Title: SRC Participation in Comprehensive Statewide Needs Assessments
1SRC Participation in Comprehensive Statewide
Needs Assessments
National state rehabilitation council forum June
25, 2013
2Todays Presentation
- CSNA Requirements
- CSNA Principles
- Role of the SRC in the CSNA
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Resources
3What is the CSNA?
- Comprehensive Statewide Needs Assessment
- The basis for the State Plan goals, objectives,
and strategies - VR agency and SRC are required by the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, to work
jointly on conducting a CSNA - Conducted every three years
- Attachment 4.11(a) of the State Plan
4CSNA Required Information Goals
- VR service needs of individuals with the most
significant disabilities, including their need
for supported employment - Individuals with disabilities who are minorities
- Individuals with disabilities who have been
unserved and underserved by the VR program and - Individuals with disabilities served through the
statewide workforce investment system.
5Attachment 4.11(a) Requirements
- AND..an assessment of the need to
-
- Establish, develop or improve
- community rehabilitation programs (CRPs)
- within the state
6CSNA Principles
- Take advantage of existing knowledge
- Build on the experience of the State Plan
- Involve the Community
- VR Agency/SRC/Community partnership
- Use data to focus the assessment goals
- CSNA cannot rely on data alone
- Design a feasible and reasonable project
- Use wide range of methods, participants
- Combine quantitative qualitative results
- The process is as much an art as science
7CSNA Principles
- Multi-disciplinary needs assessment team
- Data crunchers, fiscal and field staff, subject
matter experts - Start thinking dissemination early
- In developing State Plan options, learn from past
successes and mistakes - What worked and what didnt, what changes are
needed? - Does our evaluation in Attachment 4.11(e)(2)
suggest that changes in strategies are needed? - Develop a menu of alternatives
8CSNA Steps
- Establish goals of the CSNA
- What info exists, what info do we need? Who will
be - involved in the process and what will the SRC
role be? - Plan for information
- Where can we get the needed information and how
can - we get it?
- Gather information
- Use a wide range of methods, participants
- Analyze results
9CSNA Steps
- Develop Conclusions
- What needs have been identified?
- Information for the State Plan
- What needs are a priority, how will we address
them - and what are our goals?
- Disseminate Results
- How can we make this available to the public?
- Can other entities make use of this information?
10SRC Role in the CSNA
- SRC involvement in the CSNA process may be in the
form of - Participation in the planning of the CSNA
- Collecting data/information
- Review of findings
- Development of recommendations re State Plan
goals and strategies - Disseminating the results
- Periodic review of the results of the CSNA and
other management information to determine whether
the goals and strategies are responsive to the
needs and to determine future actions
11Examples of SRC Role in the CSNA
- Planning
- Participating on a CSNA planning committee
- Reviewing manpower and skills available
- Discussing whether the assessment should be
- conducted internally or contracted to
consultants - identifying the role of the SRC and other
participants in the assessment
12Examples of SRC Role in the CSNA
- Gather Information Examples
- Designing/conducting/reviewing surveys
- Attending or conducting focus groups
- Conducting key informant interviews
- Attending, conducting or participating in hearings
13Examples of SRC Role in the CSNA
- Dissemination of CSNA results
- Create a plan for sharing the results including
- Audiences
- Methods and media
- Schedule
- Costs
- Goals
14Frequently Asked Questions about the CSNA
- Is the CSNA an event or a continuous process?
- According to 34 CFR 361.29(a)(1), the CSNA must
be conducted every three years. RSA has
interpreted that to mean that a CSNA addressing
all requirements and serving as the foundation
for the State Plan goals and objectives must be
completed by the end of the third FY, regardless
of whether it is conducted as a single event in
one year or continuously over a three-year
period.
15Frequently Asked Questions about the CSNA
- Is the CSNA an event or a continuous process?
(cont.) - Pros and Cons to Each Approach
- Completing a portion of the CSNA each year for
three years provides flexibility in scheduling
activities and gathering information. - Conducting an assessment once, all in one year,
provides a focused snapshot view and a sense of
relief when its completed. - Either way,
- Identified Needs ? Development of State Plan
Goals and Policies
16Frequently Asked Questions about the CSNA
- If an agency and SRC conduct a needs assessment
in three one-year parts, are the results to be
consolidated into one report or submitted as
yearly updates? - When the state conducts the CSNA on a continuous
basis over a three-year period, the state must
include the CSNA results in Attachment 4.11(a) of
the State Plan as annual updates for each of the
three years pursuant to 34 CFR 361.29(a)(2).
17Frequently Asked Questions about the CSNA
- How do you define unserved and underserved?
- The Rehabilitation Act and its implementing
regulations do not define these terms. The VR
Needs Assessment Guide contains the following
guideline - Unserved individuals are individuals who would be
eligible for VR services but have not received VR
services. - Underserved individuals are those who do not
receive equal access to VR services.
18Frequently Asked Questions about the CSNA
- Unserved and underserved individuals
- can include
- racial and ethnic minorities
- specific disability populations
- people with disabilities who are low-income
- veterans
- certain age groups and
- residents of a specific geographic area.
19Resources Conducting a CSNA
- For additional information on conducting a CSNA
and completing State Plan Attachment 4.11(a) - See VR Needs Assessment Guide at
http//rsa.ed.gov/display.cfm?pageid406 - Contact your Regional Technical Assistance and
Continuing Education center at
https//ncrtm.org/moodle/course/view.php?id180
20Resource SRC/VR Agency Partnership
- 36th IRI The State Rehabilitation Council
Vocational Rehabilitation Partnership at
http//iriforum.org/books.aspx36ua - SRC On-Line Training Series (includes information
on conducting the CSNA) at www.erehab.org
21Thank you!
- Janette Shell
- RSA
- 550 12th St., SWPCP Room 5010Washington, DC
20202-2800 - 202.245.7257 (voice)
- 202.245.7590 (FAX)
- Janette.shell_at_ed.gov
- Susan Schaffer
- Director, Office of Blindness and Vision
Services - Maryland DORS2301 Argonne Drive Baltimore, MD
21218 - 410.554.9277 (voice)
- 410.554.9197 (FAX)
- sschaffer_at_dors.state.md.us