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Secondary Transition: Secondary Transition: Interagency Interagency CollaborationCollaboration

Clayton Rees, YTP Coordinator, Clayton Rees, YTP Coordinator, OVRSOVRS

Jackie Burr, Sec. Trans. Coordinator, Jackie Burr, Sec. Trans. Coordinator, ODEODE

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What is Collaboration? What is Collaboration? ““Collaboration is a Collaboration is a processprocess to reach to reach

goals that cannot be achieved acting goals that cannot be achieved acting

singly (or, at a minimum, singly (or, at a minimum,

cannot be reached efficiently). cannot be reached efficiently).

As a process, collaboration is a As a process, collaboration is a means to an endmeans to an end, , not an end to itself. not an end to itself.

The desired end is more comprehensive and The desired end is more comprehensive and appropriate services that improve outcomes for appropriate services that improve outcomes for students, families, teachers, communities, or students, families, teachers, communities, or other stakeholders who have a vested interest other stakeholders who have a vested interest in the outcome.” (deFur 1999) in the outcome.” (deFur 1999)

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Examples of Examples of Collaboration? Collaboration?

• Exactly what is collaboration Exactly what is collaboration anyway? How do bees do it? anyway? How do bees do it?

► ► Networking; Networking; ► ► Coordination; Coordination;

► ► Cooperation; Cooperation; ► ► Collaboration.Collaboration.

• There is no single right way to There is no single right way to approach collaborative approach collaborative relationships; the structure will relationships; the structure will depend on how close both parties depend on how close both parties are willing to get. are willing to get.

• Cultural issues. Cultural issues.

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Collaboration Kenneth Crow, DRM Associates 2002. By permission.

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Collaboration Process for Collaboration Process for Secondary TransitionSecondary Transition

• Independent agencies Independent agencies function as one entity function as one entity with problem-solving, with problem-solving, sharing and merging of sharing and merging of resources.resources.

• Agencies interact on Agencies interact on regular basis for shared regular basis for shared decision-making, decision-making, accountability & trust. accountability & trust.

• Jointly scheduled Jointly scheduled activities & planning activities & planning time existtime exist

• Assisting youth to gain Assisting youth to gain access to services,access to services,

• IEP teams identify IEP teams identify range of services range of services available in community available in community and can make referrals and can make referrals to other agenciesto other agencies

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Models of Collaboration Models of Collaboration • Sources of funding come from three federal laws—Sources of funding come from three federal laws—

– the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), – Title I of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), and Title I of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), and – the Vocational Rehabilitation Act, the Vocational Rehabilitation Act,

• Programs that serve youth can often function in Programs that serve youth can often function in isolation because the funding comes from separate isolation because the funding comes from separate federal agencies causing a “disconnect” between federal agencies causing a “disconnect” between agencies and put education and human service agencies and put education and human service agencies at odds with each other when trying to agencies at odds with each other when trying to serve youth in transition. serve youth in transition.

• Models of Collaboration and Cost Sharing in Transition Programming Models of Collaboration and Cost Sharing in Transition Programming National Center on Secondary Education and TransitionNational Center on Secondary Education and Transition January 2007 • Vol. 6, Issue 1 January 2007 • Vol. 6, Issue 1

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Strategies for Strategies for Collaboration Collaboration

• School Districts:School Districts:– pool resources to achieve common goalspool resources to achieve common goals– Cost sharingCost sharing– Work as a consortiumWork as a consortium

• ODE/OVRS:ODE/OVRS:– Interagency AgreementsInteragency Agreements– Shared trainingShared training– Collaborative efforts to secure additional Collaborative efforts to secure additional

moniesmonies

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• Groups form strong partnerships by Groups form strong partnerships by engaging in four increasingly complex engaging in four increasingly complex activities: activities: – networking, networking, – coordination of services, coordination of services, – cooperation, and finally, cooperation, and finally, – collaboration. collaboration.

• Collaborative groups, because of formal Collaborative groups, because of formal relationships, often enter into written relationships, often enter into written contracts—called interagency agreements—contracts—called interagency agreements—that are designed to maximize resources for that are designed to maximize resources for transitioning youth transitioning youth

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Federal RequirementsFederal Requirements

• Rehab Act as amended: “The state Rehab Act as amended: “The state plan shall contain plans, policies, plan shall contain plans, policies, and procedures for coordination that and procedures for coordination that are designed to facility…transition of are designed to facility…transition of students with disabilities….This students with disabilities….This requires a formal interagency requires a formal interagency agreement with the State education agreement with the State education agency….”agency….”

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IDEA IDEA

• ““Ensure that an interagency Ensure that an interagency agreement is in effect between other agreement is in effect between other public agencies, in order to ensure public agencies, in order to ensure that all services that are needed to that all services that are needed to ensure a free and appropriate public ensure a free and appropriate public education are provided….” education are provided….”

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Cooperative Cooperative AgreementAgreement

OVRS and ODEOVRS and ODE

•Purpose: Cooperate in activities Purpose: Cooperate in activities leading to a successful transition leading to a successful transition for students with disabilities for students with disabilities from a free, appropriate public from a free, appropriate public education to engagement in education to engagement in appropriate post-secondary appropriate post-secondary career-related training and career-related training and employment activities.employment activities.

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OVRS shall provide:OVRS shall provide:

• Policy and/or procedural changesPolicy and/or procedural changes

• Program CoordinatorProgram Coordinator

• TA on eligibility and provision of transition TA on eligibility and provision of transition servicesservices

• Procedures for release of client information to SDProcedures for release of client information to SD

• A specific local counselor for SDA specific local counselor for SD

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OVRS shall provide:OVRS shall provide:

• Training to all field counselors on Training to all field counselors on their role in—their role in—– Outreach activities for 504 studentsOutreach activities for 504 students– Working with SD to prepare students for Working with SD to prepare students for

careerscareers– Participation in transition planning (IEPs)Participation in transition planning (IEPs)– Developing IPE’s Developing IPE’s – Collaboration in systems change grants Collaboration in systems change grants

and legislationand legislation

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OVRS shall provide--OVRS shall provide--

• Annual in-service trainingAnnual in-service training• Disseminate informationDisseminate information• Collaboration in local community Collaboration in local community

planningplanning• Share data with ODEShare data with ODE• Problem Solve with ODEProblem Solve with ODE• Share information to the SACSEShare information to the SACSE

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ODE shall provide:ODE shall provide:

• Information to SD re: services Information to SD re: services provided by OVRS (YTP, Supported provided by OVRS (YTP, Supported Employment)Employment)

• A representative on the OVRS State A representative on the OVRS State Rehabilitation CouncilRehabilitation Council

• Encouragement for SD to provide Encouragement for SD to provide point of contact for field staffpoint of contact for field staff

• Collaborate in systems change Collaborate in systems change

grants and legislationgrants and legislation

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ODE shall provide:ODE shall provide:

• Assign an education specialist to Assign an education specialist to facilitate linkages between SD and facilitate linkages between SD and OVRS:OVRS:– TA on how to identify eligible students TA on how to identify eligible students

for OVRS servicesfor OVRS services– Procedure for release of informationProcedure for release of information– Identify strategies for SWD requiring Identify strategies for SWD requiring

long-term supportlong-term support– Work with OVRS on IPEsWork with OVRS on IPEs

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ODE shall provide:ODE shall provide:

• Annual inserviceAnnual inservice

• Information to OVRS re: vocational Information to OVRS re: vocational training programs, approved private training programs, approved private education programs and accredited education programs and accredited post-secondary schools.post-secondary schools.

• Information to OVRS State Information to OVRS State Rehabilitation CouncilRehabilitation Council

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Other Federal Other Federal LegislationLegislation

• Title I of the Workforce Investment ActTitle I of the Workforce Investment Act• Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied

Technology Education Amendments of Technology Education Amendments of 19981998

• Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Section 504 of the Rehabilitation

Act as amended Act as amended • Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Ticket to Work and Work Incentives

Improvement Act of 1999. Improvement Act of 1999.

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ResourcesResources

• Transition Planning: A Team Effort, Transition Planning: A Team Effort, Sharon H. DeFur (1999 – Jan) Sharon H. DeFur (1999 – Jan) http://nichcy.orghttp://nichcy.org

• Cooperative Agreement Between the Cooperative Agreement Between the Oregon Department of Human Services Oregon Department of Human Services and the Oregon Department of Education and the Oregon Department of Education (2007-2009).(2007-2009).

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Contact InformationContact InformationClayton Z. ReesClayton Z. Rees

YTP CoordinatorYTP Coordinator

Department of Human Department of Human ServicesServices

Office of Vocational Office of Vocational Rehabilitation Rehabilitation

ServicesServices

(503) 945-6975(503) 945-6975(503) 842-4453 ext 354(503) 842-4453 ext 354

Jackie BurrJackie Burr

Secondary Transition Secondary Transition CoordinatorCoordinator

Department of Department of EducationEducation

Office of Student Office of Student Learning and Learning and PartnershipsPartnerships

503-947-5319503-947-5319