old operating agreements to professional technical contracts in 2012. Really within that 2012-2017, there was some additional with VRS to move into the flow of the deeds and the office for procurement or office of procurement. Essentially what we needed to do is really up our game. We needed to be able to move into the flow and the expectations that are required of us as a state of Minnesota entity as an agency within a department. Within the state of Minnesota. >> What was, VRS has owned contracting process. We can do amendments any time. >> What is now is that the office of procurement owns final review of each PT contract and the amendment process only they can execute the contract. The fees any time in the past, now we're looking at an amendment opportunity twice yearly. >> Historically we could have increases any time added to our amendment. >> We recognize that our partners have been able to request amendment at any time in years past. What we need to do coming into upping our game around PT contract and the entire contracting process, is to set some guidelines and set some opportunities so that it's not coming in at all times but rather it's in a measured way that allows us to consider our other work flows as
There may be synapses with this new amendment contract process where VRS may request community partner to make changes to an existing contract. For example, there may be under the under PT contract that exist now, there are some providers that have other services that might be better fit in some of tip -- typical services. We're looking to reduce confusion and create understanding across VRS and community partners. I was doing recognizing that in the past, our community partners have been able to submit a PT contract amendment request. Solely for the reason of increasing the fees to their contract. they have refer us to statutory language. That says fees to the fee for services without any other changes. In a scope of work, or deliverable. Are rarely if ever justifiable. it would require the services must have changed significantly and justify that in signature services. We recognize this is departure what has been the case. >> we want to provide fee date. [can't hear] >> Then, the approved PT contract amendment will be in effect no later than September 30, 2018. What we really want to do encourage those of you considering an amendment to your PT contract, please stay true and focus on that early end of the dates that are available as we're going to share
with you, there is many steps to be able to move from the request to a fully executed contract. Therefore, in order to have that PT contract amendment in place by September 30th, we are really encouraging you to opt for the earlier date like in early to mid-may. If you are submitting your PT contract amendment request in the tail end of June, we cannot assure that your PT contract will be amended by September 30th. We're trying to allow for some additional time in order to ensure that the process that's required and the time that it takes for each of these areas that we're not so in a crunch time situation. Again, the sooner you get those amendment request to us the better. >> The PT contract amendment step by step process, community partner must request a PT contract amendment proposal via VRS grant app address that's available. Then you will e-mail PT contract amendment proposal to me Anne Paulson. >> We should let you know that in your request for PT contract amendment form, that will be sent to you. It is a fillable form. We wanted to create ease for you in terms of being able to get that developed and then sent back to us. The sooner you can move that forward and get that contract amendment proposal to us, the better. Earlier than later in May. This is a new step for us that
we're including. In regarding the amendment approval process. The VRS leadership team once Anne receives the application, amendment request, VRS leadership team will review each community department amendment proposal that is submitted. Then will approve or decline the amendment proposal based on service needs. This is very important to us in that we want the services that are being provided to VRS to meet the needs of what we're looking for. Under the umbrella of WIOA, these are the elements that we wanting to see so that we have the services that are going to be best meet our clients? needs. The VRS leadership team will be making those decisions and either approving or declining the proposal. If they are approved they will move forward. If they are decline, there will be contact made to the provider indicating the reason for the declining. There may be time if there's something that needs to be adjusted, that it could be resubmitted. >> The PT contract amendment step by step process. Deed administrative fiscal services contract will conduct a review of the community patterns existing PT contract. They take it seriously. They really looking at everything with a fine tooth. >> That -- as we've been advised from deeds AFS. They will look existing PT contract. And
determine based on the amendment that before them are there any similarities to what is already being provided and if they feel as though there's a degree without a differences. They may not allow the amendment to continue on. That's an important part of the process. We have contract attorneys that are taking a look at language and services proposed and really from a state of Minnesota as the entity, taking that careful review. This is a contract with the state of Minnesota. It's upping our game, I think, across the board. With our community partners. Once it's approved by deed-AFS. The contract amendment will be returned to deeds AFS. >> They will send drafted PT contract amendment to the community partner for signature. We will go ahead and have you return that to us. >> It's only after it's been approved by deeds-AFS. We would be -- Anne will be working with the you as the provider to make any of the changes that was suggested by DEEDS-AFS. Anne will ensure that the contract is routed for signature to the following. Her responsibility will be to ensure that it goes to Kim Peck who is the deeds VRS director. The macro view here is that Kim as the deeds VRS director it will ensure it went to acting service. They will then carefully review the
contract and if they approve, which we hope they would, then they would sign off on it. Then from there, it goes to the department of administration's office of procurement. Their contract management staff. They will also do a very careful in-depth review. To let you know as we've been understanding through deeds AFS each step will take about two weeks. This is a time consuming process as well. This is something that has been learning curve for us. We've come along and upped our game again. Come in line what the state of Minnesota requires for any contractor or any vendor who's providing services for the state of Minnesota. Or the individuals that we serve. >> The department of administration office of procurement, they will return contract back to DEEDS-AFS deeds VRS will notify the contract. Once we get the executed signed PT contract back, we'll send to the community partner that will be added to our DEED-VRS site and DEED-VRS will be notified. >> I hope you get a sense of what the many subsets it takes. This was the same process when we had the 2017 PT contract put in place. It's when you amend your PT contract, it goes through a process same as an approval. Please know, this is something that I think with what was versus what is. What was is that the provider could see that
Kim Peck signed off on it. That's all that was required. There are many signatures required. There are many steps in the process. Each of those steps takes as we're being told instructed about two weeks each. This is at least 8 to 10 weeks from start to completion. Starting getting amendment request in May is highly advisable. >> Once again, if you have any questions, contact me Anne Paulson. There's my e-mail address and phone number. >> Anne is available for any questions that you have regarding the PT contract, even though it's in existence now, just know that she's available. Let's move on to the second key update. Which is around customized employment. Within VRS, we have taken some time and done some deep heavy work regarding what does customized employment means. Engaging with number of community partners in some training through Marc Gold and associates. It's so essential that the individuals that are providing customized employment not only do they need to have training but they also need to demonstrate their competency in delivering those services. I think that in putting this process in place, will be much closer to where we need to be to help individuals requiring these services getting the services that they need but also to
documents submitted. In that case, customized employment service will not be lowed as a service on the PT contract. What we want to do is help people in their learning process and allow for opportunities for a provider to add those services. There may be some instances where a provider or that individual doesn't quite meet -- we want to be flexible, but we'll be laying that out in our May 15th webinar. The second is that in the event that the customized employment services and the documents submitted are standard if after some conversation, we realized or the provider realizes that they're not able to provide customized employment based on our competence standard, that DEED-VRS will remove customized employment from provider contract. Fees for the customized employment discovery assessment. Lot of questions are in the air regarding this. As I as a strategic initiative director have looked at all of the PT contracts of providers that offer customized employment. We do see there's quite a bit of difference in term what is charged and whether per hour or per flat rate for service. DEED-VRS is in discussion with DHS to ensure the reimbursement rate is comparable regardless of the funding stream. There's something else that we want to change and adjust within the PT
contract for providers that offer customized employment. One of the areas where there's been confusion about customized employment is what it is and what are the phases of customized employment. I know that with some of our providers, they kind of forecast it and put customized employment on their PT contract and may have included customized employment. And finally understand there are these distinctions within customized employment. The other pieces of customized employment, Jon development and systematic instruction are funded in different ways from the assessment. What I wanted to divert from this slide is to say that with the three areas of customized employment, discovery, assessment, job development and systematic construction. The only piece that we're talking about here that's distinguished customized employment is the discovery assessment. What we're going to be doing with our providers that want to offer customized employment is to make sure that your PT contract reflects appropriately and include what it is we're talking about. We wanted to say on your PT contract, customized employment, discovery assessment. We will also have customized employment PBS. It includes job development portion
and 20 hours job -- there's no distinction what we pay for in retention services. We are not at this point making any change to how we pay for placement and retention services under customized employment. In the previous slide, DEED-VRS are working together to determine how we're able to work together to have a comparable reimbursement for customized employment. We hope to have more information for you in our May webinar where we get more information about the competency review process. That we may have some additional updates regarding customized employment. That includes the webinar portion. We recognize there have questions come in. >> The first question is from rob Peterson. >> Providers will not be able to request an eight to increase fees. Is that fees that are charged on the existing PT contract are for the length of the contract. that the length of that contract is through June, 30, 2022. We recognize that this is a key change. It is in language. As we have been in conversation with DEED-AFS. Those providers with the state of Minnesota, reading all of the print it's indicated directly in that contract. >> Are there more affordable opportunities for staff to complete this training. >> I can speak to that again. The ACRE
certified training, we are in the midst of training up our staff both VRS and community partners about what customized employment is and how to best provide the services. What are the opportunities for continued education who did get training in customized employment. The second question regarding more cost effective training opportunities and this is something we'll be highlighting in our May webinar. To let you know that Minnesota is developing its own customized employment training for both the discovery assessment and job development. This is in collaboration with MSOC. And DEED-VRS. We are looking at in curriculum that's being developed. ACRE. >> Got few more coming in from Eric Miller we have learned partners who have promoted a rate increase to accommodate night and weekend coaching are those still valid even though they have been announced in the past month or so? >> This is Anne Paulson. Anything that's on the current PT contract can be purchased. It doesn't matter when it was announced or start marketing the service. >> Another question from our St. Paul VRS team. When authorizing for customized employment discovery and customized employment, we
authorize both at the same time? >> Great question. Definitely authorize for the assessment portion of customized employment first. As we've learned throughout this process is that, things don't always go in direction that lead immediately to the next logical step. Definitely authorizing for the assessment portion that discovery assessment portion makes sense. Then to do the PPA until that individual is prepared to initiate their job search. >> clarification, twice yearly amendments are allowed and are to add or to remove services but to change rate for current services. >> That is correct. In terms of when we'll offer the next amendment process, we want to be flexible to both the needs of the VRS clients that we serve but as well when there's a service that we are suggesting that providers add. Just look for more information as we move through the PT contract amendment. >> When submitting proof for competence for customized employment is VRS looking for actual proof of work done? >> Yes. The competency that we're looking for would be -- it's really around the discovery piece of it. If you had training in Griffin-Hammis that will be the staging record and list of 20. In some cases visual resume is provided along with that. At minimum, staging record and list of 20 for Marc Gold and
associates it's a profile. With want to see the individual submission of either set of those documents for our review by that review final take look and make a determination about that individual's ability to confidently provide customized employment. >> Another question from Anita. Will contract amendments be permitted when there are errors on the current contract? >> Can you provide a little more detail, Anita, when you say errors on the current contract? Tell me more about that. >> She's responding. How much hours of discovery will be authorized? That's a great question. We do have some ideas typical number of hours that all individual requires in order to have a completed discovery assessment process. Our guidance from Marc Gold. We want the process to move forward and conclude as quickly as possible. There are times where additional hours is necessary. >> In order for us to become proficient in delivering customized employment services, we need to have to the individual that is on staff at that provider. If one provider get this ability or go ahead. One person they have least, they have no capacity to deliver the services. That's not the case. I think for us to be able to move forward as a state and as a VR community, we have to recognize that there has to be people that
understand how to deliver the process or will continue to live in the gray and have inconsistent applications of customized employment services in the state. What we are very clearly saying is you as the provider have a staff that is trained and competent delivering customized employment services it's per individual. Some cases provider might have one person or two people or five people. And also the competency of the work sample. >> Thank you. After deeds completes ACRE training will the training be allowable for customized employment discovery? >> Absolutely. It will be. That's W. the reasons why we have developed in Minnesota a customized employment training. It will focus on the discovery and the job development phase. We recognize, that's one of the things that I'm really pleased. We are taking a look at the providers that offer customized employment. In Minnesota developing customized employment training, we'll recognize that we are one of a number of providers that Marc Gold and associates provides training. We are looking to the essential elements and universal element of customized employment. That was developed through WINTAC. That brought three big entities together, saying what are those essential
elements. Minnesota model we'll utilize as frame work. As long as that entity offer ACRE certification, we will say that's acceptable. We recognize that's one of the number of training options that are available that we believe will continue to be available in our state. >> Will you allow a customized employment on their contract. They don't currently have a certified individual on staff? >> Great question. What I would suggest is that we're having conversations with providers that are either -- they have someone in process. That would probably be the point at which we would consider leaving it on the PT contract making it clear to our staff that that provider cannot be used for customized employment until that staff does meet our threshold for the certification but also the work competence. We are having conversations about how to help our staff know which providers offer customized employment that fall within the guidelines that we have through Marc Gold and associates. Our plan would be that if a provider is in progress, let's say that someone is going to the Griffin-Hammis training, that will not be something we continue to have on the PT contract. We can't remove a service from that contract. We will be PT contract amendment process to
remove that. We do have a way to help our staff know which providers do and do have customized employment. >> Next question is from Aaron. Are we able to get specific training such as the specific IL skills listed on our contract such as assessments, specific training, etcetera. >> It's Anne. I think it would be helpful if you go ahead and initiate that proposal and then we'll look it over. I know services are a bit unique. I can help you shape that up. >> What I really want to be careful about and considerate of, is that with our community partners that offer vocational rehabilitation services that are individuals in preparing for finding in maintaining employment, we are very thoughtful about adding services to a contract that are outside of a community partner wheel house. In the same is true for IL services. We have a very fine tuned approach to ensure that we are thoughtful about the services provided by that entity. The goal what we call them to do. If there are services provided by other providers in that area, we are really sensitive to that. I do agree with Anne, it's a conversation that we should be having with you offline. We know that there's some areas in the state of Minnesota where there are no IL services offered. We have in that case, have to review
to put it in practice. I feel there's other things like the placement managers are doing to develop a job coaching 101. I think that we have to be thoughtful about what the needs are for the individuals that we're serving now. We may have specific either Minnesota systematic instruction or one of the big providers come in to do systematic instruction. But at this point, don't see there's additional offering of systematic instruction training as we did with Marc Gold and associates. >> When you will be requiring the competency and ACRE certification for completion of the CE discovery? >> Great question. What I like to do is to include that in our May 15th webinar. If a provider is wanting to be the early bird which we hope that all of you will be, if you're planning to submit a contract amendment request, is indicates that you are wanting to continue to add customized employment to your PT contract. Either add it or keep it. In that case, we would be contacting you for requesting that information. To be honest with you, we are in the process of developing that whole review process. We will have that information in our upcoming webinar. It would not need to be submitted at the time that the amendment request is coming through. Let me say that. It will be coming little bit later.
>> It's online training an acceptable way to get ACRE certification through Griffin-Hammis? >> Great question again. We know that DHS has supported and sponsored online training through Griffin-Hammis. As long as the training is ACRE certified, I'm not going to quibble with that at all. DHS and VRS, we're wanting to do similar work in ensuring people have competence. With that being said, what I have seen in my work around customized employment is to put anything into practice, it's a challenge. This is doing work very differently. Especially on the discovery side. It's a context for the individual, it's online only. No hands on learning or anything beyond the online learning. I see where that will show up competence review of the document. However, it's entirely possible that somebody can take online training. I'm aware what folks at VRS done in many cases it's more than online only training. These other elements that help encourage the hands on learning as well. >> This one comes from Josh. For work samples will we be able to get a referral for our staff to provide those samples or will we need to find person outside VRS work with. >> For those providers I had people go to Marc Gold and associates. I know that Josh, you have an individual that is becoming certified in