Mid-Atlantic State Rehabilitation Council (SRC) Training Forum

SRC Forum 2008 - Eastern U.S.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008 - Friday, May 16, 2008
The Florida Hotel & Conference Center
1500 Sand Lake Road
Orlando, Florida 32809
(407) 859-1500
Please register to attend this event at http://www.regonline.com/srcforum2008
For additional information contact Dr. Maureen McGuire Kuletz

2005 Program Information

RSA Mid-Atlantic and the George Washington University Regional Rehabilitation Continuing Education Program have sponsored the SRC Training Forum. The Forum is part of the RSA National Initiative and the objectives are:

• Enhance partnerships between SRC's and State VR agencies;
• Identify successful strategies for the operation and key work of the SRC's; and
• Expand awareness of technical assistance and training resources available to the SRC's.

The program targeted representatives from the State Rehabilitation Councils, State Vocational Rehabilitation Agency Directors, and related personnel. This Forum has provided the opportunity for all participants to meet their counterparts in other states, increase the effectiveness of the VR-SRC partnership in your state in order to design successful strategies for carrying out the responsibilities of the SRC at their respective departments.

The major topics are:
• History and philosophy of the public vocational rehabilitation program
• SRC roles and responsibilities
• Successful operational practices – member recruitment, appointment processes, coordination with key players
• Conducting comprehensive Statewide needs assessment; developing and reviewing State goals and priorities; evaluating the effectiveness of the VR program; analyzing consumer satisfaction
• Building an effective partnership with VR management
• Creating and utilizing consumer feedback systems
• Strengthening working relationships, communication strategies and managing conflict.

Supplemental Documents:

Below is a list of supplemental documents available for download. The documents come from RSA and are in word format.
• The Rehab Act - Purpose & Policy for the VR Program
• The Rehab Act - Responsibilities of the VR Agency to the SRC
• The Rehab Act - Summary of the 1998 Amendments (RSA-IM-98-20)
• RSA Fact Sheet - Order of Selection
• RSA Fact Sheet – SRC's.
• RSA Policy Principles
• RSA Regulations for VR Agencies
• RSA Standards and Indicators, short list
• RSA Standards and Indicators – Regulations
• RSA Statement on Employment Goals (RSA PD 97 04)
• RSA Statement on Informed Choice (RSA- PD -01-03)
• RSA Statement on Informed Choice for People with Cognitive Disabilities (RSA - TAC – 98-01)
• RSA Statement on Consumer Satisfaction Surveys (RSA - TAC -96-01)
• U.S. Senate Statements on the SRC Regulations and Their History
• SRC Reference Resources for Regulatory and Legislative Information
• Eagleton Institute of Politics Center for Public Polling Consumer Survey
• Eagleton Institute of Politics Center for Public Polling Consumer Survey Report
• Eagleton Institute of Politics Center for Public Polling Consumer Survey Executive Summary
• Eagleton Institute of Politics Center for Public Polling Consumer Satisfaction Exit Survey

Dr Christine Lewis’ Material for Day Two:

• Topic Agenda for Building Effective Partnerships
• Supplemental Documents ( with graphics) for Building Effective Partnerships
• Text –only version of Supplemental Documents for Building Effective Partnerships

The day two of the SRC Training Forum presented by Dr. Christine Lewis allowed for a group interaction period prior to lunch on Thursday, July 28, 2005. The participants were divided into the three following workgroups:

Maryland and Pennsylvania
Delaware and Virginia
District of Columbia and West Virginia

The charge to the groups was "How does the SRC create value?" The summary of each workgroups' flip chart notes are presented for your information and discussion among your State Rehabilitation Council. There are some interesting and unique strengths of the SRC listed by all the workgroups to enhance the partnership between State Vocational Rehabilitation Agency and the State Rehabilitation Council.

GROUP I: MARYLAND/PENNSYLVANIA
HOW DOES THE SRC CREATE VALUE?

PA

Strengths of SRC
Accomplishments
What the SRC can do that VR can't
Lobby
Position Paper

MD/PA

Face to face State, Federal and Legislative visits
SRC is the voice Accountability to the partnership
SRC trumpets with SRC'sAs appointee's of the Governor make recommendations
SRC's bridging the gap between the consumers and program
SRC's bridge with employers
SRC's market VR

-Job Fair
-Mall
-Outreach

MD

SRC's having employers on as SRC members
Employment and Career Development Company
Employers Recognition/Surveys
Customer Achievement Day

GROUP II: VIRGINIA/DELAWARE

1. Meet the mandate, exist.
2. Feedback from constituents (varied) Ex: consumers, vendors
3. Problem identification and problem solving
4. Diversity (more so than the agency)
5. Marketing-Positive & Informative
6. Business/employer/HR voice and #5
7. Lobbying
8. ADA knowledge
9. EEOC knowledge
10. Disability resources, knowledge
11. Disability community knowledge and network
12. Spearhead agency to fulfill itself, go beyond requirements

HOW TO CREATE VALUE?

GROUP III: WEST VIRGINIA/DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Value is accomplishment of the federal mandate, how is this achieved?
How does the SRC add to the value? How do we add the vision of VR?

-Voice of Advocacy
-Challenging the agency processing of their mission and the system
-How do we build a stronger community foundation?
-Pushing for system changes
-Being seen in the community thru out of the state
-Outreach to consumers
-Image building
-Better marketing

-Use council resources
-Look at grants
-Consumer based groups to help
-Council be a mentor

-Each council should build an outreach resource lists
-Involve employers
-Use personal stories
-Be creative in marketing
-Get publicity
-Involve community, such as murals on walls by statewide schools for publicity/newspapers statewide
-Look at conflict between sister agencies
-Seek ways to change attitude

Mr. Jerry Abbott, Vocational Rehabilitation Program Specialist, U.S. Department of Education, and Rehabilitation Services Administration during his presentation Public Mandate: Federal Overview, Module 4: State Rehabilitation Council referred to a publication several times in his presentation. The publication is titled Personal Reflections on Consumer Involvement on Advisory Boards and Councils: An Issue of Uncommon Common Sense by Jack K. Genskow, Ph.D., C.R.C. This publication has been made available for your use and can be downloaded and is in word format.

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