By: Marsha Legg Director,Career Development & Transition Services Humanim

1. Improved Employment Outcomes Resulting from Community-Based Assessment By: Marsha Legg Director,Career Development & Transition Services Humanim

2. Why do we need career & transition assessment? www.edweek.org

3. Status of youth with disabilities: Far too many drop out of high school (30% or more) Youth remain dependent on IEP teams to make decisions (too few self-determine or advocate) Youth have few opportunities for community-based work experiences during school Youth have difficulty adjusting after exiting high school Most are unemployed or underemployed after high school Most continue dependence on their families Thus outcomes from federal and state investments are unclear or negative—this is why we need assessment for transition-age youth.

4. How Can These Outcomes be Changed? Assessment can’t solve all these problems, but it helps us pay attention! Assessment can help identify potential strengths, barriers, accommodations, and resources.

5. Transition Assessment “Transition assessment is an ongoing process of collecting information on the student’s strengths, needs, preferences, and interests as they relate to the demands of current and future living, learning and working environments” All stakeholders participate in the process of information-gathering and decision-making 2007 Corwin Press. Assess for Success: A Practitioner’s Handbook on Transition Assessment, 2nd ed., by Stillingtion, Neubert, Begun, Lombard, and Leconte 5

6. Domains/Content of Transition Assessment & Adulthood Home and Family Employment and Education Leisure and Pursuits Self Determination Personal Responsibility and Relationships Community Involvement Physical andEmotionalHealth 6 Cronin, M. E. & Patton, J. R. (1993). Life skills instruction for all students with special needs: A practical guide for integrating real-life content into the curriculum. p 13. Austin TX: PRO-ED.

7. Why Use Community Based Assessment? Coordinated Transition Services • At no point in the service delivery system is there more need for seamless coordination between multiple public agencies than when the student is transitioning out of high school and into the adult employment and life. • Community-Based Assessment naturally involves and supports partnerships between schools, DORS, CRPs, and employers. Fostering these partnerships leads to better services for transitioning students and provides a foundation for competitive employment outcomes. • The value that employers see in the youth is the foundation of these students’ future careers, and the clearly demonstrates the validity of this model.

8. Community Based Assessment • Definition: • A holistic assessment of an individual’s interests, needs, and abilities in a job/worksite setting located in the community. Community Based Assessment is an umbrella term depicting a category of methods, which may include: • - situational assessment • - on-the-job evaluations • - job try-outs/trials VEWAA/VECAP Glossary

9. “Community Based” This type of assessment must take place in a community setting in which the individual is integrated with peers without disabilities. Community Based Assessment cannot occur within a rehabilitation facility or “enclave” setting (loses validity).

10. Community Based Assessment for Transition • Community based assessment is functional assessment • Involves interaction between behavior and environmental conditions and demands • Determines the impact of disability • Ultimate measurement in natural environment • Personal involvement is critical to self-understanding, investment and success

11. So How the Heck Is This Done?

12. STEP 1 – Identify Type of Job & Environment To Target • Use Input from client/youth, DORS, School-Based Personnel, and Family - WHAT ARE MAIN INTERESTS – DESIRES FOR EMPLOYMENT – RECOMMENDATIONS FROM PREVIOUS ASSESSMENTS ? - WHAT TYPE OF ENVIRONMENT WOULD FIT WELL WITH THIS CLIENT? WHAT MATCHES THEIR TESTED LEARNING STYLE AND STATED WORKER PREFERENCES?

13. STEP 2 – Identify Potential Employers • TYPES OF CONTACTS: • Warm Contacts!  • Cold Walk-Ins • Cold Calls • Don’t forget to do your homework on the employer!!! • GOOD SITES TO CONSIDER • Large establishments which have multiple types of jobs (allows site to be used for variety of job tasks & for future assessments) • Employers who pride themselves in community outreach, service projects, and positive public relations • Non-profits and other organizations who typically host volunteers -

14. STEP 3 – “Schmooze” the Employer! • Compliment the employer on the company’s values, great reputation, friendly atmosphere • Why did you choose them over their competition? • Explain the valuable impact that they can have on youth being assessed • Differentiate between “assessment” and “job” • Be sure to use references (if you have conducted an assessment in a similar type of business, tell them how much the employer enjoyed it…) • Ask for a Job Description • Ask to conduct a Job Analysis (when convenient for them, not you) -

15. Addressing Liability Concerns • Don’t ask, don’t tell • Don’t raise this topic unless the employer does! • Provide employer with a basic fact sheet about CBA • Include Purpose • Employer Expectations • Agency Responsibilities • Statement explaining that the arrangement is “not an employer/employee relationship” and that employment is not a requested outcome -

16. Addressing Liability Concerns If the employer brings up liability, be prepared: (1) Quote Department of Labor Standards (2) state that “In compliance with IRS Revenue Ruling 65-165 and with standard insurance practice, the Employer-Employee relationship actually exists between {CRP} and the client who is participating in a Community Based Assessment experience with the following understanding: • The services are for therapeutic or rehabilitative purposes • The CRP retains final control over the client and this control is protective • The client is a registered client of your CRP, and is voluntarily participating in the assessment • A CRP staff person will be available to client and employer as needed -

17. STEP 4 – Coordination with Employer • Schedule approximately 2-3 days on the job site, 3-6 hours per day (depends on what is appropriate for the client and acceptable to the employer) • Set up the assessment in order to sample a variety of duties within a specific position & at various times (i.e., busy times and slower times) • Arrange for time to receive some supervisor and coworker feedback during the assessment Balancing Act – be un-intrusive, yet gather as much data as possible! -

18. STEP 5 – Assessment Time OBSERVATION… OBSERVATION… OBSERVATION!!! • Observe client & take as many notes as possible • Observe & document environment, job, and task design • Pinpoint strengths, difficulties, coping strategies, etc. • Observe & document interactions with others (supervisor , coworkers, and customers are equally important) • Obtain feedback from supervisor and coworker(s) • Complete any necessary forms/paperwork with employer while there (avoid the burden of having to schedule yet another visit) -

19. STEP 6 – Wrap-up the Day • Personally thank everyone involved at work site • Have the client thank everyone involved (this goes a LONG way!) • Be sure to leave the area as you found it • Have a dialogue with the client about how they liked the assessment (get specific likes, dislikes, “easy” vs “hard”) • Provide the client with some preliminary feedback about their performance (try to focus on positive) -

20. STEP 7 – Follow-up with Employer • Send a follow-up thank you to the employer (card, letter, email, etc.) • Praise a specific coworker or manager involved. Without disclosing confidential information, comment on how this assessment has helped the life of the client/youth. • Maintain this employer relationship! • Do NOT wait until the next time you want/need to use them for an assessment to make contact. Send them a useful article about something they mentioned having an interest in; send them a congratulatory card/email if their company does something newsworthy; think of ways that you may be able to assist them(hint – this could be by referring a qualified individual for future job openings…. Hmmm…. -

21. Community Based Assessment for Transition – Training CD • Developed by OVR and Pittsburgh Public Schools in partnership with the University of Pittsburgh, Department of Rehabilitation Science • Specific Training Modules - videos • A Manual • Additional resources and tools

22. Steps to completing the CBA • Evaluate the environment independent of the student (job analysis) • Interview the worksite supervisor independent of student (CBA Questionnaire) • Interview the student independent of supervisor (CBA Questionnaire) • Compare interviews scores to determine discrepancies and workplace issues • When writing the final report, be sure to include background data and other assessment data gathered prior to the CBA (i.e., interest inventories, learning style inventories, work preferences, etc.)

23. Community Based Assessment for Transition

24. Monthly Worksite Progress Reports • Based on the Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS), Dept. of Labor • Completed by worksite supervisors • Used as a teaching tool to increase self-awareness • Shared with IEP Team & DORS

25. SUMMARY • Community Based Assessment provides valuable information that cannot necessarily be obtained through other types of assessment • CBA should be part of an ongoing assessment process for transitioning youth • CBA can open doors to other employment-related opportunities • Career Exploration Activities (i.e., job shadowing, informational interviewing, work-site tours, volunteering, mentoring • Paid Employment!!

26. Assessment Resources VECAP Vocational Evaluation and Career Assessment Professionals www.vecap.org VEWAA Vocational Evaluation and Work Adjustment Association www.vewaa.org

27. Assessment Resources Career planning begins with assessment: A guide for professionals serving youth with educational and career development challenges. (October 2005). Washington, DC: National Collaborative on Workforce Development for Youth, Institute for Educational Leadership. www.ncwd-youth.info/ Sitlington, Neubert, Begun, Lombard, & Leconte. (2nd edition). (in press). Assess for Success: A practitioner’s guide for transition assessment. CA: Sage Publications

28. Assessment Resources Miller, Lombard, & Corbey. (2007). Transition assessment: Planning transition and IEP development for youth with mild to moderate disabilities. Boston, MA: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon. Transition Planning Inventory (Clark & Patton) www.proedinc.com/product Ansell-Casey Life Skills Assessment/Test http://wareseeker.com/a-ansell-casey-life-skills-assessment/ Enderle-Severson Transition Rating Scale http://www.estr.net/

29. National Transition Technical Assistance Efforts National Association of State Directors of Special Education, The IDEA Partnership, National Community of Practice on Transition (www.ideapartnership.org) (www.sharedwork.org) National Center on Secondary Education & Transition (www.ncset.org) National Secondary & Transition Technical Assistance Center (www.nsttac.org) National Dropout Center for Students with Disabilities (http://www.ndpc-sd.org/) National Post-School Outcome Center (http://www.psocenter.org/)

30. National Publications 30 • Career Planning Begins with Assessment (http://www.ncwd-youth.info/a-z) NSTTAC (www.nsttac.org) • Age Appropriate Transition Assessment Guide • Fact Sheet on Age Appropriate Transition Assessment • Tool Kit for Indicator 13 • DCDT Fact Sheet on Transition Specialist Competencies (www.dcdt.org)

31. Contact Information Marsha L. Legg Director of Career Development & Transition Services Humanim, Inc. 1701 N. Gay Street Baltimore, MD 21213 mlegg@humanim.com 410-381-7171 (office) 410-563-5188 (fax) 410-736-8428 (cell)

32. QUESTIONS…