Communication and Collaboration Strategies for Building Strong Partnerships

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Communication and Collaboration Strategies for
Building Strong Partnerships
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Presenters

• John Kregel - VCU WIPA National Training Center
• Jennifer Baier - Goodwill of Central Arizona
  Phoenix AZ
• Dennis Born Supported Center For Mental Health
  Anderson IN

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ENs are all about Partnerships

• Job seekers are much more likely to achieve and
  sustain a work goal when fully informed about
  work incentives
• Work incentives information isnt
  enoughbeneficiaries need benefits-related case
  management
• ENs are job specialiststhey need a partner who
  is a work incentives specialist

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EN Role in Employment

• Career planning
• Facilitating access and utilization of
  services/supports/equipment needed to actualize
  employment goal
• Assist participant to have accurate information
  regarding effect of employment on benefits
• Facilitate acquisition of preferred job
• Provide supports needed to maintain successful
  employment

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WIPA Role in Employment

• To support the work efforts of beneficiaries, the
  WIPA initiative must be fully integrated with
  employment and support services in the community
• CWIC's must be familiar with the employment
  services and resources in the community, and
  should partner and maintain strong working
  relationships with these agencies

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Facilitating EN Functions

• Provide work incentives fact sheets, brochures,
  business cards
• Invite staff to any in-service opportunities to
  enhance conversational knowledge of work
  incentives
• Act as consultant to staff to enhance effective
  work incentives support

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CWIC Role in Promoting Employment

• Help beneficiaries identify, select, clarify
  career goals
• Help beneficiaries determine services, supports
  or accommodations needed
• Explain TTW and other vocational services
  supports available in the area
• Connect beneficiaries with employment services
  and supports
• Assist beneficiaries to resolve problems related
  to education, work attainment or continuation of
  work.

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CWIC Role in Explaining TTW and Other Employment
Supports

• Explaining types of employment preparation and
  support services available in the local community
  eligibility requirements and limits on services
• Helping beneficiaries decide whether or not to
  assign their ticket to work helping
  beneficiaries understand the benefits of the
  ticket program
• Assisting beneficiaries to assess the various ENs
  or other agencies available to provide services
  or supports in relation to preferences and needs

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How can ENs support WIPA projects

• Provide short in-service about services, etc to
  CWICs
• Equip CWICs with brochures, business cards,
  application forms, etc
• Provide contact info of a go to person to
  expedite problem-solving, etc
• Encourage participants to use WIPA services
• Integrate benefits-related support strategies
  into IWP

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Discussion Question 1

• To what extent do ENs and WIPAs share a common
  mission?
• Are there times when their missions work at cross
  purposes to each other?

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Discussion Question 2

• What barriers to effective communication exist
  between ENs and WIPAs?
• What misconceptions exist in our understanding of
  the roles and intentions of each other?

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Discussion Question 3

• What strategies have you developed in your local
  community to improve communication between ENs
  and WIPAs?
• How well are these strategies working?

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Discussion Question 4

• Do you conduct coordinated outreach or
  information sessions for Ticket holders?
• How are those developed and conducted?

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Discussion Question 5

• What actions, if any, could SSA take to improve
  communication and coordination between ENs and
  WIPAs?