Establishing an Interagency Action Committee to Sustain Systems Collaboration

1. Establishing an Interagency Action Committee to Sustain Systems Collaboration DPN National TA and Training Provider

2. Collaboration is…. • A mutually beneficial relationship which involves people from different sectors of the community joining together to achieve a common goal. • Involves joint planning and shared resources, funding & accountability. • Occurs through shared understanding of issues, open communication, mutual trust & tolerance of differing points of view. • The most intensive level of partnership.

3. Collaboration is not … • Co-location of two or more service providers in the same office • One person’s design or strategy • Compromise or consensus • Simply a one-way or two-way information exchange (nor does it imply supervision)

4. Fostering Systems Collaboration • Communication: Meet with leaders of local organizations & listen for shared goals • Building Trust: Invite persons with disabilities & providers to One-Stop workshops, tours, orientations & assistive technology demonstrations • Participation: Represent One-Stop’s commitment to collaboration by participating in other events, networking groups & consumer advisory councils

5. Strengthening & Sustaining Systems Collaboration Build an Interagency Committee • Representatives from the disability & workforce communities, business sector & other community agencies who come together to explore the most effective employment services for people with disabilities. • Serves as a means to communicate, problem-solve & ultimately work together to improve employment outcomes for people with disabilities.

6. Office of Workforce Investment/ Workforce Commission Vocational Rehabilitation Department of Labor Social Security Administration Department of Education Department of Transportation Housing and Urban Development State Medicaid Office Department of Health and Human Services Governor’s Commission on People with Disabilities Advocacy Organizations Faith Based and Community Based Organizations Disability Program Navigators Individuals with Disabilities Establishing Partner Groups – State Level

7. Local Workforce Investment Board (LWIB) Executive Staff Representative from the Business Sector One-Stop Career Center Director, Manager, WIA Counselor & Business Service Staff Vocational Rehabilitation Commission for the Blind & Visually-Impaired Commission for the Deaf & Hard-of-Hearing Department of Mental Health Department of Mental Retardation Independent Living Center(s) Community Work Incentives Coordinator (CWIC) Adult Literacy Programs Community Colleges - Offices for Students with Disabilities Veterans Counselors Older Workers Programs Employment Networks Community-Based Providers (Job Developers, Job Coaches, Service Coordinators, etc) TANF Counselors Establishing Partner Groups – Local Level

8. Building an Interagency Committee • Work with leaders & allies from the Office of Workforce Investment, state/local WIBs, One-Stops, mandated partners and the disability community to align missions • Provide evidence that there is a need to strengthen, improve, and/or change systems collaboration • Invite a small, yet diverse group of stakeholders with varying perspectives, expertise & levels of experience to an initial brainstorming session • Develop a brief proposal including a general mission & purpose of the group, member responsibilities & potential topics of discussion

9. Potential Objectives for Interagency Committees • Accessibility of One-Stop Career Centers • Interagency education & maximizing resources • Streamlining interagency referral processes • Coordinating job development approach to employers • Educating employers on hiring people with disabilities & educating disability community on engaging with business • Engaging youth with disabilities in employment • Organizing events for National Disability Employment Awareness Month & National Disability Mentoring Day

10. Benefits of an Interagency Committee • Allows open forum for direct communication • Builds trust among partners • Provides opportunity for education & training • Encourages agencies to be a part of the solutions • Provides forum to share successes & improved outcomes • Increases accountability of agencies • Provides assistance & feedback to better meet the needs of job seekers with disabilities

11. Possible Roadblocks to Collaboration • Lack of relationship building & trust • Lack of common interest & values • Lack of purpose, mission & goals • Lack of leadership • Lack of communication; unclear about each other’s roles • Lack of resources & time • The fear of loss of position, power & resources • Lack of an investment culture-we don't always think about the future (we are here & now focused, crisis oriented)

12. DOL Indicators of Effective Collaboration • Identification of existing local system assets, barriers, gaps, and duplication that impact efforts to serve people with disabilities. • Intake criteria and procedures coordinated so that people with disabilities can access appropriate services, regardless of point of entry into the system. • Confidentiality restrictions and barriers adjusted to facilitate cross-agency sharing of customer-level data. • Assessment and individual service goals/plans developed jointly and/or shared with appropriate agencies. • Cross-agency participation in development of individual plans for employment that also identify objective for a better economic future. • Cross-agency system developed to share information on an ongoing basis on individual customer needs and progress. DOLETA June 2007

13. DOL Indicators of Effective Collaboration • Service providers and agency staff are cross-trained to become familiar with the scope of available services for people with disabilities. • Strategies developed and implemented to increases cross-agency referrals and/co-enrollments. • Enrollment of people with disabilities increases in the One-Stops. • Co-location and benefits planning occur in the One-Stop. • Increase use of work incentives and Ticket. • Customer satisfaction measured for job seekers with disabilities and results impact continuous improvement in the One-Stop, interagency collaboration enhanced, and improve employment and economic results. DOLETA 2007

14. Questions to Consider • Is creating an interagency committee something you feel your state/local area can benefit from? • Do you think your state/local area would be receptive to building an interagency committee? Why or why not? • Do you think an interagency committee is something that you can pursue in your role as State Lead or Navigator? • What are some of the potential problems that you can foresee? • What steps can you take, in leading up to building an interagency committee, to avoid those pitfalls?

15. References Virginia Commonwealth University - Worksupport.com (2005) Developing Collaborative Community Partnerships, Interagency Collaboration http://www.vcu.edu/rrtcweb/techlink/courses/InteragencyC/contents.htm Butterworth, J., Foley, S., & Metzel, D. (2001). Developing interagency agreements: Four questions to consider. The Institute Brief, 11 (1). Boston: Institute for Community Inclusion, University of Massachusetts Boston. Rick Dove, (1998) Collaboration: Are More Heads Better? Paradigm Shift International