Disability Program Navigator Training A Joint Initiative of the U.S. Department of Labor and the Social Security Administration

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Disability Program Navigator TrainingA Joint
Initiative of theU.S. Department of Laborand
theSocial Security Administration

• Colorado Navigator Experience
• Patrick Loeber, Consumer Navigator, Pikes Peak
  Workforce Center

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• Consumer Navigators (CN) are individuals with
  disabilities, family members, or advocates who
  assist customers with disabilities seeking
  employment in navigating various systems that
  provide the services and supports needed to
  obtain and maintain employment.

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My Background

• Twenty Years Experience working with persons with
  disabilities.
• Range of Experience includes direct service
  provider, case manage, therapist, community
  advocate, program director.

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My Typical Day

• Range of Interactions with Other Agencies,
  Systems, Individuals

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Consumer Navigator Services

• Provide individualized client centered planning
• Provide peer mentoring and advocacy
• Provide resource information, including linkages
  to specific services within the community
• Assist individuals with disabilities to secure
  and access services and supports needed to obtain
  and maintain employment
• Provide referrals
• Troubleshoot problem areas
• Conduct outreach to underserved groups

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Most Often Provided Services

• Advocacy
• Client-Centered Counseling
• Resource for Employers

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Types of Referrals

• Integrated Career Centers (Workforce Centers)
• Benefits Counseling
• Vocational Rehabilitation
• Out of 24 referral categories, almost 50 is
  made up by three categories.

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What Value Do Consumer Navigators Provide?

• Building better relationships between agencies
• Improved Customer Service

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One-Stops Prior to Navigators

• Unrecognized needs of customers
• Automatic referral to Division of Vocational
  Rehabilitation (DVR)
• Customers fell through cracks

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What Value Do Consumer Navigators Add?

• Resource and information dissemination
• Assist consumers in self advocacy
• Making the right referral and keeping up with
  changes
• Being available in crisis situations
• Provide ongoing follow up with consumers
• Provide training on adaptive equipment
• Initially resisted by staff, now valued
• Built communication with DVR and SSA
• CN viewed as a facilitator

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Positive Outcomes

• Successful employment outcomes
• Infrastructure built within One Stop
• More individuals with disabilities served in
  pilot sites
• Strong partnerships state and local
• Case management enhanced
• Universal access to programs and services

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Challenge of Navigator Position

• Wanting to do everything is a risk.
• Remembering that the role is to navigate and
  build infrastructure within the community and the
  One Stop.
• Promoting the position and your role to
  customers, co-workers, and agencies in the
  community.
• Outreach in the community.

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Skills and Knowledge Critical to Success

• Comfortable with Multiple Tasks to be worked on
  at the same time.
• Problem-Solving skills.
• Ability to work with many different kinds of
  people.
• Willing to take risks and facilitate change.
• Knowledge of multiple systems that touch people
  with disabilities.

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This training has been designed and developed by
theLaw, Health Policy Disability Center
(LHPDC) of the University of Iowa College of
Lawdisability.law.uiowa.edu