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Program Improvement Plan for 

for 2013 

Initial PIP - current status: Approved 

Introduction 

Federal vocational rehabilitation (VR) program regulations (34 CFR 361.82 thru 34 CFR 361.86) 

establish performance standards and indicators by which the U.S. Rehabilitation Services 

Administration (U.S. Department of Education) measures the performance of the state VR 

agencies. 

Evaluation Standard 1 measures employment outcomes using six indicators. To achieve successful 

performance on Standard 1, a VR agency must meet or exceed the performance levels for at least 

four of the six indicators. In addition, the agency must meet or exceed the performance level for 

two of the three primary indicators. 

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Agency FY 2013 Performance 

Because the . . , did not achieve the required minimum 

performance levels for Standard 1 for fiscal year (FY) 2013, it is required to submit this Program 

Improvement Plan (Plan) pursuant to 34 CFR 361.89 (a). Specifically, did not meet the 

required minimum performance levels for Indicators 1.1, 1.2, and 1.5, as shown below. 

Indicator 1.1 

Number with employment outcomes 2,649 

Number with employment outcomes (Prior two years*) 2,826 

Change in employment outcomes: Indicator· 1.1 -1 77 

Indicator 1.2 

Number with employment outcomes 2,649 

Number who received services 3,857 

Percent with employment outcomes after services: Indicator 1.2 68.7 

Indicator 1.5 

Average hourly wage for individuals with competitive employment outcomes 13.79 

Average annual state wage (Fiscal year wage) (weighted average) 50,501 

Average hourly state wage (Fiscal year wage) (weighted average) 24.28 

Ratio of average hourly VR wage to average state wage: Indicator 1.5 0.568 

• Current year data as of March 31, 2014. 

• Blind agency prior year data as of April 16, 2013 and April 24, 2012. Note that for Blind 

agencies prior year data averages data from two prior years. 

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Agency Goals and Strategies for Indicator 1.1 

ha~ established the following goals, including performance targets, and strategies that will 

enable tt to meet or exceed the required minimum performance levels for Indicator 1.1. 

Performance Indicator 1.1 -Change in Employment Outcomes 

Ind cator 1.1 is the difference between the number of individuals exiting the VR program who 

~c~ ~ved an e_~ployment outcome during the current performance period and the number of 

tndtvtduals exttmg the VR program who achieved an employment outcome during the previous 

performance period. 

The performance level for indicator 1.1 is: 

• General and Combined Agencies: Equal or Exceed Previous Performance 

• Agencies for the Blind: Equal or Exceed Previous Performance 

Factors af_fecting performance of this indicator might be the State economy, an increase or 

d_ecr_e~se m the ~um.~e r of ~p~li~ants, a change in the make up of the agency's caseload, e.g. the 

stgntftcance of dtsabthty of mdtvtduals served, a change in the number of counselors, and others 

discussed in indicator 1.2. 

Performance Targets 

Fisca l Year Goa l to pass indicator Pe rforma nce target Actua l pe rforma nce 

2013 0 - -177 

2014 0 2,582 

2015 0 2,700 

Strategies 

To enable to achieve the established performance targets for I ndicator 1.1 during FYs 2014 

and 2015, it will engage in the following strategies. 

Standard 1.1, which measures the number of successful closures achieved compared to the prior 

year's successful closures, was not met in FY 2013. was at 93% of this goal by the end of FY 

2013, achieving 1,232 successful closures. To meet this target and the targets for indicators 1.2 

and 1.5, DBS analysis shows a need for heightened focus on expanding consumer employment 

opportunities through strengthened partnerships with businesses, maximizing consumer potential 

and capabilities based on their job readiness, and increasing the effectiveness of job placement 

vendors' effectiveness in matching consumers' abilities with employment opportunities. 

• Work Matters-- began a new employment initiative in 2013 called Work Matters. A key goal 

of the Work Matters project is to impact consumer salaries by increasing weekly wages. A program 

specialist is assigned to focus on leading Work Matters. This initiative assists staff in preparing 

consumers to compete and obtain higher wage jobs by focusing business development on areas of 

the labor market with higher wage jobs, primarily technology and skilled trades. In addition, DBS 

will more closely collaborate with community colleges and trade schools to develop additional 

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training opportunities for consumers. The Work Matters initiative is designed to: 

• expand consumer employment opportunities by building and strengthening strategic business and 

partner relationships; 

• align the counseling critical thinking process around employment opportunities and data to 

engage consumers in defining their optimal vocational opportunities; 

• maximize consumer potential and capabilities based on their job readiness; 

• increase job placement vendors' effectiveness in matching consumers' abilities with employment 

opportunities and; 

• align internal metrics and performance indicators. 

• Continued outreach to veterans and other underserved populations - DBS will increase staff 

knowledge and skills with effective rehabilitation strategies for serving veterans and other 

underserved populations (for example individuals with mental health issues, development 

disabilities, autism and deafblindness). This will ensure that appropriate services from other 

entities are used when available. 

• Continuous Quality Improvement - will review and if necessary update training for existing 

and new VR counselors and VR support staff. The review will ensure courses focus on training new 

counselors and support staff in the core knowledge and skills necessary for all consumers to 

perform jobs successfully, including those consumers with multiple disabilities. 

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Modification and Approval 

Modification of Plan 

Pursuant to regulations at 34 CFR 361.89(c), RSA will review the progress of 5 toward meeting 

the 

Standard 

goals estab

1 over 

lished in this Plan. Should fail to sustain a satisfactory level of performance on 

mod

the next two consecutive fiscal years (FYs 2014 and 2015), it will request that 

ify this Plan to achieve the required level of performance. 

Approval of Plan 

Approved on 09/10/2014 

Approved by Edward West 

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