Presented by: Charlene Dwyer, Wisconsin DVR Administrator

1. Tribal and State VR Program Collaboration - a working model Presented by: Charlene Dwyer, Wisconsin DVR Administrator Thomas Draghi, Wisconsin Area DVR Director John Haugh, Wisconsin VR/AIVR MOU liaison Thomas Finch, RSA Director, Training/Service Programs Joseph Kelley, Executive Director, CANAR

2. Purpose To share a partnership model for increasing employment outcomes for American Indian VR program participants through culturally appropriate services and cooperative agreements that foster VR service collaboration and technical consultation among Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation Programs and the State Vocational Rehabilitation Program.

3. Vocational Rehabilitation Services provided to American Indians • Authorized by Title I, Part B, Section 110(c) and • Part C, Section 121 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (the Act).

4. Title I Part B service provision requirement • The State shall continue to provide vocational rehabilitation services under its State plan to American Indians residing on or near a reservation whenever such State includes any such American Indians in its State population under section 110(a)(1).

5. Title I Part B and Part C (AIVR) programcollaboration and coordination requirements • Section 101 (a) (11) (F) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended: In applicable cases, the State plan shall include an assurance that the State has entered into a formal cooperative agreement with each grant recipient in the State that receives funds under part C. The agreement shall describe strategies for collaboration and coordination in providing vocational rehabilitation services to American Indians who are individuals with disabilities, including:

6. Collaboration and Coordination • strategies for interagency referral and information sharing that will assist in eligibility determinations and the development of individualized plans for employment; • procedures for ensuring that American Indians who are individuals with disabilities and are living near a reservation or tribal service area are provided vocational rehabilitation services; and

7. Collaboration and Coordination • provisions for sharing resources in cooperative studies and assessments, joint training activities, and other collaborative activities designed to improve the provision of services to American Indians who are individuals with disabilities • an assurance that, except as otherwise provided in part C, the designated State agency will provide vocational rehabilitation services to American Indians who are individuals with disabilities residing in the State to the same extent as the designated State agency provides such services to other significant populations of individuals with disabilities residing in the State.

8. The purpose of this program is to provide vocational rehabilitation services to American Indians with disabilities who reside on or near federal or state reservations, consistent with their individual strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, and informed choice, so that they may prepare for and engage in gainful employment, including self-employment telecommuting, and business ownership.

9. Part C--American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Services • contains assurances that the rehabilitation services provided under this part to American Indians who are individuals with disabilities residing on or near a reservation in a State shall be, to the maximum extent feasible, comparable to rehabilitation services provided under this title to other individuals with disabilities residing in the State and that, where appropriate, may include services traditionally used by Indian tribes;

10. In 1978 a tri-state grant entered into by the state vocational rehabilitation agencies in Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah provided funds to Navajo to continue serving cases opened during the 1975-1978 period. • By 1978, Congress had written in Section 130 under Title I in the Rehabilitation Act which provided for American Indians projects to serve Indian people on reservations. • The Navajo Nation applied for and received the initial grant in the amount of $650,000 and was the only project to provide vocational rehabilitation services to American Indians with disabilities until about 1985.

11. Currently there are 83 AIVRS programs providing VR services in 25 States.

12. Number of Individuals Served: 8,395 (an increase of 774 from the previous year) • Number of Individuals Placed: 1,778 (an increase of 88 from the previous year) • 86.08% of the grantees during the Performance Period were below the Cost per Served Efficiency Measure (an increase of 3.19% from the previous year) • 70.89% of the grantees during the Performance Period were below the Cost per Placed Efficiency Measure (a decrease of 1.48% from the previous year) • Overall Percentage of Success: 61.99%

13. Consortia of Administrators for Native American Rehabilitation (CANAR) • The mission of CANAR is to serve as an avenue for collaboration and cooperation between Administrators of rehabilitation projects serving Native American persons with disabilities, to increase and enhance the quality of services, resulting in positive outcomes for Native American persons with disabilities. • Also, we believe that an important part of our mission is to “provide a means of communication with related organizations and governmental bodies on matters related to rehabilitation service provision, education and research”.

14. CANAR Perspective • Many of our strongest partners in assisting our tribal members in their quest for appropriate employment outcomes are the state VR agencies that partner with us to accomplish this goal. • Partnerships are many and varied (25 in all). • Partnering starts at the top between the two national organizations, CANAR and the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR)

15. CANAR Perspective • The state agency and AIVRS agency partnerships are varied and reflect the culture of each state agency and the culture of the various American Indian Rehabilitation Vocational Rehabilitation Service (AIVRS) agencies within those states. • Some agencies like Wisconsin are longstanding and reflect a sincere respect between the state agency and the various AIVRS programs

16. CANAR Perspective • More is needed than the regulations within the Act, 34 CFR 361 and 371. All that is needed but alone will not create quality collaboration, definitely not… • Quality collaboration is just like VR, it is a process • The collaborative process is not quick and easy, it must start with a will to persist regardless of how rocky the start and or what the history may be like.

17. CANAR Perspective • Each partner must work to develop an understanding as to the needs and requirements of the other • Then partners must to take time to develop a relationship and respect • Partners need to communicate clearly and honestly • Set attainable goals or objectives to begin with and be willing to be patient…

18. CANAR Technical Assistance • Another area for collaboration is the CANAR Technical Assistance Center; Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation Continuous Improvement of Rehabilitation Counselors, Leaders; Educators Center (TVR CIRCLE) • While the primary trainers targeted to provide TA are Master level AIVRS program directors, we will utilize other skilled individuals from partner organizations such as TACE Centers and State partners to assist us in this task.

19. CANAR Technical Assistance • While not a stated goal of the TVR CIRCLE program, we would also like to be a resource to our state partners as they serve American Indian and Alaska Native (AI / AN) individuals with disabilities. • We believe that as we build the capacity of our state partners to serve AI/AN individuals with disabilities that we expand the resources of the people we are tasked to serve.

20. Goal: The Wisconsin AIVR/VR partnership • A stronger and more effective partnership between the Tribal VR program and the state VR agency to increase the capacity of VR counselors • to provide knowledgeable and comprehensive rehabilitation services to achieve successful employment outcomes for American Indians with disabilities.

21. Vocational Rehabilitation for Native Americans Collaborations in Wisconsin

23. Why Collaborate? • Section 101(a)(11)(F) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended states:  “The state must enter into formal corporative agreements with Tribal grant recipients in the State.  The agreement shall describe strategies for collaboration and coordination in providing VR services to American Indian individual with disabilities living on or near reservations.” • Section 121(b)(C) indicates, “the Tribal VR applicant must assure that the application was developed in consultation with the designated State unit of the State.” • Section 121(b)(3) states that, “The state shall continue to provide vocational rehabilitation services under its State plan to American Indians resident on or near a reservation.”

24. Why Collaborate? • VR has resources to serve individuals with disabilities • Both the Tribal and State bring unique service provisions to the table. • Two or more programs providing essential services to the same person at the same time can blend services and have a more effective impact.

25. Cultural Competence Trust Off-reservation needs Why Collaborate?

26. Cooperative Agreement Objectives • Cooperate in a system of service provision • Regular meetings • Develop and participate in joint training • Both can take credit for an appropriate employment outcome.

27. Agreements • College of the Menominee Nation • Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council • Lac Courte Oreilles • Oneida Tribe • http://dwd.wisconsin.gov/dvr/partner.htm

28. Agreements – Working Together • Regular meetings • Share information on common customers • Smooth transfer of cases between two systems • Both can claim successful closure • Joint training for staff

29. Agreements – DVR Responsibilities • Technical assistance • Services to common customers • DVR staff liaison to tribal VR • Training for DVR staff to address cultural competencies

30. Agreements – Tribal Responsibilities • Service delivery system similar to DVR • Refer non-tribal members, living in the tribal service area, to DVR • Seek DVR technical assistance when needed • Provide culturally relevant training to DVR liaison and other DVR staff

31. From Paper to Practice • Opportunity for Success Awards Banquet • 2000 – VRNA • 2004 - LCO • 2010 – GLITC and LCO • Recognizing employers and agencies in Northwest Wisconsin that play a role in assisting individuals with disabilities obtain and maintain employment.

32. From Paper to Practice • Statewide culture of collaboration • DWD recognition of collaboration between DVR and GLITC Vocational Rehabilitation Program • Wachsmuth Fisheries • DVR • GLITC • Red Cliff • North Country Independent Living • Employment Bound • WI Women’s Business Initiative

33. From Paper to Practice • Cultural Awareness • Waswagoning Ojibwa Indian Village - Lac Du Flambeau - WDA 6 & 7, 2010 • Native American Cultural Exchange Conferences, 1991-1998, DVR/Tribal Sponsored Events

34. From Paper to Practice • Menominee Nation DVR Training • Technical Assistance and Training Capacity Building for American Indian Projects, Northern Arizona University. • Topics presented by DVR: • IPE • Knowledgebase • Eligibility • Confidentiality

35. From Paper to Practice • Milwaukee Services • Outreach worker (DVR employee) to focus on meeting the needs of disabled Native American consumers living in Milwaukee • Education and Referral to other tribal services in Milwaukee area • Functions as a liaison between DVR and consumers in the Milwaukee Tribal Community

36. Successful Rehabilitation Outcomes SFY 2011 July 1, 2010 thru June 30, 2011

37. Wisconsin DVR Outcomes

38. Wisconsin DVR Outcomes • Greater understanding by DVR counselor of the impact of culture in service delivery and successful rehabilitation for Native Americans. • Tribes have ability to serve persons on OOS waiting list, state DVR can participate in plan cost after person comes off list and plan is developed. • Increased sharing of information for increased placements, for which both DVR and tribal VR can take credit for.

39. Wisconsin DVR Outcomes • Every Tribe has a DVR liaison to assist with technical and case sharing needs. • Cost sharing on active cases opened by state and tribe. • Option for the consumer to participate in either program, or both.

40. GLITC / DVR MOU – key elements • A formal cooperative relationship between DVR and Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council to increase employment outcomes for Native American DVR and AIVR program participants. • Outreach activities conducted to increase the number of Native American job seekers with disabilities served • Coordinate training/technical assistance to GLITC/AIVR/DVR staff • improved GLITC AIVR program automation; technology support • increased AIVR staff knowledge/use of rehabilitation technology • improved effectiveness in meeting needs of AIVR and DVR staff and consumers

41. MOU Funding • $350,000 allocated in state budget to improve VR services for Native Americans with disabilities under the Native American Gaming Initiative (NAGI) • The State of Wisconsin has entered into gaming compact agreements with all eleven (11) federally recognized Tribes of Indians • DVR transfers NAGI funds to Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council under the MOU agreement

42. MOU Performance Guidelines – VR/AIVR inter-program capacity building goals • Maintain strong partnership and service collaboration between DVR and the Wisconsin tribes • Provide training and technical assistance to support qualified AIVR/DVR vocational rehabilitation staff • Increase DVR Counselors’ knowledge of cultural needs, wants, differences • Create access to basic VR services, as well as, including natural medicine and health services • Increase level of trust and understanding leading to improved collaboration and coordination of services among GLITC/AIVR and DVR program staff

43. MOU Performance Guidelines – VR/AIVR service and outcome goals • Reduce number of Native Americans declining VR services • Increase number of Native Americans successfully completing Individualized Plans for Employment (IPE) • Increase employment outcomes for Native American consumers • Lower unemployment among Native American consumers over time

44. Technical Assistance Contact Information Tom Draghi, DVR Director Workforce Development Area 7 Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (715) 532-2707 Thomas.Draghi@dwd.wisconsin.gov John Haugh, Assistant Director Bureau of Consumer Services WI Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (920) 448-5282 John.Haugh@dwd.wisconsin.gov Joseph E. Kelley, Executive Director Consortia of Administrators for Native American Rehabilitation (CANAR) (318) 727-9793 j.kelley@canar.org