Commission on Disability & Employment

September 21, 2016: 9:00 AM
Commissioner's Room, MDOL Commerce Drive, Augusta, ME

State Workforce Board COMMITTEE ON DISABILITY AND EMPLOYMENT September 21, 2016 9:00 AM ? 12:00 PM Central Maine Commerce Center 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta Commissioner?s Room Call in: 877-455-0244, Conference code: 2121366385 AGENDA 9:00 Welcome, Review/approve July meeting?s minutes and 2017 meeting schedule 9:15 WIOA Update: Final Regulations and Maine Unified Plan ? Garret Oswald LWIB Structure/Accountability lesson and brainstorm for access 10:00 DEI Update ? Peaches Bass 10:30 Break 10:45 5+ Councils and Empowerment Forum ? follow-up 11:30 Updates: Discussion with Senator Volk re: National Task Force on Workforce Development for People with Disabilities Other updates? 12:00 Adjourn Next Meeting: Wednesday, November 16, 2016 9:00 ? 12:00 Central Maine Commerce Center Frances Perkins Room


COMMITTEE ON DISABILITY AND EMPLOYMENT MEETING 9/21/16 Present: Jennifer Kimble, Don Rice, Jeanie Coltart, Jane Moore, Gayla Dwyer, Karen Fraser, Peaches Bass

Staff: Cheryl Moran, Garret Oswald

Jennifer Kimble opened the meeting with welcomes and introductions and asked for approval of the 7/20/16 meeting minutes and 2017 CD & E meeting schedule. Gayla Dwyer asked for correction on page 2, 3rd paragraph of the minutes to state ?for Maine APSE (Association of People Supporting EmploymentFirst).? Don Rice motioned. Gayla Dwyer seconded. Minutes approved after correction. All were in favor of the 2017 CD & E meeting schedule.

WIOA Update: Final Regulations and Maine Unified Plan ? Garret Oswald • Garret Oswald ? reported that the State WIOA Plan was conditionally approved requiring a number of revisions which were submitted in a timely fashion on September 1st. At the present time, we are waiting to hear about the review of the revisions from the USDOL. A revision example: Policy to reflect WIOA vs WIA. Peaches Bass also provided an example such as a Universal Accessibility Plan ? create a universal accessible environment to accessibility of the system. She stated that we are forced to be a little more creative. Plans are plans. Let?s see what really happens. Garret Oswald - We feel good about the Plan and expect full approval vs conditionally. Now to implement the Plan? We have hired a Project Manager to guide implementation of WIOA. His name is Josh Howe. Josh comes with an extremely unique background. We feel that we have found a great fit. Currently, he is working in acting capacity. Josh has scheduled his first meeting next week with the Core Partners. He will be working with the Administrators of the 4 Core Partners (Adult, Dislocated Workers and Youth, Vocational Rehabilitation, Wagner-Peyser and Adult Ed). His primary duty will be working on implementation strategy. There will be a Dashboard set up to state where we are at as far as implementation. WIOA ? some of it is already happening. We should have a great next 2 years with the energy of WIOA. Garret pointed out how the integration of the systems continues to be challenged with funding. For example, Maine only receives 10 million dollars (which is not enough for a down payment) vs Pennsylvania receives 16 million. We need to push hard on the Feds to conduct an analysis on how much it cost to provide these systems to deliver these programs. We need to get the Feds to fund WIOA at a proper level to administer.
This week the USDOL is here conducting a federal monitoring. The federal monitoring is learning about us as much as we are learning about them. He feels this is a beneficial exercise in building relationships within the Region. Summarizing, Garret feels this is an exciting time to be in workforce development! • Jennifer Kimble ? we need to look at the untapped workforce such as folks receiving Medicaid-funded services in the mental health system. • Garret Oswald ? we also need to get the 4 Core Partners solid in the first 2 years (of WIOA) and then bring other partners in. WIOA is a 4 year Plan (2016-2020). The Law requires after 2 years, we will need to make modifications. He mentioned that we have brought DHHS folks into some of the workgroups. He also pointed out that DHHS Commissioner Mary Mayhew is a State Board member and will be a voice. The SCSEP Program, Garret believes will be much better facilitated in the CareerCenters then DHHS. Currently, we are in conversation. • Peaches Bass ? once a customer is sent to the CareerCenter, they need to be directed properly vs automatic referral to vocational rehabilitation. She would like to stop using the term ?co-enrolled? and use ?integrated?. This should be part of our Plan implementation to motivate service providers to do things differently. • Gayla Dwyer ? we need to develop a new culture. • Jennifer Kimble ? the mindset that PWD cannot work needs to change. • Garret Oswald ? we need to address the workforce shortage. Currently, we have untapped pools of labor in this State already and we should do something about it. Perhaps create a MEHire annual event including all pools instead of individual silos. Not to take anything away from the Hire-a-Vet-Campaign but to craft an event based on their model. Have a hiring event where all Mainers or folks outside of Maine can apply. Therefore, we would be capturing all individual pools such as PWD, older workers, women, youth, veterans and apprentice. Both Cheryl and I can help coordinate but we cannot take full control. It is really the task of the Committee members. • Gayla Dwyer ? suggested to base the package on skill sets and not silos or labels.

LWIB Structure/Accountability lesson and brainstorm for access • Jennifer Kimble ? suggested due to time constraints to address at the next meeting. • Don Rice ? stated that he made a connection with the Northeastern Workforce Board (NWFB) on the Disability Committee.

DEI Update ? Peaches Bass • Peaches Bass ? Segue way into the Update ? National evaluation of Rounds 1 and 2 ? Peaches stated that it does not take millions of dollars of what works or does not. She suggested in order to have sustainability of DEI practices that we have to think more broadly beyond disability. What she found interesting under the WIOA definition is that it is the same as what ADA uses. Peaches stated that they had their routine federal compliance review for the DEI Grant in early August. In general, the federal visit went well. There were no material findings. She was thrilled! There were just a few areas of concern; 1) turnover 2) had not conducted local program monitoring and 3) poor success with partnership referrals. However, these areas are being addressed. The Feds were very specific about wanting to learn more about our practice than accessibility. The DEI staff will visit each of the 4 full service CareerCenters to conduct local monitoring. She will be curious to see what the local files looks like. The position of Business Relation Specialist was granted full-time approval through the end of the Grant. But because of the current hiring freeze, they have to go through the approval process. Karen Fraser is working on this. • Karen Fraser ? stated that she is very concerned about the hiring process because it reduces the time frame of the position. However, she is confident that we will fill it. She stated that the Commissioner is all for this. The position will be based in Augusta. • Peaches Bass ? stated that Wendy Jordan has resigned. She is hoping to fill her vacancy at part-time capacity. We are continuing to provide an integrated workforce team. The Department has decided not to pursue Round 7 of funding. Peaches feels there are things we should just be doing instead of what is in the Grant. 5+ Councils and Empowerment Forum ? follow-up ? • Jennifer Kimble ? Travis Mills was the keynote speaker. He was very engaging. However, he did demonstrate a need for further education related to mental health and suggested to the Consumer Council Executive Director that she follow up with Travis. Jennifer stated that she provided feedback on his performance, and noted that it would be good to reach out to someone with a military background that deals with mental health. She suggested that it would be good to approach him. They had a Maine panel (4 speakers) like they did last year and she thought they were awesome! • Peaches Bass ? stated that she thought the panel told their stories so eloquently. She stated that if she had a choice to choose a speaker, they would be awesome. • Jennifer Kimble ? the panel expressed that they thought the hardest thing was having people believe in them and support them. She stressed that change has to come from the people and/or system that serves them. She stated that another piece that resonated with her was that one of the speakers stated to encourage providers to think about what if it was me? Finally the takeaway was what can we do to bring that voice to the providers? Jennifer will follow up with the 5+ councils? leadership to develop this idea further.

Updates: Discussion with Senator Volk re: National Task Force on Workforce Development for People with Disabilities • Jennifer Kimble ? stated that Senator Volk reported that what we have been doing is still very early with this group and that she would like to come to this meeting when she has more to share with us, and if she is re-elected.

Other Updates: • Peaches Bass ? stated that she is curious about the State Workforce Board Committees whether they are able to take on a project and how could it be funded. We need to take a look at who has resources and how to use them. How to do without more resources and how to have a quality outcome with lack of resources. This has always been an issue. • Karen Fraser ? announced the EmploymentFirst meetings. The first meeting will be held on October 7th from 1pm ? 3pm, topic: review recommendations. The second meeting will be held on November 18th from 1pm ? 3pm, topic: talks about Lisa Mills who was hired to write the Strategic Plan and what to present to the Legislature. • Jeanie Coltart ? reported that she provided information on how ABLE works to the local banks (Camden, Maine State Federal Credit Union, Bangor Savings). She stated hopefully they will get on board. At least a conversation is happening. • Peaches Bass ? added what she learned at the State Rehabilitation Council Meeting that yes, there could be potential consequences (referring to that section in the July 20th minutes without amending) that it is not as dramatic as she could have sounded.

Meeting adjourned

Next meeting: Wednesday, November 16, 2016 9:00 ? 12:00 Frances Perkins Room Central Maine Commerce Center


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