11

Partnerships and Collaboration:Partnerships and Collaboration:Building Interagency TeamsBuilding Interagency Teams

Strategic Service Delivery ComponentDisability Employment Initiative

The following chart highlights the core elements associated with this service delivery component and includes the names of the states that will be implementing this approach:

Access the following link to learn what each DEI project proposed in their statement of work around this component: http://dei-ideas.org/chapter2-1/page8a_pandc.cfm

New York Alaska Kansas Virginia Maine Illinois

Strategies

Coordination across multiple systems/programsEstablishing and implementing coordination plans and

strategies for partnershipsOutreach

Co-location and integration in One-Stop Career CentersLeveraging of available funds, resources and organizational expertise

Generic and disability-specific partnersNo Wrong Door approach

Integrated case management and reporting systems across agencies

New Jersey

Strengthening & Sustaining Systems Collaboration

Build an Interagency Committee

Representatives from the disability & workforce communities, business sector & other community agencies who come together to explore the most effective employment services for people with disabilities.

Serves as a means to communicate, problem-solve & ultimately work together to improve employment outcomes for people with disabilities.

Establishing Partner Groups – State Level

Office of Workforce Investment/ Workforce Commission

Vocational Rehabilitation Department of Labor Social Security

Administration Department of Education Department of

Transportation Housing and Urban

Development

State Medicaid Office Dept of Health & Human

Services Governor’s Commission o

People with Disabilities Advocacy Organizations Faith-based & Community -

based Organizations Disability Program

Navigators Disability Resource

Coordinators Individuals with Disabilities

Establishing Partner Groups – Local Level

Independent Living Center(s) Community Work Incentives

Coordinator (CWIC) Adult Literacy Programs Community Colleges - Offices for

Students with Disabilities Veterans Counselors Older Workers Programs Employment Networks Community-Based Providers (Job

Developers, Job Coaches, Service Coordinators, etc)

TANF Counselors

Local Workforce Investment Board (LWIB) Executive Staff

Representative from the Business Sector

One-Stop Career Center Director, Manager, WIA Counselor & Business Service Staff

Vocational Rehabilitation Commission for the Blind &

Visually-Impaired Commission for the Deaf &

Hard-of-Hearing Department of Mental Health Department of Mental

Retardation

Building an Interagency Committee

Work with leaders & allies from Workforce Investment, state/local WIBs, One-Stops, mandated partners and the disability community to align missions

Provide evidence that there is a need to strengthen, improve, and/or change systems collaboration

Invite a small, yet diverse group of stakeholders with varying perspectives, expertise & levels of experience to an initial brainstorming session

Develop a brief proposal including a general mission & purpose of the group, member responsibilities & potential topics of discussion

Potential Objectives for Interagency Committees

Accessibility of One-Stop Career Centers Interagency education & maximizing resources Streamlining interagency referral processes Coordinating job development approach to employers Educating employers on hiring people with disabilities &

educating disability community on engaging with business Engaging youth with disabilities in employment Organizing events for National Disability Employment

Awareness Month & National Disability Mentoring Day

Benefits of an Interagency Committee

Allows open forum for direct communication Builds trust among partners Provides opportunity for education & training Encourages agencies to be a part of the solutions Provides forum to share successes & improved

outcomes Increases accountability of agencies Provides assistance & feedback to better meet the

needs of job seekers with disabilities

Possible Roadblocks to Interagency Collaboration

Lack of relationship building & trust Lack of common interest & values Lack of purpose, mission & goals Lack of leadership Lack of communication; unclear about each other’s roles Lack of resources & time The fear of loss of position, power & resources Lack of an investment culture-we don't always think about

the future (we are here & now focused, crisis oriented)

Questions to Consider

Is creating an interagency committee something you feel your state/local area can benefit from?

Do you think your state/local area would be receptive to building an interagency committee? Why or why not?

Do you think an interagency committee is something that you can pursue in your role as State Lead or Navigator?

What are some of the potential problems that you can foresee?

What steps can you take, in leading up to building an interagency committee, to avoid those pitfalls?

References

Virginia Commonwealth University - Worksupport.com (2005) Developing Collaborative Community Partnerships, Interagency Collaboration http://www.vcu.edu/rrtcweb/techlink/courses/InteragencyC/contents.htm

Butterworth, J., Foley, S., & Metzel, D. (2001). Developing interagency agreements: Four questions to consider. The Institute Brief, 11 (1). Boston: Institute for Community Inclusion, University of Massachusetts Boston.

Rick Dove, (1998) Collaboration: Are More Heads Better? Paradigm Shift International