From John Stem, Staff Specialist, Maryland VR:

Maryland VR has a milestone-based (pay-for-performance) program for community rehabilitation programs who use evidenced based practices in supported employment service provision. Please see the attached Fact Sheet for details, and contact Catherine Drake, DORS Staff Specialist, CRPs at 410-554-9440 or cdrake@dors.state.md.us, if you have any additional questions.

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From David Norman, Program Implementation Specialist, Texas Division for Rehabilitation Services:

In response to your question above, we are doing this in Texas.  If you have questions about our process, feel free to contact Kelly Yarbrough, our Program Specialist for Community Rehabilitation Programs:  kelly.yarbrough@dars.state.tx.us.  Her telephone number is 512-424-4219.

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From Don Kay, Assistant Director, Washington DVR:

Washington DVR has been paying outcome fess for all CRP services for a number of years. Below is a link to our website where we have posted the CRP contract and related material that is attached by additional links. If you open the link to the contract document and scroll to the end you’ll find the outcome fee schedule for each CRP service. Let me know if you have any questions. Link: http://www.dshs.wa.gov/dvr/Contractors/CRP/CRP.aspx

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From Mike Hermanson, MS, CRC, VR Program Manager, Montana VRBS:

Montana uses only a limited performance based approach.  We $147.90 for completion of Intake and Planning.  We pay $153 when  a successful 26 has been achieved in the case.  Actual job development and job placement are paid on an hourly rate of $59.16.

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From James R. Gears, MRC, CRC, CWIC, Rehabilitation Program Specialist, Ohio VR:

I manage our VR providers for Ohio.  We currently do have a Performance Based Job Development structure based on a three tier approach.  We allow providers the option of using a Performance Based or Unit of Service (Hourly) rate.  VR Staff decide how to authorize based on what the options that the Provider has on their Fee Schedule.  Some offer just PBO, UOS, or a both POB and UOS options.

Tier I: Job Readiness, Resume, & Placement Plan: Consists of the upfront services to establish development goals, outline responsibilities that the JD and Consumer will have, outline positions to be explored within the vocational goal.  In addition, as part of this Tier the Consumer gets basic interviewing skills and resume (or in some cases a sample mock application if resume is not deemed appropriate) to prepare them for a job search.  Paid when the resume and placement plan are submitted.

Tier II: Job Development: Consists of contacts with employers.  Paid upon successful placement that has been agreed upon by the Consumer, VR Staff, and provider.

Tier III: Retention: Paid upon completion of 90 days of successful employment.  Successful employment starts after the Job Coach has significantly faded from the job site.

Our 2013 rates for Performance Based are based on a 30% – 30% – 40% total cost allocation, or $1353 for tier I & II, and $1804 for Tier III.  We do pay $0.45 mileage in addition to the Tiers.  We also pay a second placement fee is someone loses their job after Tier II has been paid, but before Tier III, and needs to go back into development.  The second placement fee is $451.00.

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From Jim Hinson, Supervisor V, New Hampshire VR:

The only performance based incentive we offer to Job Developers is a Placement/Retention Bonus.  The quicker they place one of our customers into a job, the larger the bonus.

JOB PLACEMENT/RETENTION BONUS:

Within 2 mo: $450;  Within 4 mo: $350;  Within 6 mo: $250;  Within 9 mo: $150;  9 Plus Months: $0

To be eligible for the placement/retention bonus, the following criteria must be met:

JS/JD package was approved, based upon the referral, and all components were completed. ie: job search report, job search logs and the placement notification.
Referral is effective at the initial meeting.
Customer and counselor must agree that the job is acceptable.
The job is a permanent, not temporary, position.

*Note: VR counselor can still approve retention bonus in cases they deem appropriate.  Example: customer in hospital due to medical reasons

Upon receiving a job offer VR counselor and customer must agree that the job is acceptable.  At that time, CRP documents the placement and the placement incentive amount is determined by VR counselor.  The product of this phase shall be the Placement Notification Form Placement Notification.doc.  This report will be sent to the VR counselor by electronic submission within 24 hours of the job offer.

The retention bonus is paid to the CRP when job has been retained for 90 days.

The bonus is only paid for Non-Supported Employment customers.  If you would like to see the full Non Supported Employment Process, click on the link below.

http://www.education.nh.gov/career/vocational/crp.htm

CRP Process: Non Supported Employment Process

I would also recommend you reaching out to Vermont VR…Hugh Bradshaw.  They also offer incentives for Job Developers.

Attachment: 1

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From Arizona RSA:

Arizona RSA’s contact for this project is Christopher Deere – Email at CDeere@azdes.gov.

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From Pamela Brauchli, M.Ed., VR Specialist, Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehab:

The attached policy was written in 2003. We’re putting together a workgroup to revise the job coaching policy this summer. If you have questions, our supported employment specialist is Randy Loss. You can reach him at rloss@pa.gov. I’m sure he’d like to see the info you receive from other states.

Attachment: 1

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From Kellie D. Scott, Program Evaluator, Kentucky Office of Vocational Rehab:

We provide some JP services in-house.  However, we also offer JP services through a CRP.  Please find attached our Service Fee memos for those services.  We now call them “Employment and Retention services” when accessing a CRP for the JP services.

Attachments: 1,2

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From HarrietAnn Litwin, M.Ed., CRC, Delaware DVR:

Delaware is using pay for performance/milestone payments for job placement and has been doing so for MANY years. I think it was initiated, in its earliest version, back in the early 1990’s.  The best person from whom to get information on this would be Dan Madrid at Daniel.Madrid@state.de.us.

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From Virginia DARS:

In Virginia, we have a fee for service payment policy for supported employment and job coach training services.  For more information you can contact
Matthew.Deans@dars.virginia.gov.

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From Catherine Ipsen, Ph.D., Senior Research Associate, The University of Montana Rural Institute:

I thought the attached fact sheet might be of interest to you.  It discusses some research we did with state agency informants regarding rural service delivery issues and vendor based services.  It highlights some issues related to different payment arrangements.

Attachments: 1

From William T. Downey, PhD:

A partial answer is that if those doing the assessment are certified/licensed (eg, Certified voc evaluator, CRC, psychologist, etc), their ethics and standards of practice would prevent them professionally from engaging in conflict behavior.  In other situations, maybe not.

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From the Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired:

At Virginia Blind, the VRC determines the need for SE services and then purchases SE and follow-along as needed.

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From the Arkansas Division of Services for the Blind:

I am currently working with a team to develop specific evaluation/training for Supported Employment clients.  This training will consist of evaluations, soft skills, conflict resolution skills, coping skills, activities of daily living skills, and grooming.  All of this will preclude the place then train model of SE.  This is a three piece team consisting of Division of Services for the Blind, World Services for the Blind, and Lighthouse for the Blind.  We determine eligible and develop the plan, WSB provides the pre-employment training, and we have a vendor who will provide the placement service, training, and the eventual employment.

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From DE Blind:

At DE Blind, the VRC determines the need for SE services and then purchases SE and follow-along as needed.

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From VA DARS:

At Va DARS, the counselor basically makes the  decision whether the client needs SE the refers to the appropriate vendor.  The decision is usually made based on the available diagnostic info, counseling sessions and a voc eval, if needed.

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From the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development:

In MN, the counselor makes the determination and often in consultation with a community provider which may also provide the services.  No specific guidelines on working with a community provider.  We don’t have any providers who only do assessments.  In our rural areas we are often lucky to have one community provider willing to provide supported employment services.

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From Wisconsin DVR:

In Wisconsin, the decision to utilize SE services is made in a SE Consultation meeting (usually prior to IPE development) with members of a team that includes the consumer, parents/guardians, DVR Counselor, Service Provider, Long Term funding source, teachers or anyone else the consumer wishes. The Consultation meeting requires the team to address a long list of questions and provide resources for a SE assessment if SE services I.e. assessment continue. The consumer can select a SE provider from an established service provider listing that includes consumer satisfaction, statistics, results, description of provider etc. In many places there isn’t more than one choice. (We are working on that.) We have established a detailed description of all SE services and reporting elements. All of our SE providers are expected to comply with those requirements.

In the past, we have found issues with providers that would like to recommend continuation or establishment of an individual in a congregate setting. DVR in WI will no longer accept those recommendations for payment. Each provider must describe in detail what level and types of support an individual will need to be placed in an integrated and competitive setting. Those details are shared with the SE team and taken into account for the process to continue.

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From the Alaska Division of Vocational Rehabilitation:

Alaska VR receives the majority of our SE referrals from those CRP’s that also provide the long term supports.  Typically the CPR’s are the agencies that receive the long term funding.  If that is not the situation our counselors determine if the individual requires SE services that level of support through various assessments.

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From the SC Commission for the Blind:

For South Carolina Blind, the VR Counselor is required to staff any potential SE cases with upper level VR Management prior to making a determination for the need for SE services.   Once the need for SE services has been assessed and agreed upon, the VR Counselor proceeds with the purchase and/or coordination of SE services and conducts follow-along as needed.

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From the Florida Division of Vocational Rehabilitation:

The Florida Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) counselors assess the rehabilitation, career, and employment needs for eligible customers.  Counselors will provide the opportunity for customers to choose from available DVR providers for Supported Employment.

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From Nebraska General:

Nebraska General has agreements with any provider that provides SE services in Nebraska. We use a milestone payment schedule that the provider agrees to when signing our agreement. We have VR staff who are liaisons with each of the providers. VR and provider staff staff potential referrals to determine appropriateness. Contact with the provider throughout the process is part of our milestone payment schedule along with written reports at certain points. We don’t have any SE providers that provide an assessment only service.

Nebraska General has evaluation staff and placement staff so we are not purchasing these services. The only exception is SE – job placement is part of our SE agreement with providers.

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From the Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency:

The Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Program utilizes several different types of assessments that could provide guidance regarding the need for supported employment.  These include a comprehensive vocational evaluation, Vocational Profile or Work Evaluation. We do have contracts with providers who do just the vocational evaluation or work evaluations and some are providers for all three as well as supported employment.

We have contracts with community rehabilitation programs that provide a variety of services that may or may not include SE.  The guidelines we have in place has more to do with not being able to bill for services that are generally included under the umbrella of SE, such as job coaching, personal-social adjustment training&  job readiness training that are typically addressed on the job.

We do have a specific policy regarding what constitutes eligibility for supported employment, which the counselor must document. The written reports we receive from providers must give the specific information that allows the counselor to do this; however, in reality it is common for providers who provide SE, recommend that service, when the justification is not evident. We have addressed this in regularly scheduled communication meetings with the providers or on an individual basis.