“In light of the recent closures of all Oklahoma American Job Centers (AJCs) due to the COVID-19 pandemic, procedures have been put into place to ensure the ability to serve new clients and enroll eligible individuals into Title I Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth programs without undue delays.”
“Developmental Disabilities Service Division, a division of DHS, serves individuals who are 3 years of age and older who have intellectual disabilities and certain persons with related conditions who would otherwise require placement in an intermediate care facility for individuals with intellectual disabilities.
To be eligible for the community waiver, a person must:
Have critical support needs that cannot be met by the In-Home Supports waivers or other service alternatives
To be eligible for any of the DDS waiver programs, a person must:
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“The Zarrow Center for Learning Enrichment facilitates successful secondary and postsecondary educational, vocational and personal outcomes for students and adults with disabilities. ZC faculty, staff, and students do this through self-determination oriented evaluation, research, development, transition education instruction, and dissemination of best educational and support practices. The ZC also prepares undergraduate and graduate students to assume leadership roles in schools, universities, and support organizations.” |
“The Employment Support Services (ESS) Unit manages six (6) specialized employment contracts serving individuals with most significant or significant barriers to employment. The ESS unit maintains current contracts, develops new employment service contracts, provides technical assistance and training to contracted agencies, DRS staff and community partners statewide.”
“ESS’ Oklahoma Milestone Payment System received awards from the Ford Foundation and the Harvard School of Business, as well as other government groups, for cutting government spending, improving service delivery and increasing consumer satisfaction by linking payment for contract services to a series of checkpoints, or milestones, on the way to specific goals or outcomes, such as employment…
The Milestone payment system integrates Total Quality Management concepts with payment mechanisms. Total Quality Management (TQM) is defined as “…a continuous improvement process which involves participatory management and makes use of teamwork.” TQM concepts are at the heart of the Reinventing Government and National Performance Review advocated by Vice President Gore. TQM is customer-driven, involving employees at all levels and using a team approach to eliminate waste and continuously improve quality. The fundamental problem that Womack et. al., identified for business systems is identical for government-funded programs. They state that the “…problems are inherent in the system’s incentive structure and logic.” The Milestone system rethinks the logic and incentive structure of the process for purchasing vocational services.”
The policy states that, “The optimum goal [for employment services] is full-time employment at prevailing wage in business or industry at an occupation of the service recipient’s choice with natural supports…. There may be instances resulting from a variety of factors when people served have not achieved the goal of full employment. The provider agency makes available those supports needed for the service recipient to achieve full employment.” It also provides a list of preferred options when full-time employment is not possible for circumstantial reasons.