Disability Agenda and Workforce Development

Under the leadership of Governor Thomas Ridge, every office and department in the Executive Branch of state government is developing policies related to better customer service for persons with disabilities. In May 1997 the Governor held a public reception to announce the Disability Agenda. The Pennsylvania Rehabilitation Advisory Council (RAC/Council) has established a collaborative relationship with policy team leadership. The RAC will use this relationship to assure that persons with disabilities have opportunities to provide input into the decision making process. The collaboration will also help the Council gather information across systems to identify the myriad of issues which impact the ability of OVR to train and place their customers. Planning is underway for a statewide forum in December 1997 through which persons with disabilities will be able to dialog directly with the Governor's Cabinet in small meetings throughout the day.

Pennsylvania has also undertaken planning for consolidation of job training programs. The RAC has met with the policy team personnel who are shaping Workforce Development and expressed concerns that persons with disabilities must be better represented in the planning process. Workforce Development will continue to be a major focus area in the new fiscal year.

Customer Satisfaction

Early in its existence the RAC formed a Customer Satisfaction Committee to make recommendations to OVR. In past years the RAC has worked with OVR on a single customer satisfaction process, principally by identifying key questions and by recommending a separate survey regarding satisfactions with vendors used by OVR. This year the Committee recommended a separate process that would result in a statistically valid instrument and report. It soon became evident that the complexity of this undertaking required special expertise and experience. In Fiscal Year 97, the Satisfaction Committee identified consultants to help develop a Request For Proposal, review the proposals received, and assist the Committee in working with the successful bidders. The contract has been awarded and the survey will be conducted over the first six months of 1998.

State Plan

Fiscal Year 97 was the third year of OVR's three year State Plan. The RAC played an active role in assuring that stakeholders had opportunities to participate in development of the new three year State Plan, as well as the Strategic Plan attachment.

The RAC's State Plan Committee met several times to draft a separate set of recommendations to increase the Council's involvement in OVR's planning and program implementation process. As a result of the RAC's recommendations, all stakeholders will have more opportunities to participate on OVR workgroups. This will assure stakeholder input at the development stage and reduce the amount of rework necessary at the review stage.

The Committee also developed a network of members and volunteers to attend OVR Public Meetings throughout the state in March and April 1997. It developed a tool for the network to use for reporting back to the Committee. The goal was to obtain a consistent "snapshot" of the meetings from one site to the next. While not wholly successful, the process did provide an opportunity to collaborate with other groups. Information from the reports that were received proved useful in drafting recommendations to OVR.

Hearings

In August 1997 the Pennsylvania Rehabilitation Advisory Council (RAC/Council) conducted a targeted hearing concerning OVR's procedures for obtaining bids for Vehicle Modifications. A panel of RAC members heard testimony from consumers, vendors, manufacturers, and OVR staff concerning all aspects of the policy and procedure. The panel's report identified areas for further review and recommended formation of a workgroup consisting of representatives from the constituencies that were present at the August Hearing. The OVR Board accepted the report in September. The workgroup will meet early in Fiscal Year 98.

RAC Members from left to right Carol Baker, Deb Rauscher, and Keith Williams

Annual Planning Retreat

In June 1997 the Council met for its annual planning retreat. Gil Selders, OVR Executive Director, Lucy Shumaker, OVR Administrator of Constituent and Infrastructure Systems, and Connie Tarr, OVR Board Member, joined the Council in reviewing accomplishments and setting new goals.

After reviewing and reaffirming the Pennsylvania Rehabilitation Advisory Council Mission Statement, the group identified accomplishments and frustrations.

The 1996-97 RAC Annual Retreat

Accomplishments

• Advocacy visit to Washington, D.C.
• Moved from constant reorganization - committee structure for specific goals
• Use of conference calls for committee work
• Detailed operating budget
• Effective use of support staff
• Influence of Governor's Disability Agenda
• More on-going dialogue, more active involvement of total membership

Shortfalls/Frustrations

• Lack of action from the Governor on nominations and reappointments
• Need more consumers on the RAC (relates to previous item)
• Too detailed an agenda (goals), more complicated than initially assumed
• Should have continued legislative agenda more aggressively
• Disability Agenda; didn't have as much involvement as we preferred
• Need to better understand OVR policy development and implementation
• More involvement in OVR strategic planning, long range planning

Next, the participants developed goals for the new fiscal year. The Council formally adopted them in August 1997 and presented them to the OVR Board in September.