[rehab] {Disarmed} FW: RSA's FY 2014 Monitoring of the Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program

[Nightingale, Noel]

From: U.S. Department of Education [mailto:ed.gov at public.govdelivery.com]
Sent: Friday, October 25, 2013 1:15 PM
To: Nightingale, Noel
Subject: RSA's FY 2014 Monitoring of the Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program


Dear Stakeholder,

In order to better support State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies’ efforts to spur innovation and improve employment outcomes for approximately one million individuals living with disabilities served by VR, RSA will be changing the way it monitors the VR program and provides technical assistance to States. I want to assure you, however, that the changes are not intended to impose added burden on state agencies.  In fact, the changes are designed to strengthen the VR program overall nationally through improvements made at the state level, thus resulting in more high-quality employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities.

While the VR program has had great successes in many areas, including improving employment outcomes for individuals with the most significant disabilities, engaging employers, and increasing the percentage of transition-age youth served by the VR program, employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities exiting the VR program have generally remained stagnant over the past few years.  Although economic factors associated with the recession impacted performance levels, as the economy recovers, we must do everything we can to meet the demands of a changing 21st century global economy and disability community.  Accordingly, together, we must renew our focus on improving employment outcomes and performance of the VR program.

RSA’s monitoring changes will be based on a differential accountability model designed to support States’ efforts in improving performance of the VR program, identifying innovative interventions to prepare individuals with disabilities for career readiness and cultivating promising practices for building strong partnerships with the nation’s education and business community.

The new model will be phased in over a multi-year period beginning in FY 2014. RSA will focus on several overarching areas of importance, such as local and state partnerships that demonstrate innovation and success in achieving employment and community living outcomes. RSA will also provide access to technical assistance to those agencies faced with limitations or barriers that result in under-performance in order to improve successful outcomes. More specific information regarding the monitoring process will be reflected in guidance to be provided at a later date. It is our expectation that VR agencies and stakeholders will not only enthusiastically embrace these changes, but also will be proactive in making revisions necessary to remove or remediate barriers to employment for individuals with disabilities.

We have described the VR monitoring process below.

Summary of VR Monitoring Process:

State VR monitoring will identify three priority focus areas necessary to strengthen and improve the VR program’s mission and core values that lead individuals with disabilities to economic self-sufficiency.

 *   Performance of the VR Program:  This new focus area replaces the Organizational Structure focus area and will target indicators directly related to improving performance and employment outcomes.
 *   Transition Services and Competitive Employment Outcomes for Youth with Disabilities:  To strengthen the transition focus area, RSA will review current performance data related to transition-age youth with disabilities, including those with the most significant disabilities.  RSA will look at how VR agencies work with other partners, leverage resources, and break down silos to serve more youth and achieve better outcomes.  RSA will evaluate those practices that result in promoting sustainable careers for youth with disabilities, including training programs and services, such as community-based work experiences.
 *   Allocation and Expenditure of VR Funds:  RSA will revise the Fiscal focus area with emphasis on the effective allocation and utilization of federal resources to improve program performance; and look at how VR agencies expend VR funds, timely, effectively and efficiently, to provide the necessary VR services to enable more individuals with disabilities to achieve high quality employment outcomes.

RSA will:

 *   Conduct an in-depth examination of core program and fiscal data elements, including  the identification of areas of strength, potential risk factors, technical assistance needs and strategies necessary to improve performance with a focus on employment outcomes;
 *   Integrate fiscal analysis into program analysis for a comprehensive performance review, addressing such factors as high carryover balances, amount of relinquished funds, nonfederal sources of match and the status of orders of selection and waiting lists.
 *   Conduct a joint dialogue with the VR agency to explore factors that may impact performance, both positively and negatively;
 *   Develop recommendations for improving performance; and
 *   Develop, jointly with the VR agency and RSA training and technical assistance grantees, a Technical Assistance Plan to address performance issues, including the identification of strategies designed to improve performance and technical assistance resources necessary to assist in improving performance.

As noted above, RSA will place added emphasis on the provision of technical assistance designed to identify factors that impede performance and strategies to improve performance, including technical assistance to strengthen state and local partnerships that will improve competitive employment outcomes.  RSA will collaborate with training grants, including the Technical Assistance and Continuing Education centers and NIDRR-funded projects to assist in the provision of technical assistance to VR agencies and their partners with the goal of promoting consistent messaging regarding changes in the monitoring process.

RSA will implement the first phase of monitoring changes during the conduct of reviews of those agencies currently identified for review in FY 2014.  We anticipate the preparation and conduct of monitoring reviews will begin in January 2014.  Phase II of RSA’s new VR monitoring will be implemented beginning in FY 2015.  During this phase, RSA will target its monitoring resources using differentiated levels of review, including desk reviews, targeted on-site reviews and intensive on-site reviews, based on the technical assistance needs of VR agencies.

The Department is committed to continued collaboration with VR agencies and key stakeholders to achieve this important goal and encourages your feedback.  To provide VR agencies and stakeholders the opportunity to provide input on the changes, RSA has set up an electronic mailbox in which you may submit your comments.  We will provide specific information in a separate notice with instructions on how to access the mailbox and provide comments.

I want to reiterate that the shift in emphasis is designed to support States’ efforts to improve performance outcomes for individuals with disabilities, including individuals with the most significant disabilities, and especially transition-age youth with disabilities.

We appreciate your understanding as we undertake these important changes.


Thank you.

Janet L. LaBreck
Commissioner

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