Improving Client Employment Outcomes with LMI in Connecticut's VR Services
CONNECTICUT.BESB's JD-VRTAC Project focuses on using Labor Market Information (LMI) to enhance client employment outcomes within the Bureau of Education & Services for the Blind (BESB) Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Division. By leveraging technical assistance from the Job Driven VR-TA Center, VR staff members are improving their skills in business engagement, employer supports, and customized training, aligning with new WIOA requirements. Through this project, clients are guided towards viable career goals, reducing the disconnect between client aspirations and job market demands.
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State of Connecticut State of Connecticut Department of Rehabilitation Services Department of Rehabilitation Services CONNECTICUT BESB'S JD CONNECTICUT BESB'S JD- -VRTAC PROJECT USING LMI TO IMPROVE USING LMI TO IMPROVE CLIENT EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES CLIENT EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES VRTAC PROJECT Mary Mary Burgard Burgard, VR Supervisor , VR Supervisor Jonathan Richmond, VR Counselor Coordinator Jonathan Richmond, VR Counselor Coordinator Bureau of Education and Services for the Blind
BESB Bureau of Education & Services for the Blind Bureau of Education & Services for the Blind (BESB) is the VR Blind Division within the (BESB) is the VR Blind Division within the Department of Rehabilitation Services (DORS) Department of Rehabilitation Services (DORS) BESB has BESB has 4 major Divisions: 4 major Divisions: 1) 1) Adult Adult S Services ervices 2) Children Services 2) Children Services 3) Business Enterprise Program 3) Business Enterprise Program 4) Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) 4) Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) VR serves approximately 860 clients with 16 staff VR serves approximately 860 clients with 16 staff
JD-VRTAC Project In the fall of 2015, BESB was awarded In the fall of 2015, BESB was awarded technical assistance through the Job Driven technical assistance through the Job Driven VR VR- -TA Center (JD TA Center (JD- -VRTAC) at the UMASS Boston VRTAC) at the UMASS Boston The JDR The JDR- -VRTAC is designed to improve VR VRTAC is designed to improve VR staffs skills in one of the 4 VR areas staffs skills in one of the 4 VR areas 1. 1. Business Engagement Business Engagement 2. 2. Employer Supports Employer Supports 3. 3. Labor Market Information (LMI) Labor Market Information (LMI) 4. 4. Customized Training Providers Customized Training Providers www.explorevr.org www.explorevr.org
JD-VRTAC Project Continued New WIOA requirements and New WIOA requirements and measurements (paperwork, partners with measurements (paperwork, partners with employers) employers) Not having qualified and prepared clients Not having qualified and prepared clients for employers job openings for employers job openings VR Counselors and clients were not VR Counselors and clients were not accessing LMI to make viable career goals accessing LMI to make viable career goals Clients were requesting to enroll in college Clients were requesting to enroll in college and often, on to Graduate school without and often, on to Graduate school without career direction career direction
JD-VRTAC Project goals Labor Market Information (LMI) became Labor Market Information (LMI) became the focus area for BESB s project the focus area for BESB s project Decrease in the number of IPE goals with Decrease in the number of IPE goals with careers that do not have good job careers that do not have good job prospects prospects Help clients independently choose Help clients independently choose educational and employments goals that educational and employments goals that meet both their needs and business needs meet both their needs and business needs
JD-VRTAC Project Implementation Conducted a pre Conducted a pre- -survey to assess VR survey to assess VR Counselors current knowledge and use of Counselors current knowledge and use of LMI in career development LMI in career development Researched and trained the VR Counselors Researched and trained the VR Counselors on different LMI data sources on different LMI data sources Chose The Career Index Plus as the primary Chose The Career Index Plus as the primary tool for accessing local LMI tool for accessing local LMI
JD-VRTAC Project Implementation Continued Assign a Rehabilitation Teacher as a single Assign a Rehabilitation Teacher as a single point of contact point of contact Rehabilitation Teacher s role is to train the Rehabilitation Teacher s role is to train the client to use The Career Index Plus, using client to use The Career Index Plus, using assistive technology (JAWS or Zoom text) assistive technology (JAWS or Zoom text) Mailed all clients to notify them about The Mailed all clients to notify them about The Career Index Plus and the availability of Career Index Plus and the availability of training training
JD-VRTAC Evolution of Transitioning Rehabilitation Teacher into Single Point of ContactRole Rehab Teacher used to work with homemakers and Rehab Teacher used to work with homemakers and a JAWS Trainer a JAWS Trainer Participated in all The Career Index Plus trainings Participated in all The Career Index Plus trainings Understood perspective from trainer and job seeker Understood perspective from trainer and job seeker Identified areas that were not accessible Identified areas that were not accessible Part of User Group to improve accessibility Part of User Group to improve accessibility
JD-VRTAC Single Point of Contact Training Methods Pure teaching Pure teaching Assess computer skills Assess computer skills Meeting locations Meeting locations Usually one lesson for TCI+ and then follow Usually one lesson for TCI+ and then follow- -up call Overall goal is self Overall goal is self- -direction of client direction of client up call
Case Examples Case examples of using The Career Case examples of using The Career Index Plus to establish career direction Index Plus to establish career direction with an attainable education and with an attainable education and employment goal employment goal
JD-VRTAC Project Accomplishments Having the end user/client develop the skills to Having the end user/client develop the skills to independently research and learn about careers independently research and learn about careers Having a single point of contact has simplified the Having a single point of contact has simplified the process and freed up some of the VR Counselors process and freed up some of the VR Counselors time time Clients and staff using the same LMI source Clients and staff using the same LMI source Making better career goal decisions Making better career goal decisions Decrease in the requests to go to Graduate School Decrease in the requests to go to Graduate School and specialized college tracks and specialized college tracks
BESB Today Counselors continue to invite clients to use Counselors continue to invite clients to use The Career Index Plus The Career Index Plus Clients continue to access Rehabilitation Clients continue to access Rehabilitation Teacher for The Career Index Plus training Teacher for The Career Index Plus training Counselors have incorporated The Career Counselors have incorporated The Career Index Plus and LMI in all clients IPEs Index Plus and LMI in all clients IPEs
Contact information Thank You Thank You Mary Burgard, Mary Burgard, Mary.Burgard@ct.gov Mary.Burgard@ct.gov Jonathan Richmond, Jonathan Richmond, Jonathan.Richmond@ct.gov Jonathan.Richmond@ct.gov
