Dhhac-Work Plan

DHHAC-WORK PLAN Component #1

Issue:

DOR faces the recent major challenges with the new operation as “Team Approach” serving the Deaf and Hard of Hearing consumers, as ASL users. The ideal of team effort is to ensure the quality of services for any consumers with disabilities without having any delayed service. Many other staff except Rehabilitation Counselors for the Deaf are not really well-prepared to serve this specific group, ASL users, such as not being able to communicate effectively or understand how to work effectively with them to achieve their successful employment outcomes.

Objective:

Provide ongoing training sessions for inexperienced staff to learn how to communicate and work effectively with our Deaf consumers to provide high quality of services as a team.

Methodology:

DHHS staff shall provide on-going training sessions for small groups of DOR staff at the field offices to promote better understanding how to work effectively with the ASL users, as well as Deaf employees.  Basic ASL sign language conversation/Fingerspelling  Deaf Culture/norm behaviors  Community resources available  How to use interpreter effectively  Assistive devices technology  Appropriate Communication Methods

DHHS will provide annual statewide training with recommended topics for Team Managers, Employment Coordinators, Service Coordinators, and other staff. It will be ideal for DOR to mandate staff to attend our training, only if they work with Deaf consumers. DHHS will be expected to place online webinar training – “Deaf Sensitivity Training” in our DOR intranet for our DOR staff.

DHHS staff shall be available to provide “hands-on training” how to use assistive technology in any DOR field office, such as Ubi Duo, VRI services, etc.

DHHS shall arrange to have biannual employment training for Employment Coordinators (ECs) to be more effective in working with our Deaf consumers. DHHS staff can include experienced job developers from our CRP vendors and EDD offices where they can work together with ECs, as a team, to enhance better employment outcomes for our consumers.

DHHS staff will attend venues such as Deaf Expo and Deaf Awareness Day events to expand their network and list of updated resources available for our Deaf/Hard of Hearing consumers.

DOR staff are strongly encouraged to take ASL and/or Deaf Culture courses at local community colleges or universities.

Measurements:

DHHS will conduct a survey for each classification, such as TM, QRP, EC, SC and OT to identify the most common issues which need to be addressed.

DHHS will conduct pre-test and post-test for each classification at every training site and collect the result.

DHHS will monitor the number of annual successful employment outcome.