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CAP comments on the OVR FY 2010 state plan

1.  Given the academic and professional requirements for OVR counselors under the Comprehensive System of Personnel Development (CSPD), OVR counselors should provide individualized services including counseling and guidance and job placement services to each customer with a focus on informed choice, rather than simply providing case management.  CAP encourages OVR to use some of its stimulus funds to provide training to counselors and staff on this important issue.
    

2. OVR should designate some stimulus funds to be used to provide training to its counselors on the full range of services that can be provided as part of “counseling and guidance”.
    

3. By September 2009, OVR should develop, seek input on, and publish a formal process to determine how its stimulus funds will be used.  This will allow the process to be transparent to the community.
    

4. By September 2009, OVR should provide the community with a published estimate of the number of persons with disabilities who will become successfully employed as a result of its stimulus funds.
    

5. By January 2010, PA OVR should develop an MOU with the veterans’ administration (VISN 4) to help ensure that our returning veterans receive the full compliment of VR services available through both Veterans Vocational Rehabilitation and OVR.
    

6.  PA OVR should review its current order of selection to ensure that those individuals categorized as “most significantly disabled” are individuals whose functional limitations create a barrier to employment.  This review should include a review of the current “functional capacities” used by OVR to address order of selection and review of the current policy on order of selection.  Stakeholders and community members must be a part of the review process.
    

7. By January 2010, OVR should form a work group, including CAP, other stakeholders and members of the disability community, to address the fact that many OVR applicants who receive SSDI/SSI benefits are not automatically found MSD.  This is a systemic issue.
    

8. OVR should partner with CAP and PABBS to address systemic issues facing individuals receiving social security disability and/or SSI.  This includes the need for a continuum of services post employment and extending beyond the 90 day period of employment after which OVR my close a casefile.
    

9. OVR should strengthen its partnership with CAP and PABBS so that counselors can learn more about the kinds of general social security questions that can be referred to PABBS or the Work Incentives Planning Assistance (WIPA) program.
    

10. During FY 2010, OVR should provide training to its hearing officer and mediator pool.  This should include, at a minimum, revising the current hearing officer “bench book” and ensuring that a copy is distributed to all hearing officers and mediators.  The bench book should be revised through a collaboration between OVR legal and CAP legal staff.  No formal hearing officer training has been provided since 2003.
     

11. During FY 2010, OVR should conduct, and publish the results of a formal customer satisfaction survey.  This survey should include all applicants who are found ineligible for OVR services, and all closed cases, regardless of the reason for closure.

 Submitted by the Pennsylvania Client Assistance Program
4/27/09
Jamiecray@aol.com