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P007: Developmental Disabilities Supports Division

P007: Percent of adults receiving community inclusion services through the DD Waiver who receive employment services

Current Value

28.9%

FY 2018

Definition

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Story Behind the Curve

  • Nationally, individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities ﴾I/DD﴿ experience greater levels of unemployment, underemployment, low wages, and poverty compared to those without disabilities. New Mexico has made steady progress toward increasing community‐integrated outcomes and performs above the national average of 18.6%.
  • Community Integrated Employment ﴾CIE﴿ includes job development, so individuals with developmental disabilities may participate as active community members and realize the benefits of employment.
  • In FY18 Q4, 28.9% of eligible adults received employment services. This is a slight decrease from last quarter due to a new reporting methodology. The Information Technology Services Division modified the Supported Employment database to provide a sorting function by funding source. The data for this quarter only refers to the DD Waiver. Past reports included figures from state general funds, Intermediate Care Facilities, Mi Via, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, and Private Pay funding sources.
  • Throughout FY17 and FY18, the NMDOH Developmental Disabilities Supports Division ﴾DDSD﴿ conducted presentations for the new Employment First ﴾E1st﴿ Policy/Procedure. E1st sets the expectation that individuals with I/DD, who are of working age, should be given the opportunity to work in the community. Paid staff are responsible to help remove barriers to work. To date, DDSD conducted 82 presentations, including two train‐the‐trainer sessions to approximately 1,064 people.
  • DDSD also recorded an E1st webinar to sustain on‐going training opportunities. DDSD is collaborating with Partners for Employment to develop a master training plan for best practices in Supported Employment.

Partners

  • Individuals with I/DD and their support networks including parents and guardians
  • Supported employment providers
  • Partners for Employment, which includes the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and the University of New Mexico Center for Development and Disability
  • State Employment Leadership Network ﴾SELN﴿
  • Local and national business owners as employers/community leaders
  • School districts

What Works

  • The development and use of a Supported Employment data tracking system, which does not rely on billing data and monitors employment successes.
  • Waiver service standards and funding models that promote employment outcomes.
  • Increasing awareness about employment as an option for adults with developmental disabilities.

Strategy

  • Support innovative service models.
  • Remain involved in national organizations.
  • Outreach to key stakeholders such as Partners for Employment, the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, and SELN.
  • Provide education on best practices in supported employment.

Action Plan

  • Q1: Further develop Employment First Policy/Procedure and Communications Plan. Met through Q2. Completed.
  • Q2: Make a revision to the Supported Employment database in order to distinguish funding streams for data collection purposes. Completed.
  • Q3: Work with Partners for Employment to provide outreach and training opportunities to key stakeholders on best practices in supported employment. Master Plan completed.
  • Q4: Work with seven pilot provider agencies to revise the DD Waiver application for Supported Employment. Completed.

FY17 Annual Progress Summary

  • During FY17, DDSD developed and implemented the Supported Employment database, which monitors employment successes without relying on billing data. This database has been automated as a web application to capture employment status. At the end of FY17, 35.0% of CIE adults received employment services, making this the second consecutive year that the division has performed above the 33.0% target (36.0%, FY16). 

FY18 Annual Progress Summary

  • DDSD continues to offer practical solutions to promote the values of employment first and community inclusion.  While the employment first policy was initiated in 2016, the work to promote the message continues. 
  • In March, the Developmental Disabilities Waiver standards were revised. New language was added about Person-Centered Thinking, Person-Centered Planning, and Person-Centered Practice. Language was also clarified to explain how to arrive at and document the process of making an informed choice about employment and decisions about other life areas. Each team member plays a role in promoting employment and reducing barriers. The concept of community life engagement and the four guideposts for success were also introduced in the standards. 
  • Partners for Employment (PFE), a collaboration between DDSD, the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and the University of New Mexico/Center for Development and Disability, is in its fifth year of operation. This year, PFE consulted with the Washington Initiative for Supported Employment (WISE). A master training plan was created that includes on-demand and facilitated training through a guided cohort model. Learners can take the entire series as a combination of on-line and in-person trainings or courses can be taken on-line on demand. The goal is to support new staff as they learn their jobs and to provide learning opportunities for more seasoned staff who need a refresher on a specific topic. Staff members who take training courses are eligible to apply for scholarships for the Association of Persons Supporting Employment First (APSE) Certified Employment Supports Professional (CESP) examination. Since these training courses are not yet mandated, the CESP scholarship is a reinforcer to participate. PFE hosted the first annual Meet at the Mountain Leadership Summit in Ruidoso on May 16 and 17, 2018. This invitation-only event was geared towards executives and focused on system-change efforts and strategies to improve outcomes for supported employment. Thirty people attended.

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