— (03/25/2013) I work for KY OVR and we are a VR-general agency. We are currently searching for a more time- and cost-efficient way of conducting six and twelve-month Positive Employment Outcome follow-ups. We average about 3500+ PEO outcomes per year, which equates to 7000+ surveys. I have been challenged to find a more cost-effective way of conducting these follow-up surveys without any additional time on field staff. We have traditionally done mail-out surveys but due to cost of postage and employee time, we were actually looking at better ways to perform this task using current technology and resources (and hopefully a better response rate). Please let me know generally how your state VR agency conducts these follow-up surveys.

From Lori Ann Jenkins, Program Analyst at the Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation:

Currently we survey our customers six months after a successful closure (employment) and then again 12 months after a successful closure. The survey is sent via US mail. The surveys are printed at our Hiram G. Andrews Center, a training center for people with disabilities who want to become employed. In 2011, OVR purchase an industrial size printer for the primary purpose of the survey. The printer is also being used to train students at the HGAC as a trade for future employment and as an income stream. The surveys are scanned by the PA Dept of Revenue for $.26 per survey, and the results tabulated by our contractor Deloitte (who works with our interagency customer database – CWDS). We send out on an average 7000 surveys a quarter, and receive a 10% return rate. Currently we are reconsidering placing the survey online and other methods of gaining the necessary information.

From Janet Cool, MSSA, Manager at the Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission:

I have attached the consumer survey policy and associated forms we are utilizing in Ohio to garner consumer feedback. With AWARE as our case management system, consumer surveys can be generated as letter attachments. We worked with IT to coordinate survey links which allow consumers to reply online. For those without email addresses listed, we have an internal support staff who conducts phone calls, and as the third step there is a mailing that is sent to encourage feedback and the same support staff enters the feedback into AWARE.

Attachments: 1,2,3,4

From Don Kay, Assistant Director at DSHS Division of Vocational Rehabilitation in Washington State:

At Washington DVR, we send our surveys similar to the way you do it. We have assigned one staffer who each month mails hardcopies and tabulates returns. If you find anyone who does it more efficiently, please pass it on. Thanks!

From Mike Hermanson, MS, CRC, VR Program Manager at Montana Vocational Rehabilitation:

Actually, just this morning I was tossing around an idea with our database person. They indicated that we now have the email of consumers in our data base and I am considering perhaps sending out emails for the surveys, at least for those we have a working email for. We haven’t done it yet, but it is an idea. For two years, consumers have been able to do the survey on line, but we haven’t had a great deal of interest in that. That is probably because the url for the site questionnaire comes with the hard copy survey and prepaid postage envelope to send in and they just do the hard copy rather than type in a rather long url. Anyway, with the email they could just poke the link to the survey web site and that may go over better, again in early idea stages and haven’t implemented yet.

Posted in: Client Surveys