Employment First Collaborative Framework Worksheet Most states have - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Employment First Collaborative Framework Worksheet Most states have an “Employment First” policy or initiative in place. However, systems-change cannot be realized without a strong coalition of partners, both in and outside state government, committed to improving employment of individuals with disabilities over a long period of time. Florida adopted a framework to facilitate this kind of collaboration within its Employment First policy and has experienced positive results since its inception. This worksheet highlights some of the collaborative achievements from Florida’s Employment First Initiative to assist other states in developing their own framework for systems-change. The table below is divided into three phases of collaboration, based on the quote by Henry Ford: “Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.” Each section includes a list of questions for state leaders and stakeholders to consider in facilitating collaboration, from bringing partners together to evaluating the collective impacts. The right- hand column summarizes the approach taken by Florida’s Employment First partners in response to each of these questions. This worksheet is not intended to prescribe a specific approach; rather, it provides examples to help other states evaluate their own disability services systems and identify areas where collaboration is needed or can be improved. Facilitating Questions to Consider for Your State Florida’s Approach Collaboration Does your state have an established commitment to Governor Rick Scott established Florida’s prioritize and increase employment of individuals with Employment First policy in Executive Order 13- disabilities (i.e., legislation, executive order, administrative 284 in 2013, which was codified into law rule, etc.)? _______________________________________ (section 413.80, Florida Statutes) by the Coming ________________________________________________ Legislature in 2016. The policy is carried out by ________________________________________________ nine state partner organizations (“Partners”) Together ________________________________________________ through an interagency cooperative agreement. Through an What is (or should be) included in your state’s Employment Florida’s Employment First policy includes: Employment • First policy? ______________________________________ A common definition for competitive First Initiative ________________________________________________ integrated employment • ________________________________________________ Specific objectives to bring about systems- ________________________________________________ change efforts ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ 1

• The organizations tasked with collaborating in these efforts through an interagency cooperative agreement What organizations are critical to carry out your state’s Florida’s Partners include: • Employment First policy? Agency for Persons with Disabilities – serves • _________________________________________ individuals with intellectual/developmental _________________________________________ disabilities (IDD) through Medicaid Waiver • _________________________________________ Home and Community-Based Services • _________________________________________ Bureau of Exceptional Education and • Student Services – serves students with _________________________________________ _________________________________________ disabilities in the K-12 education system • • _________________________________________ CareerSource Florida and Department of Economic Opportunity – serve individuals _________________________________________ • with disabilities in the workforce _________________________________________ development system _________________________________________ • • Division of Blind Services – serves _________________________________________ individuals who are blind/visually impaired _________________________________________ • • Division of Vocational Rehabilitation – _________________________________________ serves persons with disabilities seeking to __________________________________________ • obtain/maintain employment __________________________________________ • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Office __________________________________________ • – serves persons with mental health __________________________________________ disorders __________________________________________ • • Florida Developmental Disabilities Council – __________________________________________ facilitates advocacy and systems change __________________________________________ • efforts for individuals with IDD __________________________________________ • Florida Association of Rehabilitation __________________________________________ Facilities – represents day/employment providers serving individuals with disabilities throughout the state What evidence supports the need for systems-change in The Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at your state? ______________________________________ UMass-Boston conducted research on nine ________________________________________________ states similar to Florida to identify common ________________________________________________ elements of high-performance in integrated 2

________________________________________________ employment outcomes. ICI also collected data ________________________________________________ in Florida through various methods to help the ________________________________________________ state build an Employment First framework with broad participation from stakeholders. Are there other state initiatives that can align with your In 2011, Governor Scott created the Employment First efforts (e.g., WIOA, transition-youth, etc.)? Commission on Jobs for Floridians with ________________________________________________ Disabilities to recommend strategies to improve ________________________________________________ employment for individuals with disabilities. ________________________________________________ The Commission assisted the Partners in ________________________________________________ coordinating efforts to develop the Employment ________________________________________________ First Interagency Cooperative Agreement in ________________________________________________ 2013-14; the Partners in turn incorporated ________________________________________________ some of the Commission’s recommended ________________________________________________ strategies within the agreement (including development of a statewide communication plan to improve employer awareness). How does (or can) your state facilitate the development The Partners established three interagency and/or implementation of its Employment First policy? workgroups, with each group’s responsibilities ________________________________________________ defined in the cooperative agreement: • ________________________________________________ Employment First Partnership Coalition – ________________________________________________ consists of Partners’ leaders (i.e., Agency Keeping ________________________________________________ Director, Bureau Chief) and/or their ________________________________________________ designees; oversees coordinating and Together ________________________________________________ implementing objectives in the agreement • ________________________________________________ Employment First Collaborative Team – Through a ________________________________________________ consists of subject matter experts from Collaborative ________________________________________________ each Partner organization; identifies ________________________________________________ barriers to systems-change and Framework ________________________________________________ develops/proposes strategies to assist ________________________________________________ Partners in implementing the agreement • ________________________________________________ Employment First Grassroots Group – ________________________________________________ consists of self-advocates and local level ________________________________________________ stakeholders; convenes quarterly webinars ________________________________________________ 3