Wow! Great information and research! I am surprised at the numbers and look forward to growth in the field in this area.

Good afternoon everyone; Bill, of the 9 states that responded to the survey who have a requirement of certification, are any of those states minimally funded?

In one state, we found that staff were eager to get certified, but they were not aware of the programs and the funding available to help them get their degree. Do your staff know the path to certification?

Holly, I feel your passion! I would like to talk with you with a few ideas. I can contact you after the upcoming holiday.

Are you contracting with the OIB program or are you working for the OIB program (working for the state agency)? Also, if your clients apply for VR, there isn't an age limit. If someone wants to go back to work, VR needs to help them.

In the Older Blind program in Washington we provide independent living services to people that are over 55 with a vision impairment. This program’s services are based on client assessments and goals which determines the number of instructional visits provided. If the client has a goal to return to work these clients will be referred to the state’s VR program. The VR program has no age restriction as long as the client meets the program requirements.

Yes, here in Alabama we have had this in the past, more often back when we were allowed to give educational leave.

For us, it would mean that positions would be unfilled for lengthy periods of time as we try to recruit applicants with certification. And when we did hire somebody, it would likely come from another agency, leaving another vacancy somewhere else.

Hi Coby, I am somewhat unclear about your question. Salary assignments are determined by state agency administrators. I am sure many agencies struggle to meet consumer needs. The OIB programs typically represent a much smaller percentage of the agency budget than the Pre ETS. Potentially that puts OIB at risk when staff is short.

Yes, we have seen many examples of direct service staff that serve multiple age groups under a variety of funding streams. It is challenging to find efficiencies that insure all are being served. I think this should be addressed one-on-one, as each state has a variety of factors that play into the solutions.

Thank you, Jane. Does the OIB Program Director provide direct services or is it 100% administrative? I think the qualifications might vary, depending on the expectations of the position. If you were writing the job announcement, what qualifications would you see as most important?

Jane, congratulations on your upcoming retirement, but boy will you be missed! You are such a wealth of information and expertise. This is happening in several states as we boomers are retiring. Wishing you the very best and hoping Virginia has some success in filling those big shoes you are leaving behind!

Below are some of the Best Practices responsibilities of the Program Managers. They do not necessarily coincide with the professional service provider qualifications that are outlined elsewhere in the document. Administrative responsibilities often require a different skill set. We see that new Program Managers are coming from 2 different streams - those with administrative skills and those with direct service skills. Both will have a lot to learn about managing the program. The OIB-TAC is developing short courses that are available on-line for program managers to assist them in learning some of the basic skills as often specific training is not available. Check out the continuing education portion of this website for more information on those courses. Program Management from the Best Practices Executive Summary. (available on this website) The manager of the state OIB program must have the leadership and administration skills to oversee the OIB program and maintain rigorous control over all aspects of service delivery, including the ability to recognize and support qualified staff. The program manager will develop, in conjunction with designated stakeholders, a strategic plan that includes short and long-term programmatic goals, timelines for service implementation, and procedures for program evaluation. The program manager will ensure that service providers, whether employed by the agency or by contract, are appropriately licensed or certified, have clear deliverables with appropriate timelines, and adhere to a quality assurance process. The program manager will ensure compliance with all federal guidelines for the program, support program evaluation, and engage in activities to promote quality service delivery. The program manager will attend the annual OIB program managers meeting. When direct services are provided (beyond information and referral), regardless of service delivery model, the program manager will ensure that service providers conduct functional assessments and develop individual service plans, with consumer input, consistent with issues identified by the assessment. The program manager will ensure that individual staff training plans are developed and that those plans address individual or programmatic goals and support staff licensure or certification. Agency resources will support development activities for staff to obtain or maintain appropriate licensure/certification. The program manager will ensure that staff refer consumers who indicate an interest in or respond positively to suggestions about potential employment to VR counselors trained to assess and work with older consumers.