A state agency charged with placing physical and developmental disabled people in jobs has made improvement after a scathing 2013 audit, but work remains.
The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation was found to have poor oversight for determining eligibility of clients, monitoring the agency’s budget and wait list among many other problems, according to the audit.
In Aug. 2013, 4,279 people were on the wait list, according to the audit. A year later, there are now 3,860 people on the list, which is well ahead of the 5,300 people the agency expected to be on the list by Oct. 1.
Throughout 2014, the agency’s new director, Joelle Brouner, was able to allow large groups of people from the waiting list to be assigned to counselors. The largest release was Aug. 25 when 1,523 people were moved off the wait list. A total of about 3,800 were moved off the list so far this year. However, not all these people were placed in employment, in fact, some were no longer in need of services.
Among other improvements, the agency has also been able to complete 58 of the 64 recommendations in the audit, Brouner said. In addition, the agency counselors are now required to contact people on their case load every 30 days.
In the next year, Brouner said she believes the agency can serve 10,751 people with the most significant disabilities.
“We’re in a better position to make more regular releases from the waiting list,” she said.
Currently, there are 35 people waiting in Montezuma County and 41 in La Plata County. Julie Dreyfuss the president and CEO of Community Connections Inc, an organization that serves the developmental disability in Southwest Colorado, sees the wait list as one of the largest hurdles clients face finding employment.
“We currently have an average unemployment rate of 20 percent – well above the local rate,”said Dreyfuss. The unemployment rate applies specifically to Community Connections, which serves 150 adults.
The nonprofit helps to prepare those with developmental disabilities for jobs and then provides job coaches after they have been placed if necessary, among other services. Sometimes the division places them, but when Community Connections is able to place them directly, it can significantly shorten the wait time, Dreyfuss said.
One of the local businesses that regularly works with Community Connections’ clients is IFA Country Store. Teams from Community Connections have been working on a seasonal basis to build side rolls for irrigation systems since about 2005, said Buzz McAfee, the irrigation manager.
The work involves assembling the spokes and rims into wheels with power tools. McAfee has been happy with the professionalism of the Community Connections job coaches and clients’ work ethic.
“They stay pretty focused about it,” he said.
For information about hiring through Community Connections call 259-2464.