IL NET an ILRU/NCIL National Training and Technical Assistance Project Expanding the Power of the Independent Living Movement HOW TO SURVIVE THE 704 REPORT A National Conference Participant's Manual April 15-16, 2002 Philadelphia, PA Contributors to the training materials: Paula Margeson Anne-Marie Hughey John Heveron Darrell Lynn Jones Kristy Langbehn Raweewan Buppapong Carri George Richard Petty Dawn Heinsohn (c) 2002 IL NET, an ILRU/NCIL Training and Technical Assistance Project ILRU Program NCIL 2323 S. Shepherd Street 1916 Wilson Boulevard Suite 1000 Suite 209 Houston, Texas 77019 Arlington, Virginia 22201 713-520-0232 (V) 703-525-3406 (V) 713-520-5136 (TTY) 703-525-4153 (TTY) 713-520-5785 (FAX) 703-525-3409 (FAX) ilru@ilru.org 1-877-525-3400 (V/TTY - toll free) http://www.ilru.org ncil@ncil.org http://www.ncil.org Permission is granted for duplication of any portion of this manual, providing that the following credit is given to the project: Developed as part of the IL NET: an ILRU/NCIL National Training and Technical Assistance Project. IL NET is funded through a special provisions cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration, Agreement No. H132B99002. How to Survive the 704 Report April 15-16, 2002 Philadelphia, PA Participant's Manual Table of Contents Agenda About the Trainers List of Trainers and IL NET Staff About ILRU About NCIL About IL NET Learning Objectives Data from 2000 704 Reports Writing Measurable Project Objectives Example of the "Logic Model" of program implementation developed by the United Way of America Continuous Process Improvement Using Performance Measures Organizational Analysis: Where is Your CIL Going? and Is It Getting There? Sample Completed 704 Report 704 Report Parts I & II Part I Part II ABOUT THE TRAINERS James Billy is the Independent Living Branch Chief at the Rehabilitation Services Administration in Washington, D.C. Prior to this appointment he held the position of executive director for nine years at the Harlem Center for Independent Living in Harlem, New York. He has served on advisory boards to The Rehabilitation Cultural Diversity Initiative, Region II (RCDI), World Institute on Disability and was a member of the New York Statewide Independent Living Council, New York State Rehabilitation Council, and the Disability Rights Action Coalition for Housing. Prior to his involvement in independent living, Mr. Billy was a special education teacher at the elementary school level, a clinician at the New York Institute of Child Development, Senior Counselor at Odyssey House Residential Treatment Center for Substance Abuse, and a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor at Veratas Treatment Center. He has an M.Ed. in Rehabilitation Counseling from Hofstra University and a B.S. in Special Education from New York University. Anne-Marie Hughey is the Executive Director of the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL), a national membership organization which advocates for the rights of people with disabilities. Ms. Hughey has been in the field of independent living since the early 1980's. Since receiving her Masters Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from State University of New York at Buffalo, she has been an active advocate for individuals with disabilities. Her first appointment was Executive Director of the newly funded Batavia Center for Independent Living. Ms. Hughey subsequently served as the Assistant Director of Resources for Living Independently in Philadelphia, PA. She provides training on the history and philosophy of the independent living and disability rights movement as well as speaks on a variety of disability and national advocacy issues to groups around the country. As a person with a disability, Ms. Hughey has been a life long advocate for disability and human rights. Ms. Hughey has always been very active in advocating for the development and implementation of laws and policies, which protect the rights of persons with disabilities on a local and national level. Paula Margeson has been involved in the independent living movement for 23 years, 11 of which she served as a CIL program director. As an individual who is totally blind and as a disability consultant, she has both a personal and professional interest in improving the quality of life for people with disabilities. She currently provides consulting services to a wide variety of public and private organizations, including Centers for Independent Living and Statewide Independent Living Councils. She has been preparing grant proposals and 704 Reports for CILs and SILCs since 1982. Ms. Margeson is the current chairperson of the Texas Statewide Independent Living Council. She has a bachelor's degree from California State University at Fullerton. How to Survive the 704 Report April 15-16, 2002 Philadelphia, PA TRAINERS James Billy Independent Living Branch Chief Rehabilitation Services Administration 330 C Street Room 3326 Washington, DC 20202 (202) 205-9362 (voice) (202) 260-9424 (Fax) James_Billy@ed.gov Anne-Marie Hughey Executive Director National Council on Independent Living 1916 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 209 Arlington, Virginia 22201 (877) 525-3400 (toll free) (703) 525-3406 (voice) (703) 525-3409 (Fax) (703) 525-4153 hughey@ncil.org Paula Margeson Disability Consultant 7928 Hook Drive Plano, Texas 75025 (972) 517-4435 (voice) (972) 517-6721 (fax) pmargeson@email.msn.com IL NET STAFF ILRU Lex Frieden Laurie Gerken Redd Executive Director Administrative Coordinator lfrieden@ilru.org lredd@ilru.org Richard Petty Carri George Program Director Publications Coordinator richard.petty@bcm.tmc.edu cgeorge@ilru.org Laurel Richards Dawn Heinsohn Training Director Materials Production Specialist lrichards@ilru.org heinsohn@ilru.org ILRU Program 2323 S. Shepherd Suite 1000 Houston, TX 77019 713-520-0232 (V) 713-520-5136 (TTY) 713-520-5785 (FAX) ilru@ilru.org http://www.ilru.org NCIL Anne-Marie Hughey Executive Director hughey@ncil.org NCIL 1916 Wilson Boulevard Suite 209 Arlington, VA 22201 703-525-3406 (V) 703-525-4153 (TTY) 703-525-3409 (FAX) 1-877-525-3400 (V/TTY - toll free) ncil@ncil.org http://www.ncil.org Kristy Langbehn Project Logistics Coordinator kristy@ncil.org Darrell Lynn Jones Training Specialist darrell@ncil.org Raweewan Buppapong Project Assistant toony@ncil.org ABOUT ILRU The Independent Living Research Utilization (ILRU) Program was established in 1977 to serve as a national center for information, training, research, and technical assistance for independent living. In the mid-1980's, it began conducting management training programs for executive directors and middle managers of independent living centers in the U.S. ILRU has developed an extensive set of resource materials on various aspects of independent living, including a comprehensive directory of programs providing independent living services in the U.S. and Canada. ILRU is a program of TIRR, a nationally recognized, free-standing rehabilitation facility for persons with physical disabilities. TIRR is part of TIRR Systems, a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to providing a continuum of services to individuals with disabilities. Since 1959, TIRR has provided patient care, education, and research to promote the integration of people with physical and cognitive disabilities into all aspects of community living. ABOUT NCIL Founded in 1982, the National Council on Independent Living is a membership organization representing independent living centers and individuals with disabilities. NCIL has been instrumental in efforts to standardize requirements for consumer control in management and delivery of services provided through federally-funded independent living centers. Until 1992, NCIL's efforts to foster consumer control and direction in independent living services through changes in federal legislation and regulations were coordinated through an extensive network and involvement of volunteers from independent living centers and other organizations around the country. Since 1992, NCIL has had a national office in Arlington, Virginia, just minutes by subway or car from the major centers of government in Washington, D.C. While NCIL continues to rely on the commitment and dedication of volunteers from around the country, the establishment of a national office with staff and other resources has strengthened its capacity to serve as the voice for independent living in matters of critical importance in eliminating discrimination and unequal treatment based on disability. Today, NCIL is a strong voice for independent living in our nation's capital. With your participation, NCIL can deliver the message of independent living to even more people who are charged with the important responsibility of making laws and creating programs designed to assure equal rights for all. ABOUT THE IL NET This training program is sponsored by the IL NET, a collaborative project of the Independent Living Research Utilization (ILRU) of Houston and the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL). The IL NET is a national training and technical assistance project working to strengthen the independent living movement by supporting Centers for Independent Living (CILs) and Statewide Independent Living Councils (SILCs). IL NET activities include workshops, national teleconferences, technical assistance, on-line information, training materials, fact sheets, and other resource materials on operating, managing, and evaluating centers and SILCs. The mission of the IL NET is to assist in building strong and effective CILs and SILCs which are led and staffed by people who practice the independent living philosophy. The IL NET operates with these objectives: Assist CILs and SILCs in managing effective organizations by providing a continuum of information, training, and technical assistance. Assist CILs and SILCs to become strong community advocates/change agents by providing a continuum of information, training, and technical assistance. Assist CILs and SILCs to develop strong, consumer-responsive services by providing a continuum of information, training, and technical assistance. HOW TO SURVIVE THE 704 REPORT April 15-16, 2002 Philadelphia, PA Learning Objectives As a result of this training, participants will: 1. Understand what's in the Report and what it means. 2. Discover uses of the Report to support their organizational goals and resource development. 3. Identify ways the Report can facilitate consumer control. 4. Experience writing program objectives and outcome statements that give staff a meaningful work plan. 5. Hear how the Report is used to support legislative initiatives. 6. Learn how to assess their organization and programs and what impact they are really having on people's lives. DATA FROM 2000 704 REPORTS Number of Part C funded CILs 281* (*15 CILs Part C funded from 723 states.) Number of Part B & Part C Funded CILs 289 DATA ON PART B & C FUNDED CILs Total Resources* $315,137,780 (*The raw data shows 6 CILs missing their funding) Pass-through $120,710,812 Net Resources $194,426,968 Average Part C Funding level $162,565 Percentage of Total Resource Funds Title VII* 19% (* Includes Part B, Part C and Chapter 2) Other Federal 7% Other Government (state, local, etc) 48% Private Funds 7% Fee-for-Services 19% Consumers Served 141,149 Percentages in Age Groups < 6 2% 6 - 17 6% 18 - 22 7% 23 - 64 56% > 65 24% Unknown 4% Percentages in Gender Female 54% Male 45% Unknown 1% Percentages in Race American Indian/AK Native 2% Asian 3% Black 17% Hispanic/Latino 10% Native HI/Pacific Is 1% White 66% Unknown 1% Percentages in Disability Cognitive 11% Mental/Emotional 11% Physical 44% Hearing 7% Vision 6% Sensory 1% Multiple 17% Unknown 3% Consumer Achievements (Goals Met Top 4) Self-Care 26,243 Communication 15,008 Other* 13,564 (*Probably housing goals since the Housing (residential) Achievement is no longer an option) Self-Advocacy 11,041 Top six services requested by Consumers (not including I&R services) Personal Assistant Services 85,489 Skills Training 59,779 Advocacy 59,360 Peer Counseling 54,171 Housing/Home Modification 36,645 Transportation 36,162 Information & Referral Requests 480,591 Number of people relocated from a nursing home 1,467 Number of people able to remain in their community 18,980 Community Change Achievements (Goals Met Top 3) Barrier Removal 12,282 Housing Opportunities 3,322 Community Integration 2,588 Percentage in Community Services Community & Systems Advocacy 19% Outreach 12% Publications 7% Education 13% Registries 9% Collaboration/Networking 12% Other 28% Percentages of CIL Staffing Staff with disabilities 67% Staff from minority populations 25% DATA FROM 1998 704 REPORTS Number of Part B & Part C Funded CILs DATA ON PART B & C FUNDED CILs Total Resources* $315,137,780 (*The raw data shows 6 CILs missing their funding) Pass-through $120,710,812 Net Resources $194,426,968 Average Part C Funding level $162,565 Percentage of Total Resource Funds Title VII* 19% (*Includes Part B, Part C and Chapter 2) Other Federal 7% Other Government (state, local, etc) 48% Private Funds 7% Fee-for-Services 19% Consumers Served 141,149 Percentages in Age Groups < 6 2% 6 - 17 6% 18 - 22 7% 23 - 64 56% > 65 24% Unknown 4% Percentages in Gender Female 54% Male 45% Unknown 1% Percentages in Race American Indian/AK Native 2% Asian 3% Black 17% Hispanic/Latino 10% Native HI/Pacific Is 1% White 66% Unknown 1% Percentages in Disability Cognitive 11% Mental/Emotional 11% Physical 44% Hearing 7% Vision 6% Sensory 1% Multiple 17% Unknown 3% Consumer Achievements (Goals Met Top 4) Self-Care 26,243 Communication 15,008 Other* 13,564 (*Probably housing goals since the Housing (residential) Achievement is no longer an option) Self-Advocacy 11,041 Top six services requested by Consumers (not including I&R services) Personal Assistant Services 85,489 Skills Training 59,779 Advocacy 59,360 Peer Counseling 54,171 Housing/Home Modifications 36,645 Transportation 36,162 Information & Referral Requests 480,591 Number of people relocated from a nursing home 1,467 Number of people able to remain in their community 18,980 Community Change Achievements (Goals Met Top 3) Barrier Removal 12,282 Housing Opportunities 3,322 Community Integration 2,588 Percentage in Community Services Community & Systems Advocacy 19% Outreach 12% Publications 7% Education 13% Registries 9% Collaboration/Networking 12% Other 28% Percentages of CIL Staffing Staff with disabilities 67% Staff from minority populations 25% Writing Measurable Project Objectives Reprinted from Grant Writing Tools to Further Your Mission A National IL Net Training March 4-6, 2002 Participants Manual Writing Measurable Project Objectives One of the challenges faced by organizations trying to develop proposals in response to Federal announcements and requests relates to the problem of developing measurable objectives for the project. It's worth taking a quick look at the difference between goals, objectives, and activities. Resource Note: In discussing developing measurable objectives, we will refer to a 1999 publication produced by the Department of Education for its 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program. This publication, A Guide to Continuous Improvement Management (CIM), by Natalia Pane, Ivor Mulligan, Alan Ginsburg, and Andrew Lauland, can be downloaded from the Department of Education Website as an Acrobat file in pdf format.i It can be found at: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OUS/PES/21cent/cim226.pdf For those of you who need the document in an alternate format, the Adobe Acrobat Website provides a plug-in for Acrobat version 4.0 that allows you to export pdf files to text formats. You can obtain the 4.0 plug-in at the Adobe site by going to: http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/5efe.htm If you download the Acrobat 5.0 reader from the Adobe site, it will have the access features built into it. Version 5.0 of the Acrobat reader is at: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html It is recommended that all disability-related service organizations obtain an accessible version of the Acrobat reader software so that you can provide accessible versions of documents published in pdf formats to your staff, consumers and others. Grant writers are also encouraged to retrieve the document A Guide to Continuous Improvement Management (CIM), and refer to it when preparing an application for the U.S. Department of Education. It offers excellent suggestions. A Guide to Continuous Improvement Management (CIM) differentiates goals and objectives as follows: * Goals reflect the program's broad intent by defining what is to be obtained through sustained effort over the long term. * Objectives specify what is to be achieved in a scheduled period of time in order to progress to each goal. For a project focusing on student achievement, you might state one or two broad goals, with clarifying points as part of each broad goal. The goal examples provided below were adapted from examples provided in A Guide to Continuous Improvement Management (CIM). Goal 1: To increase student academic performance and interest: a. By increasing performance in reading and mathematics. b. By increasing student motivation and interest in school. c. By increasing student development and applied academic experiences. d. By increasing student aspirations. Goal 2: To improve the learning environment: a. By providing a safe and nurturing environment. b. By providing a drug-free environment. c. By offering enrichment and learning opportunities outside of regular school curriculum. d. By reducing juvenile crime in the community. As these goal statements suggest, the goals should be broad enough to tell the reviewer where the project is going, while having enough specificity to provide a functional focus for the project. In these two goal statements one gets the clear sense that the project will target student performance and interest, while also addressing the environment in which learning will take place. Furthermore, from the points covered under the broad goal statements, it is easy to see that focus will be on reading and mathematics, student motivation and interest, applied academic experience, and student aspirations as regards the first broad goal. Also, the points made under the second broad goal make it clear that the project developers recognize the importance of the learning environment in fostering academic achievement, including providing a safe, drug-free environment that promotes learning beyond the classroom, while concurrently reducing juvenile crime in the community. These goal statements tell the reviewer a great deal about the factors that the project developers view as important in addressing issues of student achievement in a particular community setting. Where the goal statements are broad and point toward important issues to be addressed over the long term, objectives should be stated in measurable terms, specifying what is to be achieved in a scheduled period of time in order to progress toward goals.1 Objectives should:ii * Be definitive and specific; * Describe the accomplishments or results, not * activities or behaviors; * Be measurable (quantifiable); * Delineate a time frame or deadline; * Be challenging yet achievable; * Define your customers; and * Designate the partners and their responsibilities. Using the project on student achievement referred to under the goals and objectives above, let's take a look at some examples of good, better, and best stated objectives. These are excerpted from the A Guide to Continuous Improvement Management (CIM).1 They include a brief discussion of the gains realized in going from a good objective to a better stated objective, and on to further improvement in the "best" stated objective. Example 1 Good: Better: Best: Gains: Our primary objective is to maximize the number of children in the community who attend our program. Our program will provide at least 600 children in the community with educational, recreational, and enrichment activities over the next three years. Our program will provide at least one activity (educational, recreational, or enrichment) over the next three years to at least 600 different economically disadvantaged children in the community, and each child will participate in that activity for at least half the possible attendance days. What is the "maximum number of children" referred to in the first objective? The second objective provides a specific number that can be measured when assessing your program. In addition, the second example offers a timeline for when the objective is to be achieved. The third objective specifies who the 600 children will be and what counts as having participated in an activity (attending half the time). Example 2 Good: Better: Best: Gains: At the end of year three, our program will result in a decrease in crime in the community. After the third year of program operation, there will be a 15 percent reduction in the number of acts of vandalism in the community. After the third year of program operation, there will be a 15 percent reduction in the number of acts of vandalism on school grounds within the community compared to other schools in a neighboring and similar community. The second objective provides specifics about what kinds of crime: acts of vandalism. The third objective goes a step further in stating that the acts will be measured on school grounds, since these data are more likely to be accessible and more closely tied to students in the program. The third objective states that the rates will be compared to those of schools that do not have similar programs. If crime decreases in your town, but not in the other town, then the comparison provides a stronger argument that your program had something to do with the change. Conversely, if crime rates increase in your town, it may be because the whole state or area has experienced increasing crime. By comparing your community with another, you may be able to support a conclusion that your efforts had a favorable impact on crime rates because rates did not increase as much as those in similar communities. Example 3 Good: Better: Best: Gains: Student motivation will be improved and attendance at school will increase by 45 percent after the second year of the program. Motivation will be improved and attendance will improve by 10 percent after the first year and 20 percent by the second year of the program. Student and parent motivation will be improved (e.g., scores on a self-report survey will increase significantly) and student attendance at school and parent attendance at teacher conferences will improve by 10 percent after the first year of the program and 20 percent by the second year of the program. The first objective is definitely challenging, but may not be attainable after one year. The second objective sets a more attainable figure and sets two short-term targets instead of one longer-term target. The third objective specifies who is to be measured and for what activities. The Challenge of Writing Sound IL-Related Objectives The examples provided above work well within educational systems. However, it should be noted that: a) most educational systems have very easily quantified outcome measures; and b) well established data collection systems to draw upon for evaluation purposes. Among the problems faced by CILs and SILCs in trying to develop project-related objectives around independent living activities are: * A lack of research-based, quantifiable outcome measures for assessing the results of service delivery both on an individual and an organizational basis; * A dearth of data collection instruments and tools both for establishing baseline performance measures and for gathering the data needed to assess progress against the baseline; and * Few options for management information systems that allow IL personnel to generate needed outcomes information in an effective and efficient manner. This situation suggests that people working in IL need to be creative in developing measurable project objectives that target outcomes important to potential funding sources which have accountability requirements. During this workshop, we will explore ways of doing this, as well as resources that might be tapped in constructing measurable objectives for specific types of projects. Example of the "Logic Model" of program implementation developed by the United Way of America by Paula Margeson Example of the "Logic Model" of program implementation developed by the United Way of America Organization: The Empowerment Connection Program Title: Jobs Plus Goal: To increase the independence of persons with disabilities. Time Frame: Twelve months. The United Way logic model consists of six levels which include: ( inputs ( activities ( outputs ( initial outcomes ( intermediate outcomes ( long-term outcomes Inputs Staff: Program director, pre-employment trainer, job developer, service coordinator Program Settings: Organization's offices, satellite sites, career fairs, potential and actual work sites Service Technology: scheduling and reporting software, two accessible computer work stations, cell phone and laptop computer for field use Funding: Case service contract $200,000, United Way $30,000, Wordsworth Foundation $20,000 Participants: Persons with disabilities who wish to attain gainful employment. Consumer Characteristics: Adults eighteen years of age and older, representing a cross section of the disability population, primarily in the lower income range Activities Service Coordinator completes intake process, assists consumers to develop, implement, and monitor independent living plans, refers consumers to appropriate program components, maintains case files, and provides post-employment services such as recommendations for reasonable accommodation; Pre-employment Trainer provides individual and group instruction, describes various work incentives, assists with applications for extended benefits, and conducts job clubs; Job Developer Facilitates consumer involvement in job fairs, meets with employers and resource directors, researches job leads, participates in business associations such as Chambers of Commerce, and initiates cross referrals between employers and consumers; Program Director supervises staff, evaluates personnel and program performance, prepares progress reports, addresses problems in implementation, and oversees program costs; Outputs Seventy-five consumers complete intake process and develop independent living plans; Forty consumers participate in a minimum of twenty hours of pre-employment training; An average of fifteen consumers participates in weekly job club sessions; Fifty consumers attend at least one job fair; Working relations and cross referral systems are established with eighty employers; Sixty participants are provided with job referrals; Initial Outcomes Consumers participate in programs and access services on a daily, weekly and /or monthly basis; Participants in pre-employment services are more knowledgeable of effective job seeking techniques; Employers and resource directors are less apprehensive about interviewing and considering job applicants with disabilities; Consumers aggressively pursue appropriate job leads; Intermediate Outcomes Personal, social and environmental barriers to employment are reduced; Job seeking skills of participants are improved; Self-confidence of consumers is enhanced; Thirty participants obtain employment; Long Term Outcomes Seventy-five percent of those consumers attaining employment remain in their positions for at least one year; The socio-economic status and self-sufficiency of workers with disabilities improves consistently over time. Continuous Process Improvement Using Performance Measures From the Newsletter, "Profitable solutions for Nonprofits" Summer 2002 By John Heveron [Reprinted and adapted for CILs and SILCs with permission] Continuous Process Improvement Using Performance Measures From the Newsletter, "Profitable solutions for Nonprofits" Summer 2002 By John Heveron [Reprinted and adapted for CILs and SILCs with permission] Einstein said that "not everything that counts can be counted and not everything that can be counted counts". The objective of outcome measurement and monitoring is continuous improvement in the delivery of appropriate services. The efficiency of service delivery, satisfaction with services, stability and continued funding are all important and must be measured. Why should I measure? Outcome measurement is here to stay! The United Way of America has published a manual on the topic, many national organizations like the Girl Scouts of the USA, Big Brothers Big Sisters, the YMCA of the USA, Goodwill Industries and others have all been involved in outcome measurement and have provided resources to local agencies about outcome measurement. More importantly, funders are becoming increasingly aware of the value of outcome measurement. This ensures that to some extent, funding will be affected by outcome measurement. Outcome measurement focuses on the intended results of programs. Therefore, it provides useful information to continuously enhance programs to be sure that program objectives are being met. Outcome measurement demonstrates your desire for continuous improvement. This can translate to consumer satisfaction, staff motivation, volunteer support, and funder as well as community recognition. What should I measure? The answer is based on the objectives of the services you are providing. Measurements should be directed to outcomes--what a program accomplishes. The number of classes attended would normally be an output not an outcome. Skills acquired or employment that results from these classes would be an outcome. Measure the denominator. One thing we have learned about measuring results is that the wrong things are frequently measured. This is because the big picture of need is not always focused on. Most human service organizations are experts in the services they provide but not in the overall need of the population. Sufficient time and study must be devoted to analysis of the population and its needs to develop a proper analysis of how any agency's service fits into the big picture. Measuring results is much more meaningful in the context of the needs of the population. As an example, an organization may be very effective in providing services to people seeking accessible housing. However, the real problem may lie with a housing authority which is not fairly applying its Section 8 program. Armed with this knowledge, there may be greater focus on housing advocacy programs and also more emphasis on communicating to consumers how they can speak up against inequities. How often should I measure and for how long? Measuring and monitoring does not always have to be continuous but continuous improvement cannot happen without an ongoing measurement process. What specific kinds of things should be measured? Remember that the focus is on outcomes--not on outputs. Outcomes are about the mission. Outcomes are changes experienced by participants such as increased knowledge, skills or access to preferred choices, and by communities such as increased options for people with disabilities, improved accessibility and better informed public officials. Outcomes could include things like: Increased knowledge about negotiating accessible transportation Securing an accessible apartment Ability to reside in an independent setting Satisfaction by the consumer and/or the consumer's family Improved health through self-advocacy with medical professionals Changes in functional status, i.e. no longer in an institution Skills improved--employable, has interview skills, is working Improved self-confidence, working, seeking work Increase in the number of curb cuts within a municipality Increase in the number of accessible polling places Who is involved in the measurement process? The list above makes it clear that the measuring process can involve not only your consumers, but also their families, health providers, employers, teachers, public officials, and others. Also, measurement can occur during, shortly after, and well after services are delivered. The measurement process itself can include a follow-up survey of consumers and their families, or their teachers or supervisors, and various community leaders or officials. Focus groups can also be used. What standards are outcomes measured against? Benchmarks should be set for each measure. Be sure to select criteria that will show relationships between the services provided and the outcomes you are measuring. Usually you'll need to have a fair amount of experience with a particular program before you can develop appropriate measures. It is probably a good idea to develop possible outcome measures as you prepare a program budget and narrative. The insight you gain with actual program operations will help you determine whether those measures are available and appropriate. Also, experience with observing outcomes provides a standard to measure programs against. Are there legitimate concerns about outcome measurement? Unfortunately, the wrong things do get measured frequently out of confusion or because certain criteria are not easy to measure. In other cases, results with consumers with complex needs which are served over a long period of time can be misinterpreted as poor outcomes. Also, communities unwilling to comply with access laws and codes may confuse the real effectiveness of efforts. What other tools and resources are available for outcome measurement? The United Way of America Manual Measuring Program Outcomes: a Practical Approach is a great starting point. Also, check with your state or national affiliate to determine whether they have resources available. There is some software available for outcome measurement. Some examples include N Works 2000 designed by the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation; Case Manager, a database developed for social services, and IPASS Outcomemetrics, which was designed for Health and Human Services agencies. Clearly, outcome measurement is challenging. But it can help with service delivery, and it is likely to be required or expected by funders and others. ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS: WHERE IS YOUR CIL GOING? and IS IT GETTING THERE? (c) 1994 by Maggie Shreve, Organization Development Consultant Below are brief statements to be completed by you about your CIL. Definitions for key terms precede each statement. 1. VISION * something seen in a dream; * an object of imagination; * the art or power of imagination; * mode of seeing or conceiving; * unusual discernment or insight As a result of our CIL's vision and work, I see a community where: 2. MISSION * a body of persons sent to perform a service or carry on an activity Our CIL's purpose within this vision is to: 3. GOALS * the end toward which effort is directed (aim) OBJECTIVES * something toward which effort is directed (goal, aim) To fulfill our purpose and to realize our vision, our CIL has the following long-term goals objectives (permanent goals or goals which will take 3 or more years to accomplish): 1. _____________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ 2. _____________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ 3. _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ 4. _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ 5. _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ 6. _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ 7. _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ 8. _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ 4. ACTION * the manner or method of performing; * a thing or things done; * behavior, conduct; * often implies more than one step, is continuous is capable of repetition To reach our long-term goals/objectives, our center engages in the following actions on a regular basis (activities done daily, weekly, or monthly): 1) _______________________________________________ 2) _______________________________________________ 3) _______________________________________________ 4) _______________________________________________ 5) _______________________________________________ 6) _______________________________________________ 7) _______________________________________________ 8) _______________________________________________ 9) _______________________________________________ 10) _______________________________________________ 11) _______________________________________________ 12) _______________________________________________ 13) _______________________________________________ 14) _______________________________________________ 15) _______________________________________________ 5. STRATEGY * the science and art of employing the political, economic, psychological and military forces of a nation or group to afford maximum support to adopted policies in peace or war STRATEGIC * necessary to or important in the initiation, conduct or completion of a strategic plan Our center uses different strategies (methods or approaches) to conduct our activities and to reach our goals/objectives. Some of our strategies are: 6. POLICY * prudence or wisdom in the management of affairs; * management or procedure based primarily on material interest; * a definite course or method of action selected from among alternatives and in light of given conditions to guide and determine present and future decisions. Our center has developed policies to guide staff and volunteers in completing their work so that our vision, mission and goals will be realized over time. Samples of some of these policies include: 7. PROCEDURE * a particular way of accomplishing something or of acting; * a step in a procedure; * a series of steps followed in a regular definite order Certain procedures have been established within our center to ensure that we follow policies in reaching our goals, fulfilling our mission and realizing our vision. Examples of some procedures which facilitate goal accomplishment by our center include: 8. EVALUATION * the determination or fixation of a value * the determination of the significance, worth or condition of something, usually by careful appraisal and study To assess how well our center is doing in realizing our vision and fulfilling our mission, we should evaluate progress on our long-term goals/objectives. Here is how we should or do evaluate ourselves on each of the goals listed in number 3. GOAL HOW EVALUATED 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) SELF-ANALYSIS: Where Do I Fit Into the Organizational Analysis? Name: Title: 1. I report to: (Title of your immediate supervisor or supervisors) 2. ...who reports to: (Title of your supervisor's supervisor or supervisors) 3. My responsibilities for program evaluation include (list all that apply): 4. I am expected to produce the following reports (list all that apply): 5. My authority over or for program evaluation could be described as: 6. We face a number of pressures for reporting which have a direct impact on our program evaluation methods. These sources and the pressures they apply include: Source of Pressure Evaluation Pressures Applied 7. The problems I see with program evaluation in our center include: 8. The most important information we could possibly get form a superior program evaluation system would be (list 3 to 5 things, in priority order, you think are critical to knowing how effective your center is in relationship to your vision and mission.): 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 9. We could do a better job of program evaluation if (complete the sentence with as many points as you can): *__________________________________________________ *__________________________________________________ *__________________________________________________ *__________________________________________________ *__________________________________________________ 10. My personal values related to program evaluation include (list the things you value from a program evaluation system, whether the data is relevant or not relevant to your vision, mission, or funding source requirements): *_________________________________________________ *__________________________________________________ *__________________________________________________ Sample Completed 704 Report By Paula Margeson REPORTING INSTRUMENT OMB Control Number: 1820-0606 Expiration Date: November 30, 2003 United States Department Of Education Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services Rehabilitation Services Administration PART II The Centers for Independent Living Programs Chapter 1, Title VII of the Rehabilitation Act, as Amended Fiscal Year 2000 With Citations Grant # H1 33060095 Name of Center: Empowerment Connection Acronym for Center (if applicable): None STATE: CALIFORNIA Counties Served: Smith County Subpart IIA - Administrative Data Subpart IIAI - Sources and Amounts of Funds and Resources (A) Federal Funds (1) Ch. 1, Part B, Title VII $______________ (2) Ch. 1, Part C, Title VII $____231,581___ (3) Ch. 2, Title VII $______________ (4) Other Federal Funds $____843,924____ (B) Other Government Funds (5) State Government Funds* $____298,411___ (6) Local Government Funds* $______________ (C) Private Resources (7) Foundations, Corporation, or Trust Grants $___137,075____ (8) Donations from Individuals $______________ (9) Membership Fees $______________ (10) Investment Income/Endowment $_____5,802_____ (11) Fees for Service (program income, etc.) $___289,518_____ (12) Other resources (in-kind, fund raising, etc.) $____93,382___ (D) Total Resources (sum of lines 1-12) $__1,899,693____ (E) Amount of total resources that "pass through" to Consumers, e.g., personal assistance services fund $____________ (F) Net Operating Resources (D) - (E) = (F) $__1,899,693____ * Include "pass through" funds. Subpart IIB - Numbers and types of individuals with significant disabilities reciving services either directly from the CIL (Section 13, 704(m)(B) and (D); 34 CFR 364.53) Subpart IIBI - Consumers Served During the Reporting Year (A) CSRs carried from previous year ___1,100__ (B) CSRs started since Oct. 1 of the reporting year ____330___ (C) Total consumers served: (A) + (B) =(C) ___1,430___ Subpart IIBII - Consumer CSRs Closed by September 30 of the Reporting Year (A) Moved ___119____ (B) Withdrew _____4____ (C) Died _____1____ (D) Completed all goals set ____10____ (E) Other ____22____ (F) Total Closed CSRs: (A) + (B) + (C) + (D) + (E) = (F) ___156____ Subpart IIBIII - Consumer CSRs Active on September 30 of the Reporting Year Subpart IBI (C)-Subpart IBII (F) = Subpart IBIII __1,274____ Subpart IIBIV - Consumer Plans and Waivers (A) Number of individuals who signed a waiver ____0_____ (B) Number of individuals with whom an ILP was developed __274_____ Subpart IIBV - Age (A) Under 6 _____64_____ (B) 6 - 17 _____38_____ (C) 18 - 22 _____51_____ (D) 23 - 64 _____727____ (E) 65 & Over _____353____ (F) Unknown ______39____ Subpart IIBVI - Gender (A) Female _____700___ (B) Male _____592___ Subpart IIBVII - Ethnicity (Select one) (A) Hispanic or Latino _____286___ (B) Not Hispanic or Latino ____1,144___ Subpart IIBVIII - Race (Choose one or more) (A) American Indian or Alaska Native _____43_____ (B) Asian ____215_____ (C) Black or African American ____100_____ (D) Hispanic or Latino ____286_____ (E) Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander ______0_____ (F) White ___1,430____ Subpart IIBIX - Disability (A) Cognitive ____100____ (B) Mental/Emotional ____200____ (C) Physical ____729____ (D) Hearing ____100____ (E) Vision ____100____ (F) Multiple Disability ____200____ (G) Other ______0____ Subpart IIC - Individual and Community Achievements and Services Subpart IICI - Individual Consumer Achievements Goals Set Goals Met (A) Self-Advocacy/Self-Empowerment ____79____ _____31___ (B) Communication ____90____ _____87___ (C) Mobility/Transportation ____30____ _____11___ (D) Community Services _____0____ ______0___ (E) Educational ____13____ ______3___ (F) Vocational ____11____ ______1___ (G) Self-Care ____15____ _____15___ (H) Information Access/Technology ____28____ _____16___ (I) Personal Resource Management _____0____ ______0___ (J) Other _____46___ _____34___ Subpart IICII - Individual Services (A) Advocacy/Legal Services ___134____ (B) Assistive Devices/Equipment Services ___124____ (C) Children's Services ___102____ (D) Communication Services ___248____ (E) Counseling and Related Services _____0____ (F) Family Services ____75____ (G) Housing, Home Modifications, and Shelter Services ___326____ (H) IL Skills Training and Life Skills Training Services ____97____ (I) Information and Referral Services __1457____ (J) Mental Restoration Services _____0____ (K) Mobility Training Services ____52____ (L) Peer Counseling Services ___175____ (M) Personal Assistance Services ___215____ (N) Physical Restoration Services _____0____ (O) Preventive Services _____0____ (P) Prostheses and Other Appliances _____0____ (Q) Recreational Services _____0____ (R) Rehabilitation Technology Services _____0____ (S) Therapeutic Treatment _____0____ (T) Transportation Services ____52____ (U) Youth Services _____9____ (V) Vocational Services _____0____ (W) Other Services _____0____ Subpart IICIII - Individual Consumers in Community Based-Living (A) How many individuals were successfully relocated from nursing homes or other institutions to community-based living arrangements? ______0____ (B) See Instructions - How many individuals for whom IL services prevented the necessity of entering nursing homes or other institutions and therefore continued living in community-based living arrangement? _____0____ Subpart IICIV - Community Change Achievements Goals Set Goals Met (A) Community Integration ____11____ _____0____ (B) Collaboration ____22____ _____5____ (C) Educational _____0____ _____0____ (D) Housing Opportunities/ Home Modification ____17____ _____2____ (E) Information Access/Technology ____17____ _____4____ (F) Mobility/Transportation ____17____ _____2____ (G) Personal Assistant Services ____11____ _____1____ (H) Physical/Attitudinal Barrier Removal ____22____ _____5____ (I) Vocational _____0____ _____0____ (J) Other _____0____ _____0____ Subpart IICV - Community Services (A) Community and Systems Advocacy _____672__ (B) Outreach Efforts _____961__ (C) Publications ______89__ (D) Community Education/Integration Services _____437__ (E) Maintaining Registries/Libraries/Databases _____114__ (F) Collaboration/Networking _____310__ (G) Other Services ____8490__ (H) Grand Total Hours [Add (A) through (G)] ___11072__ Subpart IID - CIL Self-Evaluation based on the Six Compliance Indicators Subpart IIDI - Compliance Indicator 1: Philosophy (A) Consumer Control (1) Please complete the chart below CIL Employees Total Positions Number of Persons with Disabilities Number of Persons who are Minorities Decision Making Positions 5 4 1 Staff Positions 37 22 17 (2) Over 50 percent of the CIL's Governing Board is composed of individuals with significant disabilities __X__ YES _______NO (B) Self-Help and Self-Advocacy During the reporting year the CIL has conducted activities that promote self-help and self-advocacy among individuals with significance disabilities. __X____ YES _______NO (C) Development of Peer Relationships and Peer Role Models During the reporting year the CIL has conducted activities that promote the development of peer relationships and peer role models among individuals with significant disabilities as instructors and counselors in its programs. __X____ YES _______NO (D) Equal Access (1) Ensures equal access to the CIL's services, programs, activities, resources, and facilities, whether publicly or privately funded. Equal access means that the same access is provided to the individual with a disability regardless of the individual's type of disability. __X____ YES _______NO (2) The CIL advocates for and conducts activities that promote equal access to all services, programs, activities, resources, and facilities in society, whether public or private, and regardless of funding sources for individuals with significant disabilities. Equal access means that the same access provided to individuals without disabilities is provided in the center's service area to individuals with significant disabilities. __X____ YES _______NO (3) The CIL makes available, as appropriate, all written policies, materials, and IL services in alternative formats. __X____ YES _______NO Subpart IIDII - Compliance Indicator 2: Provision of Services on a Cross-Disability Basis The Center provides the following: (A) IL services to eligible individuals or groups of individuals without restrictions based on the particular types of disabilities that the individuals or groups of individuals may have. __X____ YES _______NO (B) IL services to individuals with a diversity of significant disabilities, and individuals who are members of populations that are unserved or underserved by programs under Title VII of the Act. __X____ YES _______NO (C) IL core services to individuals with significant disabilities in a manner that is neither targeted nor limited to a particular type of disability. __X____ YES _______NO Subpart IIDIII - Compliance Indicator 3: Independent Living Goals (A) The CIL maintains a CSR for each consumer that contains: (1) Documentation concerning eligibility or ineligibility of services __X____ YES _______NO (2) Either an ILP or a waiver of the ILP ___X____ YES _______NO (3) IL goals or objectives established with the consumer ____X__ YES _______NO (B) The CIL maintains documentation indicating: (1) The CIL notifies all consumers of their right to develop or waive the development of the ILP ____X__ YES _______NO (2) The number of ILPs developed by consumers receiving services from the CIL ____X__ YES _______NO (3) The CIL facilitates the development and achievement of IL goals selected by individuals with significant disabilities who request assistance from the CIL ____X__ YES _______NO (4) The CIL provides opportunities for consumers to express satisfaction with the CIL's services and policies in facilitating their achievement of IL goals and provides any results to its governing board and the SILC ____X__ YES _______NO (5) The number of waivers signed by consumers receiving services from the CIL stating that an ILP is unnecessary ____X__ YES _______NO Subpart IIDIV - Compliance Indicator 4: Community Options and Community Capacity (A) During the reporting year, the CIL promoted: (1) Increased availability and improved quality of community-based programs that serve individuals with significant disabilities ____X___ YES _______NO (2) Removal of any existing architectural, attitudinal, communication, environmental, or other type of barrier that prevents the full integration of individuals with significant disabilities into society ____X__ YES _______NO (B) During the reporting year, the CIL performed at least one activity in each of the following categories: (1) Community Advocacy ____X__ YES _______NO (2) Technical assistance to the community on making services, programs, activities, resources, and facilities in society accessible to individuals with significant disabilities ____X__ YES _______NO (3) Public Information and Education ____X__ YES _______NO (4) Aggressive outreach to consumers who are members of populations of individuals with significant disabilities that are unserved or underserved by programs under Title VII of the Act in the CIL's services area ____X__ YES _______NO (5) Collaboration with service providers, other agencies and organizations that could assist in improving the options available for individuals with significant disabilities to participate in the services, programs, activities, resources, and facilities in the services area ____X__ YES _______NO Subpart IIDV - Compliance Indicator 5: IL Core Services and Other IL Services (A) The CIL provides Information and Referral (I & R) services to all individuals who request this type of assistance or service from the center, in formats accessible to the individual requesting these services ____X__ YES _______NO (B) As appropriate in response to requests, the CIL provides to individuals with significant disabilities who are eligible for IL services from the CIL the following services: (1) IL Skills Training ____X__ YES _______NO (2) Peer Counseling Services (including cross-disability peer counseling) ____X__ YES _______NO (3) Individual and Systems Advocacy ____X__ YES _______NO (4) As appropriate, two or more of the IL services defined in Title VII, section 7(18) of the Act ____X__ YES _______NO Subpart IIDVI - Compliance Indicator 6: Resource Development Activities The CIL conducts resource development activities to obtain funding from sources other than Chapter 1 of Title VII of the Act ____X__ YES _______NO Subpart IIE - Comparison of Program Activities with the reporting year work plan and with the planned activities in the year immediately preceding the reporting year The Empowerment Connection is a duly authorized Independent Living Center. It is the mission of the organization to advance the empowerment and inclusion of all people with disabilities. The center upholds the principles of consumer control, peer support, self-help and self-determination, equality, and positive systemic change. The service area of the Empowerment Connection is Smith County, California, an approximate 800 square-mile region with an estimated disability population of 450,000 residents. In the 2000/2001 fiscal year, the organization received two Title VII C grants, one to support the provision of core independent living services through the center's main offices and the other to operate a branch office in the southern region of the service area. This report will address the progress attained through the primary funding allocation and summarize the activities conducted during the grant period, compare actual accomplishments to planned objectives, analyze this year's performance in relation to that of the prior year, and provide evidence of compliance with standards and indicators set forth for the operation of independent living centers in Title VII of the Rehabilitation Act, as amended. A concurrent report is being submitted to review progress achieved through the secondary Title VII C grant. (A) ADVOCACY EFFORTS COMMUNITY ACTIONS The Empowerment Connection engages in community advocacy to bring about positive systemic change and to increase options for independent living. Specific activities defined to facilitate progress in this regard during the 2000/2001 program year were: * Implementation of strategies defined in the long-range plan to promote more accessible transportation and housing within Smith County; * Participation in twelve administrative or advisory bodies that have the capacity to facilitate system changes; * Provision of testimony at public forums or hearings in an attempt to improve the quality of life for individuals who are disabled; * Submission of input regarding the formulation and implementation of public policies and programs; * Advancement of self-advocacy opportunities among consumers; * Completion of 520 hours in systems advocacy activities. As per the center's current long-range plan, systems advocacy efforts focused on issues related to housing and transportation. Strategies employed in the grant period to impact these concerns included a presentation before the county's Special Needs Housing meeting to advocate for programs to increase accessibility of rental units in the region; provision of testimony before the planning commission of a local city on behalf of a proposed new affordable apartment building; participation in the Public Restructuring Bus Task-force; and consultation with the local paratransit provider regarding the revision of administrative policies to improve services and the development of a fully accessible Riders Guide. At the present time, center representatives serve on thirteen commissions or advisory committees, which have the capacity to facilitate system changes. Among these are the Area Agency on Aging Senior Citizens Advisory Council, the Smith County Long Term Care Coalition, Immigrant Rights Alliance, the Low-Income Housing Coalition, the Health Consumer Action Advisory Council, the Partnership for Responsible Public Policy coalition, the Human Affairs Forum, and the Adults for Youth Coalition. Several opportunities to offer testimony at public hearings were available during the grant period. Examples of these incidents included a statement before the Work-force Investment Board regarding the need for increased inter-agency collaboration to enhance the employment of persons with disabilities and provision of evidence before the County of Smith Community Development Commission concerning the plight of homeless people with significant disabilities. Input regarding existing or proposed public policies and programs was submitted by letter and telephone on numerous occasions to elected officials and agency administrators. In one such instance, contact was made with all congressional leaders regarding the "Real Choice Systems Change Grants" urging appropriation of $250 million to assist states in implementing the Olmstead decision and ending the current institutional bias. Additionally, Congressperson Susan Austin and her assistant, Ray Billings, visited the center and requested staff input on key issues related to disability. Consumers have been urged to initiate systemic advocacy strategies in general and under specific circumstances. With this aim in mind, four individuals attended the Southern California Disability Rights Leadership Conference at Loyola Law School to learn about various methods of facilitating systemic change. One client, who had encountered inaccessibility at a local motel, was advised by center staff regarding effective tactics to address this issue. The Empowerment Connection was also instrumental in facilitating consumer participation in a project allowing paratransit and public transportation users with disabilities to monitor and assess current services. At the conclusion of the program year, 781 hours in systems advocacy had been documented. Overall, the projected activities were implemented and performance levels were slightly higher than those achieved in the prior grant period. These activities are evidence of the center's compliance with Indicators 725(b)(1)(B) and 725(b)(4)(a) of the Act. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE Technical assistance is offered by the Empowerment Connection to the community with the intent of sharing expertise gain by the organization. and promoting voluntary compliance with disability policies and regulations. Proposed activities for the 2000/2001 grant period were: * Provision of professional advice and support two eight agencies that serve persons with disabilities; * Presentation of information and assistance through the World Wide Web; * Coordination of four workshops to consumers regarding topics related to independent living; * Provision of technical consultation and disability training on twenty separate occasions. Technical assistance was provided to several organizations to enhance services to people, who are disabled. Examples of this involvement included: participation in a "Employment Focus Group" for the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, as part of a national research study on the supportive services used by workers with disabilities and assessment of a Medicare-authorized health provider, Life Care Solutions, to insure compliance with ADA and other civil rights regulations. Thirty visitors from the Able-1 program attended a Service Providers' Meeting to learn how each of the center's service components operates. The most intense assistance was provided to a grass-roots organization in central Williamson County, which applied to become the independent living center for that region. State and federal funding was granted to this group with the provision that the Empowerment Connection continues to provide administrative support during the formative period. The agency met its goal to establish a web site on the Internet. The web address is: http://www.empowermentconnectioncenter.org. In addition to describing the agency's programs, the site introduces staff members, presents articles on independent living, and allows visitors to correspond with the organization. Email addresses were also established for all of the Center's key employees. Consumer training was conducted on numerous occasions. Some topics covered were: assistive technology, library services for persons with specific disabilities, the history and philosophy of the independent living movement, and effective communication and methods of navigating the In-Home Supportive Services system. In-service training was provided to select audiences on sixteen occasions. Some of These sessions were: a presentation to the Urban Unified School District Special Education Advisory Board regarding the role of centers in transitional planning for youth with disabilities; consultation to Smith County Human Relations Commission concerning the effects of disability in various cultures; and special testimony before the unemployment appeals board. For the most part, activity levels exceeded projections and were higher than accomplishments reported in the prior program year. This data demonstrates the agency's compliance with Indicator 725(b)(4)(b) of the Act. COLLABORATION The Empowerment Connection works with other public and private organizations in an effort to advance a broad continuum of services for consumers and to eliminate fragmented or duplicative assistance. Planned activities to promote collaboration in the 2000/2001 program year were: * Initiation of cross referrals with both public and private agencies in Smith County; * Participation in fifteen agency coalitions or service networks; * Maintenance of membership in four business associations to broaden the agency's spear of influence within the community; * Provision of contracted services for sixty agencies and/or businesses; * Participation in at least two collaborative projects for which special funding has been obtained; * Maintenance of ten satellite sites through the donation of office space at other community-based programs. For some years, the center has engaged in a cross-referral system with a variety of public and private agencies. Among these are the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, Team of Advocates for Special Kids, the Regional Center, the Fair Housing Council, the Social Security Administration, the Smith Caregivers Association, In-Home Supportive Services, and the Braille Institute. Center representatives participated in eighteen service networks and/or coalitions during the reporting period for the purpose of gaining from the ideas and experiences of other organizations. Some of these groups were: the Smith County Long-term Care Coalition, the Irvine Valley College Disabled students Advisory Committee, the Smith County Transportation District citizens Advisory Council, the Human Affairs Forum, the Adults for Youth Coalition, and several one-stop centers. Membership was established in area chambers of commerce including the Latino Businessmen's Association. The agency's director is a member of the State Independent Living Council, the body that has primary responsibility for planning and monitoring the provision of independent living services in California. The Empowerment Connection also maintained active membership in both the National Council of Independent Living Centers and in the California Foundation of Independent Living Centers. Collaboration was exhibited by the center in the grant period through the sharing of facility space and resources. The organization provided office space for Protection and Advocacy Inc while maintaining satellite sites at more than a dozen agencies throughout Smith County. Some of these host locations were the Belle Community Center, Human Options, San Marcos Outreach and AIDS Foundation, the South Coastal One-Stop Center, and the Angeltown Work Center. Contracted services were provided by the center for approximately seventy public and private entities throughout Smith County. The majority of these were area businesses and hospitals, which contracted with the organization for the provision of sign language interpretation. During the reporting period, the Empowerment Connection continued to be a part of a coordinated effort by the county to assure a continuum of care for persons, who are homeless. As a part of this collaborative, the center provided a comprehensive support system for the purpose of promoting stability among persons with disabilities as they transition from emergency shelter to community life. This project was funded through a Super NoFa issued by HUD. A collaborative proposal was also submitted to provide art and recreation opportunities for children and youth with disabilities. The proposed alliance was between the Empowerment Connection, Stop-Gap Drama Therapy Troup, and the center for the arts and music. While a grant was not obtained, the collaborative will continue to pursue funding in the coming year. An agreement was also formed with Chapman University through its community clinic to obtain student interns for the purpose of facilitating client support groups. This approach will be a benefit to both the center and the college since staff will be augmented and students will gain practical experience working with consumers. The level of collaboration accomplished by the Empowerment Connection during the 2000/2001 program year was at or above projections and somewhat higher than in the previous grant period. These activities are reflective of the center's compliance with Indicator 725(b)(4)(e) of the Act. EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS Public education is conducted by the Empowerment Connection in order to heighten awareness concerning disability-related issues. The proposed activities for the reporting period were: * Completion of sixty public education presentations; * Participation in fifty educational events; * Provision of 300 hours of community education activities; * Production and circulation of an agency newsletter and informative materials resulting in the provision of 1,500 publication-related hours; * Coordination of "Independent Living Day" throughout Smith County. Center representatives reported conducting seventy-one presentations during the program year. Audiences included elementary and secondary schools, service clubs, area businesses, and consumer groups. Various staff and volunteers participated in forty-two educational events such as information exchanges, agency fairs, and expositions. A particularly innovative educational project in which the Empowerment Connection participated was "TouchStone Goals." Sponsored by an area organization that provides a variety of services to disadvantaged youth in Smith County, the intent of the project was increase disability awareness. Center staff made presentations to 10 groups with participants varying from kindergartners to high school students. The presenters shared how they have adapted to their disabilities and achieved independence. Fifteen of the students came to volunteer at the center and assisted with wrapping toys and assembling baskets for the holiday gift program. The organizational newsletter was not published during the program year. This was due to a prolonged vacancy in the community relations position. Because this staff person is responsible for the development and dissemination of publications, actual service hours completed were 103, only seven percent of the projected amount and ten percent lower than in the prior year. Without a community relations director it was also not possible to plan and conduct "Independent Living Day" throughout the county. During the reporting period, 508 hours of public education activities were recorded. With the exception of the latter two activities, performance was near or above projections and significantly exceeded that reported in the 1999/2000 program year. This information is evidence of the center's compliance with Indicator 725(b)(4)(c) of the Act. LEGAL ACTIONS Should the Empowerment Connection determine that a situation requires the pursuit of legal action to ensure the rights of persons with disabilities, the agency would present the matter to the governing board and follow the directive of that body. No such action was taken during the reporting period, nor were activities projected in this regard. (B) OUTREACH EFFORTS Any resident of Smith County is eligible for assistance through the Empowerment Connection, regardless of age, ethnicity, gender, or type or origin of disability. Of those individuals assisted during the 2000/2001 fiscal year, eight percent were seventeen years of age or younger, four percent were between the ages of eighteen and twenty-two, fifty-seven percent were between the ages of twenty-three and fifty-four, twenty-eight percent were fifty-five years of age or older, and three percent failed to provide this information. Forty-five percent of the consumers were male and fifty-five percent were female. Fifty-five percent of those served were Caucasian, seven percent were black or African American, three percent were native Alaskans or American Indians, fifteen percent were of Asian origin, and twenty percent were Latino or Hispanic. Seven percent had cognitive limitations, fourteen percent were mentally or emotionally disabled, fifty-one percent had physical disabilities, fourteen percent had sensory impairments, and fourteen percent reported having multiple disabilities. This data verifies the agency's compliance with Indicator 725(b)(2) of the Act. The Empowerment Connection plans and conducts outreach strategies in order to increase the visibility of the agency and to seek and assist specific demographic or disability groups. Outreach activities proposed for the 2000/2001 fiscal year were: * Review and analysis of consumer demographic information to determine unserved and underserved consumer groups and geographic areas; * Based on demographic analysis, implementation of targeted outreach strategies; * Maintenance of five field service coordinators throughout the center's catchment area; * Completion of activities resulting in 520 hours of outreach. Based on a review of the demographic information collected from consumers in the prior program year, it was determined that specific groups to be targeted for outreach would include: * Disabled residents living in the southern region of the county; * Children and youth with disabilities; and * Minority populations. Two field service coordinators were appointed to work specifically in the southern region of the county and six satellite sites were maintained in this geographic area. Staff members participated in numerous community events and networking opportunities that were intended to benefit residents from the southern portion of Smith County. Despite these efforts, the percentage of consumers from the southern region declined from eighteen percent in the 1999/2000 program year to fourteen percent in this reporting period. This area will continue to be a primary focus in the 2001/2002 program year. Consumer representation from among children and youth increased from three to eight percent during the grant period, a 166 percent growth factor overall. This notable success was due to the development and implementation of a families and children's program at the center, which will be described in section I of this narrative. To more effectively reach non-English-speaking consumers, the center employed both a Latino and a Vietnamese field service coordinator. These staff persons acted as liaisons to their respective populations. Four satellite sites used regularly by field service coordinators were within non-English-speaking communities. Center representatives also attended events that were targeted to minority populations. One of these was Fiera del Sol in San Perez, where 175 visitors received center materials in Spanish. As a result of these efforts, a thirty-four percent increase was realized in representation from minority populations. Ongoing outreach activities conducted by the center include public relation presentations, participation in community events, representation of the center and disability issues in the media, and circulation of the agency brochure and program materials. The Empowerment Connection also hosted a special event in the program year that featured attorney general, Janet Reno, as keynote speaker. The annual "Apple of Our Eye" award luncheon was attended by approximately 260 individuals. These activities led to the completion of 1,118 outreach service hours, more than twice those recorded in the prior year. Information reported in this section of the narrative verifies the center's compliance with Indicator 725(b)(4)(d) of the Act. (C) COMMUNITY AND INDIVIDUAL INDEPENDENT LIVING SERVICES The Empowerment Connection structures service delivery so that the needs of individuals with disabilities might be addressed and so that they might achieve personal goals. The following is a summary of the projected activities in each service area and the accomplishments in the 2000/2001 program year. Because some individuals received more than one service through the agency during the reporting period, the program statistics will reflect duplication. Included in this section is performance data that verifies the agency's compliance with Indicator 725(b)(5) of the Act. Peer counseling is provided so that support and role modeling might be available for consumers and their families as they address disability-related problems and issues. This service is offered on a cross-disability basis. The proposed activities for 2000/2001 were: * Designation of qualified staff and volunteer peer counselors, who are available for referral to consumers, family members, caregivers, etc; * Coordination of a cross-disability peer support group that meets on a regular basis; * Provision of peer counseling assistance for 180 participants. Sixty-seven percent of the center's staff during the grant period was comprised of people with differing disabilities and all of these individuals were available to act as peer counselors assisting consumers in their efforts to function successfully. Five trained volunteers also served in this capacity. Four peer support groups were active, including one targeted specifically to Vietnamese participants. Twenty-five long-term peer relationships were formed and one-to-one support was offered to a total of 175 individuals. One case involved a woman with agoraphobia, who contacted the center for peer support. The client reported that the assistance she received gave her hope that she could overcome, or at least deal with, this disability. She was able to confront the problem and seek professional intervention. Over the past few years, the center has noted a tendency for consumers to seek peer support in a group setting as opposed to individual assistance. While the number of persons served were as projected, long-range peer relationships were significantly lower than anticipated. The same service profile was reported in the 1999/2000 program year. These statistics demonstrate the center's compliance with Indicator 725(b)(1)(c) of the Act. Individual advocacy is provided to assist consumers in the resolution of concerns and conflicts that affect their ability to live independently. Activities defined for the 2000/2001 grant period were: * Collection of information concerning disability laws and regulations; * Provision of relevant information and consultation to 250 consumers; * Provision of individual advocacy assistance and mediation on behalf of 130 consumers whose rights have been denied or who have experienced difficulty in obtaining needed benefits and services; * Presentation of testimony on behalf of consumers at twenty-five appeals or hearings. The advocacy unit consistently updates its reference system so that the latest legislation and regulations are available to assist consumers. During the reporting period, information and consultation was provided to 259 persons in order to enhance their access to services and benefits. Mediation and direct advocacy assistance was provided to 134 consumers. Twelve clients were represented at eligibility hearings and appeals, resulting in eight favorable decisions. A case from the advocacy component centered on the filing of a "Request for Reconsideration". This action was recommended to a consumer when the SSI he had been receiving was denied on the basis that he was no longer disabled. Because an appeal had been filed, the consumer had no interruption of benefits. Only two percent of such requests are won on appeal. With the exception of representation at hearings, activities in this program area were at or above projections, and fairly consistent with those achieved in the 1999/2000 fiscal year. Information and Referral assistance is provided to consumers and the general public regarding activities, products, and services that may be useful in the establishment and maintenance of an independent life style. The planned activities for 2000/2001 were: * Maintenance of a reference system with a broad base of information; * Provision of 2,250 hours of information and referral assistance; * Collection and dissemination of durable medical equipment for loan to sixty consumers. An extensive reference library has been developed at the center and resources were updated periodically during the reporting period. Records indicate that 546 contacts were provided with information and referrals leading to the completion of 1,024 service hours. Thirty consumers received loans of durable medical equipment through this component. One consumer contacted the center in urgent need of a wheelchair, when her own equipment needed repairs. The maintenance company had informed her that it would require several days to address the problem, during which time she would be stranded. A loaner wheelchair was provided through the information and referral program, as well as, additional options for equipment repair. Total service hours were less than anticipated, but fairly consistent with those logged in the prior program year. This may be due to the fact that apparently less time is needed with each individual and more time is required in maintaining the reference library. The service level in the equipment loan component was significantly below projection, because the center changed facilities during the grant period and many items were discarded or not returned for recirculation. The attendant referral program provides consumers and their families with options for assistance with personal care and home maintenance. The proposed activities for the reporting period included: * Recruitment and acceptance of 120 individuals, who meet established criteria as potential personal assistants; * Provision of related information and attendant referrals for 300 consumers; * Achievement of fifty-five personal assistant placements. In the program year, recruitment activities resulted in the addition of only seventy potential attendants to the registry. Low wages and a healthy job market seemed to have diminished interest in personal assistance employment. information, referrals, and/or training was provided for 214 consumers and thirty-two attendant placements were achieved. In one instance, a twenty-eight year old woman with severe cerebral palsy requested a part-time attendant to accompany her to college classes. An appropriate aid was located and the consumer is on her way to earning a degree. Service levels were significantly below anticipated, and less than those achieved in prior years, for the reasons previously noted. The center continues to advocate for improved working conditions for personal assistants. Housing assistance is available to aid consumers with the acquisition of living arrangements that meet their specific shelter needs. Projected activities for 2000/2001 were: * Collection and dissemination of current listings in various housing markets throughout Smith County; * Provision of related information and housing referrals to 300 consumers; * Achievement of sixty housing placements. Updated on a regular basis, the housing registry includes room and apartment rentals, shared housing opportunities, subsidized housing, and emergency shelter listings. In the program year, 211 individuals received information and housing referrals and twenty placements were facilitated. With the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment at or above $800, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find affordable units in Smith County for individuals with limited incomes. A case in the housing unit involved a consumer, who had been living in a motel for several months. After a three-year wait, the individual received a rental voucher through the Housing Authority. The consumer worked diligently with the housing coordinator to locate an apartment that would honor the voucher and eventually such a complex was identified. Service levels were below expectation and less than those accomplished in the previous year. It may become necessary to redefine the focus of this program component. In the meantime, the center continues to make affordable housing a priority for systems change activities. The organization provides emergency food and shelter services in an effort to address the immediate needs of persons with disabilities, who face hunger and/or homelessness. Proposed activities in this program area were: * Provision of temporary lodging for eighty-eight consumers through the operation of an emergency shelter; * Prevention of homelessness for seventy-eight individuals through the disbursement of short-term subsidies; * Assistance with the transition from temporary to permanent housing for forty program participants; * Provision of prepared meals for eighty-eight individuals during their residency at the center's shelter; * Distribution of emergency food boxes to 460 clients in order to avert hunger. At the conclusion of the first program quarter, it was the decision of the governing board to close the emergency shelter owned by the center. This step was taken due to rising program costs and increasing liability. Prior to this action, eighteen individuals had resided at the shelter. The agency continued to engage in homelessness prevention through the provision of financial aid. During the program year, ninety-eight families, inclusive of 150 persons, received such assistance. Fifty-nine individuals were aided to transition into permanent housing. Food boxes were distributed to 223 individuals, who were having difficulty purchasing sufficient groceries. The emergency services component successfully assisted a woman with a mental disability, who had been living on the streets for more than two years. While staying at HEARTH, she participated in both the peer support and independent living skills training components. The housing coordinator was able to refer the consumer to the Shelter Plus Program and she was provided with a rental assistance certificate. She is currently in her own apartment. Activity in the area of homelessness prevention exceeded projections and was slightly higher than in the previous year. The distribution of food boxes was both below expected and less than that accomplished in the prior reporting period. It is usually difficult to accurately predict service levels, because performance is dependent on funds obtained for these purposes. Independent living skills training is provided in an effort to enhance the ability of consumers to become and remain self-sufficient. The projected activities for the grant period were: * Provision of instruction, technical assistance, and related services for 200 consumers; * Attainment of independent living plans for all program participants; * Achievement of seventy percent of the goals defined in the training plans of consumers. Independent living skills training was provided primarily through the Aging With Vision Loss Program, however, the field service coordinators also offered individual instruction. During the program year, ninety-seven individuals received this service and goals were met at a thirty-five percent success rate. It is important to note that most participants in this service area received a minimum of thirty hours of training and that the percentage of goals attained was low, because many people were still working on the fulfillment of their independent living plans at the end of the program year. Performance levels were both below projected and less than those accomplished in the prior grant period. The independent living counselor for the blind was contacted by an older woman that had been loosing her eyesight as the result of macular degeneration. She was no longer able to prepare her own meals and was frustrated, because she felt isolated from community life. The counselor, who is herself blind, went to the client's home and provided adapted cooking instructions. She also linked the client with a group of blind persons who meet regularly for recreational activities. Initially, transportation services were provided to assist consumers at the emergency shelter to travel to and from appointments and in training programs to enhance orientation and mobility. The activities proposed for the reporting period were: * Provision of bus tokens and passes for eighty-five consumers; * Enhancement of mobility skills for sixty consumers through training and orientation. With the closure of the center's shelter, transportation assistance was limited to independent living skills training. The center received Title VII Ch. 2 funding to provide taxi vouchers for older persons with severe visual loss. Fifty-two consumers took advantage of this assistance. Because of the restructuring of this service, the activity levels were below projections and less than those achieved in the previous reporting period. Communication assistance is offered through the Empowerment Connection so that persons with sensory impairments might interact effectively with others. Planned activities included: * Enhancement of communication for 360 consumers through the provision of 3,240 interpreter/reader placements; * Provision of interpretation services in seventy medical emergencies; * Recruitment and evaluation of twenty interpreters for inclusion in the communication registry. At the end of the program year, communication assistance had been provided for 288 consumers; 9,872 service hours had been completed; sixty-nine individuals had received interpreter assistance in medical emergencies; and the program registry included sixty-seven qualified interpreters. Consumers were tracked only if it became necessary to open a file on their behalves. Generally, assistance was provided at the request of a public or private entity and not an individual. One outstanding case that was handled by the communications department involved a fifty-six hour labor and delivery situation in which the mother-to-be was deaf. Qualified sign language interpreters enhanced communication with the medical staff and eventually the patient gave birth to healthy twins. In general, projected activities were accomplished and remained fairly consistent with program performance in the prior reporting period. After sixteen years in the same location, the Empowerment Connection moved its main offices to the city of Grapevine. A 20,460 square foot, fully accessible facility was leased by the center. Both this site and the branch office are near public transportation lines that use lift-equipped vehicles. TDD access is provided and communication assistance is available to consumers upon request. Program materials are produced in alternate formats. These measures allow the center to comply with Indicator 725(b)(1)(D) of the Act. (D) INDIVIDUALS SERVED BY COUNTY The service area of the Empowerment Connection encompasses only one county, however, programs are conducted out of two offices. While the agency did not predict the number of unduplicated clients that would be served through each site, it is possible to report that 1,272 unduplicated consumers were aided through the main office and 210 were served through the branch office. The number of persons assisted through this Title VII C grant was only five less than those aided in the previous grant period. (E) CONSUMER SATISFACTION The Empowerment Connection implements procedures to provide consumers with opportunities to express satisfaction or dissatisfaction with center services and policies in facilitating achievement of individual independent living goals. Specific activities planned for the reporting period were: * Dissemination of the "How's The Service?" form to all consumers upon completion of assistance; * Allotment of time for public comment during board meetings so that consumers might share their evaluation of center programs before the governing body; * Coordination of a consumer advisory committee as one mechanism for the acquisition of input regarding agency performance; * Completion of an annual analysis and summary of evaluation data; * Presentation of findings to the governing board, the SILC, and the Rehabilitation Services Agency. The primary procedure for obtaining input from consumers regarding their assessment of the Empowerment Connection is through the distribution of a brief evaluation form. a satisfaction questionnaire is mailed to individuals so that they might rate the assistance provided, identify any difficulties encountered with service delivery, and recommend methods for improvement. In the 2000/2001 program year, 319 questionnaires were disseminated to individuals using the agency's services and an eleven percent return rate was attained. Seventy-three percent of the respondents rated the assistance received as excellent, twenty-one percent rated the services as good, and six percent designated a poor rating. Returned evaluations were reviewed by the management team, THE COMPREHENSIVE RESULTS WERE FORWARDED TO THE GOVERNING BOARD, and reported herein to RSA and the State Independent Living Council. Although the number of evaluation forms disseminated was lower than in the previous year, the return rate was higher. The ranking of performance was fairly consistent with that reported in the prior grant period. While a public comment section was included in each agenda of the governing board, no consumers took advantage of this opportunity to express satisfaction with the center nor to address problems encountered in service delivery. A consumer advisory committee was not formed in the program year, however, the four peer support groups offered suggestions regarding program implementation at the agency. The procedures defined in this section of the narrative are evidence of the center's compliance with Indicator 725(b)(3) of the Act. (F) RESPONSE TO NEEDS Information is gathered and reviewed from the community and individuals with disabilities on an ongoing basis to assure that the center's current service plan is consistent with consumer demands and that emerging or changing needs are identified. Specific activities defined for the reporting period were: * Prioritization of unmet needs within the disability community of Smith County; * Identification of strategies to address defined needs; * Participation in the development of resources to address specific needs within the center's catchment area. Based on a review of data collected through a county-wide needs assessment conducted by the center, an analysis of consumer requests for assistance, input from other disability-related organizations, and findings of the California Needs Assessment conducted by the State Independent Living Council, the Empowerment Connection set the following priorities in its long-range plan: * Improving accessible transportation for people with disabilities; * Increasing affordable housing options; * Expanding outreach to unserved and under-served populations; * Promoting a powerful and integrated image of the center within the community; * Advancing the employment of people with disabilities; * Enhancing access to the agency and independent living resources through information technology; * Increasing organizational capacity through volunteerism. As previously described in this report, much of the systems advocacy conducted by the center dealt with the issues of accessible/affordable housing and appropriate public transportation and paratransit services. Outreach was accelerated so that assistance to unserved and underserved consumer groups might be expanded. The agency pursued and obtained funding to initiate a new employment services program. Recruitment and use of volunteers continued to increase during the program year. While progress was achieved toward the desired outcomes, these priorities will remain the focus for the duration of the current strategic plan. Performance was consistent with both projected activities, as well as, accomplishments in the prior reporting period. During the formation of the assistive technology program, (see section I of this narrative), the organization collected data in order to identify and prioritize the needs and interests of consumers in Smith County. The agency gathered written input from seventy-eight individuals and conducted six public forums to obtain oral testimony concerning issues related to assistive technology. Additional input was obtained through discussions with numerous contacts at outreach events such as an ADA exposition for the judicial community in Costa Mesa, a Disability Symposium at Cal. State University, Fullerton, and "Building Bridges Together: Preparing Adolescents with Special Health Care Needs for Adulthood" conference held in Pasadena. An analysis of findings revealed the following information. Most respondents were virtually unaware of the various types of assistive technology nor did they know where to go to access such information. Those, who had attempted to acquire AT products and services, stated that the process was overwhelming and extremely stressful. Often the time between obtaining approval for assistive technology and actually attaining the merchandise was so great that the items were outdated upon receipt and the consumers themselves were not eligible for upgrades. Respondents reported frustration with the fact that little or no training or technical support was available to assist them in successfully using AT. Many felt that there was a need for the formation of peer links so that they could benefit from the knowledge and experience of other people with disabilities using similar assistive technology. Others said that they did not know how to choose suitable products or how to locate appropriate vendors. Some did not have access to the Internet and stated that they were unable to use community resources such as those at public libraries, because of the lack of transportation and/or accessibility. Many stated that there was no coordination between agencies providing AT assistance to people with disabilities and that often service providers seemed apathetic to the AT needs of their consumers. Without a doubt, the primary barrier to the acquisition and use of assistive technology, identified by survey participants, was the lack of adequate financial resources for this purpose. According to the National Institute on Disability Research, two thirds of all assistive technology is purchased by consumers themselves or by family members. The availability of subsidies or low interest loan programs has been pegged as one of the most prevalent needs in the center's service area. In the coming months, the agency will work to identify potential resources for this purpose. (G) RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT The governing board and administrative staff of the Empowerment Connection are involved in the development of diverse financial resources so that the organization might have a solid funding base. In the 2000/2001 fiscal year, the planned activities were: * Formulation of a comprehensive development plan; * Implementation of fund raising activities accounting for six percent of the center's total revenues; * Acquisition of donations and grants from private sources comprising nine percent of the agency's income for the 2000/2001 fiscal year; * Attainment of earned income resulting in thirty percent of the organization's operational funds; * Acquisition of in-kind contributions of products and services with a cash value of $15,000; * Expansion of the funding base for the operation of the center's branch office. A development council composed of leaders from the public and private sectors was formed to plan and coordinate fund raising activities. The agency retained a grant consultant, who produced approximately seventy applications and funding requests. Overall results of these efforts are as follows: three percent of the organization's revenues were obtained through fund raising activities, (below projections, but higher than in the 1999/2000 fiscal year); six percent of the organizational income came from private grants and donations, (below both projections and performance in the prior year); nineteen percent of the agency's resources were generated through fees, (below projections and performance in the previous reporting period), in-kind contributions with an estimated cash value at one percent of the total budget were received by the organization, (well above expectation, as well as, achievement in the prior fiscal year); and revenues obtained for the operation of the branch office increased slightly over the prior reporting period. The center obtained twenty-nine percent of its income through non-governmental sources as compared to thirty-six percent in the 1999/2000 fiscal year. While the organization's income expanded significantly during the grant period, most of the additional revenues came from public sources. This information reflects the agency's compliance with Indicator 725(b)(6) of the Act. (H) TRAINING The Empowerment Connection facilitates the provision of training for personnel AND VOLUNTEERS so that knowledge and skills might be improved and expanded. Activities planned for the 2000/2001 program year were: * Coordination of a board training session relevant to the duties and responsibilities of governing officers; * Designation of at least one specific training objective for each employee; * Arrangement for in-service training at six general staff meetings. Two training sessions were conducted with the governing board during the reporting period. One addressed the role and duties of directors and the other dealt with casting a vision for the agency, adopting a mission, and setting annual goals. Records indicate that personnel attended more than thirty separate training sessions, many lasting for several days. Topics were diverse and included "Training Busy Staff to Succeed with Volunteers", "How to Produce Fabulous Fund Raising Events", "Accessing The Media", "Promoting Preventive Health for Asian and Pacific Islander Communities", understanding work incentives, recent developments in assistive technology, and "Outcomes Measurement." In-service training was provided to all employees at eight general staff meetings. Subjects that were addressed included stress management, dealing with clients in crisis, and using Augmentative Communication. Several instructional videos were viewed by all personnel. The videos dealt with topics such as"Spasticity Released: A Treatment Alternative", "Life as it Should Be", "Front-line: A Class Divided", and "Disability is Not The Issue, Opportunity Is". The full staff also participated in the training retreat along with the board regarding the adoption of the vision, mission, and goals for the organization. Board and general staff training exceeded projections and was higher than in the previous year. Training for individual staff members was consistent with both projections and performance in the prior reporting period. (I) INNOVATIVE ACTIVITIES The Empowerment Connection implemented several innovative projects during the grant period. One of these was a comprehensive program to support and strengthen families for the optimal development of their young children with disabilities. This program has three priorities: * To assure that targeted families are aware of, and have access to, public services and benefits; * To increase parenting skills for effective child rearing; and * To empower families with disabled children through peer and professional support. Services provided in the grant period included: * Professional counseling through an on-staff licensed therapist; * Parent training using the STEP curriculum, (Systematic Training for Effective Parenting", * Parent support groups, and core independent living services. Ninety families participated in this component during the 2000/2001 program year. The high point of the reporting period was a two-day workshop on the dynamic applied theory of the grieving process, sponsored by the center and conducted by Dr. Ken Moses, a nationally recognized psychologist and parent of a child with a disability. Seventy-five parents and 380 professionals attended this training. In 2000, the Empowerment Connection piloted a project entitled The Pumpkin Shell Play Group for Children With Disabilities. The program has two goals: (1) To reduce the stress and strain of parenting; and (2) To enhance the social, emotional, and intellectual development of children, who are severely disabled. Toward the attainment of these goals, the center developed a safe and enjoyable environment, where children with disabilities can play, while their parents attend to business or simply take a break. The playgroup is available twice monthly and is staffed by a project coordinator and a registered nurse. a licensed family counselor is also present to provide professional intervention when needed. Several teens with disabilities have also become involved in the project and have volunteered as assistants in the playgroup. Twenty-eight families participated in the project during the year and children with a variety of disabilities benefited from this opportunity. The groups have not been merely "baby sitting" sessions, but avenues for experiences with art and music and for social interaction. One father was amazed when his son, who is autistic, linked with another child, and the two developed their own communication pattern. Recently, the center received an additional grant to expand the playgroup to include a weekend session and to create another group for siblings of children with disabilities. Another new program of the Empowerment Connection is assistive technology, (AT), which encompasses any equipment, devices, assistance, or structural modifications that enhance the ability of people with disabilities to live independently. The Center is in the process of developing an AT lab for consumer use. A variety of low and high tech equipment and devices will be available for assessing the specific needs of individuals and for demonstration and training. In addition to operating the lab, the center sponsors and/or presents consumer education workshops to inform people of the role that assistive technology might play in the establishment and maintenance of an independent lifestyle. Service coordination is provided for consumers, who request assistance in researching various assistive technology options, identifying potential funding sources for acquisition, obtaining appropriate assessments, and using and maintaining equipment. During the first program year, AT information and referral was offered to approximately 800 contacts and 109 individuals received direct services related to assistive technology. The Empowerment Connection is among several independent living centers throughout the country that entered into cooperative agreements with the Social Security Administration to provide a benefits planning and outreach program for SSI and SSDI recipients. The primary goals of this project are: (1) To improve the understanding of options and incentives so that people with disabilities might make more informed decisions regarding employment; and (2) To assist SSA in assessing the scope and usefulness of outreach and benefits planning as strategies to increase the acquisition of gainful employment and the demonstration of self-sufficiency among beneficiaries. Referred to as the WISE, (Work Incentive Solution Exchange), Program, the project has been marketed throughout Smith County. targeted organizations and groups have included One-Stop Career Centers, area offices of the Department of Rehabilitation and Regional Center, Braille Institute, and the Brain Injury Network. Along with continuing to target public and private agencies and consumer groups, outreach in the coming year will be directed to high-schools so that youth with disabilities and their families are aware of benefits planning and assistance offered through the WISE Program. Outreach efforts will also be accelerated within non-English-speaking populations. Educational sessions are presented to provide substantive information regarding various incentive programs to SSI and SSDI recipients, family members, payee representatives, service providers, and disability professionals. Approximately seventy individuals with disabilities and forty professional persons received such training during the initial grant period. Benefits specialists gather and analyze information pertinent to the benefits management plan; advise beneficiaries and their support teams regarding financial status before, during, and at the conclusion of benefits; aid with the application for, or preparation of, documentation for various work incentive benefits; advocate on behalf of consumers with other agencies and programs; and provide information, referrals, and problem-solving support. Seventeen benefits plans were developed in the reporting period. This program will continue in the 2001/2002 program year. The Empowerment Connection is in the process of launching an extensive employment services component. Approximately $500,000 from public and private sources have been committed for this purpose. Services will include employment preparation, job development and placement, and post employment assistance. The program will be targeted to individuals having severe disabilities and to consumers, for whom English is not their primary language. (J) CONSISTENCY WITH STATE PLAN FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING The purpose of the current California State Plan for Independent Living is to promote the philosophy of independent living as defined by the Rehabilitation Act as amended. The mission of the Empowerment Connection meets this intent. Furthermore, the programs and activities of the organization effectively implement the federal and state core services required in Attachment 12 Sections A and B of the State Plan. No specific activities were defined in this regard for the 2000/2001 reporting period. (K) SUBSTANTIAL PROBLEMS OR DIFFICULTIES EFFECTING COMPLIANCE WITH INDICATORS Following an agency review conducted by the Department of Rehabilitation in 1999, the Empowerment Connection was certified as having met the indicators established for the operation of independent living centers defined in Title VII of the Rehabilitation Act. The organization has taken steps to address areas of weakness identified by the reviewers. In general, these deficiencies dealt with the attainment of consumer input concerning program planning and evaluation and the maintenance of more complete case files. The consumer evaluation form has been simplified and is automatically dispersed to all new clients. It is also the intent of the center to retain a consultant to conduct community focus groups throughout the year as another means of gaining input. The consumer data forms have been revised and program staff has received additional training in file maintenance. RSA has informed the executive director that it will conduct a compliance review of the Empowerment Connection in the spring of 2002. Subpart II-F-I CIL WORK-PLAN FOR THE 2002/2003 FISCAL YEAR This section of the report will define the goals and activities, by category, to be undertaken by the Empowerment Connection in the 2002/2003 fiscal year and will predict the anticipated outcomes that will occur as the result of these activities. (A) ADVOCACY EFFORTS COMMUNITY ACTIONS Systems Advocacy Goal: To facilitate equal access for persons with disabilities and to increase options for independent living. Activities: * Implementation of strategies to impact priority issues defined in the center's long-range plan; * Identification of immediate issues that require policy or procedural change to better meet the needs of persons with disabilities; * Participation in twelve administrative or advisory bodies that have the capacity to facilitate system changes; * Advancement of self-advocacy opportunities among consumers. Outcomes: * 800 hours of systemic advocacy will have been recorded; * Significant improvement will have been documented in at least one of the issues addressed. Technical Assistance Goal: To serve as a qualified resource to the community. Activities: * Provision of information and support to organizations seeking to replicate policies, procedures, projects, or programs of the center; * Provision of information and assistance through the World Wide Web; * Consultation to twenty entities in the public and private sectors to facilitate compliance with disability laws and regulations and to enhance community integration. Outcomes: * Six organizations will have enhanced capacity to serve people with disabilities; * 1,200 individuals will have gained information and assistance through the agency's web site; * Program and structural accessibility will have improved throughout the service area; * The agency's sphere of influence will have increased. Collaboration Goal: To maximize the center's performance through shared resources and community relations. Activities: * Maintenance of cross-referrals systems with other organizations; * Participation in fifteen agency coalitions and/or service networks; * Maintenance of membership in six business associations; * Provision of contracted services for sixty agencies and/or businesses. Outcomes: * Consumers will have benefited from inter-agency service coordination; * Twelve satellite sites will have been maintained through donated office space; * The center will have been a participant in two collaborative proposals or projects. Public Education Goal: To heighten awareness concerning disability-related issues. Activities: * Enlistment of staff and volunteers as spokespersons for the disability movement; * Notification to the public that disability awareness presentations are available through the center; * Coordination of one educational campaign concerning a specific issue; * Production and distribution of a quarterly newsletter. Outcomes: * 800 hours of public education activities will have been completed; * Fifty presentations will have been conducted; * Audiences will exhibit increased awareness of the subjects addressed; * The agency newsletter will have been disseminated to 3,000 readers; * 800 publication hours will have been reported. LEGAL ACTION Goal: To protect the rights of people with disabilities and the viability of the organization. Activities: * Investigation of blatant acts of noncompliance with relevant laws and regulations; * Pursuit of voluntary resolution and compensation; * Adherence to all applicable labor laws and regulations relevant to the operation of nonprofit organizations. Outcomes: * Violations of disability rights and regulations will have been addressed and corrected; * The center will have exhibited fiscal and programmatic responsibility at all times. (B) Outreach Goal: To expand assistance to unserved and underserved populations and to increase the center's visibility throughout Smith County. Activities: * Review and analysis of demographic information to determine unserved and underserved consumer groups and geographic areas; * Development and implementation of specific strategies to reach targeted groups; * Coordination of ongoing outreach activities. Outcomes: * Fifty outreach activities will have been recorded; * Representation from unserved and underserved groups and areas will have increased; * 1,000 hours of outreach will have been completed. (C) Community and Individual Independent Living Services Goal: To assist consumers in achieving personal goals pertinent to independent living. Activities By Program Area: Peer Counseling * Maintenance of a pool of qualified staff and volunteers willing to act as peer counselors; * Coordination of three cross-disability peer support groups that meet regularly; * Initiation of thirty long-term peer relationships. Outcomes: * 180 consumers and/or significant others will have received support to address issues related to disability and living independently. Individual Advocacy * Collection of, and familiarity with, information concerning disability laws and regulations; * Dissemination of information concerning various entitlement programs and provisions of disability and human rights legislation; * Investigation of ten alleged violations of applicable laws and regulations; * Consultation to, and mediation on behalf of, 130 consumers whose rights have been denied or who have experienced difficulty in obtaining needed benefits and services; * Representation of consumers in twelve appeals or hearings. Outcomes: * Consumers will demonstrate improved understanding of entitlement programs; * Satisfactory decisions will have been obtained in eight appeals or hearings; * Conflicts will have been resolved that blocked the ability of consumers to obtain needed benefits and services. Benefits Planning and Outreach * Development and fulfillment of a comprehensive outreach plan to inform 900 contacts from target groups of benefits planning and assistance services available through the center; * Provision of consumer education regarding various work incentive programs to 180 SSI and/or SSDI recipients; * Presentation of training for sixty service providers and disability professionals concerning legislation and regulations designed to increase the employability of people, who are disabled; * Provision of benefits plan management and assistance for ninety-six SSI and/or SSDI beneficiaries. Outcomes: * The community will be more aware of work incentive programs designed to promote the employment of people with disabilities; * Participating SSI and SSDI beneficiaries will exhibit reduced anxiety and increased willingness to seek employment. Attendant Referral * Expansion of the attendant registry through recruitment efforts; * Provision of potential attendant referrals, information regarding funding through In-home Supportive Services, and instruction concerning attendant management to 200 consumers. Outcomes: * 300 hours will have been recorded in the maintenance of the registry; * Twenty-five individuals will have been approved for In-home Supportive Services; * Forty attendant placements will have been facilitated. Housing Assistance * Collection and dissemination of current listings in various housing markets throughout Smith County; * Provision of related information and housing referrals to 200 consumers; * Provision of assistance with requirements or procedures to facilitate the acquisition of rental subsidies or home modifications. Outcomes: * 300 hours will have been completed in expanding and updating housing listings; * Thirty housing placements will have been achieved; * Thirty consumers will have received specialized assistance concerning options for accessibility or affordability. Emergency Food and Shelter * Provision of technical assistance and staff consultation to facilitate access within community shelters; * Provision of ancillary services for homeless persons with disabilities residing at temporary facilities in the area; * Prevention of homelessness through short-term financial assistance to eighty consumers; * Distribution of emergency food boxes to 240 consumers. Outcomes: * All of the shelters in the county will meet ADA and 504 compliance; * Fifty individuals will have received supportive services to aid with the transition from homelessness to stability; * Thirty evictions will have been averted; * Fifty consumers will have received assistance with move-in costs; * 2,400 boxed meals will have been provided. Information and Referral * Maintenance of a reference system with a broad base of information; * Provision of information and referral assistance to 700 contacts; * Collection, repair, and cleaning of durable medical equipment for loan to consumers. Outcomes * 300 hours will have been completed in the maintenance of the reference system; * 700 hours of information and referral assistance will have been provided; * Twenty consumers will have received loaned medical equipment. Independent Living Skills Training * Administration of an independent living skills/services component targeted to older persons, who are loosing their eyesight; * Maintenance of four field service coordinators to offer one-to-one IL services and skills training to consumers in their homes and surrounding communities; * Development of independent living plans with 200 consumers; * Provision of independent living services and/or training as defined in the ILP's of consumers. Outcomes: * Sixty percent of the stated goals recorded in the plans of participating consumers will have been reached; * The self-sufficiency of those receiving IL services and training will have been increased. Communication Assistance * Expansion of the sign language interpreter registry through recruitment and evaluation; * Implementation of a system for receiving and filling requests for communication assistance. Outcomes: * The interpreter registry will have been expanded through 300 service hours; * 9,000 hours of communication assistance will have been documented; * Seventy-five persons with hearing impairments will have been provided with interpreter services during medical emergencies. Assistive Technology * Completion of 20 outreach activities regarding assistive technology for people with disabilities; * Operation of an assistive technology lab that will have been used by 100 consumers; * Expansion of the assistive technology reference database through completion of 300 service hours; * Provision of 1,200 referrals to 600 contacts concerning all types of assistive technology; * Presentation of training relevant to technology for 30 consumers; * Provision of case coordination in order to heighten the ability of 60 consumers to acquire and use assistive technology; Outcomes: * People with disabilities will have had access to equipment and devices and will have tested their usefulness prior to purchase; * Training will have reduced anxiety and increased self-confidence among consumers seeking to use assistive and information technology; * Consumers will possess adequate knowledge of equipment and devices to facilitate successful selection and use. Family Services * Initiation of specific outreach activities to identify families having infants or preschoolers with disabilities, who require assistance regarding issues related to independent living; * Provision of supportive services and/or case management for 100 families annually; * Presentation of four parenting courses based on the STEP Program and other curricula; * Sponsorship of an all-day workshop targeted to parents and professionals; * Provision of personal counseling for 40 family members to aid with the adjustment to disability and its impact on individual and family functioning; * Coordination of 16 meetings of parent support groups so that families might share knowledge, experiences, and feelings; * Administration of play groups for children with disabilities and for siblings; Outcomes: * Participating families will have gained peer and professional support to enhance the emotional, social, and mental development of their young children with disabilities; * Family relationships will have been strengthened; * Professionals will be better prepared to assist families having youngsters with disabilities. Employment Services * Presentation of employment preparation training to 300 consumers of the Department of Rehabilitation, including 80, who are blind or visually impaired, 43, who are Vietnamese, and 110, who are Hispanic; * Identification of job leads through interaction with human resource departments and potential employers; * Formation of a business advisory committee to enhance program implementation; * Provision of post-employment assistance regarding reasonable accommodation and other issues for those participants requesting such assistance; Outcomes: * 1,500 hours will have been completed in job development activities; * 186 job placements within the targeted consumer groups will have been facilitated; * A 90-day job retention rate will have been reached among 128 of those individuals placed in employment. (D) Individuals Served Per County Goal: To achieve consumer distribution that is in parity with the population of Smith County. Activities: * Implementation of ongoing outreach efforts throughout the service area; * Maintenance of sufficient staff to assure countywide coverage; * Operation of two offices to enhance consumer access to center programs and services. Outcomes: * 1,300 unduplicated clients will have been assisted through the agency's main offices; * 250 consumers will have been served through the center's branch office. (E) Consumer Satisfaction Goal: To provide opportunities for consumers to express satisfaction or dissatisfaction with policies, procedures, and services encounter through their interaction with the agency. Activities: * Dissemination of the "How's The Service?" form to all new consumers upon completion of assistance; * Scheduling of time for public comment during board meetings so that consumers might share their assessment of center programs before the governing body; * Coordination of focus groups to gain input from the community; * Provision of a mechanism for consumer evaluation through the agency's web site; * Completion of an annual analysis and summary of evaluation data; * Presentation of findings to the governing board, the SILC, and the Rehabilitation Services Agency. Outcomes: * Evaluation forms will have been dispersed to at least 400 consumers; * A return rate of fiftee