Transcript Working Across States and Stakeholders to Build

Working Across States and Stakeholders to
Build Interagency Bridges for Youth:
The IDEA Partnership’s Interagency
Community of Practice
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Marty Kester, IDEA Partnership at NASDSE
Dick McCorkle, IDEA Partnership at NASDSE
Alabama State Team:
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Dalee Chambers, Department of Education
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Linda Hames, Department of Rehabilitation
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Linda Graham, Children’s Rehabilitation
Services
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Brian Burrows, Local Transition Partnership
Arizona State Team:
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Susan Voirol, Vocational Rehabilitation
New Hampshire State Team:
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Anne Huff, Parent
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Emily Huff, Youth Advocate
Pennsylvania State Team:
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Michael Stoehr, Pennsylvania Training and
Technical Assistance Network
Transition Communities
of Practice
Rationale
Today’s Climate
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Crisis of youth:
 Drop out rates
 Incarceration
 Poor academic skills
 Lack of education and employment.
 There is a spirit of collaboration in the legislation
that ensures equal access to employment and
communities.
Interagency transition teams suggested as appropriate
vehicle for planning and implementing transition
services for students with disabilities.
Johnson, L., Zorn, D., Yung Tam, B., LaMontagne, M., Johnson, S.,
2003; DeFur, S., 1997; Repetto, J. & Weiss, K., 1997
Transition “Communities of Practice”
“Transition teams can be a strong force within the
community.
Their primary purpose is to assess how a
community’s transition services system works and
to develop policies and procedures to make this
system work better.
They can identify the best way to meet the needs
of youth with disabilities leaving the local schools
within their community.
They can promote actions through school
boards and other governmental entities in areas
such as policy and funding.”
deFur, 2002, p. 17
The Spirit of Community:
We Are In This Together!
A way of working
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Involving those who do
shared work
Involving those that
share issues
Always asking “who isn’t
here?”
A way of learning
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To create new knowledge
grounded in ‘doing the
work’
With those who can
advocate for and make
change
The Knowing and Doing Gap
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‘Knowing’ isn’t ‘doing’!
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Practices often do not
transfer across
organizations.
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Practices often do not
transfer across sites
within the same
organization.
Communities of Practice
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Sharing
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Supporting
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Learning
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Often organized as same
level, role, site and/or issue
Creating new knowledge
across organizational
boundaries
Communities of Practice
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Learning how to move from
‘knowing’ to ‘doing’
Translating learning to policy
Encouraging investments
that will move the work
Recognizing the value of all
contributions to a more
complete & effective
approach
Creating new relationships
among policymakers,
researchers, & implementers
Communities in States
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Alabama
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Arizona
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California
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New Hampshire
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Pennsylvania
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Virginia
Communities in States
Alabama
Alabama
 ADRS
Jointly Funded Job Coaches
 Local Transition Partnerships
Grant
 Auburn Transition Leadership
Institute
 Student Tracking Survey
 Alabama Transition Conference
Alabama Department of
Rehabilitation Services Jointly
Funded Job Coaches
Alabama
Local Transition Partnerships Grant
Project Objectives:
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To establish a Local
Partnership Model.
To establish Capacity
Building Strategies.
To extend the Local
Partnership Model to
other Local Education
Agencies.
To evaluate Systems
Change at the Local
Level.
Alabama
Auburn Transition Leadership Institute
Institute Priorities:
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Preparing highly
qualified teachers;
Evaluating and
researching programs
and services;
Continuing education
for practitioners; and
Initiating and
developing innovative
new programs.
Alabama
Local Transition Partnerships Grant
In-School Version:
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administered to
students who are in
the 11th grade.
Post-School Version:
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administered to
students 1 year after
exiting high school.
Alabama
Annual Transition Conference
Conference Objectives
(a) Increase the participant's knowledge of transition
problems, issues, resources, and programs, especially
as they pertain to Alabama; and
(b) Expand and strengthen the network for all persons
interested in Alabama's youth and young adults with
disabilities who are in transition from school to work and
community.
Communities in States
Arizona
Arizona
Interagency Agreement: Division of
Development (DDD), Vocational
Rehabilitation (VR), Exceptional Student
Services (ESS) and Department of
Education
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Cooperation and Collaboration
Joint Programming
Arizona
Transition/School to Work Agreement
between VR and School Districts:
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VR counselor working in the High School
Building rapport and networking
Arizona
Successful Programs with a Joint Effort:
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Work Bridge: A high school class where
students gain knowledge, skills, training and
employment
Youth Employment Training Program (YETP):
A summer program for students to gain work
skills and work experience
Youth Transition Program (YTP): A class in
high schools where youth learn life skills, work
skills and all needed transition services
Arizona
Parent Information Network (PIN)
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Contractors with Arizona Department of
Education (ADE)
Seven parents in AZ run this network; All have
special needs children
PIN works with educators, agencies and
parents to provide information to help folks
advocate for themselves, remaining neutral at
all times
Website: www.ade.az.gov/ess/pinpals
Arizona
Giving Voice to the Future
2005 Transition Conference in Arizona
September 20-22, 2005
www.ade.state.az.us
Communities in States
California
California
California Transition Summit
June 23, 2005
Communities in States
New Hampshire
New Hampshire
Guiding Principles
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Support and maintain the secondary education and
transition initiatives that are occurring throughout the
state
 Identify effective and evidence-based practices occurring
on local, state and national level
 Leverage our secondary education and transition
initiatives resources
 Build local community capacity
 Establish cross partnership connections
 Interagency partnerships: DOE including Special Ed and
VR, and DHHS (Bureau of Children’s Mental Health)
New Hampshire
What are the benefits from participating in the
Community of Practice (CoP)?
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We learn about the national initiative and perspectives
from Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and
National Association of State Directors of Special
Education (NASDSE)
 Provide unique opportunities for a small state like New
Hampshire i.e., National Disability Mentoring Day
 We learn expand our “learning loop” to include state to
state initiatives and state to other agency initiatives
 The monthly CoP conference calls gives us the chance
to share our progress with other states, as well as learn
from one another so that we might replicate practices
and activities that are successful in other states.
New Hampshire
What has been happening as a result of our
participation in the Community of Practice (CoP)
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Mentoring Grant
 Technical Assistance Grant
 Identified the need to Reach out to Juvenile Justice and
Division of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF)
 New Hampshire and Pennsylvania Collaboration
 The Parent Information Center has designated a
representative to NH’s team
 Thirty-three transition initiatives are currently underway
in NH. Our CoP is promoting the value of collaboration
and sharing information by submitting articles for
publication in newsletters
 Training opportunities are posted on websites
New Hampshire
What are the barriers
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There is no coordination of transition initiatives in the
state. Each agency or bureau has its own plan. No one
agency has been given the charge to develop a
statewide plan
There is no vehicle to help us tap into the expertise area
of each agency. We are working on getting partners “at
the table” to ensure we are including all agencies
involved with transition services
There is no central clearinghouse for secondary
education and transition initiatives around the state. We
tend to know the initiatives within our own area of
expertise
Each agency does not speak the same language
Communities in States
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
Impact on Students and Families
History tells us that:
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All too often, youth and parents must start
over after the youth leave schools.
 Weak link between youth services and the
adult service system.
 Fragmented service delivery system.
 An overlap in service definitions.
 Multiple funding bases.
 Varying models of service delivery.
Pennsylvania
Impact on Students and Families
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Interagency coordinating teams have emerged in
literature and practice as nucleus of change in
communities attempting to work collaborative to
serve children with special needs and their families.
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As members of the transition community, it is
essential to recognize the urgency to work as a
team with mutual interest in and a shared vision of
all students to live and work in their community as
productive citizens.
Lehman, C., Hewitt, Clark, Bullis, M., Rinkin, J., Castellanos, L., 2002;
Wischnowski, M. & McCollum, J., 1995; Repetto, J. & Weiss, K., 1997
Pennsylvania
Compliance to Commitment
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Over time, we transformed into a project-oriented
team, by planning cross-system training and youth
and young adult-focused activities.
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We developed trusting relationships and used the
team as a forum to problem-solve around systems
issues.
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We evolved into a transition community of practice to
promote our shared vision for the successful
outcomes of youth and young adults with disabilities.
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As a state team, we develop cross-system strategies
to support the strengthen and expand local transition
coordinating councils and teams’ impact on youth
and young adult outcomes.
Pennsylvania
Guiding Principles: How we Progressed to Make
the Changes...
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Mutual Respect
 Building networks and relationships across
"systems" and audiences
 Valuing one another's perspectives
 Creating transition strategies and activities
based upon the bigger picture
 Building the foundation...collaborate,
cooperate, and communicate.
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A SHARED VISION
Pennsylvania
Old Way of Doing Business:
Separate Pages in Separate Books
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Professional
Development
Policy & Regulation
Development
Strategic Planning
Service Delivery
Systems
 Assessment
 Service Planning
 Service Delivery
Program Initiatives &
Allocation of Resources
Data Collection
Pennsylvania
The Shift:
From Isolated, Single Agency Activities to Cross-Systems
Efforts
Professional Development
Program Initiatives
Data Collection
Policy & Regulation Development
Strategic Planning
Service Delivery System
Pennsylvania
Professional Development: Integrated Model
 Capacity
Building Events
 Training
 Transfer
of Learning in Language of
Agency
 Contextual Framework
 Eliminate Duplicative Cost of
Development and Provision of Training
Pennsylvania
Transition Communities of Practice: Communication
Network and Support Structure
STATE
TO
LOCAL
LOCAL
TO
STATE
Pennsylvania
Working Smart: Program Initiatives & Allocation
of Resources
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Parent Education Network (PEN)
- PEN's transition activities
- Parent involvement in the transition process
• Bureau of Special Education Mini-Grants
- Linked to Team requirements through the Conference
Pennsylvania
Working Smart: Program Initiatives & Allocation of
Resources
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Office of Vocational Rehabilitation
Transition Projects
 Financial Memorandum of Understanding
Funding Mechanism
• 24 Types of Cross-system Partnerships
in 40 Local Program Initiatives
• 2 Statewide Projects
 Capacity Building
 Needs Assessment
Pennsylvania
Working Smart: Program Initiatives & Allocation of
Resources
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Office of Mental Retardation
 Transition Employment Pilot Coalitions
 Office of Mental Health
 Transition Pilot Projects
 Office of Children, Youth & Families
 Independent Living Grants: Growing
Number of Youth to Serve -- Importance of
Developing Collaborative Partnerships
 Dept. of Health
 Transition Checklist
Pennsylvania
Transition Healthcare Checklist
 Health
Care and Personal Skills
 Arranging to move from Pediatrics to
Adult Doctors
 Insurance Coverage
 Eligible Programs
Pennsylvania
Keeping up with Growth
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September 2003 - Started with 7 people
including parents and 4 agencies
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July 2004 - Grew to 27 people with 7 families
and 11 agencies-Panel of 9 people
representing parents and all major systems
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October 2004 - 9 teams of 9 people were
convened for 9 presentations across PA
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February 2005 - Interest has grown in PA
systems and nationally
Pennsylvania
Expanding our Capacity through
the IDEA Partnership
State to Federal…Federal to State
State to State
 Professional
Development
 Opportunity to Impact Federal Policy
 Expanding Youth and Family Leadership
 Issue Focused Practice Groups
Pennsylvania
Action Strategies for the Future
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Expand State to Local and Local to State
Communication Network and Support Structure
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Agency Driven Cross-Systems Initiatives
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4th Annual PA Transition Conference: Strengthening
Transition: Achieving Results
Pennsylvania
Action Strategies for the Future
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Creating Linkages and Focus Among PA’s
various Family Support Groups
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Further develop Youth Leadership and Self
Advocacy
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5 Year Strategic Planning for State and Local
Teams
Communities in States
Virginia
Virginia
Virginia State Transition Meeting
March 14-16, 2005
Williamsburg, VA
Communities in States
 Welcome
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 Delaware
 And
 District
of Columbia
The National Community of Practice
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States
OSERS
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National Organizations
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OSEP
RSA
NIDRR
AAPD
Fiesta Educativa
Others…
National TA Centers
Others
Community Activities
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Focus: Interagency and Youth Role
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Face-face meetings
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Representative Participation in State meetings
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Monthly Calls
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Learning Calls
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Practice Groups
• Interagency Participation
• Youth Role
• Juvenile Justice, Mental Health and Child Welfare
• Transportation
Activities
• National Disability Mentoring Day
• Washington Internships
• Collaborate with NCSET on the National Summit
• Collaborate with federal projects and other cross-state
communities
• Emerging…..
“Coming together is a
beginning, staying
together is progress,
and working together
is success.”
Henry Ford
The IDEA Partnership’s
Interagency
Community of Practice
Questions & Answers
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More information on the Interagency Transition
Community and other Cross-state/Cross Role
Communities will be available soon at:
www.ideainfo.org
Watch for our web launch
…or call us toll free at :
1-877- IDEAINFo