Transition Assessment & IEP

A Participant-Centered Approach

BackgroundBackground July 1, 2011 will be the first date to exit participants

who reach the 48 month limit in SCSEP

Assuming all waiver factors are validated, SSAI must exit 600 participants because they have reached their duration limit in July 2011 On average, 7 participants per subgrantee Ranging from 0 to 50 participants per subgrantee

Our approach is participant-centered, providing each person the best possible outcomes and maximum available benefits

Now is the time to start

A Few Words on WaiversA Few Words on Waivers SSAI does not come close to reaching the 27

month average participation cap Currently we are at 15 months

SSAI provides reports on participants who: Qualify for a waiver (stay tuned for a webinar on waivers; in the

meantime, ask your Program Officer any questions)

Must be exited for duration limits

To access the report1. Log into Webtools2. Click on Participant Four Years Cap Report.xls under II –

Project Reports

A Few Words on WaiversA Few Words on Waivers

All participants who qualify for a waiver will be granted one based on the following waiver factors:

1. Severe disability

2. Frail

3. 75 years of age or older

4. Low literacy skills

5. Old enough to receive, but not receiving Title II Social Security

6. Severely limited employment prospects in areas with persistent unemployment

7. Limited English proficiency

Participant Four Years Cap ReportParticipant Four Years Cap Report

Participant-Centered Approach

Greatest benefits & strongest outcomes for each participant

Tailored for each individual

Things to consider Employability / future income Continued contribution to his/her community Social engagement Health benefits Strong sense of self-confidence

Why Now? From the Participant’s perspective:

Provides sufficient time to prepare for this reality Four years is a long time, anticipates resistance Allows time for participants to process the change,

reach acceptance and engage Recognizes the multiple dimension of their community

service assignment Economic (wages)

Social (interactions with others)

Self worth (contribution to the community)

Physical (gets a person up and out)

And a few more reasons for Now SSAI’s policy:

Reassessments and IEPs are “updated as necessary” No less than twice a year for assessments No less than three times a year for IEPs

Leaving the program after four years constitutes “necessary”

DOL policy: It’s guidance stipulates 6 months ‘Now’ is the time so we stay in compliance

Sponsor’s interest: A proactive stance reduces likelihood of participant

complaints – a time-consuming process on the back-end

TimingTimingLimit Reached In Transition Assessment & IEP

Conducted By

July 2011 January/February 2011

August 2011 January/February 2011

September 2011 March 2011

October 2011 April 2011

November 2011 May 2011

December 2011 June 2011

Leverage Previous Work

Lots to build on

Assessments & Reassessments – none more than 6 months old

IEPs & IEP Updates – none more than 4 months old

Case Management Notes

The Starting Point for Transitioning Talking with the participant:

What is your goal? (DOL’s Final Rule“…subsequent IEPs need not contain an employment goal if such a goal is not feasible.”)

“How can we help you prepare for when you leave the SCSEP program?”

1. Obtain Employment2. Continued Community Service3. Supportive Services

Reassessing – Looking at previous assessments and IEPs Developing and writing good case notes Supporting the individual and providing the best possible

outcomes (participant centered approach)

1. Obtain Employment

Escalate skills development (CSA rotation, classes, job club, job search workshop)

Escalate job development (encourage host agency hire, make focus of job developer)

Escalate job search activity (enroll in job club, add extra hours for search, revisit the number of job searches per month, review resume, refer to job fair)

Ensure on-going supportive services, if appropriate

Depending on numbers, plan & hold a job fair In short, a renewed, focused attention to this

outcome

2. Continued Community Service Unsubsidized employment and volunteerism are not

incompatible (either one or both) Referrals

Create lists – and some have stipends (Foster Grandparents [stipend], Senior Companion [stipend], RSVP, CNCS, local organizations)

Create starting points & strategies (church, community center, family)

Follow up on the referrals is the responsibility of the participant and part of the IEP

Explore possibilities with host agency Volunteering at agency in some other role than the one when

in SCSEP Works for individual Works for the subgrantee (maintains the agency as a host agency)

3. Supportive Services Types of services

Budgetary (Addressing the loss of approximately $580/mo of SCSEP wages)

Health / Disability Housing Transportation Food Energy Other social services

Create local / online referral sources (AAA, NCOA’s Benefits CheckUp)

SSAI will allow up to 5 additional hours per pay period to access supportive service providers

Transition Assessment & IEP Form

Mandatory Six parts

Identifying Information Barriers to Self-Sufficiency (reassessment) Supportive / Educational Services Employment Continued Community Service Attestation, including signatures

Identifying InformationBarriers to Self-Sufficiency (reassessment)

Supportive / Educational Services

Employment

Continued Community ServiceAttestation, including signatures

Writing a Good Case Note

A good case note should include:

Date and type of contact (can be check off box)

Brief entry of what was discussed (status update of strengths & challenges/outcome of preceding note entry/confirmation of information previously)         

Date and reason for next contact (Reassessment/HA update/IEP update/workshop follow-up/job search assistance/job referral)

Writer’s signature   

Notifying Participants of Durational Limit

Includes two letters: 90 day notification letter 30 day termination notice

Letters

Implications for Recertification

Everyone, even those who are timing out, must be recertified

Recertification serves as a natural opportunity to update the Transitional Assessment & IEP for those exiting in July or August 2011

Start recertification with those requiring a Transition Assessment & IEP (those exiting in September 2011)

Refining our Assessment & IEP Process

We’ve heard you

We can better integrate the forms

We will revisit how to create a more aligned and integrated suite of forms for the assessment, reassessment, IEP, IEP updates, transition assessment & IEP, and case management notes

We are seeking PD input

We are targeting a roll-out in the last quarter of PY10-11

Questions?

Comments?

Thank You!!