National Consortium - State Operated Comprehensive Rehabilitation Centers (NC-SOCRC) Strategic Plan for 2005-2006 Vision: To act as an influential, dynamic, collaborative and effective force, in promoting the value of state-operated, comprehensive rehabilitation centers. Mission: To promote and deliver quality rehabilitation services that result in employment and independence for individuals with disabilities at America's state-operated comprehensive rehabilitation centers. Values: * Collaboration through mutual support, teamwork and effective communication * Innovation through continuous learning, research and shared practice Goal I: Develop a consortium training academy through a collaborative network of staff development training A. Develop a Behavioral Education training workshop and offer as a two-hour video conferencing in-service training component to the centers. (Collaboration between the Carl D. Perkins Rehabilitation Center and the Tennessee Rehabilitation Center) Training to include: * A participant's behavioral resource manual to be mailed to participants prior to workshop and then maintained in the participant's office/common work area for quick reference. (Initial discussions and specific outline completed by 1-28-05; rough draft of training curriculum and participant manual by 3-1-05; final draft 4-1-05 and training initiated with TN and KY 6-1-05- Mike Orem KY and Mona Overstreet TN) * Video-conferencing training will focus on principles of behavior education, implementation of behavioral techniques, and discussion of specific behavioral cases * A feedback survey questionnaire to be completed by participants following the training workshop providing information on the quality and value of the training session, content, and method of delivery. * Secure collaboration with university to award CEU credits. B. Develop an Advanced Behavioral Education (Phase II of Basic Workshop) training workshop. (Continuation project between the Carl D. Perkins Rehabilitation Center and the Tennessee Rehabilitation Center) The purpose of this workshop is as follows: * To provide a forum for designated NC-SOCRC center staff primarily responsible for implementing behavior techniques and enforcing the centers rules of conduct. This workshop will provide a review of current Behavioral Education activities, shared best practices, and discussion of current needs as to behavioral education. (Target completion date - September 2005; Mona Overstreet (TN) and Mike Orem (KY) responsible * Participants will continue to re-educate themselves on Behavioral Practices and collectively develop strategies to continue to revise and renew their Center's Behavioral Education Program to best meet the needs of the clients. C. Update the NC-SOCRC at each meeting with progress reports from the workshop trainers provided to Tennessee and Kentucky directors. Report of project status will begin with NC-SOCRC spring meeting and continue thereafter. (Newill and Holmes) D. Develop roster of each center's area of expertise and a chronology of training emphasis Goal II: Create and implement a research agenda within the consortium A. Each center will participate in the Learned Optimism Research Project, led by George Washington University. B. Continue dialogue towards the pursuit of evidence-based effective rehabilitation practices, by discussing the research implications of each consortium project C. Create and disseminate a format for project-specific research results to be shared with other centers, via the web page D. Review data summary reports from Maryland and Michigan to determine value of compiling outcomes summary data report from all centers. Goal III: Create an environment within rehabilitation centers to attract and retain employees A. Develop and implement a comprehensive staff retention program at the Hiram G. Andrews Center in PA to include staff education needs assessment, training and new employee orientation. * Organize an interdisciplinary work group to develop and implement a staff education needs assessment instrument (Work group has been organized) * Consolidate information from needs assessment (Sample needs assessment instruments from other centers will be gathered) * Develop an outline of the planned training programs to be offered * Organize an interdisciplinary work group to review and implement improvements to the new employee orientation program (Work group has been established) * Don Rullman will present action plan by March 30, 2005 B. Improve staff retention at the Maryland Workforce and Technology Center (WTC) by developing and implementing a more comprehensive staff training needs assessment process. * Appoint two individuals from WTC to take a lead role in this initiative (complete) * Secure information from other centers regarding their needs assessment instruments * Organize task group * Develop a plan of action (Jean Jackson will present action plan to consortium by March 30, 2005) * Determine if there is a need for a consortium training needs assessment C. Enhance organizational culture at the Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center (WWRC) in VA. * Identify and secure commitment from individuals to serve on a work group (Barbara Ostrander) * Conduct research with other states and Governor's Healthy Virginians initiative * Explore possibility of becoming focus site for Health Virginians with special needs * Develop and implement an action plan by June 30, 2005 D. Promote a healthy work environment at all centers. * Share the Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center (WWRC) organizational process with other centers (Rick Sizemore will develop written description) * Determine need for organizing collaborative work group involving representatives from designated centers to consolidate information organizational renewal initiatives (Consortium to determine March, 2005) * Determine need for development of a video (or video conference) to share with center staffs which would provide rationale for interventions, specific strategies and outcomes (This item contingent on formation of collaborative work group) E. Develop and implement a cultural needs assessment and improvement process at the West Virginia Rehabilitation Center (WVA) * Organize a work group to develop a mechanism to assess WVA organizational culture (January, 2005) * Contact other centers and secure information regarding their cultural assessment and improvement processes * Formalize an action plan (March, 2005) Goal IV: Broaden and strengthen the leadership capacity within rehabilitation centers. A. Develop new center administrators' orientation and mentorship program * Develop a draft of items which should be included in orientation program based on competencies needed (Donna Ashworth -March 2005) * Review and refine orientation document * Implement orientation and mentorship program with new center administrators * Develop and implement a 2-3 day training program for new center administrators (2006) B. Promote participation in leadership training programs currently underway (GWU/San Diego) * Increase awareness of program's availability and mechanism for participation (center directors to share information with their staff) * Review curriculum of the GWU/San Diego training program * Determine if additional leadership training is needed for centers C. Develop and implement a Leadership Development/Succession Planning program at the Tennessee Rehabilitation Center * Identify an individual to assume lead role in this initiative (complete) * Secure and review information from other VR state agencies and consortium centers on existing leadership programs (project coordinator and appointed focus group) * Develop draft of Leadership/Succession Planning program and review with university partners and state director * Finalize program D. Utilize e-learning as tool to augment leadership and other training initiatives * Conduct in-depth review of MCTI's e-learning system to determine relevance for NC-SOCRC training (May, 2005) * Provide information to centers to grant 30-day guest access to MCTI's e-learning system Goal V: Promote the visibility and credibility of the NC-SOCRC through increased sharing of information on conference activities, research results and program outcomes A. Conduct an annual review of consortium's web page and update accordingly B. Disseminate 2004 conference proceedings C. Update Fact Sheet D. Post strategic plan on consortium's web page Goal VI: Strengthen the NC-SOCRC as a formal organization A. Conduct an annual review of organizational by-laws and update accordingly B. Conduct regular meetings of NC-SOCRC C. Explore mechanisms to involve other center staff in activities of consortium D. Create consortium archives E. Consider affiliate status with other organizations F. Conduct national training conference in 2006 Developed and approved by NC-SOCRC members January, 2005