~~“While the Agency’s mission of employment and independence for Georgian with Disabilities remains the same, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), which was signed into law in July 2014, brought changes to the way GVRA serves clients with disabilities. WIOA’s implementing regulations went into effect on October 18, 2016. GVRA has been updating policies and procedures to adhere to the changes and improvements in services to individuals with disabilities. One major tenant in the Act relates to services to students with disabilities (age 14 to 22) where GVRA will provide pre-employment transition services (Pre-ETS) to groups of students in secondary education and identified as being served on an IEP or 504 and who are therefore potentially eligible to receive pre-ETS. Another major focus of the Act is to serve eligible youth with disabilities age 14 to 24 who are not in school or training and provide them with services that will lead to competitive employment. “
~~“There were significant changes to the COMP Waiver that occurred following approval by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in March 2017. As a result, the four fiscal support services agencies sent an information sheet with the following facts about the transition:
The changes that have occurred are as follows: •CLD has been removed •CLS has two new service codes, CL Basic and CL Extended •CL Basic is used for employees that work a shift of 2.75 hours or less •CL Extended is used for employees that work a shift of 3 or more hours •CLS received a 7.2% increase to the total funds allocated to CLS”
“Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Gather to SOAR at Self-Employment Seminar”
~~“SOAR: A Pathway to Self-Employment seminar in August 2017 at the All About Developmental Disabilities (AADD) Family Support Center in Decatur, Georgia.
The seminar was co-hosted by Synergies Work, Inc., a nonprofit that provides people with disabilities the supports to become financially independent as entrepreneurs and the Georgia Microboards Association (GMA), a nonprofit organization that provides technical assistance to people with disabilities and their families.
Vocational Rehabilitation (VR), behavioral health and community service professionals, individuals with disabilities and their families attended the one-day seminar to learn how to successfully be self-employed.”
~~“Elbert County Comprehensive High School (ECCHS) was selected as one of five Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency (GVRA) Capacity Building Pilots to receive a Career Specialist for Transition funded by GVRA. In collaboration with the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE), Division for Special Education Services and Supports, five pilots were invited to participate including Fulton County, Elbert County, Gainesville City, Henry County and Houston County School Systems…. Through the assignment of GVRA funded Career Specialists to five pilot Local Education Agencies (LEA’s), the GaDOE, GVRA and LEA will work collaboratively to provide leadership, planning, technical assistance, and consultation, and to coordinate services and evaluate the effectiveness of a district-based Career Specialist for Transition to meet the requirements of Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) as defined by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). One of the new provisions in WIOA requires Vocational Rehabilitation (VR), in collaboration with the LEA, to provide, or arrange for the provision of, pre-employment transition services for students with disabilities in Georgia secondary schools who are eligible or potentially eligible for services.
Services and support will be provided to students with disabilities in 9th -12th grades, ages 14 years through age 21 years statewide. With an expanded scope of work for students with disabilities, collaboration is essential.”
Georgia Medicaid New Options Waiver Program (NOW) Renewal Announcement
“The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has approved renewal of the New Options (NOW) Waiver through September 30, 2022. The renewal reflects collaborative work by the Georgia Departments of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) and Community Health (DCH) to align service rates with the Comprehensive Supports (COMP) Waiver Program and enhance supports to families and individuals through changes to respite services, community living support, therapy services and expand options to encourage the use of supported employment. The frequently asked questions and answers below are designed to assist providers and family members, in understanding specific elements of the NOW Waiver renewal and invite them to participate in implementation plan meetings. Provider/family forums will be scheduled to begin in January 2018 to answer questions and provide additional information about the implementation schedule…. Provides greater flexibility and assistance to individuals who wish to pursue supported employment in community settings. “
~~“IEP Team Meeting Facilitation is a collaborative dispute prevention and resolution process used when members of an IEP Team agree that the presence of a third party would help facilitate communication and problem solving. IEP Team Meeting Facilitation can be especially useful when there is a history of communication challenges or a meeting is expected to be particularly complex or controversial.
In a facilitated IEP Team meeting, an impartial facilitator helps to keep members of the IEP Team focused on the development of the IEP while addressing conflicts and disagreements that may arise during the meeting. At the meeting, the facilitator will use communication skills that create an environment in which the IEP Team members can listen to each member’s point of view and work together to complete the development of a high quality IEP."
Money Follows the Person (MFP) allows people in inpatient facilities (i.e. hospitals, psychiatric residential treatment facilities, nursing homes or other long-term care facilities) who are youth with mental illness, elderly or have physical, intellectual and developmental disabilities to move out and receive services to live in their own homes and communities.”
“To amend Chapter 9 of Title 49 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to transfer of the Division of Rehabilitation Services to the Department of Labor, so as to establish the Employment First Georgia Council; to provide for legislative findings and declarations; to provide for membership, duties, terms of office, meeting requirements, committee appointments, compensation, and expense allowances; to provide for a biannual report to the Governor and the General Assembly; to provide for a short title; to provide for definitions; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes”
~~Projects and Activities •Provide leadership training opportunities for youth with special needs to be mentors to other youth in transition across Georgia…. •Develop and make available guidance materials for families, public health workers, physicians and healthcare professionals on transitioning youth with special needs to adult health care. •Provide trainings for youth, families, educators, and health care providers on topics such as preparing for higher education or vocational training, independent living, supported employment, recreation and leisure, and how to integrate health goals onto Individualized Education Programs.
~~“GCDD's priority for Real Careers is that there needs to be a vision where people with significant developmental disabilities can work by replicating best practices such as "customized employment." The web-link provides access to several resources related to helping Georgians with developmental disabilities acquire career opportunities. “
