Working Solutions Customized Employment Sustainability Demonstration Project

The Working Solutions WIB is partnering with Syracuse University’s Burton Blatt Institute to undertake a sustainability demonstration project as part of a statewide Medicaid Infrastructure Grant, “NY Makes Work Pay” (NYMWP). This project will contribute to NYMWP by demonstrating sustainable ways to promote customized wage based employment for jobseekers with disabilities. It will build on the framework of the Customized Employment Grant (CEG) implemented in 2003-2006.

Project Summary

The goal of this project is to demonstrate how a customized employment model can be sustained beyond the life of start-up resources. The Working Solutions system was successful in improving employment outcomes for jobseekers with disabilities under the CEG, but has lost some ground since the program ended. Under this project, we propose to restore, enhance and reinforce those components of the model that were most directly associated with successful outcomes and integrate them into our permanent infrastructure. We will also assist in assessing, documenting and disseminating the results of our experience.

The demonstration project will support the creation of a permanent Working Solutions Customized Employment Team (CE Team) and provide associated resources to revive and integrate needed structures and practices into ongoing Working Solutions services.

The CE Team will be coordinated by a temporary, part-time project manager responsible for overseeing the re-launch of the customized employment model.

The WIB will be responsible for developing and implementing a sustainability plan including MOUs and blended resources, and for CE model oversight beyond the term of the demo.

Any post-project coordination responsibilities for which continuation resources cannot be raised will be absorbed by the CE Team and the WIB.

Project partners and staff will participate in dissemination and replication activities through materials development and participation in information-sharing events. The NYMWP team will provide hands-on support and will coordinate training and technical assistance by national consultants and will broker other related resources.

Project strategies will include components of the original CEG: the screening/referral tool, the online service directory, training and marketing processes, the Job Resource Network and a tracking methodology, as well as assistive technology updates/upgrades.

The project is expected to result in improved employment outcomes for up to 200 job seekers with disabilities by the end of 2010. Other deliverables include dissemination/ replication products, a permanent CE Team, a sustainability plan and full integration of (or concrete steps toward integrating) the above components into system operations.

Expectations for Measurable Outcomes

General Work Plan

• Appoint/Convene CE Team (WIB)
• Hire Project Manager (WIB)
• Develop detailed project work plan (WIB/CETeam)
• Share work plan with stakeholders (WIB)
• Develop tools, processes, cust. satis. survey (CETeam)
• Conduct training (WIB, CETeam, consultants)
• Workplan implementation (WIB, CETeam, NYMWP Team/consultants, partners)
• Evaluation, tracking reports, interim assessment (CETeam) – 12/31/09
• Continuous improvement actions (WIB, CETeam)
• Sustainability plan (WIB) – 2/1/10
• Implement sustainability plan (WIB, CETeam)
• Ongoing demo implementation (CETeam)
• Evaluation, tracking reports, final assessment/report (WIB, CETeam) – 10/31/10
• Development of replication products, e.g., tools, training materials (WIB, CETeam, NYMWP Team/consultants, partners) – 12/31/10