The Mecklenburg Disability Action Collaborative MDAC And, It’s Employment First Initiative Mecklenburg County, North Carolina 2010 APSE National Conference 1 Atlanta, Georgia June 8, 2010
Mecklenburg Disability Action Collaborative (MDAC) Employment First Initiative Agenda • What is MDAC? • Why Employment First? • What’s the Vision? • What’s the Problem • What’s Being Done? • Who Is Participating? • How’s the Initiative Organized? 2
Mecklenburg Disability Action Collaborative (MDAC) An Organization of Advocacy Organizations and Self-Advocacy Groups Dedicated to Collaborative Action to Improve the Lives of Individuals with Disabilities. Originating Organizations Included: • Area Mental Health – Consumer and Family Advisory Committee • Arc of Mecklenburg County • NAMI – National Alliance on Mental Illness • Mental Health Association • Autism Society • MeckPromise • ECAC – Exceptional Children’s Assistance Center • Council for Children’s Rights • Drug Free Coalition • Disability Rights & Resources • Down Syndrome Association • Area Mental Health – Local Management Entity 3
Why Collaborate? NC Mental Health (MH/SA/DD) Reform is all about: • Community Inclusion • Recovery • Self Determination These Goals Require: • Employment Opportunities These are Common Issues • Housing Alternatives Across all Disability Groups • Transportation • Community Acceptance In Mecklenburg County: • Over 50,000 individuals receive MH/DD/SA public support • Over 35,000 of these are adults • Up to 70% of these are unemployed • Most do not have housing alternatives • Many are in segregated environments • There are few opportunities for socialization • There is no coordinated plan to help them 4
MDAC Organizational Concept MDAC Advocacy Organization MDAC Members MDAC Initiatives MDAC Members Plus Community Partners Employment Budget First Housing ? Advocacy ? Initiative These Initiatives act as a Clearing House, Coordinator, and Energizer for Multiple Community Activities related to the Initiative. For Example, There are many Community Activities related to Employment/Supported Employment, including MH and DD Best Practices Subcommittees, Vocational Rehab Programs, and Individual Agency Programs that can be brought together and leveraged at the Community level through the MDAC Initiative. 5
Why “Employment First”? (It’s Not Really!) The Elements of Recovery and Self-Determination Income & Employment Social Life Residential Transportation Financial Or Daily And Support Activity Recreation • At Home • Special Transport • SSI / SSDI • Education • Family & Friends • Supported • Public Transport • Other Public Funding • Employment • Hobbies • Independent • Family & Friends • Family Support • Other Activities • Travel & Networking • Independent • Earnings • Faith Based “Employment First” Health & Skills & Because of it’s Stability Capabilities Potential Impact on the Other Elements Then…. • Physical Health • ADL’s • Mental Health • Social • Crisis Mgmt • Financial This is First!! Consumer 6
The Mecklenburg Disability Action Collaborative (MDAC) Employment First Initiative The Vision The Community values and actively promotes employment as the first priority and preferred outcome for all working-age youth and adults with disabilities. 7
Goal: Increase What Must Change? Employment for Four Major People with Areas! Disabilities Employers Future Employment People with Service Current Disabilities and Employment Providers Their Families The Support System 8
Goal: Increase What Must Change? Employment for Four Major People with Areas! Disabilities Employers Providers Service Definition Driven • Focus on Person’s Deficits Future • Legacy Services Employment • Readiness Model • Little Collaboration • No Standard Training • No Certification People with • Outsider to Employers Current • Process Compliance Driven Disabilities and Employment • Low Pay / Esteem Their Families To: Holistic Outcome Driven • Focus on Person’s Abilities • Best Practice Services • Trained / Certified • Part of Employer Team • Rewarded for Outcomes • Improved Pay / Stature The Support System 9
What Must Change? Goal: Increase Employment for People with Disabilities Employers Providers Service Definition Driven • Focus on Person’s Deficits Future • Legacy Services Employment • Readiness Model • Little Collaboration • No Standard Training • No Certification People with • Outsider to Employers Current • Process Compliance Driven Disabilities and Employment • Low Pay / Esteem Their Families To: Holistic Outcome Driven • Focus on Person’s Abilities • Best Practice Services • Trained / Certified • Part of Employer Team • Rewarded for Outcomes • Improved Pay / Stature Support System Fragmented, Agency Centric To: Coordinated, Person Centric • Silo’s • Integrated Area Mental Health Vocational Rehabilitation • Not my mission • Common Goals Dept of Social Services • Focus on Person’s Deficits • Focus on Person’s Abilities Workforce Development Board Housing Authority • Measured on Process • Measured on Outcomes CMS • Lack of Coordination • Coordinated CPCC 10 UNCC • Funding Gaps • Sufficient & Flexible Funding Community Agencies Public • Policy Deterrents • Policy Enablers
What Must Change? Goal: Increase Employment for People with Disabilities Employers People with a Disability & Families Providers Limited Belief & Aspirations Service Definition Driven • Can’t • Focus on Person’s Deficits • Not Ready Future • Legacy Services • Passive Employment • Readiness Model • Perceived Safety of Segregation • Little Collaboration • Benefit Risk • No Standard Training • Reliance on System • No Certification • Unprepared for Transition • Outsider to Employers Current To: • Process Compliance Driven Employment Full Belief & Desire • Low Pay / Esteem • Yes I Can To: • Yes You Can Holistic Outcome Driven • Active • Focus on Person’s Abilities • Dignity of Risk & Integration • Best Practice Services • Benefit Management • Trained / Certified • Utilize System to Bolster • Part of Employer Team Natural Supports • Rewarded for Outcomes • Prepared for Transition • Improved Pay / Stature Support System Fragmented, Agency Centric To: Coordinated, Person Centric • Silo’s • Integrated Area Mental Health Vocational Rehabilitation • Not my mission • Common Goals Dept of Social Services • Focus on Person’s Deficits • Focus on Person’s Abilities Workforce Development Board Housing Authority • Measured on Process • Measured on Outcomes CMS • Lack of Coordination • Coordinated CPCC 11 UNCC • Funding Gaps • Sufficient & Flexible Funding Community Agencies Public • Policy Deterrents • Policy Enablers
Employers What Must Change? Goal: Increase Benevolent Agnostics To: Active Recruiters Employment for • Sympathetic Hiring • Asset Based Hiring People with • Lack of Knowledge • Knowledgeable Disabilities • Randomly Solicited • Relationship Based Matching • Tolerant of Job Coaches • Respect for Job Coaches • Cost / Risk Focus • Cost / Benefit Focus Providers People with a Disability & Families Service Definition Driven Limited Belief & Aspirations • Focus on Person’s Deficits • Can’t Future • Legacy Services • Not Ready Employment • Readiness Model • Passive • Little Collaboration • Perceived Safety of Segregation • No Standard Training • Benefit Risk • No Certification • Reliance on System • Outsider to Employers • Unprepared for Transition Current • Process Compliance Driven To: Employment • Low Pay / Esteem Full Belief & Desire • Yes I Can To: • Yes You Can Holistic Outcome Driven • Focus on Person’s Abilities • Active • Best Practice Services • Dignity of Risk & Integration • Trained / Certified • Benefit Management • Part of Employer Team • Utilize System to Bolster • Rewarded for Outcomes Natural Supports • Improved Pay / Stature • Prepared for Transition Support System Fragmented, Agency Centric To: Coordinated, Person Centric • Silo’s • Integrated Area Mental Health Vocational Rehabilitation • Not my mission • Common Goals Dept of Social Services • Focus on Person’s Deficits • Focus on Person’s Abilities Workforce Development Board Housing Authority • Measured on Process • Measured on Outcomes CMS • Lack of Coordination • Coordinated CPCC 12 UNCC • Funding Gaps • Sufficient & Flexible Funding Community Agencies Public • Policy Deterrents • Policy Enablers 5/15/09
MDAC “Employment First” Initiative – Strategic Plan Employment First Create Provide Outreach Promote Prioritize I. Sustainable And System Transition of I. II. III. IV. Collaboration Education Transformation Young Adults Steering Comm. Communications Comm. Transformation Comm. Transition Comm. A. Establish a Leadership . Collaborative and Strategic Plan B. Gain Stakeholder Endorsement C. Support the Creation of a Business Leadership Network D. Create a Self-Advocate and Associate Leadership Network E. Create a Provider Workforce Leadership Network F. Establish an “Employment First” Implementation Support Center 13
Recommend
More recommend
