Social Competence Webinar Series - Part 3: Play and Friendship

Cathy:

Cathy works in rural areas, which bring additional challenges such as lack of transportation, employment vendors and training venues.  Her caseload includes both adults and students; the students are in the School to Work Program, which has 138 active students, 6 of whom have been diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. The students with ASD are unique individuals - one answers questions easily, another needs to have information "extracted" from him, and still another takes what he hears very literally.

Student Example: Cathy has known this student 4 1/2 years, since his senior year in high school. He graduated with a special diploma. The student has a diagnosis of Asperger's and has strong family and community support. A vocational evaluation was completed, which supported commercial or graphic design (he is interested in art and graphics). First, the student enrolled in remediation to "up" his TABE scores. Then he enrolled in a public vocational school to study Commercial Art Technology. He had an extremely supportive instructor and earned his certificate. The student still needed skills in getting and keeping a job, so he spent almost a year in Tampa at the USF Learning Academy. While there, he was able to complete an internship with a sign company. The student is now, in conjunction with VR, exploring self-employment with the aid of a Certified Business and Technical Assistance Consultant (CBTAC).  He is also doing commercial graphic work for a local business.

Cathy's Tips for Developing a Vocational Goal:

• Explore the student's interests, abilities, assets and shortfalls.
• Do a Vocational Evaluation and Situational Assessment if able.
• Be realistic about a goal if the person is planning to stay where they are and not relocate.
• Conduct a thorough interview (ideally a series of short interviews) and follow this with observations in familiar and unfamiliar environments/activities/locations.

More Tips from Cathy:

• Be aware of special accommodations the individual may need (e.g., quiet, order, working alone).
• Include other agencies or organizations in the process (e.g., Social Security, USF, vocational evaluators, psychologists, Agency for Persons with Disabilities-Florida's DD Waiver, family, schools).

Lynda:

Lynda serves an exclusive School-to-Work caseload of 174 young people, 22 of whom have been diagnosed with Asperger's or Autism. She starts with the belief that everyone can work. Autism can make it harder due to factors such as impaired social interactions, limited work and educational skills, transportation, stigmas, and parent involvement.  We need to understand the disability and work with people as individuals. And we need to expose them to available opportunities.

Lynda shared the stories of four people she serves:

Dennis has been diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. He received a special diploma from high school and is currently participating in Project Search for on-the-job training and an internship. Dennis is on time and organized, but he is also quirky and self-stimulates in ways that draw attention to himself. He is working on this in the Project Search classroom. Dennis is interested in writing.

Evan is 18. He received a special diploma from high school. Evan wants to work in the community and would prefer something hands-on. His parents are extremely supportive. Evan likes things that are movie-related; he wanted to go to Hollywood and be an actor but will start closer to home.

Thomas started working with VR at age 16. He didn't complete his high school diploma. Thomas went into a workshop where he was exposed to work and interacting with others. He started getting bored and wanted to earn money, so he has been set up with an employment vendor.

Todd has a diagnosis of Asperger's. He received a regular diploma and an A.S. degree. His goal is to be a business manager.

Lynda's Tips for Developing the IPE:

• Consider available work evaluations, the client's interests, work experiences or volunteering while in high school, and the type of diploma.
• Communicate with the person verbally, face-to-face, and through family members.
• Determine IPE goals using past knowledge, experience, exposure, basic interests, classes from high school, and discussions with family or counselors.
• Verify what services are available and needed, how to implement them and for how long, and what the intended outcome is and how to get there.
• The individualized employment goal (customized) is determined through discussions, evaluations, and trial and error (we can learn a great deal from things that don't work out).
• Team members include VR, parents, work evaluators, job coaches, teachers...the length of the process varies on an individualized basis. Process steps include work evaluation; psychological evaluation (if needed); interactions with the individual and family members; and discussions of previous activities at school, home or in the community.
• The VRC's role is to facilitate the whole process; write the plan and implement services; link with available services in the community; follow through with services rendered; and provide ongoing counseling to the individual.
• Involve other agencies (high schools, Agency for Persons with Disabilities, Center for Autism & Related Disabilities, Office for Students with Disabilities, psychologists/psychiatrists, employment vendors, Certified Rehabilitation Evaluators, Social Security Administration...).
   

More Tips from Lynda:

• Focus on the individual.
• Use family support.
• Listen to the individual - practice good communication.
• Be knowledgeable of your audience.
• Be aware of available resources and supports.
• Be okay with failure and willing to try again.
• Be open to explore alternatives and try new things.
• Utilize available supports that already exist for that client.
• Promote independence.

Karen:

Karen has 26 years of experience with VR.  She shared the experiences of three of her customers with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Customer 1 attained a special diploma, uses Facilitated Communication, is creative, and has a witty personality. This customer's goal was determined using input from the customer gleaned through the Discovery process and observations at school and at community-based worksites, and input from the family, other agencies, the school system, and the Learning Academy at USF. The customer is interested in designing t-shirts and greeting cards to educate and advocate around autism. Due to the level of necessary supports, the team began looking at supported self-employment. Using information that had been gathered, VR met with the customer and family members to identify needed services and potential providers. The Business Planning Team currently includes the customer, family members, a Certified Business and Technical Assistance Consultant, the speech pathologist, a companion, the Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, representatives from the Agency for Persons with Disabilities and the USF Learning Academy, and the Social Security Administration Community Work Incentive Coordinator. The team is currently developing a business plan and completing the test market phase. The customer has developed some t-shirts and greeting cards and has sold them at various community conferences.

Customer 2 attained a high school diploma, uses oral language to communicate, is a concrete thinker, has a serious personality, and is highly motivated to work. To determine this customer's goal, VR reviewed his interests and past work experiences. The VRC worked with the customer to consider problems he had on past jobs and to develop strategies to prevent these problems in the future. They identified needed services and potential providers and built in his necessary supports ahead of time. He is currently working as a WalMart lot attendant. The Employment Consultant facilitated the job search, helped the customer develop his interviewing skills, facilitated his adjustment to the work environment, and helped develop natural supports. The customer is successfully employed and his VR case has been closed.

Customer 3 attained a college degree, uses oral language to communicate, is both an abstract and a concrete thinker (he thinks concretely in social situations), and had just been diagnosed with Asperger's when he came to VR. To determine his goal, the VRC obtained input from the customer and his family, used a traditional vocational evaluation, and reviewed his work history. It was discovered that he had volunteer experience in the child care industry. To develop his plan, the VRC used information gathered, met with the customer and his family, and identified needed services and potential providers. Supports provided by the Employment Consultant included facilitating the job search, helping the customer develop interviewing skills, facilitating his adjustment to the work environment, and aiding the development of natural supports.  The psychotherapist worked with the customer in the community to develop social skills - this way, immediate feedback could be provided in the actual situations he would encounter. The customer is now successfully employed as a teacher in a child care center and his VR case has been closed.

Tips from Karen:

• Assume capability. 
• Be open-minded.
• Follow the process.
• Use person-directed principles.
• Evaluate thoroughly.
• Consider the individual's resources and support system.
• Develop natural supports.
• Keep learning.
• Continue to research resources.
• Continue to seek new information.
• Continue to seek support from others.

Common themes from the three guest presenters include:

• Create opportunities for community exposure.
• Use a team approach.
• Gather feedback from others.
• Discover the individual's interests, skills, resources (existing and potential), capabilities...
• Use everything at your disposal for evaluation.
• With respect to transportation barriers, look for possibilities close to where the person lives and consider natural supports (e.g., ride shares).
• Focus on independence.

How many of your clients have quit their jobs, worked below Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) or refused to work due to misinformation about the impact of working on benefits? Are you unsure about the rules of SSA benefits and working? Keep a copy of When to Contact a Benefits Planner [PDF] handy to assist you in advising your client on when to contact a Community Work Incentive Coordinator (CWIC) or Benefits Planner.