Writing Quality Goals, Outcomes, and Action Plans

1. Writing Quality Goals, Outcomes, and Action Plans

2. 4 Paths to Employment Oregon Division of DD

3. Tools to Help with Career Planning and Talking about Employment • DD Council Guide for Career Discovery • Employment Guide to Planning

4. Training Objectives • Purpose of the plan • Learn the difference between a goal, outcome, and action plan • Why is it important? • Practice writing goals, outcomes, and action plans • Monitoring attempts at fading • Monitoring Progress

5. Planning…. • Develops a vision for the future • Is driven by the person and what is important to them • Is a framework for providing services and supports designed to meet the unique needs of each individual/family • Involves listening and action

6. The plan should… • Reflect how employment will increase the individuals independence: • What skills will be learned? • Assertiveness? • Money management? • Accessing transportation? • Understanding social expectations? • Personal Safety in the Community?

7. What is a Goal? • A Broad statement of what will be achieved • Matches the individuals interests • Used to ensure that whoever provides support has the knowledge to assist the individual to achieve his/her goals • Written so it makes sense to the person – clear • Achievable in a timeframe that is realistic and makes sense for the person • Justifies services and supports

8. Example: Goal • Judy will maintain employment

9. Current Situation • Where the person “is” now • Place within action planning section • Can describe why outcome is important to the person • Can justify the outcome • Developing this section will require communication between stakeholders

10. Example: Current Situation • Judy has been working at ABC industry for 9 months as clerical support. She makes copies, does filing, re-stocks paper etc. • Initially she received job coaching supports from VR. VR job coaching will be concluding on April 30th. • Judy can now get to work on her own. She can re-stock paper without asking. She gets along with co-workers. She also does simple copy jobs independently. • Judy has been progressing at a steady pace but continues to need support with more complex tasks. • Copy jobs that have multiple steps or that are unusual continue to create a challenge for Judy. When the copier jams she becomes frustrated. Additional job coaching is needed to assist her in learning to manage unusual requests e.g. copying items that are large in size, manuals etc.

11. Outcome • Specific and measurable – a blueprint for achieving the goal • Builds on strengths and resources

12. Outcomes…. • Behavioral • Achievable • Time Specific • Measurable • Understandable • Action oriented

13. An Outcome is NOT… • A Service- “will receive Community Employment Services” • A statement of continued support- “will continue to receive job preparation services” • An action step

14. Related Support/Service: Community Employment Example: Outcome • Working with her job coach for 2 hours a day, Judy will learn to copy complex, multi-step items

15. Action Plan • Helps the team define what it takes to make the outcome a reality! • Work performed in order to achieve each outcome • Who is responsible? • Timeframes

16. Example: Action Plan

17. Role of Support Coordinator Vs. Employment Provider • Support coordinator – • Justify need for service • Judy’s need for support to maintain employment (community employment services) • Monitor progress • Employment service provider- • Responsible for how service will be implemented • Design of Judy’s booklet as well as observing her use of the booklet (learning plan/task analysis etc) • Both are important members of the team and MUST communicate!

18. Group Exercise • What other supports does Judy need in her action plan?

19. Job Discovery • Self-determination • Volunteerism • Job exploration • Informational interviews • Business plan development for self-employment

20. Job Preparation • Volunteerism • Following directions • Social skills development • Accessing transportation • Soft skills

21. Plan Development Activity • Choose job discovery or job preparation • Write: • a goal related to that service • Current situation • Outcome • Action plan

22. Fading Supports • The plan should reflect discussions regarding fading supports. • The Employment provider should have a clear description of how the individual will be supported at work. • The employment provider should have a plan in place to fade supports. • The ISP should reflect that the employment provider has this in place.

23. Discussions about Fading… What to ask the provider….. • Does the provider have a clear instructional strategy in place? • Has the provider done a task analysis of the job? • Are there supports at the work site that are always available when needed? (work aides like pictorial checklists and a mentor for example?) • Has Assistive Technology been considered? • Does the person know how to access these supports?

24. How do you know if fading is working? • Intensity of cues is less • Time in between interventions is less • Is the provider documenting progress / data collection?

25. What if fading does not seem to be working? The provider should document that they have…. • Reviewed the original training plan and looked for problem areas – problem solving skills are essential • Reviewed training techniques – are the best techniques being used? Have they tried another technique? • Encourage a team meeting and review the career plan • Encourage the employer and employee to meet and review performance expectations and set new timeframes from Darla Wilkerson CSI Network

26. SC Monitoring of Progress • Employment Services should be addressed and monitored quarterly face to face and once annually at site of service delivery • Is the person making progress towards the goal and outcome? • Is fading of supports being addressed? • If no progress is being made, are there services/ supports / action steps / strategies that need to change? • If progress IS being made, does the person continue to need the current level of support / services? If so, why? (What still needs to be done?)

27. Questions???