in grant

Grants for benefits planning and support.

Yes to Beth-- finding ways to bundle transportation would be great.

Yes, totally agree with Katherine. Benefits Planning is very important

CARF accreditation is also a barrier. High costs with little return on investments.

Great point Carole Watilo

6. WHICH OF THE IDEAS THAT YOU HAVE HEARD AND SHARED DO YOU THINK WOULD HAVE THE BIGGEST IMPACT FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES?

Customized Employment- we need a service code and regs to guide this statewide

agreed Arturo!!!

Yes Arturo!

I think you need to acknowledge the different sub-populations within our community. Each may have things which would have a bigger impact.

Agree with increased and thoughtful supports for those with more extensive needs

Great comment, Rosalinda. thank you

Very important point Marty: uestion - depending on the person it is about a career - sometimes depending on the person and circumstances it might be a job (ie the need to pay rent or food) that is crucial regardless if the job fits in one's career goals. We all have had to do that in our lives. So how do we make sure we take that difference into account (answer: whole person and look at the individual - meaning person centered)

Thank you to all for your time and effort today. So great to be a part of a community focused on such important work. Appreciate you ALL!

Braiding and creating wrap around supports to address social barrier and enouragae the idea of CIE

Thank you

Thanks!