LEGISLATIVE Committee Meeting Agenda – August 22, 2023 – 8:30 – 9:30 AM
Virtual Meeting
Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81628478259?pwd=RkhtNzhqVmpBak5ocklZcFVGdjJNdz09
Meeting Call-In Number: +1 929 205 6099 Meeting ID: 816 2847 8259 Passcode: 615927
Directors are reminded that all Able Trust Board and Committee meeting are open and publicly noticed. Under Florida Sunshine Law, any meeting of 2 or more Able Trust Directors must be publicly noticed. Directors are prohibited from discussing Able Trust business outside of official meetings of the organization.
Directors are reminded of conflict of interest provisions. In declaring a conflict, please refrain from voting or discussion and declare the following information: 1) Your name and position on the Board, 2) The nature of the conflict, and 3) Who will gain or lose as a result of the conflict.
I. Call to Order and Roll Call
II. Legislative Committee Consent Agenda
a. Meeting Agenda
b. May Committee Minutes
III. Legislative Committee Regular Business
a. Legislative Research Study
b. 2024 Session
IV. Unfinished Business New Business Matters from the Board Matter from the President/CEO Matters from our Partners Public Comment
Next Legislative Committee Meeting: November 28, 2023, 8:30 –9:00 AM
Adjourn
Document
Todd Jennings, Committee Chair
Todd Jennings, Committee Chair
Todd Jennings, Committee Chair
Please Note: Agenda subject to revisions and additions per the discretion of the Chair of the Board of Directors. Notification will be sent of any such revisions or changes.
Members of the Public: Please notify Arnaldo Ramos at Arnaldo@abletrust.org if you wish to make public comment on particular agenda items no later than 1-hour prior to beginning of the meeting.
Florida Endowment Foundation for Vocational Rehabilitation, dba The Able Trust
DRAFT Legislative Committee Meeting Minutes
Legislative Committee Meeting – May 23, 2023 – 8:30 – 9:00 AM
Virtual Meeting
Todd Jennings; Brent McNeal, Members Absent Bethany McAlister, James “Chip” Byers Staff in Attendance Allison Chase, President & CEO; Arnaldo Ramos, Exec Assistant & Office Admin
Members in Attendance
Others in attendance
Alan Suskey
Item Action/Discussion
Call to Order and Roll Call Todd Jennings called the meeting to order at 8:34 AM. A quorum was confirmed.
LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE CONSENT AGENDA
a. Meeting Agenda
b. February Committee Meeting Minutes
LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE REGULAR BUSINESS
a. 2023 Session & Reauthorization
• New Statutory Requirement
Brent motioned to approve the agenda and meeting minutes; Todd seconded. Motion unanimously carried.
Todd opened the committee meeting by mentioning the success of reauthorization and Alan further elaborated on The Able Trust’s hard work and efficient responses to the senate and house information requests over the last year and during legislative session.
Alan also spoke on the new statutory requirements established by the legislature for reporting based on the research to be done by The Able Trust in the upcoming year. Highlighting that this new requirement would be an opportunity for The Able Trust to continue to build a reputation in the arena of disability employment.
Allison then shared regarding the progress made since the legislature’s decision on the new requirements, informing the committee that The Able Trust has contracted with Tony Carvajal to begin working on collecting data and organizing the report. Allison also mentioned that she has had conversations with Brent McNeal and Henry Mack pertaining to the scope of the report request. A draft is expected to be done and provided to Brent and Henry early October.
Alan recommended that the Board of Directors consider sharing the cost and financials with the legislature associated with these research endeavors based on their requirements.
b. FY24 Legislative Strategy
Allison stated that she put lobbying into the FY24 budget continue with Alan Suskey as our lobbyist. The lobbying budget request was approved by the Executive & Finance Committee and is headed to the upcoming Board Meeting for review and approval.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS There was no discussion. NEW BUSINESS
PUBLIC COMMENT
NEXT MEETING DATE
ADJOURN
There was no discussion.
There was no comment.
August 22, 2023, 8:30 – 9:00 AM
There being no further business the meeting adjourned at 9:03AM.
Respectfully submitted, Todd Jennings, Committee Chair
Florida Endowment Foundation for Vocational Rehabilitation, dba The Able Trust
DRAFT Legislative Committee Meeting Minutes
Legislative Committee Meeting – June 14, 2023 – 4:00 – 4:30 PM
Virtual Meeting
Members in Attendance Todd Jennings, Brent McNeal, James “Chip” Byers
Members Absent Bethany McAlister
Staff in Attendance Allison Chase, President & CEO; Arnaldo Ramos, Exec Assistant & Office Admin
Others in attendance
Item
Action/Discussion
Call to Order and Roll Call Todd Jennings called the meeting to order at 4:05 PM. A quorum was confirmed.
LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE CONSENT AGENDA
a. Meeting Agenda
b. Special Budget Board Meeting
LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE REGULAR BUSINESS
a. Special Budget Board Meeting
The legislative committee convened to discuss the lobbying line item in the budget due to concerns voiced at the June 1st Board of Directors meeting. Allison provided a summary and explanation regarding The Able Trust retaining a lobbyist. The committee agreed that due to reauthorization, The Able Trust does not need a lobbyist at this time. When The Able Trust nears reauthorization in four years, or if something should arise, a budget amendment can be submitted to the Department of Education for consideration.
The committee recommendation to the board:
• Pay lobbying service until the end of the contract in August, $12,000.
• Once the contract expires in August, no longer retain lobbying services unless necessary.
Chip Byers motioned first to approve the recommendation, seconded by Brent McNeal. The motion carried.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS There was no discussion. NEW BUSINESS There was no discussion.
PUBLIC COMMENT There was no comment.
NEXT MEETING DATE August 22, 2023, 8:30 – 9:00 AM
ADJOURN
There being no further business the meeting adjourned at 4:32 PM
ABOUT- Introduction, Overview, Purpose of Report (EXECUTIVE SUMMARY)
1) About PWD
a) Overview, describe and quantify
i) Incidence, general population
ii) Degrees of disability
(1) self-reporting
(2) More involved cases
(a) Any special references needed for autism or intellectual or development disabilities?
b) Objective – independence meaningful employment and economic independence
2) Overview of Landscape for PWD
a) Work
i) Underemployment
ii) Factors impacting employment for PWD
(1) Barriers & biases
(2) Marketplace/Employment landscape
b) Nonwork
3) Structure and purpose of this paper
a) SB 240
b) Able Trust
4) Findings & Recs
a) Strengthen Collaboration
i) Employment First
ii) Collective Impact
b) Invest in Solutions
BACKGROUND - Identify the current systems for service delivery to persons with disabilities, including operations, services, coordination activities, and structures.
1) Laws & Rules
a. Examine federal and state law and rules that impact or limit supports or services for persons with disabilities.
i. Refer to REACH Act “No Wrong Door”
2) 0-22 (operations, services, coordination activities, and structures.)
a. Early Childhood – Setting the Stage
i. Engaging parents and families
ii. Increasing early intervention services in integrated settings
b. School Age – Preparing for Transition
i. Establishing postsecondary plans for pathways to employment
1. Per SB 240, specific focus on transition out of high school
ii. Connecting to transition activities for future education & employment
1. Pre-employment transition services
iii. Increasing workforce participation and training upon graduation
3) Post secondary life - Working Age Adults – Participating in CIE - Transition to Adulthood/Independent living (operations, services, coordination activities, and structures.)
a. Tools to Address
i. Accommodations & assistive tools/systems
ii. Agencies
iii. Community based
iv. Caregivers
1. Family
2. Behavioral and Medical providers
b. Supportive employment services
i. Connecting people to individualized employment services
ii. Enhancing supports and decreasing reliance on sheltered employment
iii. Improving workforce system collaboration and employer engagement
iv. Advancing inclusivity in state employment
v. Increasing Labor Force Participation Rate for people with disabilities
4) Challenges to meaningful employment and economic independence
a. Marketplace for employment of PWD
i. Number of jobs
ii. Barriers
1. Need for accomodations
2. Addressing biases
b. Identify systemwide incongruence and inefficiencies in service delivery.
i. Problems with laws, rules, regulations
1. Access, eligibility
2. Funding Issues
ii. Transportation (Identify barriers and obstacles in transportation for persons with disabilities living in the home or receiving community-based services for jobs, medical appointments, and peer-to-peer groups.)
1. FL Commission on Transportation Disadvantaged
iii. Other issues
1. Housing
2. Accommodations, assistive tools/systems
3. Shut Ins (Identify opportunities for job coaching and community participation supports, including those opportunities for individuals who cannot, or choose not to, enter the community because of underlying issues.)
c. Other Gaps, Issues
i. Caregivers
1. Training, Support, Respid
2. Aging Families and aging adult children with intellectual and developmental disabilities
a. Aging in place strategies
b. guardianship & ongoing support
ii. Identify workforce issues related to direct-support professionals, behavioral or mental health specialists, health care practitioners, and other individuals who assist with the provision of services to persons with disabilities.
SOLUTIONS – NOW WHAT (Examine the best practices for uniform and efficient service delivery and the coordination of and transition among systems, including transitioning out of high school.)
1) Collaboration
a. Employment First is…
i. “national systems-change framework centered on the premise that all individuals, including those individuals with the most significant disabilities, are capable of full participation in Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE) and community life. Under this approach, publicly-financed systems are urged to align policies, regulatory guidance, and reimbursement structures to commit to CIE as the priority option with respect to the use of publicly-financed day and employment services for youth and adults with significant disabilities.”
ii. Florida
1. interagency cooperative agreements
2. Accountability measures developed by Employment First organizations5
a. Number of applicants compared with number of successful placements (VR)
b. Percentage of individuals who completed workforce program who found employment after services (Career Source)
c. Average wage
d. Average hours of worked per week
3. Impact of Employment First on People with Developmental Disabilities (pre 2013-2022)
iii. Other states
b. Collective Impact
2) Work Readiness
a. Transition to Work strategies
i. Per SB 240, specifically consider job coaching and community participation support
ii. Per SB 240, specifically consider opportunities for individuals who cannot, or choose not to, enter the community because of underlying issues
3) Strategies to enhance marketplace for employment of PWD
a. Business Readiness
b. Accommodations, assistance, support
c. Minimize barriers, incongruencies