[nfbmi-talk] : mcr Wants Consumer Input??
Fred Wurtzel
f.wurtzel at att.net
Tue Mar 17 03:18:42 UTC 2015
Hi Joe,
We have the best ideas about rehabilitation and specifically blindness
rehabilitation. We need to share these ideas any time we get a chance. We
can have high hopes with realistic (low?) expectations.
Warmest Regards,
Fred
-----Original Message-----
From: nfbmi-talk [mailto:nfbmi-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Joe
Sontag via nfbmi-talk
Sent: Monday, March 16, 2015 3:44 PM
To: terrydeagle at yahoo.com; NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List
Subject: Re: [nfbmi-talk] : mcr Wants Consumer Input??
Why don't we take them up on it and see where the thing goes.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Terry D. Eagle via nfbmi-talk" <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
To: "'NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List'" <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, March 10, 2015 18:38
Subject: [nfbmi-talk] : mcr Wants Consumer Input??
: What? Why? Is this for real, or an early April Fools joke?
:
: Why would a state consumer council in Michigan decide to seek consumer
input
: all of a sudden?
:
:
:
:
:
: CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE - METHODOLOGIES FOR GAINING INPUT
:
:
:
: Purpose for Discussion:
:
: In the Fall of 2014, the MRS State Director informed the MCRS Chair and
: Executive Director (ED) that she would like the Council to host customer
: focus groups around the state. Since that time the three primary MCRS
work
: teams have had discussion about this opportunity and determined that the
: Council should create a plan for implementation. The Executive Team
: directed staff to place the above discussion topic on today's agenda, so
: that initial input could be gathered and used for the focus group
: operational plan. The Chair will designate a short term Ad Hoc Work Team
to
: consider input and membership direction gained from today's discussion
along
: with other materials regarding the implementation of customer focus
groups.
: The charge for this short term team will be to make recommendations to the
: Executive Team (ET) based on their findings.
:
:
:
: The above purpose for the discussion was presented by the ED and the
: document of questions included in the meeting folder was reviewed.
:
:
:
: What is the value of direct customer input?
:
: * Good opportunity to sit down with someone in management to talk
: about customer experience and get honest feedback
:
:
:
: What are we missing? What kind of information do you want to gather? What
: questions will be asked? How will they be asked?
:
: * Opportunities for customers to be able to exchange information,
: help keep them in the loop, to feel empowered.
:
: * Forum for getting information out to customers to tell them 'why
: MRS is doing what it's doing'.
:
:
:
: Who is the target audience? Customers only? MRS only? BSBP? Both? The
: larger disability community?
:
:
:
: The ED reported that historically, when facilitating employment focus
: groups, the Council would connect with district offices to reach out to
: customers who had plans signed and/or cases closed successfully/not
: successfully. About seven years ago, the State Director asked the Council
: to host Focus Groups in the Detroit area to gain input about the service
: system. The groups were held three times and were a great success, with
: excellent attendance and findings were embraced by MRS to strengthen their
: system for customers.
:
:
:
: * It was suggested to ask CILSs to do outreach to their customer
: population, there could be more than one population to connect with in a
: community.
:
:
:
: * Start with overview of what VR services are intended to do for
: customers, remind them of what system is supposed to do for them.
Successes
: shared, challenges raised.
:
:
:
: * We should have the ability to conduct multiple focus groups, may
be
: distinctions between MRS, BSBP, other customers, along with different
points
: in the process, the beginning, middle, end of VR and/or post-employment
: groups?
:
:
:
: * There may be local/regional/macro differences to consider -
: 2-pronged approach.
:
:
:
: * What emphasis should be considered for services to transition
youth
: with the anticipated changes with the implementation of WIOA? What are
the
: expectations of everyone involved, the students, VR, and Education?
:
:
:
: * Collaboration is important with VR/schools/universities to work
: together with customers in so many different places in the VR process.
:
:
:
: * Widen the scope and ask questions, if they were going to do a
focus
: group, what kind of information would you want to ask for? The ED
reported
: that they have done this in the past - interesting responses, some of the
: best ideas came from customers. MRS Orientation process tends to become
: rote, feedback from audience was to "back up" and provide more definitions
: with face to face interactions.
:
:
:
: * For customers, they want to know what their rights are.
: Frustrations with counselors.
:
:
:
: * It was suggested to contact the Comprehensive Statewide Needs
: Assessment committee to do determine if this kind of information could be
: added to the next three information gathering process.
:
:
:
: * Issue discussed about how not all customers may be aware of
: services provided by CAP.
:
:
:
: * What is the customer experience? What are the themes? What
: impacts affect services to customers?
:
:
:
: Is this something the Council wants to pursue?
:
: * Consensus was reached to move this project forward. Members
: expressed lots of interest in member participation, helping to do the
work,
: participate in the process.
:
:
:
: * From experience as a Council member, have learned that services
: differ so across the state, based on match differences/local agreements,
: transitions services. Different areas/groups could take on a different
way
: to facilitate the focus groups.
:
:
:
: The Chair will designate a short-term ad hoc work team to discuss the
: logistics and a timeline for the process.
:
:
:
: In the past, the Council has provided a meal for customer attendees of
focus
: groups and also a travel stipend to cover transportation costs.
:
:
:
: What do members think about the need for geographic diversity?
:
:
:
: * Consensus on having them all over the state. Look at what has been
: completed by other organization's final reports (Community Rehabilitation
: Organizations (CROs, the Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council
(MDDC),
: the Centers for Independent Living (CILs) etc.). CROs and CILs will help
: get people to attend the focus groups.
:
:
:
: What is the value of the information/input from customers? What do we do
: with the information after we have received it? If the members determine
: themes from comments made at a focus group, how do you know it's credible?
:
:
:
: * Info gathered would be good info for Council to put into the State
: Plan. Beforehand, what do you want to ask customers? What do you want to
: know from them?
:
:
:
: * CROs and CILs could host focus groups, both would want to have
input
: to the questions before they were asked, with a lot of variation needed
: around the state.
:
:
:
: Will data be anecdotal? Qualitative? Quantitative?
:
: * The focus group provides face to face conversations, which are
the
: value of the information you receive.
:
: * Would want to look for trends - positive or negative.
:
: * Would the State Plan be a driving force for designing the survey
: questions/tool?
:
:
:
: Should DSU staff be able to attend the focus groups?
:
: * If counselors are present, it could skew the data. One member
: thought that maybe not if counselors that were present worked in other
: regions of the state. Members seemed to be in agreement that this would
not
: be an option.
:
:
:
: Check with other SRCs to see what they have done to both gain customer
input
: and then what did they do with the collected customer data?
:
:
:
: The Council needs to determine how they want to proceed, the creation of
an
: implementation plan and how the findings will be utilized.
:
:
:
: * An example was shared of an Assistive Technology Grant
application
: that needed direct needs information from people around the state. Focus
: Groups were created and implemented, utilized RICCS (from the MDDC) to get
: people to attend. It was amazing how much information was obtained and
: different in each community. They did receive the grant following this
: process. Question asked: what kind of AT do you dream of? Generally
: people wanted ease for activities of daily living.
:
: * Need to determine what the State Director wants to get from these
: focus groups.
:
:
:
: NEXT STEPS: move forward, get more information, involve partners, and ask
: partners the questions discussed by Council today. Establish the internal
: MCRS Ad Hoc Short Term Work Team.
:
:
:
: * What does a representative sample need to be to be able to effect
: change? Or do we still want to learn the information regardless of the
: presence of representative samples?
:
:
:
: * In the past, even with small groups of customers, still resulted
in
: big changes in policy, system services, etc.
:
:
:
: * Training centers/schools would seem to be a good representative
of
: customers statewide to the VR programs. With request for focus groups
: coming directly from state director, it is anticipated that all input will
: be welcome.
:
:
:
: Washington State General SRC example was shared that they received mailing
: lists of customers to invite them to public comment, with follow-up phone
: calls to remind them of opportunity. How does that happen with the need
for
: customer confidentiality? Would need customer releases signed by
customers,
: or VR staff would have to call customers. Due to confidentiality, Council
: members/staff would not be able to call customers. The ED will talk with
the
: Washington SRC Staff to find out more about their process for phone calls
to
: customers.
:
:
:
: Accessibility of invitations/preferred formats would need to be
considered.
:
:
:
: What about a Pilot opportunity? Create a plan and see how the process
goes?
: Tweak as needed to improve for next focus groups.
:
:
:
: The ED asked Sue Howell, what is it that you want to gain from the MCRS
: Focus Groups?
:
: Her response: We need to learn what customers think about the VR system,
: where is it weak/not serving them? Get input on new initiatives -
proactive,
: not reactive. Incorporate businesses in the process in the future to get
: business involved. Need to refine both sides of VR - services to
customers
: and also to businesses. Looking to create better efficiencies, improve
: processes. With businesses, need to listen to what their needs are and
how
: can VR do better.
:
:
:
: * It is important to remember that any data collected needs to be
: taken verbatim the way it was received. If we change their story, it then
: becomes distorted and no longer contextually sound.
:
:
:
: S. Howell expressed concern about the separateness of all of the systems,
: the need to work together more, find the common ground. Questions should
be
: designed so that gaps, disconnects between program and business services
are
: revealed.
:
: * MRS hasn't always served business customer in the same way that
: customers have been served. Governor's initiatives, etc. trying to
: demonstrate a more comprehensive approach to VR - business and VR
customers
: are both customers. Good to hear.
:
:
:
: S. Howell reported that MRS has had a reduction in new customers and
: referrals for services. They are looking for ways to be more assertive.
: Businesses need to gain a better understanding for all that MRS has to
: offer. New initiatives (Governor's Summit and others) are helping to show
: businesses what MRS can do for them and their employees. Conversations
about
: 'culture' are having an impact as well. There should be a 360 degree
: provision of VR services thru BSBP and MRS. The MRS focus for this year is
: implementation and alignment of systems they connect with.
:
:
:
: Veterans Administration (VA) perspective shared. The VA has also been
: adopting the 'dual' customer approach. In-depth, comprehensive engagement
: at all levels for all cultural perspectives/distinctions, they have found
it
: is a much more effective way to educate and inform both customers.
:
:
:
: * Should focus groups be held for businesses as well? This could
: take place in the future, though a need to be separate from applicants.
:
:
:
: S. Howell stated that she sees focus groups as becoming a VR report card,
do
: them frequently enough for VR to be able to tweak/change systems to
improve
: services to customers, including businesses.
:
:
:
: The ED stated that there continues to be consensus to move the focus group
: project forward. The members who are interested in joining the short term
: work team include: Trina, Caryn, Sharon, Mike, Zach, Brian, Carol. Adam
: indicated his interest when planning for the business arena. The DSU
: Liaisons will be: MRS: Jim Bunton and BSBP: Lisa Kisiel. The ED will
: contact SILC for a representative, along with Todd Culver at MARO.
:
:
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