TA Network Members

1. TA Network Members State VR Agencies & Their Partners TACE Centers IL-Net NTAC RSA Staff RSA Parent Training Centers Others NIDRR Grantees

2. Need for the TA Network • Improve coordination and efficiency of RSA TA efforts • Address changes in RSA’s monitoring process • Performance-based • Respond to systems and management needs of State VR agencies

3. Systems and Management Needs Identified by RSA’s Monitoring Reviews • service delivery • quality assurance • case management • personnel management • fiscal management • data management • internal and external communication strategic planning

4. Vision of the TA Network • TA Network will work collaboratively to: • provide timely technical expertise; • address the needs of state VR agencies and their partners; • improve state VR agency performance.

5. What: Meaning of Technical Expertise technical assistance and/or continuing education

6. Who: Definition of State VR Agency Partners • Entities with which State VR agencies cooperate to provide VR, IL and other rehabilitative services.

7. Examples of State VR Agency Partners • Community Rehabilitation Programs • American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Service programs • State Rehabilitation Councils • Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker programs • Centers for Independent Living • Statewide Independent Living Councils • State agencies such as those serving individuals with developmental disabilities, mental illness, and substance abuse

8. Why • Litmus test: will the technical expertise effectively address an identified need and improve the performance of a state VR agency?

9. Purpose of the TA Network • To assist the TACE Centers in successfully carrying out their authorized activities and maximize the use of technical expertise among network members.

10. Goals, Tasks, and Roles Goals: The outcomes RSA wants the Network to achieve. Tasks: The activities the Network members will undertake to accomplish the goals. Roles: The assignments that each of the Network members have in carrying out the tasks.

11. Clarifying Roles of Network Members on Tasks Using the RACI Model Responsible = has responsibility to complete the task. Accountable = makes decisions and will be held accountable for outcomes. Consulted = must be consulted and give input before the decision or action. Informed = needs to be informed after the decision or action.

12. Goals of the TA Network • Goal 1 Identify the current and emerging technical expertise needs of state VR agencies and their partners.

13. Goals of the TA Network • Goal 2 Identify and develop the technical expertise that meets the current and emerging the needs of state VR agencies and their partners.

14. Goals of the TA Network • Goal 3 Efficiently translate and disseminate technical expertise to state VR agencies and their partners in a timely manner.

15. Goals of the TA Network • Goal 4 Evaluate the effectiveness of the technical expertise provided to state VR agencies and their partners.

16. Goal 1 Task: Carry Out Needs Assessment Annually each TACE center: • surveys the state VR agency and the state VR agency partners; and • reviews VR State plans, on-site monitoring reports and annual review reports issued by RSA, other performance and compliance information available from RSA and state VR agencies, and other data.

17. Goal 1 Task: Carry Out Needs Assessment • Annual needs assessment at a minimum: • provides information substantiating each need for technical expertise; and • identifies the technical expertise needed by state VR agencies and their partners.

18. Goal 1 Task: Carry Out Needs Assessment • Center advisory committee (CAC) provides TACE Center with input on the annual needs assessments.

19. Goal 1 Task: Carry Out Needs Assessment CAC members include: • representatives from each of the State VR agencies in the region; • RSA's Independent Living Training and Technical Assistance grantees (IL-Net); • Individuals with disabilities or parents, family members, guardians, advocates, or other authorized representatives of the individuals, members of minority groups, trainees, providers of VR and IL services; and • RSA representatives as ex-officio members.

20. Goal 1 Roles in Carrying Out Needs Assessment Responsible = Responsible for completing the needs assessment for state VR agencies and partners. • TACE Accountable = Makes decisions including prioritizing needs of state VR agencies and partners • TACE

21. Goal 1 Roles in Carrying Out Needs Assessment Consulted = Must be consulted and give input during the development of needs before the decision or action. • IL-Net • PTIs • RSA • State VR Agencies and Partners • TACE Center Advisory Committee Informed = Needs to be informed of results of needs assessment. • NTAC • NIDRR Centers

22. Goal 2 Task: Develop Work Plan • TACE Center: • Prioritizes needs identified through the needs assessment process; and • Includes needs that may be emerge after the needs assessment survey process is completed.

23. Goal 2 Task: Develop Work Plan • TACE center designs a program of TA or CE to address the technical expertise need. • TACE center may consult with one or more members of the TA network in the development of the TA or CE program.

24. Goal 2 Task: Develop Work Plan • TACE Center develops draft work plan that identifies goals and objectives and: • provides information substantiating each need for technical expertise; • identifies the technical expertise needs; • describes nature and scope of the technical expertise required to address each need; and • estimates the time and cost of providing the technical expertise for each need; and • identifies potential technical expertise providers.

25. Goal 2 Task: Develop Work Plan • TACE Center recruits technical expertise providers. • NTAC identifies technical expertise providers and maintains a directory of experts. • Other members of the Network identify technical expertise providers and provide contact and background info to NTAC.

26. Goal 2 Task: Develop Work Plan • In August, NTAC convenes a meeting of TACE centers, RSA staff, and other TA Network members who can contribute work plan information. • TACE centers share information about their draft work plans.

27. Goal 2 Task: Develop Work Plan • Participants at the meeting identify opportunities for efficiencies when two or more agencies or partners have the same technical expertise need. • Revise TACE work plans as appropriate to provide technical expertise to two or more state VR agencies and/or partners.

28. Goal 2 Task: Develop Work Plan • Draft TACE work plans are finalized incorporating opportunities for collaboration. • RSA reviews and approves all work plans.

29. Goal 2 Roles in Developing the Work Plan Responsible = Responsible for developing the work plan • TACE Responsible = Responsible for approving the work plan • RSA Accountable = Accountable for making decisions related to the work plan. • TACE

30. Goal 2 Roles in Developing the Work Plan Consulted = Consulted during the development of the work plan. • NTAC • IL-Net • VR Agencies and Partners • NIDRR Centers • PTIs • RSA Informed = Informed of work plan • TACE Center Advisory Committee

31. Goal 3 Task: Implement Work Plan • TACE Center implements work plan by providing technical expertise: • directly with TACE staff (from one or more TACEs); • indirectly through contracts with outside experts; • through RSA staff; or • combinations of the above.

32. Goal 3 Task: Implement Work Plan • Whenever possible TACE Center provides two or more options of technical expertise providers to state agencies and or partners who will receive technical expertise • Including background information and references

33. Goal 3 Task: Implement Work Plan • TACE Center uses a variety of media to provide effective technical expertise as efficiently as possible, including but not limited to: • on-site; • video or teleconference; • webinars; and • combinations of various media.

34. Goal 3 Task: Implement Work Plan • TA should be evidence-based, to the extent possible, and include information on best practices to the extent evidence or research is available.

35. Goal 3 Roles in Implementing the Work Plan Responsible = Responsible for implementing the work plan by providing technical expertise: • TACE • State VR Agencies and Partners • RSA • NIDRR • IL-NET • PTIs

36. GOAL 3 Roles in Implementing the Work Plan Accountable = Accountable for making decisions about implementation of the work plan • TACE Consulted = Consulted during the implementation of the work plan • State VR agencies and their partners

37. Goal 3 Roles in Implementing the Work Plan Informed = Informed of the implementation of work plan • NTAC • IL-Net • NIDRR Centers • PTIs • TACE Center Advisory Committee • RSA

38. Goal 4 Task: Evaluate Implementation of the Work Plan • TACE centers evaluate how well each TA and CE activity provided through the TACE center meets a targeted area of need. • The TACE center evaluation should be based on goals and objectives established in the TACE center's annual work plan. • Goals and objectives should be measurable.

39. Goal 4 Task: Evaluate Implementation of the Work Plan • Each TACE center must provide data on each TA and CE activity it conducts, including information on: • the topic of the activity; • the number and types of personnel and agencies participating in the activity; • participant evaluations of the effectiveness of the activity; and • any other data required by the Department.

40. Goal 4 Task: Evaluate Implementation of the Work Plan • RSA will convene an independent review panel to evaluate the work of the TACE centers.

41. Goal 4 Task: Evaluate Implementation of the Work Plan • The independent review panel will use the following performance measures: • the % of TA and CE services provided by the TACE center that are deemed to be of high quality; • the % of TA and CE services provided by the TACE center that are deemed to be of high relevance to State VR policies or practices; and • the % of TA and CE services provided by the TACE center that are deemed to be useful in improving State VR agency policies or practices.

42. Goal 4 Roles in Evaluating the Implementation of the Work Plan Responsible = Responsible for collecting, aggregating and analyzing evaluation data. • NTAC Responsible = Responsible for obtaining and reporting evaluation data for TA and CE provided • TACE Responsible = Responsible for independent evaluation • RSA

43. Goal 4 Roles in Evaluating the Implementation of the Work Plan Accountable = Accountable for collecting, aggregating and analyzing evaluation data. • NTAC Accountable = Accountable for independent evaluation • RSA

44. Goal 4 Roles in Evaluating the Implementation of the Work Plan Informed = Informed of evaluation results • TACE Center Advisory Committee • IL-Net • VR Agencies and Partners • NIDRR Centers • PTI

45. Major Tasks of the NTAC • establish and maintain a library of TA and CE materials; • jointly develop with the TACE Centers: • a model needs assessment process; • a common work plan format; • data collection mechanism; and • a common evaluation form; • identify and maintain a directory of expert TA and CE providers; • coordinate, in conjunction with RSA, the development of the final work plans; • convene meetings of TA Network Members to finalize annual work plans and share information; and • regularly inform TA network of on-going activities.

46. Next Steps for the TACE • FY 2009 TACE Work Plans • Status • Timetable for review, approval, and implementation • Timetable for future TACE activities

47. Next Steps for the TA Network • Read the FY 2009 work plans distributed by NTAC to identify possible role in delivery of technical expertise. • Identify potential experts for future work plans and share information about them with the NTAC.