Focus Group

1
Focus Group 2VR PersonnelEmerging Themes

• Conducted
• August 18, 2003
• San Diego, CA

2
Questions Asked

• Tell us about yourself experiences with VR and
  diverse populations.
• Tell us how your program/agency relates to CRPs.
• Describe how diversity issues are addressed in
  CRPs and their relationship with VR.
• Examples of things that have worked in increasing
  diversity with CRPs and their relationship with
  the VR programs.

3
Questions Asked

• Strategies or practices that have enhanced your
  program/agencys relationship with CRPs in
  bringing increased diversity to both you and the
  CRP?
• What have we not asked that you believe is
  important and would like to share with us?

4
Emerging Themes

• Focus on the relationship between state VR
  agencies and the CRPs.
• Varies dramatically from state to state,
• Seems to work best when
• Both operate with common principles,
• Both have a business approach,
• Example NY State instituted agency-wide
  diversity training, from the top down.
• There is accountability built into the
  relationship.

5
Emerging Themes

• Recruitment and retention of diverse, qualified
  staff should be a priority.
• Need for continued PR and Marketing of VR and CRP
  services the field of VR is still not widely
  known.

6
Emerging Themes

• Cultural Trust / Mistrust
• The consumer needs to feel welcome at the VR or
  CRP agency sense of fitting in and belonging is
  important.
• Transportation a major barrier to consumer
  participation in both VR and CRP services.

7
The VR CRP Relationship

• Example Systems change in NY State VR agency.
• Adopted a TQM approach.
• Only did business with those CRPs that provided
  the services and got the kind of outcomes that we
  wanted for our consumers.
• Greater accountability
• Changes in training mandated from the top down,
  to include
• Diversity training
• A customer service orientation

8
Diverse, Qualified Staff

• (Not many suggestions offered here.)
• Recruitment strategy Pair up a new employee with
  a mentor.
• Retention of good CRP staff is a challenge.
• The good ones arent around longthey quickly
  find other jobs with better pay.

9
PR and Marketing

• Need for marketing of VR services, and disability
  issues in general, to CRPs.
• Need for a video targeting CRPs doing business
  with VR agencies.
• One critical topic would be guidance for fiscal
  management of the CRP to avoid audit exceptions.
• Use marketing strategies specific to the minority
  population.
• Example Post fliers in barber shops and beauty
  supply stores (but NOT churches).

10
Cultural Trust / Mistrust

• Hiring of staff with common racial, ethnic,
  and/or cultural background as consumers.
• Hiring of a cultural specialist
• Training for all agency staff in cultural
  awareness and sensitivity.
• Adopting a customer service orientation.

11
Transportation

• Continues to be a major barrier to participation
  of consumers from diverse backgrounds in VR and
  CRP agencies and program.
• One strategy mentioned
• Outstation a counselor to a given community.