Manager Minute-brought to you by the VR Technical Assistance Center for Quality Management
39 episodes - English - Latest episode: 14 days ago -Conversations powered by VR. One Manager at a time. One Minute at a time.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
VRTAC-QM Manager Minute: DIFing the Path Forward - Iowa's Blueprint for Change Bridges Subminimum Wage to Competitive Integrated Employment
May 01, 2024 11:38 - 42 minutes - 58 MBWelcome to VRTAC-QM Manager Minute! Today, we're joined by Brandy McOmber, Project Director, Ashley Banes, Counselor Specialist, and Paul Fuller, Counselor Specialist, all representing Iowa General. Our focus is Iowa's Blueprint for Change DIF Grant and its creative use of the collective impact approach. This initiative aims to amplify opportunities for competitive integrated employment through strategic partnerships and pilot programs. Its overarching mission? To phase out sub-minimum w...
VRTAC-QM Manager Minute: CTPIE is reshaping employment in Connecticut! Transitioning people from subminimum wage to competitive integrated employment
April 01, 2024 12:06 - 23 minutes - 32.9 MBToday, we're thrilled to have Lynn Frith, Education Consultant from the Bureau of Rehabilitation Services at Connecticut General, in the studio. Discover how CTPIE, fueled by the RSA SWITCIE DIF Grant, is revolutionizing disability employment by shifting individuals from subminimum wage to competitive integrated jobs. With a focus on family input and multi-agency collaboration, CTPIE is at the forefront of innovating employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Listen He...
VRTAC-QM Manager Minute: DIF and California DOR - Discover how California’s Department of Rehabilitation is revolutionizing job readiness through a sector-specific strategy
March 01, 2024 12:45 - 28 minutes - 39.3 MBMark Erlichman is in the studio today, Deputy Director of the VR Employment Division with the California Department of Rehabilitation. Learn how this DIF Grant innovates by aligning services with industry needs, not location, and creating targeted support in tech and more. They also combined the Career Index Plus with the artificial intelligence program SARA to create customized Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) portfolios. Operational in just three months! #Innovation #Disabili...
VRTAC-QM Manager Minute: Using AI so VR Staff can Better Navigate All the Requirements - Washington General
February 01, 2024 14:24 - 30 minutes - 42.5 MBIn the studio today are Cassie Villegas, Outgoing Interim Director of Washington General, and Sven Akerman Jr, a contractor from Outlook Insight with Washington General. You can find out how Washington General empowers staff with an integrated AI tool that does the heavy lifting when researching policies, regulations, and RSA requirements, freeing staff to focus on providing quality services. Listen Here Full Transcript: {Music} Sven: Our team was presented with a ...
VRTAC-QM Manager Minute: How to Make VR Thrive! Building a Culture That Withstands the Test of Time at Vermont General
January 03, 2024 13:42 - 27 minutes - 38.2 MBDiane Dalmasse, Director of HireAbility Vermont, is in the studio today. Diane is the longest-serving director nationally in the VR program and has a lot to say about culture in the workplace and the changes Vermont made to retain and attract employees from across the nation. Learn about how hiring an organizational consultant back in the 90s continues to prove its worth today. Listen Here Full Transcript: {Music} Diane: I think that everyone should have their voices hea...
VRTAC-QM Manager Minute: What important question is VR missing when working with our Older Blind and Visually Impaired IL customers?
December 01, 2023 12:47 - 23 minutes - 31.7 MBIn the studio today is Kendra Farrow, Project Director with the Older Individuals Who Are Blind – Technical Assistance Center at the National Research & Training Center on Blindness & Low Vision Mississippi State University. Kendra and Carol discuss the question, “Why not ask the Older Individuals who are Blind right up front if they want to work?" Are we missing the boat with these talented individuals who are commonly not given the option for VR services that can benefit them? Whethe...
VRTAC-QM Manager Minute: Career Advancement DIF - How MRC is Turning VR on its Head!
November 06, 2023 13:29 - 36 minutes - 50.5 MBIn the studio today are Joan Phillips, Assistant Commissioner at the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission, and Michelle Banks, DIF Strategic Director for MRC. Find out how MRC is turning VR on its head. What would they do differently in the first year, and what results would they see after year 2? Learn about the success of the job certification program, and how they are meeting the "NextGen-ers" where they are at. Hear how Joan and Michelle encourage others to take on a DIF ...
VRTAC-QM Manager Minute: Celebrate the National Disability Awareness Month with a DIF Career Advancement Grant Discussion - The Trifecta Approach with Virginia DARS
October 02, 2023 12:16 - 38 minutes - 52.9 MBIn the studio today is David Leon, Director of Workforce Programs at the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS), and Kate Kaegi, Project Manager for the DIF. In recognition of Disability Awareness Month, the second podcast of our DIF series includes David and Kate explaining how Virginia's DIF grant was initiated, implemented, and adjusted to best reach their initiatives of placing 750 individuals with disabilities in STEM and healthcare careers, registered appren...
VRTAC-QM Manager Minute: Career Advancement DIF Grant - Oregon General is Taking on Tough Stuff and Seeing Results
September 01, 2023 12:00 - 39 minutes - 54.8 MBJoining Carol in the studio today is Sabrina Cunliffe, Disability Innovation Fund (DIF) Grant Manager, with Oregon General. Find out how Oregon General has tackled some challenging cultural issues and is starting to see great results with their strategy for implementing the DIF grant through their Inclusive Career Advancement Program. Listen Here Full Transcript: {Music} Speaker1: Manager Minute brought to you by the VRTAC for Quality Management, Conversations powered by...
VRTAC-QM Manager Minute - Maximizing VR Services: Leveraging Resources so Counselors Can Get Back to Counseling - Wisconsin VR- Stout Partnership
August 08, 2023 18:09 - 35 minutes - 49.1 MBJoining Carol Pankow in the VRTAC-QM studio is Delora Newton, Division Administrator for the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, and Kyle Schemenauer, Director of Services, Eligibility and Order of Selection Unit at the Stout Vocational Rehabilitation Institute (SRVI). Delora and Kyle talk about the partnership that reduces the time for eligibility determination while freeing up counselors' work time by outsourcing and streamlining the pre-...
VRTAC-QM Manager Minute: (Part 2) - Where did all the staff go? Addressing your Retention Woes - A Conversation with Dr. Jim Herbert -Penn State.
July 05, 2023 11:22 - 44 minutes - 61.4 MBDr. Jim Herbert, Professor of Counselor Education and Rehabilitation and Human Services at Penn State, is back in the studio today. In this second part of a two-part series, Jim discusses the retention challenges identified in his study- Recruitment and Retention of State Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors: A Mixed Methods Analysis. Please listen in as Carol and Jim continue to unpack this study and have a frank discussion about the significant challenges and possible solutions you c...
VRTAC-QM Manager Minute: Where did all the staff go? Addressing your Recruitment Woes- A Conversation with Dr. Jim Herbert -Penn State.
June 09, 2023 15:59 - 38 minutes - 53 MBDr. Jim Herbert, Professor of Counselor Education and Rehabilitation and Human Services at Penn State, joins us in the studio today. In this first part of a two-part series, Jim discusses the recruitment challenges identified in his study- Recruitment and Retention of State Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors: A Mixed Methods Analysis. Please listen in as Carol and Jim unpack this study and discuss the four significant challenges and possible solutions you can apply to your situation....
VRTAC-QM Manager Minute: How to Survive a Move in VR Fiscal Support Services and Come Up with a Solution that Works for Everyone- Arizona VR
May 08, 2023 19:13 - 39 minutes - 53.6 MBKristen Mackey, Administrator of Arizona Department of Economic Security- Rehabilitation Services Administration; Jacy Wilmes, Managing Analyst Financial Services Administrative Team supporting the Division of Employment and Rehabilitation Services, and Morgan Harmon, Senior Financial Analyst, for the Finance and Business Operations Administration, joined Carol Pankow in the VRTAC-QM Studio. Kristen, Jacy, and Morgan explain how they have navigated and managed the fiscal support services c...
VRTAC-QM Manager Minute: See how persistence pays off for employee pay increases - Scott Dennis Maryland Combined
April 03, 2023 12:41 - 25 minutes - 35.6 MBScott Dennis, Assistant Superintendent of the Maryland Division of Rehabilitative Services (DORS), joins Carol Pankow in the VRTAC-QM Studio and tells us about how Maryland DORS increased recruitment and decreased resignations by raising salaries to compete in the regional job market. Learn how they opened the door and proved the case. Listen Here Full Transcript: Music} Speaker1: Manager Minute brought to you by the VRTAC for Quality Management, Conversations powered by...
VRTAC-QM Manager Minute - SARA: Technology Solutions States Have Proven to Work -Alaska VR and SARA
March 03, 2023 16:41 - 30 minutes - 41.9 MBJoining Carol Pankow in the studio today are Cody Dixon, Director of Operations SARAWorks, and Susan Baker, Program Coordinator II, Alaska VR. SARA provides a solution to VR programs with a client engagement and communications system that automatically gathers needed information at the right time from consumers and providers without staff intervention. SARA uses artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing and complements CMS functionality. Alaska VR has been an early adapter...
VRTAC-QM Manager Minute: How to take care of your employees so they take care of your business! Damian Schlinger-North Dakota VR
February 07, 2023 15:24 - 34 minutes - 47 MBJoining Carol Pankow in the studio today is Damian Schlinger, State Director of the North Dakota Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. Learn how Damian and his team moved from a double-triple check culture to one that encourages and enhances staff autonomy using techniques and strategies that have had tangible results. Listen as Damian explains how his agency is eliminating low-value activities and is focusing on keeping customers engaged to achieve quality outcomes in North Dakota. L...
VRTAC-QM Manager Minute: Be Bold - Moving VR Forward with the Idea Guy- David D'Arcangelo-Massachusetts Commission for the Blind
January 06, 2023 17:52 - 32 minutes - 44.9 MBIn the studio, today is David D'Arcangelo, Commissioner of the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind. David has focused on making MCB the best it can be. Learn about the concept of disability as a qualification, the Accessibility Technology Survey, the entrepreneurial program developed with NIB, and dig into the 32 reallotment projects MCB has done over the past few years. David is the Idea Guy and shares a lot of information in this brief 30-minute conversation. Find out more a...
VRTAC-QM Manager Minute: Florida General— Creative Staffing Solutions that Work
December 06, 2022 03:09 - 35 minutes - 49.3 MBTina Herzik, the Vice President of Operations for Service Source, and Brent McNeal, the Director of the Florida Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, join forces with Carol Pankow in the Manager Minute studio to chat about creative staffing solutions in the great State of Florida. Tina and Brent discuss how the Florida General agency and Service Source are partnering to meet staffing needs with a unique model. With a business relationship that spans over 22 years, the duo shares how their...
VRTAC-QM Manager Minute: Rethinking Agency Organizational Structure- Ideas that work with Dacia Johnson-Oregon Blind
November 11, 2022 16:06 - 23 minutes - 32.9 MBToday, Dacia Johnson, Executive Director of the Oregon Commission for the Blind, chats with Carol Pankow, about some of the really innovative practices that the Oregon Commission for the Blind has implemented to improve organizational effectiveness and benefit the VR community. Dacia and her team did a lot of work preparing for monitoring and restructuring some critical elements of the organizational structure that has the VR community talking. Join Dacia and Carol in the Manage...
VRTAC-QM Manager Minute: National Disability Employment Awareness Month - See how Self-Employment Serves a Critical Need in Wyoming with Inge Huband and Nicky Harper
October 04, 2022 18:46 - 23 minutes - 32.6 MBJoining Carol Pankow in the studio today is Inge Huband, Program Consultant for the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Small Business and Employment First programs, and Nicky Harper, Vocational Rehabilitation Administrator for Wyoming VR. This year, the National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) has a theme of Disability: Part of the Equity Equation in recognition of the vital role people with disabilities play in making the nation's ...
VRTAC-QM Manager Minute: Reenvisioning VR Service Delivery with Dee Torgerson- Minnesota General - Meeting People Where They Are At
September 08, 2022 17:12 - 38 minutes - 53 MBDee Torgerson, Director of VR General in Minnesota, joins Carol Pankow in the VRTAC-QM Studio to take a close look at VR service delivery through a post-pandemic lens. Dee presented at CSAVR and was part of the National Rehabilitation Leadership Institute (NRLI) that produced a paper titled, "Now is the Time: Advancing Services to Individuals with Disabilities by Reenvisioning VR Services." The pandemic forced VR agencies to offer services in new and flexible ways to meet the evolving need...
VRTAC-QM Manager Minute - Listen to VR Legend RoseAnn Ashby, with her VR Reflections- Looking Back and Looking Forward
August 08, 2022 18:21 - 25 minutes - 34.8 MBRoseAnn retired from being the Chief of the Technical Assistance Unit at RSA in 2021. She talks about significant changes that shaped what VR is today, including independent living, informed choice and the impact of technology. RoseAnn elaborates on areas that VR is doing well, and areas VR can improve upon moving forward. RoseAnn is currently contracting with VRTAC-QM, and you can find her work on Long COVID on the web at https://www.vrtac-qm.org/resources. Listen Here F...
VRTAC-QM Manager Minute: Moving the Employment Needle to Quality - Learn How the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission has Used Engagement and Partnership to Pave the Path to Quality Employment
July 11, 2022 14:42 - 27 minutes - 37.8 MBJoining Carol Pankow in the studio today is Toni Wolf, Commissioner of the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC) since 2017. Toni leads her agency with the belief, "If the system isn't enhancing the quality of life for the individual, we at MRC must change the system." Toni explains how MRC has developed a culture of engagement with customers to build trust and make space for the conversation about what is possible. Find out how the focus on engagement and partnerships wi...
VRTAC-QM Manager Minute: Everything is Bigger in Texas- Learn How Texas Leverages SSA Reimbursement
June 12, 2022 08:21 - 29 minutes - 40.7 MBWelcome to the 15th episode of the Manager Minute. Joining Carol Pankow in the studio today is Cheryl Fuller, VR Division Director with the Texas Workforce Commission and also incoming CSAVR President. Today we will talk about Social Security's VR Cost Reimbursement program, which was authorized in 1981. The purpose of that program is to make State VR services more readily available to SSA beneficiaries with disabilities and to generate savings for the Social Security Trust Fund for SSDI ben...
VRTAC-QM Manager Minute: Putting Customers First-How Utah Makes Rapid Engagement Work!
May 09, 2022 16:04 - 24 minutes - 33.5 MBAaron Thompson, Assistant Division Director for the Utah State Office of Rehabilitation, joins Carol Pankow on this 14th episode of Manager Minute to talk about how Utah is making rapid engagement work. Carol has discussed this on two previous podcasts; however, each VR agency has tackled this differently. It is intriguing and exciting to hear about how different VR programs are confronting the dilemma facing VR on declining applications and consumer engagement. Learn about Utah's “Back t...
Work Incentives Counseling---Finding the incentive to engage in work incentives counseling with Virginia DARS!
April 08, 2022 13:01 - 38 minutes - 52.5 MBIn the Manager Minute Studio today is David Leon, Director of Workforce Programs at the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) along with host of the Manager Minute podcast, Carol Pankow. Find out how the projects David has led are shaping the approach that Virginia is taking in relation to work incentives counseling (benefits planning). What is the overall structure? Why did DARS see it as imperative to develop the capacity for work incentives counseling in Virgi...
VRTAC-QM: Leveraging Employment First initiatives to improve consumer services across agencies in Colorado.
March 14, 2022 15:27 - 46 minutes - 64 MBOn this episode of Manager Minute, we are delighted to discuss Colorado’s Employment First initiative. On the panel, we have: Patricia Henke, Colorado Office of Employment First (COEF) Director Meghan Greene, CIE Manager, CO VR Katie Taliercio, Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF); Colorado’s State Medicaid Agency Katie Oliver, Colorado Department of Education Cheryl Carver, Colorado VR They are involved with a very innovative and successful collaboration ...
VRTAC-QM Manager Minute: Get in and Get er’ Done! How Ohio Makes VR Work for Customers!
February 23, 2022 16:15 - 35 minutes - 48.2 MBWelcome to the Manager Minute. Joining Carol Pankow in the studio today is Susan Pugh, Deputy Director of the Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation with the Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities. Susan has worked within the agency in a variety of capacities including, VR Counselor, Assistant Area Manager, and Assistant Deputy Director. In this episode, Susan discusses Ohio’s rapid engagement process and the Lean approach that has reduced onboarding time and ushered in more customer...
VRTAC-QM Manager Minute: Get in and Get er’ Done! How California Makes VR Work for Customers!
February 11, 2022 18:36 - 38 minutes - 52.6 MBJoining Carol Pankow in the VRTAC-QM Studio is Mark Erlichman, Deputy Director, Vocational Rehabilitation Employment Division, California Department of Rehabilitation. In this episode of Manager Minute, Mark covers the idea of Rapid Engagement. The idea behind it is to get customers in and move as quickly as possible to succeed. The California DORS Team has a variety of initiatives that they are working on. Mark and Carol will chat about a handful of those projects. Learn about Califor...
VRTAC-QM Manager Minute: Education and VR - Let’s Talk Collaboration That Works
January 10, 2022 23:08 - 35 minutes - 48.1 MBFull Transcript Shannon Austin, Executive Director of Vocational Rehabilitation at the Pennsylvania (PA) Department of Labor and Industry and Carole Clancy, Bureau Director of Special Education at the Commonwealth of PADepartment of Education join Carol Pankow and Missy Diehl in the VRTAC-QM Studio to talk about the important partnership between Vocational Rehabilitation and Education and how collaboration and commitment helped create and implement a strong partnership in Pennsylvania. ...
VRTAC-QM Manager Minute - Monitoring: Surviving and Thriving Before, During, and After the Process
December 13, 2021 16:25 - 42 minutes - 58.1 MBFull Transcript: Joining Carol Pankow in the VRTAC studio is Felicia Johnson, Commissioner of the South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation Department, and Lindy Foley, Director of Nebraska VR. Today we are discussing how Felicia and Lindy prepared for the RSA monitoring process, what they experienced, and what they learned. They will share how they see monitoring as a continuous improvement process and an opportunity for growth. The VRTAC for Quality Management has partnered with CS...
VRTAC-QM Manager Minute: Is Your Fiscal Management Managed? Building a Solid Foundation for Financial Fitness.
November 14, 2021 01:39 - 36 minutes - 50.4 MBFull Transcript Joining Carol Pankow in the VRTAC-QM Studio we have Chanda Hermanson, Administrator of the Disability Employment and Transition Programs in Montana, and Allison Flannagan, VR Director at Florida General. Chanda and Allison share their experience and challenges while navigating the World of VR finances. Learn how networking and team building improve understanding and develop solutions to VR’s biggest financial challenges. The VRTAC for Quality Management has a number ...
VRTAC-QM Manager Minute: New Employment Initiatives and Practices to Move the Needle with David D’Arcangelo and Natasha Jerde
October 21, 2021 19:39 - 36 minutes - 50.3 MBFull Transcript In episode 6 of Manager Minute, employment and VR take center stage during October's National Disability Awareness Month. David D’Arcangelo, Commissioner of the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind (MCB), and Natasha Jerde, Director of State Services for the Blind of Minnesota (SSB), join Carol Pankow to talk about the state of employment, today's challenges, and the initiatives and practices they implemented to improve employment for individuals with disabilities. ...
VRTAC-QM Manager Minute: Planning for Success with Succession Planning so the VR Show can go on…
September 17, 2021 19:07 - 43 minutes - 60.3 MBFull Transcript In this episode of Manager Minute, Joe Xavier, the Director of the California Department of Rehabilitation Services, and Jane Donnellan, the Administrator of the Idaho Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, join Carol Pankow in the VRTAC-QM studio to discuss the importance of succession planning and knowledge translation for VR agencies. Joe and Jane highlight how they tackle the challenges of losing quality employees by utilizing strategies such as long-term pl...
VRTAC-QM Manager Minute: Bridging the Gap Between the DSA and the DSU so that VR’s Mission Doesn’t Slip Through the Cracks.
August 16, 2021 13:19 - 31 minutes - 43 MBFull Transcript In episode 4 of Manager Minute, Bill Robinson, Director of the Michigan Bureau of Services for Blind Persons, and Cora McNabb, Executive Director at the Kentucky Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, join Carol Pankow, host of Manager Minute, to lend their experiences on navigating the critical DSA/DSU relationship so that VR’s mission doesn’t slip through the cracks. Learn how Bill and Cora dealt with the challenges and the most significant challenges they faced....
VRTAC-QM Manager Minute: Unpacking the VR- State Rehabilitation Council Partnership
July 07, 2021 23:30 - 37 minutes - 50.9 MBFull Transcript In episode 3, Dave Doukas, Connecticut General VR director, and Nicky Harper, director of Wyoming Combined join Host Carol Pankow to talk about state rehabilitation councils and the V.R. partnership, through the lens of a newer director with Nicky and a more seasoned director like Dave. From roles, responsibilities and overall effectiveness, you will learn how they are working through and building colaboritive partnerships through communication and by building trust th...
VRTAC-QM Manager Minute: Selecting and Retaining Top Talent in a Constantly-evolving Field - inside of a Constantly-evolving World
June 09, 2021 15:14 - 32 minutes - 44.3 MBFull Transcript Employment retention for VR Staff has been challenging for many agencies, Host Carol Pankow sits down with Kristen Mackay, Director of Arizona Combined, and Cynthia Speight, Director of North Carolina Blind, to talk about how the newly revamped Operations and Personnel committee for CSAVR and are embarking on some further work to tackle this issue of recruitment and retention. What does employment retention look like in your agencies? Have you found it challenging ...
VRTAC-QM Manager Minute: How is VR Going to Look Post-Pandemic? Join Kristen Mackey, Arizona Combined,, Natasha Jerde, MN Blind, and Carol Pankow, VRTAC-QM
May 10, 2021 15:03 - 25 minutes - 23.5 MBFull Transcript Below. Hosted by Carol Pankow, Project Director-GWU Team-VRTAC-Quality Management. Carol is joined in the studio by Natasha Jerde, Director at State Services for the Blind MN and Kristen Mackey, Director of Arizona Combined. How is VR going to look Post-Pandemic? Carol sits down with Natasha and Kristen to talk about how they approached the impact of the pandemic and what they and their teams are doing to bring the best continued service and what VR is going t...
VRTAC-QM Manager Minute: How is VR Going to Look Post-Pandemic? Join Kristen Mackey, Arizona Combined, Natasha Jerde, MN Blind, and Carol Pankow, VRTAC-QM
May 10, 2021 15:03 - 25 minutes - 35.2 MBFull Transcript Below. Hosted by Carol Pankow, Project Director-GWU Team-VRTAC-Quality Management. Carol is joined in the studio by Natasha Jerde, Director at State Services for the Blind MN and Kristen Mackey, Director of Arizona Combined. How is VR going to look Post-Pandemic? Carol sits down with Natasha and Kristen to talk about how they approached the impact of the pandemic and what they and their teams are doing to bring the best continued service and what VR is going t...