Financial Asset Development
DRAFT Minutes
May 12, 2016
4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Hilton Garden Inn, Cary, NC

Members Present: Amanda Bergen, Caroline Ambrose, Jack Rogers, Anna Cunningham, Dreama McCoy, Wing Ng, Jim Swain, Paula Woodhouse, Ron Reeve

Members Absent: Adonis Brown, Crystal L. Foreman, Dave Richard, Senator Tommy Tucker, David White

Guests: None

Staff/Contractors: Donna Gallagher

Introduction
Amanda welcomed the members.
Each member stated why he or she is interested in serving on this committee.
Amanda announced the members not present. David White had to leave prior to the meeting.

Initiative Updates and Motion to Approve Continuation Funding

Roads to Learning and Earning (also known as Learning and Earning After High School)
Grant Project Coordinator Megan McLaughlin of Western Carolina University joined the committee through GoToMeeting videoconferencing. Co-Grant Project Director Kelly Kelley was not available.

Megan presented a PowerPoint presentation highlighting the Year 3 accomplishments. For Slide 2 showing the match amounts partnering counties have contributed to this initiative, Anna asked about the match and the rate of turnover. Megan said the turnover has not been recorded yet. Anna commented it’s a good idea to know the environment. Dreama brought up the match money and said Beverly and Council member Bill Hussey have been involved. Megan said she can share cost-sharing invoices and asked whom to send them to. Send to Philip.

Slide 3 discussed the 105 lesson plans produced. Anna asked if they have talked to parents about the lesson plans. Megan replied that they are not creating the parent part, just the teacher part. She added maybe they can create a student version.

Roads to Learning and Earning has a redesigned website: see www.rtle.org. Dreama asked why the website changed. Megan said the old website had too many graphics, and the new one has actual pictures of people and looks more realistic. She wants the committee’s feedback on the website. Dreama indicated that she likes the icons and wants students, families, and teachers to visit the website. Megan mentioned that transition starts at birth. Dreama commented that the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) wants to share the information across North Carolina and how the transition process for students with disabilities should start in elementary school.

Slide 8 focused on ongoing initiatives in Western North Carolina, and Megan said they hope the Women’s and Children’s Coalition will pick up on this initiative.

Upward to Financial Stability
Contractor Michael Roush of the National Disability Institute, Inc. (NDI) called in. Subcontractor Donna Gallagher of The Collaborative was present.

The committee received one question after the presentation to the full Council: “2hr. Overview for family’s knowledge not to be a trainer?” The committee was not immediately clear with what the question was asking.

Michael replied by saying the two-hour overview is a good takeaway. Some trainers are starting training in their communities. Anna brought up the train-the-trainer sessions and trainers tailoring the modules to the needs of audience.

Donna mentioned the desire to have a roster or a group go forward and to work on connections and referrals we have.

Michael provided an overview of the other components of the initiative that Donna did not cover in the presentation to the full Council. Michael said there is a lot of excitement and enthusiasm. One takeaway: participants enjoyed it and wish they would keep it longer. People are thirsty for this information. It is intense training, and it is important for NDI to address the participants’ questions and needs. There is a great need for more public benefits training. Make sure this isn’t a training that ends in the training room. Trainers gather monthly to talk. NDI staff address their questions. What is the easiest process to interact with their system? NDI gets questions to share with the trainer network. This is the right time in North Carolina because it is a cutting edge initiative with new legislation coming out. This training is needed, especially with WIOA’s mandates. It is important that individuals with disabilities are empowered with individual choice and independence so people have options to make the right choice.

This project can support the tools they need. People who have this information have the tools they need. NDI can help connect family members with trainers.

Anna said there were individuals from other systems at the training she participated in and not all of them are familiar with the needs of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Help them understand who we are and what people with I/DD need to interact with different social services. People were begging for more information.

Michael addressed the two-hour question again. Go back to that person asking the question. (No name was provided on the question notecard.) NDI can easily create a link for families to access, and there’s interest in making the webinars available on-line.

Project SEARCH
Project SEARCH contractor Linda Emery of the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and subcontractor Pat Keul called in.

Linda provided an update and thanked NCCDD for the opportunity. She said Project SEARCH has the responsibility to implement effective job training programs. Project SEARCH continues to grow with 400+ sites in U.S. and international sites in countries such as Great Britain and Scotland.

The national employment rate for the 2013-2014 class of interns was 74%.
There are 30 different types of internships in hospital settings, including cleaning surgical equipment, inventory, and shipping and receiving.

North Carolina set up four Project SEARCH sites before the NCCDD grant. Those sites were not well connected and struggled to have the support they needed. There will be 12 sites in this state by August 2016.
New programs receive technical assistance from the national office.
Linda mentioned some of the programs set up before NCCDD funding. Duke Regional Hospital has had 32 interns complete the program. 38 enrolled. 15 have been placed in employment. Friends Homes is very successful with an 83% employment rate.

This year there are 59 young people participating, and Project SEARCH is now starting job placement. Three from Friends Homes have already been placed. Others are interviewing.

Linda said statewide training is key because of the strategies and the way they learn. She said Project SEARCH hopes to continue to expand in North Carolina. Research shows transitioning to work out of high school is better than transitioning to a day program. Linda said funding could cover part of start-up cost or financial buy-in. New sites need to be connected with the national office. Project SEARCH has found that the opportunity to participate in statewide trainings leads to success.

Amanda brought up two questions that were submitted by a Council member:

1. Can you ask if all of the programs are still ongoing? Yes.
2. What is the plan for continued capacity building beyond the next school year. Linda answered by saying Project SEARCH is a model that now enjoys strong statewide coordination/collaboration after starting with local collaboration. Stephanie Hanes at the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services (DVRS) started the effort for state-level coordination.

Anna and Paula were discussing statewide collaboration – the next step.
Paula asked, what is NCCDD’s goal when we finish with the Five Year Plan? This seems like a model we can use at the local level like a pilot with different agencies such as the Department of Commerce and DVRS involved. Anna brought up the importance of fidelity to the model. Linda replied it’s all about reaching out, and the more we can immerse in the Project SEARCH model, the better because good preparation leads to real jobs.
Linda said to e-mail her or Pat with any additional questions: [email protected] or [email protected]. Linda said the best way to get information is to look at the website: www.projectsearch.us.

New Business
Dreama had to leave, and the committee still had a quorum after Dreama left.

Caroline made a motion to approve continuation funding to the National Disability Institute for the Upward to Financial Stability initiative for an amount up to $75,000, with a required minimum of 25% non-federal matching funds ($25,000), for the period of October 1, 2016 to September 30, 2017 for Year 3 (of 3). Wing second the motion. The motion was approved.

Anna brought up possible conflict of interest, but Ron indicated there is no conflict of interest. Anna said we are ready to start the next phase, as Project SEARCH is in last year of funding, but it’s spreading by word of mouth. Anna recommended adding the training on-line because a two-hour review is not sufficient. She indicated, “We now have the motor going.”

Anna asked, what products do we need to look at? What are we doing for this population? She indicated that North Carolina is the top state for preventing predatory lending.

Anna shared that the Council’s Domestic Violence initiative should connect to the sexual assault/violence information curriculum.

Ron said we need to think about what we do with Project SEARCH. How do we continue it? We have a couple options. Allow staff to look at the options such as an employment contract. Evaluate it and start up two or three more. Amanda mentioned this approach would cut out the middle man.

Ron said we still need technical support if Project SEARCH continues. Have a staff person with that responsibility.

Anna brought up the progression of Project SEARCH and fidelity to model. Look at that and come back at the August meeting. What would the contractor’s role be? Make a recommendation at the August meeting. Anna is willing to make the motion. Anna also mentioned the need for a point person at DVRS.

Ron suggested giving the staff an assignment. Make a recommendation to Chris to look at this.

Anna said WIOA is a key in this employment discussion. She then proposed a motion to investigate the idea of having an employment position. This would be a contract position, not a Council staff position.

Ron indicated we need to find a way to continue Project SEARCH and look at other options such as mentors.

Jack brought up the value of pre-apprenticeship programs.

Paula brought up her daughter and parent expectations.

A motion was made to ask the staff to evaluate the option of having a contractor as an Employment Specialist on I/DD to continue the expansion of Project SEARCH and other employment initiatives at the state level in a collaborative manner. All were in favor. Anna made the motion, and Jack seconded it.

Wrap Up and Reminders

Amanda reminded the members of the August meeting and member surveys.

The meeting adjourned between 5:50 and 5:55.