PLANNING

2. PLANNING • Venue • Panel Format • Theme • Invitees • The Panel Presentation • Question discussion • Harvest • Results • Next steps

3. Venue-Macy’s Lakeshore Grill • From our first Community Conversation- we learned it was too big an area; diverse communities with different needs; too fragmented • Decided to narrow in on local districts • A social atmosphere, rather than educational facility • Connections- Mari and Will MacFarland made this happen

4. Panel Format Feedback from first Community Conversation was that additional information was needed for employers: • Tax incentive • Hear from employers who worked with students with disabilities • Project Search was looking for opportunities in Wayne County • Livonia was successful in obtaining Schoolcraft college this year for a work site for transitional students

5. RACE Theme Regional Autism Collaborative for Excellence

10. Table Quotes

11. Invitees • Keep it local- Livonia and Westland • Invited staff from Livonia Public Schools Transitional Program • Invited RCN members and their administrators • Invited parents, Wayne PAC • Invited employers at job sites • Invited local employers

12. Agenda Wayne RACE Community Conversation December 4, 2014 6:30-8:30 p.m. 6:15-6:40 Sign-in, Appetizers and beverages 6:40-6:50 Welcome and Introductions 6:50-7:40 Panel Discussion 1. Marie May, MRS, on tax credit incentive 2. David Pankotai, Consumer Link Network, on Project Search 3. Rebecca Drzewicki, DTE, role with Project Search and parent perspective 4.Glenn Cerny- CFO Schoolcraft College, Livonia Public Schools Transition Program on campus 7:40-8:00Table Talk-Discussion will take place using the 3 questions on Table Tents.

13. Panel Presentation • Marie May, MRS, on tax credit incentive • Lekisha Franklin-Shorter and Phil Martinez on Project Search in Detroit Public Schools • Rebecca Drzewicki, HR for DTE, role with Project Search and parent perspective • Beth Santer- Representative for Livonia Public Schools at Schoolcraft College work program • After the next 3 MRS slides, slides will be running in the background as they did during our Community Conversation

14. Our objective at MRS (Michigan Rehabilitation Services) is to prepare and assist individuals in becoming gainfully employed. MRS services that are available to transition students upon exiting high school consist of: Identifying an appropriate job goal college assistance job readiness preparation work experiences employment placement services vocational training assistance supportive services MRS provides vocational counseling, career exploration, and help finding a job… all free of charge. Visit us at: www.michigan.gov/mrs Marie L. May, VR Counselor Michigan Rehabilitation Services 30246 Plymouth Rd., Ste. B Livonia, MI 48150 734-524-2414 Michigan Rehabilitation Services TRANSITION STUDENT SERVICES

15. Michigan Rehabilitation Services TRANSITION STUDENT SERVICES Community Based Work Assessment A Community Based Assessment is a step towards understanding the client’s career interests, goals, skills and readiness for employment in an integrated setting. Clients will be expected to work part-time up to 20 hours per week, for approximately 3-6 weeks. The following are examples of the criteria that will be evaluated during the CBA: • Attendance & Punctuality • Grooming/Hygiene • Attitude • Social Skills • Tolerance for Stress • Accepts Feedback • Communication • Judgment • Pays Attention/Training • Asks for Help • Follows Directions • Physical Stamina • Works Safely On-the-Job Training or On-the-Job Evaluation • On-the-job training or evaluation allows the client to learn an occupation or skill under actual employment conditions while earning a wage. The counselor, client and employer shall agree on the specific operations or skills that will be learned and complete an RA-89, On-The-Job Training form, or a similar form to specify the skills to be learned and the employer's legal responsibilities in providing the training. • A third-party vendor may be hired to be the employer of record. In this case, the employer of record assumes the legal responsibilities for employment. On-the-job training or evaluation may also be supplemented by use of a job coach, if needed.

16. Michigan Rehabilitation Services TRANSITION STUDENT SERVICES Work Opportunity Credit • The Work Opportunity Credit provides eligible employers with a tax credit up to 40 percent of the first $6,000 of first-year wages of a new employee if the employee is part of a “targeted group.” An employee with a disability is one of the targeted groups for the Work Opportunity Credit, provided the appropriate government agencies have certified the employee as disabled. The credit is available to the employer once the employee has worked for at least 120 hours or 90 days. Employers claim the credit on Form 5884, Work Opportunity Credit (PDF). Work Opportunity Target Groups • Short term family TANF recipients • Long term family TANF recipients • Veterans receiving Food Stamps • Disabled veterans where the disability is service connected • Unemployed veterans • Food Stamp recipients, ages 18 to 39 • Vocational rehabilitation work plan participants or ticket-to-work holders • SSI recipients (Supplemental Security Income) • Ex-felons convicted or released within one year of hire • Designated Community-residents, ages 18 to 39

17. EMPLOYMENT Young Adults with Disabilities: Breaking through the roadblocks: TOGETHER! www.waynerace.org

19. National Update on Autism Spectrum Disorder New data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) www.cdc.gov/ncbdd/autism

23. National Trends • Elimination of Sheltered Workshops (Oregon, Maine, New Jersey) • Feds Hiring Mandate: March 2014 for Federal Contractors: • People with disabilities should make up 7% of workforce (not firm quota) or lose contracts (Disability Scoop, 2013) • Increase Project Search Sites

26. Walgreens ResearchCreating an Inclusive Workplace & Integrating Employees with Disabilities into a Distribution Center (DC) Environment (Kaletta, et.al, 2012) • Higher turn over rates for individuals WITHOUTDx (4DCs) • Productivity rates statistically insignificant between those with and without Dx (31 locations / 3 DCs) www.asse.org; www.walgreensoutreach.com

27. Question 1- If you are a parent or educator, what skills does your student have that could be a potential employee asset? If you are an employer, what are some tasks that are not getting done that you have a need to fill? What is missing from your current employees? Questions 2- What obstacles do you anticipate or have you experienced with hiring those with disabilities? Question 3- What are some success stories, pleasant surprises, or strategies to overcome perceptions of hiring those with disabilities? 8:00-8:15- Gather ideas as an entire group 8:15-8:30- Questions, Closure- Next Steps

28. Harvest Summary • Create a central data base with jobs needed from employers and skills that students have and then match up for employment. • Students need a summer class to prepare them with social skills and independent living skills needed in the workplace • 4 Step Process to Employment Outcomes: 1. Prospect the employer- find out who’s hiring (MRS, Schools) 2. Needs analysis- what are the job duties, not the job title, find out actual tasks that need performing, is the work schedule flexible, what do current employees lack?

29. 3. Sell the client, list specific attributes client possesses, search client base for a fit 4. Follow up with employer, communicating regularly, if not hiring now, set date to check back in 3-6 months, ask about assisting with job retention Host a Reverse Interview Fair where students display/demonstrate their skills to potential employers.

30. Action Plan Cards Action Plan Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ____________________________________________ Suggestions for next meeting ______________________________________________ One new idea/concept I will put into action is: _______________________________________________________________ ______Yes, contact me for the next Community Conversation

31. Action Plan Ideas • Education staff want to revisit Project Search • Education staff want to develop an ESY program for work skill training • Community Agencies would like to connect with families earlier than High school

32. Parents would like to work on local partnerships with Community Colleges • Many of those attending would like to continue with next steps for meeting with school boards, Community Colleges, and local Chambers • Employers are interested in getting information to their HR departments on hiring those with disabilities

33. Resulting Next Steps • Romulus Community Schools hosted a Community Conversation, connecting with employers and Community Partners • Garden City Public Schools - Burger Transition Program hosting a Community Conversation on May 6 to focus on summer employment • Project Search expanding programs to Dearborn Public Schools, Livonia Public Schools; meeting with Garden City Public Schools and South Redford SchoolDistrict • Schoolcraft College working with Livonia Public Schools to expand employment opportunities • Proposing a Reverse Job Fair with Livonia Chamber of Commerce- connection occurred at the statewide mi Hidden Talent Tour with Michigan Lt Governor Brian Calley and Michigan Supreme Court Justice Richard Bernstein

34. Resources Marie L. May, VR Counselor Michigan Rehabilitation Services 30246 Plymouth Rd., Ste. B Livonia, MI 48150 734-524-2414 Rebecca Drzewicki DTE Human Resources (313) 235-6723 One Energy Plaza, 210 GO Detroit, MI 48226 LeKisha Franklin-Shorter Transition Specialist Detroit/Wayne Project SEARCH Coordinator Detroit Public Schools 313-283-8311 Phil Martinez Business Services Manager Services to Enhance Potential 4700 Beaufait Detroit, MI 48227 P: (313) 267-9777 x208 C: (734) 718-9630 F: (313) 921-9131 pmartinez@stepcentral.org

35. VIDEO