videoconferencing tips vocational rehabilitation services local site hosts please identify yourself...

Videoconferencing TipsVideoconferencing Tips• Vocational Rehabilitation Services Vocational Rehabilitation Services

local site Hosts please identify local site Hosts please identify yourself to the participants.yourself to the participants.

• Please keep your Please keep your mute buttonmute button on at on at all times until we call on your site.all times until we call on your site.

• If you lose your connection during If you lose your connection during this meeting call 651-431-2070 this meeting call 651-431-2070

• If you have a question, write it If you have a question, write it down for the Q and A period.down for the Q and A period.

Performance Based Performance Based Agreements (PBA)Agreements (PBA)

Provider and Vocational Provider and Vocational Rehabilitation Services Staff Rehabilitation Services Staff

TrainingTraining

June 23 and July 7, 2009June 23 and July 7, 2009

Partnership: Vocational Partnership: Vocational Rehabilitation Services & Rehabilitation Services &

ProvidersProviders• PBA a partnership between providers and PBA a partnership between providers and

Vocational Rehabilitation Services with Vocational Rehabilitation Services with the consumer at the centerthe consumer at the center

• Through this partnership 1,374 people Through this partnership 1,374 people have been successfully placed and have been successfully placed and retained in employment since PBA retained in employment since PBA started ( Jan 1, 2006)started ( Jan 1, 2006)

• Today’s objective is to share the latest Today’s objective is to share the latest improvements and Frequently Asked improvements and Frequently Asked QuestionsQuestions

Scope of Performance Scope of Performance Based AgreementsBased Agreements

• Placement ServicesPlacement Services– Identify and develop job Identify and develop job

opportunitiesopportunities– Assist consumers with Assist consumers with

updating resumes, updating resumes, completing job applications, completing job applications, preparing for job preparing for job interviews, completing interviews, completing cover and thank you letterscover and thank you letters

– Provide on-site job analysisProvide on-site job analysis– Assist employers to identify Assist employers to identify

and eliminate barriers to and eliminate barriers to the employment and the employment and advancement of consumersadvancement of consumers

• Retention ServicesRetention Services– Contact with consumer Contact with consumer

to promote job to promote job adjustmentadjustment

– Contact with employer Contact with employer to ensure satisfaction to ensure satisfaction with consumer’s job with consumer’s job performanceperformance

– Job Site Skills TrainingJob Site Skills Training– Job Coaching Job Coaching

regarding work regarding work behaviorsbehaviors

– Development of Development of Natural SupportsNatural Supports

Job Search PreparednessJob Search Preparedness

• Vocational Rehabilitation Services’ Vocational Rehabilitation Services’ ResponsibilityResponsibility

• Consumer is willing and available to work Consumer is willing and available to work and has job seeking and retention skills and has job seeking and retention skills sufficient to be engaged in placement sufficient to be engaged in placement servicesservices

• Fluid processFluid process• If provider believes consumer is not able to If provider believes consumer is not able to

seek work, a placement plan should not be seek work, a placement plan should not be written, or an existing PBA should be written, or an existing PBA should be ended.ended.

Communication Communication ExpectationsExpectations

• Consumer, Vocational Rehabilitation Consumer, Vocational Rehabilitation Services, and provider Services, and provider must must meet to meet to complete the placement plan together to complete the placement plan together to clarify roles, responsibilities, and job goalsclarify roles, responsibilities, and job goals

• Consumer, Vocational Rehabilitation Consumer, Vocational Rehabilitation Services, and provider Services, and provider must must meet together meet together for 90 Day Reviews to evaluate the for 90 Day Reviews to evaluate the consumer’s progress in obtaining and consumer’s progress in obtaining and maintaining employment until the PBA is maintaining employment until the PBA is completedcompleted

• Frequent communication for problem solving, Frequent communication for problem solving, idea formation, and celebration is expectedidea formation, and celebration is expected

Success MilestonesSuccess MilestonesPlacement and Retention Plan CompletionPlacement and Retention Plan Completion

Job HireJob Hire

StabilizationStabilization in Supported Employment Cases in Supported Employment Cases

Employment RetentionEmployment Retention

Success MilestonesSuccess Milestones

Placement and Retention Plan Placement and Retention Plan CompletionCompletion

Copy of signed plan and Invoice Copy of signed plan and Invoice from provider submitted to from provider submitted to

Vocational Rehabilitation ServicesVocational Rehabilitation Services

• $1,000 payment issued$1,000 payment issued

Job HireJob Hire

First completed, paid shift worked First completed, paid shift worked by consumer in integrated labor by consumer in integrated labor

marketmarket

Written Report from provider to Written Report from provider to Vocational Rehabilitation Services Vocational Rehabilitation Services with required details and Invoicewith required details and Invoice

$1,300 payment issued$1,300 payment issued


Stabilization Stabilization

in Supported Employment Casesin Supported Employment Cases

Notification from provider to Notification from provider to Vocational Rehabilitation Services Vocational Rehabilitation Services

with detailswith details

Case moved into employment status by Case moved into employment status by Vocational Rehabilitation ServicesVocational Rehabilitation Services


Job RetentionJob RetentionConsumer and Vocational Rehabilitation Consumer and Vocational Rehabilitation

Services agree job is satisfactory and Services agree job is satisfactory and consumer is performing well on integrated consumer is performing well on integrated

job and is being compensated at wage job and is being compensated at wage customarily paid by employercustomarily paid by employer

Follow up has been provided a Follow up has been provided a minimum minimum of 90 of 90 daysdays

On-going supports are adequate & number of On-going supports are adequate & number of hours goal is methours goal is met

Written report with details from provider Written report with details from provider submitted to Vocational Rehabilitation submitted to Vocational Rehabilitation

ServicesServices$1,500 payment is issued$1,500 payment is issued


Frequently Asked Frequently Asked QuestionsQuestions

Q: What happens if the consumer Q: What happens if the consumer loses their job before 90 days? loses their job before 90 days?

A: The consumer is re-placed by the A: The consumer is re-placed by the provider with no additional payment. provider with no additional payment. Unless the provider decides to end Unless the provider decides to end their PBA commitment.their PBA commitment.

Q: Does the Vocational Rehabilitation Q: Does the Vocational Rehabilitation case record actually have to be case record actually have to be closed before the provider can closed before the provider can receive the retention milestone receive the retention milestone payment?payment?

A: If all of the conditions for successful A: If all of the conditions for successful closure are met, the provider can closure are met, the provider can receive the payment. Vocational receive the payment. Vocational Rehabilitation Services may be still Rehabilitation Services may be still providing other services for the providing other services for the consumer.consumer.

Q: Can community rehabilitation Q: Can community rehabilitation providers be paid for interviewing providers be paid for interviewing potential consumers?potential consumers?

A: Providers and consumers must agree that A: Providers and consumers must agree that there is a “good fit” between them. there is a “good fit” between them. Therefore, providers may wish to review Therefore, providers may wish to review referral information or interview a referral information or interview a potential consumer. These activities are potential consumer. These activities are considered a cost of doing business under considered a cost of doing business under PBA and are included in the PBA fee. PBA and are included in the PBA fee.

However, a provider is not committed to However, a provider is not committed to working with a consumer until the provider working with a consumer until the provider signs the job placement and job retention signs the job placement and job retention plan.plan.

Q: When can an existing PBA be Q: When can an existing PBA be ended and a new PBA started so the ended and a new PBA started so the community rehabilitation provider community rehabilitation provider can receive initial milestone can receive initial milestone payments again?payments again?

A: If the placement and job retention plan A: If the placement and job retention plan is amended significantly (e.g., the is amended significantly (e.g., the employment goal or services change employment goal or services change substantially, or there is a significant substantially, or there is a significant time when the consumer is unavailable time when the consumer is unavailable for services) a new PBA may be started.for services) a new PBA may be started.

Q: Can a community rehabilitation Q: Can a community rehabilitation provider receive a PBA if the consumer provider receive a PBA if the consumer gets hired through a different service, gets hired through a different service, such as work evaluation or work such as work evaluation or work adjustment training?adjustment training?

A: PBA rates are intended to reimburse A: PBA rates are intended to reimburse providers for the costs associated with providers for the costs associated with developing a job for an individual. If a job developing a job for an individual. If a job offer results from another service, no offer results from another service, no placement plan should be signed and no placement plan should be signed and no job hire milestone should be paid. Job job hire milestone should be paid. Job retention services can be paid on a fee-for-retention services can be paid on a fee-for-service basis through the provider’s service basis through the provider’s operating agreement.operating agreement.

• Who pays for necessary Who pays for necessary interpreter services?interpreter services?

• Interpreter services are a reasonable Interpreter services are a reasonable accommodation that providers must accommodation that providers must make available to program make available to program participants. The community participants. The community rehabilitation provider should pay rehabilitation provider should pay for the interpreting costs.for the interpreting costs.

Q: Can community rehabilitation Q: Can community rehabilitation providers be paid a fee for job providers be paid a fee for job seeking skills training?seeking skills training?

A: Community rehabilitation providers may A: Community rehabilitation providers may offer a specific curriculum to assist offer a specific curriculum to assist consumers with job seeking skills consumers with job seeking skills training. Vocational Rehabilitation training. Vocational Rehabilitation Services can purchase this training Services can purchase this training beforebefore a PBA is initiated. These services a PBA is initiated. These services should be described on the provider’s should be described on the provider’s operating agreement.operating agreement.

Q: What happens if the Vocational Q: What happens if the Vocational Rehabilitation Services case is closed and Rehabilitation Services case is closed and an event occurs that places the an event occurs that places the consumer’s job in jeopardy?consumer’s job in jeopardy?

A: The VRS counselor may authorize a limited A: The VRS counselor may authorize a limited amount of job coaching on a fee-for-service amount of job coaching on a fee-for-service basis to resolve the issue. Counselors are basis to resolve the issue. Counselors are expected to use their professional judgment to expected to use their professional judgment to determine whether the use of limited post-determine whether the use of limited post-employment services will resolve the issue, or employment services will resolve the issue, or if the Vocational Rehabilitation Services case if the Vocational Rehabilitation Services case needs to be re-opened and more needs to be re-opened and more comprehensive services provided.comprehensive services provided.

Q: Is there a limit to the number of Q: Is there a limit to the number of hours of job coaching that are hours of job coaching that are considered to be included in the considered to be included in the PBA?PBA?

A: No. Providers must ensure the A: No. Providers must ensure the adequacy of job retention services, adequacy of job retention services, including job coaching, so the including job coaching, so the consumer is able to achieve a consumer is able to achieve a successful employment outcome.successful employment outcome.

Q: Can Vocational Rehabilitation Q: Can Vocational Rehabilitation Services pay for additional services Services pay for additional services such as job try-outs or on-the-job such as job try-outs or on-the-job training to assist the consumer with training to assist the consumer with obtaining employment?obtaining employment?

A: Yes. Vocational Rehabilitation Services can provide A: Yes. Vocational Rehabilitation Services can provide financial assistance to employers for:financial assistance to employers for:

Additional training consumer may require, beyond Additional training consumer may require, beyond what other what other new employees typically receive.new employees typically receive.

The opportunity for a consumer to try a job to see if The opportunity for a consumer to try a job to see if it is a good it is a good match.match.

Prior authorization and an agreement form with the Prior authorization and an agreement form with the employer must be completed before the training or try-out employer must be completed before the training or try-out can start.can start.

When on-the-job training or job try-out results in When on-the-job training or job try-out results in consumer’s employment, the provider can be paid the consumer’s employment, the provider can be paid the milestones for job placement and job retention.milestones for job placement and job retention.

Q: Can enclave, clustered, or scattered Q: Can enclave, clustered, or scattered placements meet job hire requirements placements meet job hire requirements for a PBA?for a PBA?

A: No. PBA is to be used for single site jobs. A: No. PBA is to be used for single site jobs.

Vocational Rehabilitation Services could Vocational Rehabilitation Services could authorize job retention services through authorize job retention services through fee-for-service under an operating fee-for-service under an operating agreement if the Vocational Rehabilitation agreement if the Vocational Rehabilitation Services counselor agrees that the group Services counselor agrees that the group placement is appropriate for the consumer placement is appropriate for the consumer and meets the federal definition of and meets the federal definition of supported employment.supported employment.

Q: Can a Vocational Rehabilitation Q: Can a Vocational Rehabilitation Services file be closed and a job Services file be closed and a job retention milestone be paid if the retention milestone be paid if the consumer is working in a consumer is working in a temporary job?temporary job?

A: If the temporary job is expected to A: If the temporary job is expected to last for an extended period of time, last for an extended period of time, or is likely to turn into a permanent or is likely to turn into a permanent job, a successful closure can be job, a successful closure can be taken. All of the other factors for taken. All of the other factors for successful closure must be met.successful closure must be met.

Q: When can a Vocational Q: When can a Vocational Rehabilitation Services file be Rehabilitation Services file be closed if more than one job has closed if more than one job has been involved?been involved?

A:A: If there has been no significant break If there has been no significant break in the time that the consumer has been in the time that the consumer has been employed, and if the jobs are similar in employed, and if the jobs are similar in nature, Vocational Rehabilitation nature, Vocational Rehabilitation Services can consider the time of Services can consider the time of employment to have been continuous. employment to have been continuous. Careful consideration must be given to Careful consideration must be given to ensure that the final job is stable if it ensure that the final job is stable if it has been held less than 90 days.has been held less than 90 days.

Q: Can a provider hire the consumer as Q: Can a provider hire the consumer as their own employee and receive the their own employee and receive the PBA milestone payments?PBA milestone payments?

A: No. When a provider is the employer A: No. When a provider is the employer there is an implicit and explicit conflict of there is an implicit and explicit conflict of interest between the “service provider” interest between the “service provider” role and the role as an “employer.” role and the role as an “employer.” PBA service are intended to pay for the PBA service are intended to pay for the provider’s efforts in seeking and securing provider’s efforts in seeking and securing employment with another employer.employment with another employer.

If a provider wishes to hire a consumer If a provider wishes to hire a consumer receiving a PBA service, they should receiving a PBA service, they should relinquish the PBA role and not expect to relinquish the PBA role and not expect to be paid for the PBA milestones.be paid for the PBA milestones.

Q: What is stabilization?Q: What is stabilization?A: When a consumer’s work performance A: When a consumer’s work performance

plateaus and job supports have faded to plateaus and job supports have faded to the lowest level necessary to maintain the the lowest level necessary to maintain the individual in employment. individual in employment.

Stabilization considerations:Stabilization considerations:• Level of work performance.Level of work performance.• Consumer works the number of hours per Consumer works the number of hours per

week specified in the IPE. week specified in the IPE. • Job supports shift from learning the job Job supports shift from learning the job

tasks to maintaining the job. tasks to maintaining the job.

After stabilization, consumer moves into After stabilization, consumer moves into the final phase of supported employment the final phase of supported employment known as long-term supports.known as long-term supports.

Q: What are long-term supports aka: Q: What are long-term supports aka: ongoing supports, extended ongoing supports, extended services or long-term supports ?services or long-term supports ?

A: A: Services needed to promote job adjustment and Services needed to promote job adjustment and retention. retention.

May address: work productivity, assistance in training or May address: work productivity, assistance in training or retraining job tasks, dealing with schedule changes, adjusting retraining job tasks, dealing with schedule changes, adjusting to new supervisors, benefits monitoring and reporting, to new supervisors, benefits monitoring and reporting, employee satisfaction, advancement to other job tasks or employee satisfaction, advancement to other job tasks or positions, and managing changes in non-work environments or positions, and managing changes in non-work environments or life activities that affect work performance. life activities that affect work performance.

Provided at times and locations that meet the needs and Provided at times and locations that meet the needs and desires of the consumer and the employer, if applicabledesires of the consumer and the employer, if applicable

A documented system should be in place to provide organized A documented system should be in place to provide organized support contacts at regular intervals (at least two face-to-face support contacts at regular intervals (at least two face-to-face contacts per month)contacts per month)

With disclosure, contact may be made at regular intervals with With disclosure, contact may be made at regular intervals with the employer.the employer.

Q: Can a provider get paid the Q: Can a provider get paid the job hirejob hire milestone for a temporary job or when a milestone for a temporary job or when a consumer gets his/her own job that doesn’t consumer gets his/her own job that doesn’t match the placement and retention plan job match the placement and retention plan job goal?goal?

A: Yes. However, retention services should not A: Yes. However, retention services should not be provided until the consumer and Vocational be provided until the consumer and Vocational Rehabilitation Services agree to amend the Rehabilitation Services agree to amend the consumer’s Employment Plan. consumer’s Employment Plan.

The PBA may be ended, The PBA may be ended, oror placement services placement services may continue until a permanent or more may continue until a permanent or more suitable job is found. suitable job is found.

If the job is determined to be suitable, the If the job is determined to be suitable, the placement and retention plan may be amended placement and retention plan may be amended and retention services under the PBA could be and retention services under the PBA could be initiated and the retention milestone paid. initiated and the retention milestone paid.

• Q: What if multiple community Q: What if multiple community rehabilitation providers are rehabilitation providers are involved in providing job involved in providing job placement and job retention placement and job retention services to a consumer?services to a consumer?

• A: Vocational Rehabilitation Services A: Vocational Rehabilitation Services pays the milestone amounts to one pays the milestone amounts to one primary provider. The primary primary provider. The primary provider can sub-contract with provider can sub-contract with another qualified provider for service another qualified provider for service provision and payment.provision and payment.

• Q: Can providers invoice Vocational Q: Can providers invoice Vocational Rehabilitation Services for a PBA Rehabilitation Services for a PBA milestone for a person on Medicaid milestone for a person on Medicaid Home and Community Based Home and Community Based Waivers?Waivers?

A: No. Vocational Rehabilitation Services A: No. Vocational Rehabilitation Services cannot make this payment to the cannot make this payment to the provider when the provider is also provider when the provider is also billing Medical Assistance Home and billing Medical Assistance Home and Community Based Waivers (TBI, CADI, Community Based Waivers (TBI, CADI, DD) for supported employment.DD) for supported employment.

• Q: Can additional fees for the Q: Can additional fees for the transportation of consumers transportation of consumers during job placement and job during job placement and job retention services be paid retention services be paid through an Operating through an Operating Agreement?Agreement?

• A: Yes.A: Yes.

Q: Who can I call for help?Q: Who can I call for help?

A: Anne Paulson, Rehabilitation A: Anne Paulson, Rehabilitation SpecialistSpecialist

Community PartnershipsCommunity Partnerships

VocationalVocational RehabilitationRehabilitation Services Services

(651) 259-7135(651) 259-7135

[email protected] [email protected]

Your Questions?Your Questions?

videoconferencing tips vocational rehabilitation services local site hosts please identify yourself...

Documents