National Evaluation: Partnerships in Employment Systems Change Project

1. #NationalAPSE2015 National Evaluation: Partnerships in Employment Systems Change Project June 23, 2015 Building Cross-System and Cross-Agency Collaboration

2. What Do You Want to be When You Grow Up? • An individual’s preference and expectation for education and employment changes overtime • Early job experience is a predictor for future employment

3. Employment Rates With and Without a Disability, ACS 2012 By Age Group Ages 21-64 by Education Level Erickson, W., Lee, C., von Schrader, S. (2014). Disability Statistics from the 2012 American Community Survey (ACS). Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Employment and Disability Institute (EDI). Retrieved May 27, 2015 from www.disabilitystatistics.org

4. What is Partnerships in Employment? • Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Partnerships in Employment Systems Change Project • 5-year grant awarded to 8 states in 2011 and 2012 to develop a consortium of state agencies and other stakeholders Goal: Transform state systems to promote integrated, competitive employment outcomes for youth and young adults with I/DD

5. Where Are We Now? Projects Awarded Project Status Final Project Year Ongoing Evaluation Ongoing Technical Assistance

6. What is Cross-System and Cross-Agency Collaboration? • Partnerships in Employment Project states formed consortiums or coalitions of state agencies and stakeholders State Agencies • Developmental Disabilities Agency • Vocational Rehabilitation Agency • State Education Agency • State Developmental Disabilities Council Communities • Pilot sites/schools • Employers • Providers • Youth and young adults with I/DD • Parents/Family members Individuals with I/DD

7. What Does this Mean for Cross-System Collaboration? • What’s Holding Us Back? • Creating positive pressures for systems change at all levels • Partnerships in Employment Systems Change Evaluation • National Evaluation Overview • Coordinated Efforts in 8 States • Individual Level • Community Level • Systems Level • Starting with a Different Assumption • Strategies to apply pressure and change assumptions

8. Building Cross-System and Cross-Agency Collaboration What’s Holding Us Back?

9. Systems Respond to Pressure • How do we create positive pressure that responds to: • People • Personnel/providers • Policy

10. Creating Pressure at All Levels • People who use supports and services Level 1 • Providers of supports and services Level 2 • Policy regarding supports and services Level 3

11. Systems Change at All Levels Becoming a Person Centered System, Smull, Bourne and Sanderson, 2009 http://www.nasddds.org/resource-library/person-centered-practices

12. Building Cross-System and Cross-Agency Collaboration Discussion What’s Holding Us Back?

13. Overview of Partnerships in Employment Systems Change Project National Evaluation

14. Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities National Evaluation Research Questions • What aspects of employment systems change did grantees intend to effect? What are the key relevant factors that influenced the intended approach? • How are the Partnerships in Employment Systems Change Grants being implemented across the grantee sites?  What changes to policies and practices in the service delivery systems are associated with Partnerships in Employment Systems Change Grantee outcomes? • What can be learned about how best to implement integrated, competitive employment support and services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) (what implementation and/or systems components are related to programs outputs and outcomes)? • What key components appear necessary or contribute to the success of systems that create integrated, competitive employment opportunities for individuals with I/DD at the state and local level?

15. National Evaluation Objectives Goal: Transform state systems to promote integrated, competitive employment outcomes for youth and young adults with I/DD Policy Collaboration Removing Systemic Barriers Scaling-Up Promising Practices Cross-Agency Collaboration

16. National Evaluation Logic Model Goal: Transform state systems to promote integrated, competitive employment outcomes for youth and young adults with I/DD Contextual / Influential Factors Inputs Outputs Outcomes Activities • Demonstration /Pilot Projects • E-news / information dissemination • Consortium workgroups • Other • Funding reductions • Resistance to change • Financial disincentives • Political climate • Low expectations of work • Underutilized resources • Consortium • Grant funding • Other stakeholders (employers, legislators, providers) • Program staff • Time • Leadership • Commitment • New formal cross-agency agreement • Changing incentive structures • Reducing gaps in transition • Informational products developed • Increased work experience • Increased expectations • Created, modified or aligned policies, practices and funding methodologies that promote employment • Opportunities for post-secondary education • Opportunities to earn wages • Increased understanding of the benefit of employment • Increased knowledge about the impact of employment on entitlement benefits

17. Challenges from Evaluation Perspective Differences Across 8 States Project Evaluation • Project award dates • Political, social, or economic environment • Existing grants or initiatives • Structure of Consortium or Coalition • Common goal across all 8 states but variations in project approach • Attempt to identify common barriers, strategies and outcomes across all 8 states

18. National Evaluation Reporting • Semi-Annual Reporting • Administer web-based reporting tool • Evaluation • Qualitative and quantitative analysis of systems change efforts at the state and local level

19. Change at the Individual, Community, and Systems Level Employment First Bill—Alaska Increased Job Opportunities for Youth with I/DD—All States New Commencement Credentials—New York PIE Consortiums Community Conversations—Tennessee Employment Data Dashboard—California Coffman, J. (2007). A Framework for Evaluation Systems Initiatives

20. Overview of Partnerships in Employment Systems Change Project Individual Level

21. Engaging Individuals with I/DD and Family Members Challenge: Low expectations or lack of awareness of integrated, competitive employment opportunities for youth with I/DD • Consortium Strategies to Engage Individuals with I/DD • Invite youth to Consortium or Coalition Meetings • Develop resources to promote self-advocacy • Identify alternative certificate, curriculum, or post-secondary education programs • Host job fairs or community events • Consortium Strategies to Engage Parents and Family Members • Invite parents and family members to Consortium or Coalition Meetings • Facilitate webinars or trainings • Conduct survey to identify expectations

22. Overview of Partnerships in Employment Systems Change Project Community Level

23. Engaging Community Members Challenge: Communities vary in available resources, job opportunities, and awareness of integrated, competitive employment opportunities • Consortium Strategies for Engaging Community Members • Host Community Conversations to identify resources, supports, programs, and opportunities in each community • Develop handout and video on hosting a Community Conversation • Share Success Stories on project website and at community events • Outputs from Community Conversations • Identify steps the community or stakeholder can take to expand access to employment • Increase awareness of benefits to employers to hiring youth with I/DD resulted in employer changing hiring practices • Increase job opportunities in the community

24. Overview of Partnerships in Employment Systems Change Project Systems Level

25. Developing Cross-Agency Data Collection Challenge: State agencies operate in silos and shared data systems do not exist • Consortium Strategies for Cross-Agency Data Collection • Invite state agencies to Consortium or Coalition Meetings • Define common language and terms for all agencies • Identify existing data sources and resources to disseminate data • Outputs from Cross-Agency Data Collection and Sharing • Increase access to user-friendly and easy-to-understand employment data • Share employment data with state legislators and agency leaders advocating for policy change

26. Policy Change: Employment First and Other Initiatives Challenge: Lack of coordination across initiatives Alaska Legend E.F. Activities 4 states New York E.F. Legislation Enacted Wisconsin 3 states California Disability Employment Initiative Iowa 6states State Employment Leadership Network 3states Missouri Tennessee Better Bottom Line Initiative 2 states E.F. State Leadership Mentor Program Mississippi 2 states PROMISE Grant 3 states

27. Overview of Partnerships in Employment Systems Change Project Next Steps

28. Sustainability Beyond Partnerships in Employment Project • Consortium Strategies for Sustainability • Continue to address challenges to cross-system and cross-agency collaboration • Develop and share resources on project successes and lessons learned • Leverage existing grants or initiatives • Identify agencies to continue consortium work beyond project • Continue to strengthen and build relationships

29. Stories from Partnerships in Employment Stakeholders “We have to remember it is one person at a time so the impact day to day may seem small, but overtime it becomes visible to others.” – A PIE Team Member “Pilot schools report that a student’s participation in PIE has significantly increased parent attitudes about their child working in the community.” – PIE Pilot Schools “As a direct result of PIE, the significant changes taking place within the state systems are not proceeding in silos, but rather are discussed openly in terms of how changes in one system may impact other systems.” – A PIE Team Leader

30. Evolution of Cross-System and Cross-Agency Collaboration http://www.tennesseeworks.org

31. Building Cross-System and Cross-Agency Collaboration Starting with a Different Assumption

32. To Apply Pressure, Change Assumptions • What if the obstacle didn’t exist? • What if “NO” wasn’t an option? • “Your job is to say ‘YES’” • What if we made a different assumption?

33. Reframing Our Assumptions: Javier’s Example

34. Our Assumption Reframed Positive • Caring • Concerned • Curious Javier is Nosy Important To • Knowing what is happening with his co-workers • Knowing that his friends are okay Support Strategy • Remind him that not everyone wants their information shared • Share whatever information you are able to

35. Shifting our Assumptions Past Assumptions New Assumptions • Bossy • Manipulative • Procrastinates • Moves slowly • Overly analytical • Assertive • Strategic • Works well under pressure • Methodical, precise • Thorough and good with details

36. Questions and Contact Information • Cindy Gruman • cindy.gruman@lewin.com • Kathleen Tucker • kathleen.tucker@lewin.com • Leigh Ann Kingsbury • leighann.kingsbury@lewin.com

37. State Consortium and Coalition Resources • Alaska: Alaska Integrated Employment Initiative • http://www.trusttrainingcoop.org/training/aieip.html • California: California Employment Consortium for Youth • http://www.semel.ucla.edu/tarjan/employment • Iowa: Iowa Coalition for Integrated Employment • http://dhs.iowa.gov/mhds/disability-services/employment • Mississippi: Mississippi Partnerships for Employment • http://www.mspeidd.org/ • Missouri: Show-Me-Careers • http://showmecareers.org/?catid=326 • New York: New York State Partnerships in Employment Project • https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/strong-center-developmental-disabilities/programs/partnerships-in-employment.aspx • Tennessee: TennesseeWorks • http://www.tennesseeworks.org/ • Wisconsin: Let’s Get to Work • http://www.letsgettoworkwi.org/

38. Thank you!