Project Description:
This project is helping the Utah State Office of Rehabilitation (USOR) to complete two activities: (1) a revision of its strategic plan, and (2) conducting a focus group of consumers as part of a statewide needs assessment.
In 2000, Utah vocational rehabilitation (VR) staff engaged in an elaborate strategic planning process to focus the state’s efforts to improve VR services. As a result, 11 strategies to effect improvement were identified and committees were established to develop objectives for implementing each strategy. The eleven strategies were:
1. Assure that caseloads are manageable.
2. Improve the quality of communication.
3. Attract, value, and retain quality staff.
4. Assure the provision of quality services and outcomes.
5. Assure a system that guarantees “informed choice†throughout the VR process.
6. Assure that all staff have adequate professional development, training, and supervision to successfully perform their job.
7. Develop, promote, and support appropriate community partnerships.
8. Provide leadership in accessibility.
9. Develop cultural competence and respect for diversity.
10. Increase employer awareness of and involvement with the VR programs.
11. Assist the consumer to understand and access public programs and how employment may affect benefits.
Work to implement the above strategies was continuing during the winter of 2004. At that time, the Utah State Office of Rehabilitation (USOR) decided to review strategic planning activities with an eye toward determining: (1) which strategies had been completed or could be terminated, and (2) which strategies needed to be continuing foci for the future. Working with USOR staff, CPD Outreach Division staff devised procedures for revising the strategic plan. A meeting was held on March 18 to review the strategic plan. Chairpersons, of the 11 strategy committees gave brief reports on strategy implementation and progress. Following the presentations, strategic planning work group members each rank ordered the five strategies they felt were most important to continue in the future. Analysis of the rankings clearly identified six priorities that should remain future foci. In order of importance they were manageable caseloads, quality staff, quality services and outcomes, quality communications, professional development, and community partnerships. A report describing the process and outcomes was submitted to USOR in April 2004.
Periodically, USOR conducts needs assessments to determine where its services are working well and where they need to improve. For 2004 it was decided that consumer focus groups should be part of the needs assessment process, and CPD Outreach Division staff were asked to facilitate those groups at sites across the state. Working with USOR staff, a set of focus group questions were developed and used to conduct focus groups in Price, Cedar City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, Utah. As of this writing, the data are being analyzed in preparation for writing a report that will be submitted to USOR in May 2004.
Area of Emphasis
Quality Assurance, Employment-Related Activities, Quality of Life, Other - Assistive Technology
