Mission Statement and Fiscal Year 2003 Goals and Objectives

The following goals were approved by the Pennsylvania Rehabilitation Council (PaRC) at its meeting October 9, 2002.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Council is, after consultation with the State Workforce Investment Board, to inform and advise the State Board of Vocational Rehabilitation and the Governor on the diverse issues affecting vocational rehabilitation.

Executive Committee

Goal #1: Increase communication with the OVR Board and the Workforce Investment Board.

• Implement at least 3 Open Dialogue meetings with the OVR Board, with at least one being in person.
• Meet with the State WIB and OVR staff to achieve an operational definition of the Rehabilitation Act requirement that the PaRC consult with the WIB before carrying out its functions in section 105.
• Assure that the PaRC receives copies of all OVR reports to RSA on a timely basis.

Goal #2: Increase the PaRC's knowledge of OVR's fiscal management.

• Develop a process to receive quarterly revenue and expense data
• Include a fiscal report in the OVR portion of each PaRC meeting agenda

Goal # 3 Assess the flow of communications throughout the system and make recommendations as needed.

Measures

• Receipt of OVR reports to RSA.
• Number of meetings with State WIB and OVR Staff.
• Number of open dialogue meetings with OVR Board.

Customer Satisfaction Committee

Goal: Assess and analyze customer satisfaction with OVR programs, services and outcomes.

• Develop a process to routinely obtain copies and analysis of results of OVR surveys.
• Receive an inventory of surveys sent by OVR over the past three years. Who receives the surveys? What is the purpose of the survey? What is the response rate? What is done with the results?
• Monitor OVR responses for implementation from the PaRC recommendations in the 1998 and 2000 surveys by communicating with the appropriate OVR contact person every three months.
• Based on the analysis of satisfaction data results collected by OVR conduct 2-4 targeted surveys and/or focus groups (for example the deaf community, employers, and counselors). Note - this would be in lieu of another large survey like 1998's since the $85,000-$90,000 cost of such an effort outweighs the benefits of the information obtained.
• Continue to solicit and analyze data concerning formal and informal customer appeals and mediation activities, and make recommendations as needed. Inquire as to the availability of similar information from other Advocacy Groups.

Measures

• Receipt of surveys from OVR.
• Number of recommendations that have been implemented.
• Completion of the customer satisfaction survey with OVR.

Disability Agenda Committee

Goal # 1: Assist in assuring the accessibility of all aspects of the CareerLink centers.

• Participate in work groups and other activities related to accessibility.
• Develop a process to receive and analyze information about site assessments and customer concerns.
• Study implementation models in other states and identify best practices.
• Site visits to CareerLinks

Goal # 2: Increase outreach, communication and collaboration with OVR stakeholders and other organizations with a disability focus.

• Increase PaRC involvement with the State Board of OVR, State Independent Living Council (SILC), Centers for Independent Living (CIL), OVR District Office Consumer Advisory Committees (CAC), other advisory groups, and associates specifically identified in section 105 of the Rehabilitation Act.
• In collaboration with staff, increase the content of the website for members and nonmembers.
• Explore feasibility of Statewide Meeting of CAC's.

Measures

• Number of work groups Council members have participated in.
• Number of activities Council members have participated in.
• Amount of feedback from customer concerns.
• Number of site visits to CareerLinks by members.
• Resulting process to receive and analyze information on the site assessments.
• Report of implementation of other states and best practices.
• Number of groups contacted.
• Number of groups that the Council establishes correspondence and interaction with.
• Amount of content that has been increased on the website.
• Report on feasibility of a statewide meeting of CAC's.

Legislative Committee

Goal #1: Increase PaRC's advocacy on behalf of job seekers and other persons with disabilities.

• Prepare a portfolio of information for use in advocacy on behalf of Reauthorization of the Rehabilitation Act and retaining a separate state-federal rehabilitation program.
• Strengthen relationships with both federal and state elected officials.
• Position the PaRC as a resource to federal and state legislators concerning legislation and services for persons with disabilities through position papers and meetings with elected officials.
• Participate in the National Rehabilitation Association's annual Government Affairs training conference. Make at least one additional trip to meet with the PA delegation to Congress.
• Continually monitor information resources and disseminate information to the PaRC's Legislative Network through Legislative updates and Legislative Alerts.
• Collaborate with the CACs on advocating with legislators.

Goal # 2: Increase the PaRC's knowledge of the Workforce Investment Act.

• Create a presentation and handbook for the members related to Reauthorization of WIA and the Rehab Act.
• Invite state legislators and or staff to Full Council meetings, to talk about the effect of the legislation and tie-ins on the disability community.

Goal #3: Collaborate with the Disability Agenda Committee regarding remediation of CareerLink issues.

Measures

• Number of position papers developed.
• Number of visits/meetings on the Federal and State level.
• Number of portfolios disseminated regarding the Reauthorization of the Rehabilitation Act and retention of a separate state-federal rehabilitation program.
• Number of participants to the National Rehabilitation Association's annual conference.
• Number of Legislative Updates and Legislative Alerts distributed.
• Number of CAC members participating in legislative visits
• Number of presentations on the Reauthorization of WIA and the Rehabilitation Act.
• Number of legislators and or their staff attending and discussing issues of the disability community at Full Council meetings.
• Number of collaborations with the Disability Agenda committee.

State Plan Committee

Goal #1: Increase the PaRC's role in the development and monitoring of OVR's goals and priorities as described in the attachment to the State Plan.

• Find out OVR's time line for the 2003 State Plan, including their deadlines for development and monitoring of the State Plan by the December 2002 Full Council meeting. From this information, create deadlines for PaRC to give their input and be involved with OVR in developing the State Plan draft. Final comments on the State Plan should be given from the PaRC to OVR at least 30 working days prior to the public meetings.
• Maintain direct contact with the OVR/BBVS Consumer Advisory Committees through exchange of minutes and joint conference calls (at least four per year), in order to obtain information for the PaRC's attachment.
• Increase the PaRC's knowledge about programs and services described in attachment 4.12(e) (Innovation and Expansion Grants) by inviting the appropriate OVR contact person to attend a Committee meeting in the next four months. The purpose of this meeting will be to educate the Committee about the purpose of the grants, how they are funded, and how decisions are made about which grants will receive funding.
• Continue to participate in workgroups and committees formed to address aspects of State Plan implementation, for example the Multicultural Advisory Committee, the Labor Management Committee, and the Advisory Council for the Blind. The Committee will also track the number of workgroups and committees that PaRC is participating in. The Committee will also obtain copies of any minutes, reports, recommendations and other documents from the Advisory Council for the Blind by February 1, 2003.

Goal #2: Increase the PaRC's role in publicizing the public State Plan meetings to stakeholders.

• Track how OVR and PaRC are publicizing the meetings and how effective these methods are (to be completed within 3 months of the last public meeting for 2003).
• Find out from OVR specifically how many people attended the public meetings, the locations and dates of those meetings, and how many written comments were received and from where, for the 2002 State Plan (to be completed by February 1, 2003).

Goal #3: Continue oversight of OVR policies and procedures

• Continue to participate in work groups formed to draft new policies or revise existing policies, and track the timeliness of when PaRC is informed about new OVR policies and work groups.
• Continue to track how PaRC receives new or revised polices. PaRC should receive information 30 days prior to a Full Council meeting to ensure it will be available to members in alternate formats. Make recommendations to the Full Council regarding new or revised policies.
• Assure that the PaRC staff has complete and current counselor manuals, numbered memoranda, etc. in the office reference library.
• Assess the flow of communications throughout the system and make recommendations as needed.

Measures

• Final comments on the State Plan given from the PaRC to OVR at least 30 working days prior to the public meetings.
• Hold at least four conference calls with CAC's per year.
• Educational presentation at Full Council Meeting on Innovation and Expansion Grants.
• Number of workgroups members participated in.
• Report from OVR on Public Meetings indicating the method of publicizing the meetings, number of people who attended and sent in written comments.
• Number of workgroups members participate in with OVR.
• Track when PaRC is informed about new OVR policies and work groups.
• Receipt of all numbered memorandums.