Staff Training Specifics

Rachel Pollock & Dale Verstegen EFSLMP SMEs

PROVIDER TRANSFORMATION 2.0 SERIES

MAY 13, 2019

Objectives

Building internal staff training capacity for best practice in employment and meaningful community integration

Shifting staff responsibilities from caretaking to connecting

Developing effective job descriptions

Questions that lead to quality outcomes

Scheduling community-based supports

Staff work day schedules

Transportation solutions

Building Capacity for Internal Staff Training

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Why?

◦ Training available “on demand” for new employees

◦ Establish “experts” within agency

◦ Staff learn from future mentors

◦ Agency can infuse training with agency philosophy and expectations

◦ Possibly provide training to other agencies (increase revenue)

Support staff to receive training in best practice

Assure coaching/mentorship to achieve competence

Provide access to Train the Trainer Training

Support and reward staff for becoming trainers and providing training

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Staff Training and Retention

Studies show connection between feeling competent and longevity on the job

Often staff are away from direct supervision for long periods - must be competent – must be able to have confidence in skill

Values and concepts must be repeatedly reinforced so everyone stays in sync

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Branson

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Best Practices in Community Integrated Employment (CIE)

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Prep is the key

Community exposure/ involvement

Learning through community experience/feedback

CB prep/training provides the conditions/circumstances of jobs

CB training the gold standard

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Customized Employment

Employment relationship meeting the needs of employee and employer

Based the strengths, conditions, & interests of a job candidate (discovery) & needs of an employer

Individualized approach to employment planning and job development — one person at a time . . . one employer at a time.

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Best Practices in Meaningful Community Day Support

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Meaningful Day Integration as a Pathway to Employment

◦ Job observation/ exploration

◦ Job sampling ◦ Normalized

teaching and training environments

◦ Assessment opportunity

Meaningful Day Integration as Retirement Support

Beyond working age

With typically aging peers

Pursuit of interests

Relationship development

Contribution

Shifting Staff Perspectives – What They Do, Where They Go, Why, and How

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What does real life look like?

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People with disabilities are often confined in a bubble of predictability under the guise of preventing risk and promoting health and safety. How does that translate to the supports people receive? How does that translate to what staff think their job is?

What is different?

What about for people with disabilities?

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• How can we expand and deepen a person’s relationships?

• How do we enhance a person’s reputation and increase the

likelihood of them experiencing respect?

• How do we assist people to develop their capacities and

contribute to community life?

• How can we help people have more choice & control in their

lives?

• How do we increase people’s presence in the life of their

communities?

Questions that Lead to Quality Outcomes

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Question: How can we expand and deepen someone’s relationships?

What makes the focus person happy? What talents and interests do they possess? Who do we know that could be invited to share their time, interests, and talents with this person?

Kathy loves birds. She fills bird feeders at the hospital and draws beautiful birds.

Who else in her community might enjoy spending time with Kathy around her interest in birds?

Growing in Relationships

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How can we turn an interest or a skill into a socially valued role in addition to paid employment?

Jenny is a gardener

Melissa is a baker

Lenny is a public speaker/trainer

Robert is a member of the Knight of Columbus

Experiencing Respect by Having Valued Roles

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Question: How can we increase someone’s choice and control in their life?

What kind of choices does the person make now? What could be added to give the person more control over his/her life understanding that many people have very little control over the most basic aspects of their day:

What time to get up? What to eat?

What to wear?

What kind of work to do?

Making Choices

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Question: How can we increase a person’s presence in community life?

Sharing Ordinary Places

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• Congregate Outings/Van Therapy

• “Disability Tourism” • “HIPPA Bubbles”

Guided Community Exploration (“Who will you meet there?”)

Versus…

Transportation Solutions

Decentralized supports for work, community life close to home

Transitioning youth – Begin planning/training while still in school

Make a part of all pre-employment training/planning

Transportation Solutions2

Provide travel training where public transportation is available

Part of initial discussions about employment

Some options Staff or agency vehicles

Local, state, or county transportation systems

Taxis

Uber, Lift

Ride sharing (paid or unpaid natural support)

Walk

Bike

Make Sure staff understand Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE) and impact on

benefits

Remember the solutions to transportation are

customized too!

GETTING AROUND TOWN…

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This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA

Synonyms for opportunist: risk-taker, adventurer, wheeler-dealer, trailblazer, pioneer

Opportunistic

Connectors

STAFF OF THE FUTURE

Good Company

Caregivers

MAJORITY OF STAFF

Shifting Staff…

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Plan and implement supports and community experiences based on goals and objectives established in the person-centered planning process for persons receiving Home, Community, and Work Supports.

Introduce persons to community resources and community members.

Facilitate community inclusion by assisting people to: ◦ use generic resources such as local banks, grocery stores,

fitness centers, restaurants, etc.; ◦ join groups, clubs, classes; ◦ volunteer; ◦ become a “regular” in places other people share their interests

Sample Job Description Responsibilities:

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Develop sustained relationships through consistent, shared activity with community members.

Participate in the Career Planning & Discovery process and assist people to learn about local employers who pay for tasks that match their interests;

Provide job coaching to persons in individual jobs: ensure that work is performed per employer specifications regarding quality, quantity, and socially typical behavior;

Facilitate the development of natural supports.

Sample Job Description Responsibilities (2)

Wage employment 15 hrs/wk

Self-employment 6 hrs/wk

Volunteers 12 + hrs/wk;

Other home and community paid supports approx. 13 hrs/wk

Volunteer

Employee

Home Owner

Meet Robert

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Good Neighbor

Member of Lifestyle Fitness Center

Devout Catholic

Member Knights of Columbus

Other Valued Roles…

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SCHEDULING CAN BE MESSY BUSINESS

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SCHEDULING…ANOTHER EXAMPLE

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◦ 3:00pm – 4:30pm Home supports/prep for work

◦ 5:00pm – 10:00pm Wage employment

Wednesday:

◦ 7:30am – 9:00am Fitness Center/errands

◦ 9:00am – 1:00pm Volunteers at senior meal program

◦ 1:00pm – 3:00pm Self-employment/community

◦ 3:30pm – 5:00pm Home supports

Thursday:

◦ 7:30am – 9:00am Fitness Center/errands

◦ 9:00am – 11:00am Self-employment/community supports

◦ 3:30pm – 4:30pm Home supports/prep for work

◦ 5:00pm – 10:00pm Wage employment

Monday:

◦ 7:30am – 9:00am Fitness Center/errands

◦ 9:00am - 12:30pm Volunteers at senior meal program

◦ 1:00pm - 3:00pm Self-employment/community

◦ 3:00pm – 4:30pm Home supports

Tuesday:

◦ 7:30am – 9:30am Fitness Center/errands

◦ 9:30am – 10:30am Home supports (meal planning paired with another person supported)

◦ 11:00am – 1:00pm Volunteers at a church thrift store

◦ 1:30pm – 3:00pm Volunteers at a different church food pantry

Robert’s Schedule of Supports

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Saturday:

◦ 8:00am – 10:30am Home supports (if requested)

◦ Rest of the morning – Does household tasks by himself

◦ Early afternoon – Goes to a restaurant for coffee

◦ 4:00 – 5:30 Attends church

Sunday:

◦ 2:00pm – 7:00pm Wage employment

Friday:

◦ 7:30am – 9:30am Meal prep with another person supported

◦ 12:00pm– 4:00pm Home and community supports (run errands, support with laundry and other household tasks, etc.)

◦ Rest of the day – Connects with friends or volunteers

He also attends community suppers, goes to Knights of Columbus events, spends time with friends.

Robert’s Schedule of Supports (2)

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Staff Work Schedule Sample Ben = 34.5 hours/week

Monday: ◦ 7:30am – 9:00am (Robert)

◦ 9:00am – 12:30pm (Brian & Leo)

◦ 12:30pm – 1:00 Lunch

◦ 1:00pm – 3:00pm (Robert community)

◦ 3:00pm – 4:30pm (Robert home)

Tuesday: ◦ 7:30am – 9:30am (Robert)

◦ 9:30 – 10:30 (Robert & Leo)

◦ 10:30am – 11:00am (Leo)

◦ 11:30am – 12:30pm Lunch/break

◦ 12:30pm – 3:30pm (Manny – library, volunteer historical society, menu planning & shopping)

Wednesday: ◦ 7:30am – 9:30am (Robert)

◦ BREAK

◦ 1:30pm – 2:30pm Staff meeting

◦ 2:30pm – 5:30pm (Manny)

Thursday: ◦ 7:30am – 9:00am (Robert)

◦ 12:00pm – 3:00pm (Michael – community supports)

◦ 3:30pm – 4:30pm (Robert)

Friday: ◦ 7:30am – 9:30am (Robert & Leo)

◦ 9:30am – 11:30am (Leo)

◦ 11:30am – 12:00pm (Lunch)

◦ 12:00pm – 4:00pm (Robert)

Saturday: May provide supports to Robert in the AM and swap out some Friday hours with him.

New Questions What additional training and supervision do your staff need to understand their community based role? In what area is your training strong? Where are the weaknesses? How can you develop the capacity to provide staff the training and support they need?

How do you currently schedule community based staff? Is there additional flexibility or fluidity that you can build in?

How can you help staff understand transportation options and opportunities?

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Contact

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RACHEL POLLOCK

EFSLMP SME

rpollock@jobpathnyc.org

DALE VERSTEGEN

EFSLMP SME

dverstegen@transcen.org