Social Assistance Review Commission

Ontario Disability Employment Network

August, 2011

Employment First Policy Framework

Guides all funding investments for people who have a disability

Not a ‘work for welfare’ program Considerable success in over 20 US states

and jurisdictions Blankets all Ministries and funding pots that

interface with disability supports Raises the bar on ‘expectations’

Employment First Policy Framework

Requires standard definitions and operating practices – ‘real work for real pay’

Ensures equity of access to services and supports

Promotes career development and job enhancements

Reduces dependency on Income Support and government funded programs

Helps people contribute to the tax base

People Can Work

Demands on IS system unmanageable

Employer awareness & acceptance on the rise

Labour shortages looming

Studies and reports show people who have a disability as viable in the workplace with many value added features

People & Employers Need Support

Assessment Pre-employment prep’n Skills Training Case Management Job Development Wage Subsidy Job Coaching Employer Assistance Off the job support Crisis Intervention Career advancement

DSA, MOH, Svc Cda DSA, MOH, Svc Cda EO DSA, MOH, Svc Cda DSA, MOH, ODSP, EO EO DSA, MOH, ODSP ? DSA, MOH, ODSP ? DSA, MOH DSA, MOH, ODSP ? DSA, MOH, ODSP ?

Range of Supports

Full basket of services

Career development & job enhancement

Ensuring Good Job Matches

Formal skills and severity of disability not always the best indicators of success Job Match, fit and soft skills often win the day Motivation, reliability, travel & supports more critical

Employability must be determined by service provider

Ensuring Good Job Matches

Assessment and pre-employment are essential Many people who have a disability have limited

work history and/or education Gives service provider understanding of skills,

interests, motivation, support needs, etc. Must be time-limited (short) & curriculum based

Pre-employment to ensure a good match Job Start

408 people since 2002 60% still employed

Ensuring Good Job Matches

Continuity of services smoother when assessment and case management are provided by the agency that has made a commitment to help the person get a job

Specific skills training should be available where appropriate

Specialized assessments should be available as needed

Challenges with Supports

Access all supports that the person needs Gaps and limitations Management inefficiencies

Disconnect between funding sources Duplication & redundancies Different objectives, rules and structures

Some undermine others Adds barriers rather than eliminating them

Challenges with Supports

Risk of accessing multiple funding sources House of Cards Some operators choose safety even though

capacity is limited

Navigating the system Challenge for the individual Many give up

Modernization has all but eliminated expertise within government Has not proven to improve customer service

Challenges with Supports

Need to retain specialists Range of disability & interventions too broad to be

all housed under one roof

Generic Service models have not proven effective for people who have a disability

Invest in Employment

$3.3 billion vs. $35 million ODSP Income support growing at over 5% per

year Demographics project even greater demands

on the system while, at the same time, the tax base is shrinking

Help people contribute to the tax base rather than living off it

Invest in Youth

Apply Employment First thinking and expectations to Ministry of Education

Bolster co-op education and co-op placements for students

Invest in employment supports for students for summer jobs and after-school jobs

Invest in Innovation

Ontario agencies are falling behind Need to build research capacity Need to find and promote best practices Need to nurture innovation & creativity Agencies need infrastructure

Staff training & development Marketing Evaluation & quality improvement

Agencies need stability – base + incentive

Employer Engagement

Based on customer service, relationships and trust

Good customer service = repeat business, avoiding crisis and creating opportunities where they otherwise might not exist

Agencies support employers almost as much as the people in service

Employers see service providers as the ‘disability experts’

Employer Engagement

On-going job coachingAs much a service to the employer as it is to

the individualKellySharon

Fear of firingWarrantees and guaranteesOut-placement

Employer Engagement

Need to appreciate what employer’s need Responsiveness

Re-training and crisis interventionsNew jobs must be filled quickly

Marketing & engagementPeer to peerChampions

Standards of Practice

Service providers must demonstrate competency, consistency and accountability

Need a sector-driven initiative to establish service quality indicators, credentials for staff and an evaluation/assessment process

Standards of Practice

Need to establish, promote and recognize professional training for employment staff

Given time and support to reach the standard, services that consistently under-perform should be released

Employment First

Will not be an easy sellWill raise fears and anxiety

It’s the right way to goNeeds to be managed carefullyNeeds sector input at all stages and all

levelsCan’t simply be a cost-saving exercise

Benefits

Remove disincentivesReconcile subsidized housingProvide Child Care optionsChange monthly reporting and amortize

incomeChange assets rules – people should not

have to deplete their assets to be eligible for employment supports

Benefits

Provide incentivesReinstate employment supports

automatically for those who previously qualified even if they are eligible for EI or CPP financial support

Provide transportation subsidies to job seekers

Provide same range of services that OW and EO offer – training, etc.

Benefits

Provide incentivesProvide telephones for job seekersSeparate personal assets from business

assets for people who are self-employed

Benefits

Provide incentivesAdjust the claw back formulaConsiderations

Mirror OW with first 25% free and clearStart claw back at $700 per monthNo claw back for first 3 months of employmentSet a minimum target income that combines

employment earnings and income support

Benefits

Provide SafeguardsPeople who have a disability should not be

faced with a ‘work for welfare’ modelProvide education about the financial

benefits of workingClarify benefit eligibilityProvide benefits for those who are working

but would otherwise qualifySupplement employer costs when they

exceed the norm

Benefits

ConsiderationsResearch global impact of cost of

unemployment – employment as an indicator of health

Consider regional differences when calculating benefits

Temporary or short term assist program to help people in crisis or transition

Easier to Understand

Plain language and alternate formatsReduce reporting and paperSimplify and streamline rulesBuild education & awareness

One document related to employmentProvide info sessions for those seeking

employmentPost information, regulations and guidelines

in one central on-line network

Easier to Understand

Provide better education for Case WorkersModernization creating further barriersNeed consistency in the application of rules

People on IS shouldn’t have to re-apply for Employment Supports

Eligibility process needs to be more transparent

Viable over the Long Term

Place greater emphasis on employment Raise expectations Employment First

Research Best practices, Cost-benefit, etc.

Contain expenditures within the system Streamline/reduce reporting Eliminate duplicate eligibility processes If only paying for outcomes, reduce service provider

reviews, unless problems identified

Viable over the Long Term

Address the revenue side of the equationBusiness stimulus Increase tax base

Re-invest a portion of the IS savings from those who work

Integrated Employment Supports

EI & CPP should be able to contract employment services from existing agencies

People should be able to access the services they need without concern about who funds what

Transition from OW to ODSP is time consuming and difficultPeople have no service in the interim