Federal Fiscal Year 2011 Consumer Satisfaction with Vocational Rehabilitation Services. James A. Rothrock, M.S., L.P.C.

Transcription

1 ederal iscal ear 2011 Consumer Satisfaction with Vocational Rehabilitation Services James A. Rothrock, M.S., L.P.C. Commissioner July 2012

2 Policy and Planning Division Mission/Value Statement: Policy and Planning staff serve as an agency resource by providing research, evaluation, analysis, and communication of information to provide effective planning and decision making. We value excellence in our work through accuracy, integrity, collaboration, timeliness, clarity and accessibility. Policy and Planning Director: Elizabeth E. Smith, J.D., M.S. We welcome your comments and questions. Please contact: The Report Staff or the Policy and Planning Director Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services 8004 ranklin arms Drive Richmond, Virginia Voice: (804) Voice Toll ree: (800) TT: (804) TT Toll ree: (800) ax: (804) Policy and Planning Web address: Report Staff Mable L. leming, B.S., Senior Analyst Research and Evaluation lead analyst for this report, management and oversight of administration activities, data verification Matthew C. Doum, B.A., Research Analyst logistics of administration and special analyses related to survey administration (costs, response rates, completions), assistance with analyses Jennifer P. Woodward, Administrative Staff Assistant survey packaging and mailing, data entry, and success stories Recommended Citation: leming, M.L., Doum, M.D., and Woodward, J.P. (2012). ederal iscal ear 2011 Consumer Satisfaction with Vocational Rehabilitation Services Acknowledgments The report staff gratefully acknowledges assistance received from Information Services Staff, specifically Ann Stanfield, Systems Analyst and Daniel Ross, Manager, Web Operations. Additionally, we thank vocational rehabilitation counselors for guiding many Virginians with disabilities along the path to employment VR Consumer Satisfaction Survey Page 2 of 38

3 Table of Contents Executive Summary... 4 Section I: 2011 Survey Results and ederal iscal ear Trends... 7 Introduction... 8 Survey Administration Summary... 8 Summary of Results Section II: Survey Results for outh in Transition from School to Work, Hearing Impaired, and Specialty Caseloads outh in Transition from School to Work Consumers with Hearing Impairments Consumers Served by Specialty Caseload VR Counselors Appendix A: 2011 Survey Results by Closure Status Appendix B: Comparison of Satisfaction Ratings by Self and Proxy Respondents Appendix C: 2011 Survey Questionnaire VR Consumer Satisfaction Survey Page 3 of 38

4 Executive Summary Through its vocational rehabilitation program, the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) helps people with disabilities prepare for, find, and keep a job. To this end, the agency recognizes the importance of consumer input to improve processes, services and results. Each year, DARS conducts a consumer satisfaction survey among consumers who received services and were either employed at the time of case closure (Status 26) or not employed (Status 28). Key findings from 2011 are provided below. Overall satisfaction with DARS was 77 percent and five percentage points below the agency target of 82 percent. Ninety percent of consumers who closed with an employment outcome were satisfied overall with DARS. Overall satisfaction with DARS was at an all-time low for consumers who closed without an employment outcome. Job satisfaction was 83 percent for consumers who were competitively employed and earning at or above minimum wage. Overall satisfaction was at or above 78 percent for consumers with special needs who were served by special caseload counselors. The special caseloads address specific needs of consumers who are youth in transition, deaf and hard of hearing, dealing with substance abuse or dealing with a serious mental illness. Working Together, Employed and Satisfied Consumers who are successfully employed have consistent satisfaction from year to year and those who are very satisfied with their involvement in developing the VR plan speak positively of the help, the counselors, or the service they receive from counselors and staff. In 2011, satisfaction percentages were at or above 90 percent for nine of the fourteen survey items. Satisfaction with involvement in developing the VR plan and the time it took were 86 percent and 83 percent, respectively. Overall satisfaction was 90 percent (n=250). Among those who were competitively employed and earning at or above minimum wage, 86 percent (n=223) self-reported they were working or being paid for a job. Job satisfaction for these consumers was 83 percent (n=181) and two percentage points above the prior eight-year average. Sixty-eight percent (n=123) expected to be in the job a year later. A Success Story Independent of the survey process, DARS counselors and managers routinely submit consumer success stories. These stories provide another view of consumer outcomes. A summary of one 2011 success story linked to a consumer respondent is provided below. The consumer was referred to DARS and had been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury that led to loss of range of motion, motor skills, and dexterity on the left side of his body. Additionally, the consumer had several criminal convictions. Through 2011 VR Consumer Satisfaction Survey Page 4 of 38

5 customer focused service with DARS, the consumer was able to continue with postsecondary education and advance from a job paying $ per week to one paying $ per week. The consumer was working full time and receiving full state benefits at the time of closure. Expenditures for the life of the case totaled $13, and the length of time from application to closure was 6.6 years. The consumer self-reported in the survey (3.7 months after closure) that he was working in the same position and hoping for the next level up. Additionally, the consumer reported I was most satisfied with the service, respect, and attention and attendance to my plan of action. Agency Satisfaction (All Consumers Served) While the 2011 overall satisfaction for the agency was 77 percent (n=356), indications of a good VR experience were evident in consumers who reported they were treated well by DARS staff (90 percent, n=405), would refer a friend (83 percent, n=375), and would come back to DARS again (81 percent, n=370). Highlights for 2011 (employed and not employed combined) are provided below. Detailed survey results and trends are discussed in Section I. Survey results for youth in transition from school to work and special caseloads are provided in Section II. Over 80 percent of consumers agreed their counselor took their case seriously (82 percent, n=372), did not rush them (85 percent, n=383), and explained services available to them (85 percent, n=383). The 82 percent was five percentage points below the prior eight-year average for counselors taking the case seriously. Less than 80 percent of consumers agreed their counselor knew about programs in the community that could help them (78 percent, n=350). Seventy-nine percent (n=355) agreed their counselor met timetables related to their VR program. Satisfaction with involvement in developing the VR plan and the time it takes were 73 percent (n=332) and 71 percent (n=323), respectively. Satisfaction with the time it takes to develop the VR plan has been on a gradual decline since This trend is strong among consumers who were not employed at closure. Special Caseloads DARS continues to work with youth and families to provide support in transitioning from school to work as well as recognizing the unique needs of consumers who are deaf and hard of hearing, dealing with substance abuse, or dealing with a serious mental illness. To this end, DARS has counselors in place who specialize in serving consumers with these special needs. While small in number, overall satisfaction was at or above 78 percent for consumers with special needs who were served by a special caseload. Detailed survey results are provided in Section II of this report VR Consumer Satisfaction Survey Page 5 of 38

6 Learning from Those Who Are Not Employed Historically, consumers who are served and not employed at closure are not as satisfied as those who are employed at closure. Consumers who are very dissatisfied with their involvement in developing the VR plan speak of counselor issues, lack of help, or service issues. In 2011, 28 consumers were very dissatisfied with their involvement (8 closed less than a year from application and 20 closed a year or more after application). Delayed status was not mentioned as an issue. While 16 consumers voiced their perception of the experience (not much help, waste of time, did not meet my needs), 12 consumers provided input related to specific areas. Nine consumers who had been in the system for a year or more described perceptions that suggested a lack of understanding regarding why requests were not possible (perception of denial versus counselor s guidance or adherence to policy), the roles of various individuals who assisted with their case (perception of being passed around or discontinuity), and the expectation of a counselor s responsibility in communicating information. Perceptions for three individuals who were in the system for less than a year were related to counselors [no one assigned to case when counselor was out, counselor needs to be more understanding of consumer s needs and time, calls were never returned (consumer was still waiting for someone to get back with him/her)]. Impact on Overall Agency Satisfaction In 2011, overall satisfaction for consumers who were not employed at closure was at an all-time low of 58 percent (n=106). Satisfaction with involvement in developing the VR plan was 55 percent (n=98) and satisfaction with the time it took was 52 percent (n=93). It is believed that the all-time low for involvement was the combined result of a continuous increase (since 2008) of consumers who were very dissatisfied with their involvement and an unexpected increase for two other response categories (dissatisfied and neither). Since satisfaction related to three core areas in the VR program (overall satisfaction, involvement in developing the VR plan, and the time it takes to develop the plan) have similar downward trends, it is believed that the aforementioned phenomenon played a part in the lowest overall agency satisfaction (77 percent) in the past nine years VR Consumer Satisfaction Survey Page 6 of 38

7 Section I: 2011 Survey Results and ederal iscal ear Trends 2011 VR Consumer Satisfaction Survey Page 7 of 38

8 Introduction The State Rehabilitation Council works in partnership with DARS to measure consumer satisfaction with vocational rehabilitation (VR) services. In Virginia, the survey of consumer satisfaction is administered annually by the DARS Policy and Planning Division under SRC guidance. 1 The survey provides a systematic method of hearing the point of view of DARS consumers. It is one measure of program effectiveness and a quality of service indicator. In the survey, consumers are able to provide their level of satisfaction or dissatisfaction with received services, VR staff, and various aspects of the VR process. Consumers are welcomed to express openly and freely their opinion of VR services. Data for the 2011 (October 1, 2010 through September 30, 2011) survey were captured for consumers who were employed at closure (Status 26) or who received VR services and were not employed at closure (Status 28). This report contains the results of the 2011 survey and satisfaction trends. Additionally, the report covers survey results for consumers served under special caseloads. Survey Administration Summary Methodology The standard method of evaluating satisfaction with VR services involves a stratified sample according to closure status. Thus, more cases are selected from Status 28 than Status 26 consumers. Deliberate over sampling of Status 28 consumers is performed because these consumers are less likely to respond to the survey. Additionally, over sampling this group helps to reduce the potential favorable response bias from Status 26 consumers. 2 A survey was mailed to each consumer in the sample along with a business reply envelope. Reminders and follow-up survey packets were used to encourage consumers to complete and return the survey. Over the course of 2011, a survey was mailed to 1,810 consumers (45% were Status 26 and 55% were Status 28). Response Rate The overall response rate for 2011 was 41 percent (n=537) and only three percentage points below the rate for The response rates for Status 26 and Status 28 consumers were 48% (n=312) and 34% (n=225), respectively. Of the 537 respondents, 464 were consumer self-respondents (278 Status 26 and 186 Status 28 consumers). 3 The number of survey completions for Status 26 ad Status 28 consumers was similar to ederal regulations governing State VR programs mandate that the State Rehabilitation Council (SRC) assess consumer satisfaction to the extent feasible (34 CR, (h)(4)). 2 The CSSSSTEM Consumer Satisfaction with DRS Backgrounder, Management Decisions and Technical Considerations for the Survey of Consumer Satisfaction with VR, October 1995 (Revised 2/96, 9/99). 3 Consumer self-respondents include cases where the consumer completed the survey on their own or with help VR Consumer Satisfaction Survey Page 8 of 38

9 Of the remaining 73 respondents, 70 percent were proxies (completed the survey based on their knowledge of the consumer, n=51) and 30% were unidentifiable (did not disclose who completed the survey, n=22). Survey results for consumer self-respondents are included in this report. Appendix A includes survey results by closure status and Appendix B includes results for proxies. Demographic Composition The fundamental goal of survey research is to collect information about the people in the survey that is representative of the population that the survey sample was drawn from. The demographic composition of the 2011 survey sample was similar to the overall demographics of the 2011 VR population and it is believed that the sample is representative of the population from which it was drawn. Although there does not appear to be an overall survey non-response bias, there is a lower percentage of transition consumers and younger consumers (age 22 or less) responding to the survey. Demographic (%) Comparison of 2011 Population, Survey Sample and Survey Respondents 4 Population 5 Survey Sample Self-Respondents Status 26 Status 28 Status 26 Status 28 Status 26 Status 28 N=3,930 N=3,725 N=815 N=995 N=278 N=186 % % % % % % Gender Male emale Race African American Caucasian Age at closure Other or less Not transition RSA Transition 6 Transition MSD Significance of Disability SD SD Columns represent percentages and may not total 100% due to rounding. Percentages were rounded using the Microsoft Excel formula for percentages information is based on AWARE closure dates as of September 30, Two consumers (Case_Master_ID and 52613) were excluded from the analysis since the consumers were reopened during the survey period and were no longer 2011 closures. 6 RSA transition cases were identified based on RSA definition for transition: age at application from 14 to 24 years VR Consumer Satisfaction Survey Page 9 of 38

10 Population 5 Survey Sample Self-Respondents Status 26 Status 28 Status 26 Status 28 Status 26 Status 28 N=3,930 N=3,725 N=815 N=995 N=278 N=186 % % % % % % NSD Blindness/other visual impairment Deafness/hearing impairment Impairment Category 7 Communication impairmentexpressive/receptive Orthopedic impairment Respiratory or physical debilitation or other physical Cognitive or other mental impairments RS Region Psychosocial Impairments Northern Central Eastern Southwest Impairment categories are based on the primary impairment as recorded in AWARE VR Consumer Satisfaction Survey Page 10 of 38

11 Summary of Results In 2011, 3,930 consumers were served and employed for at least 90 days at the time of case closure. This represents a 16 percent increase from The 2011 rehabilitation rate was 51 percent. 8 rom a random sample of 815 consumers who were employed at case closure, 278 completed this year s survey along with 186 consumers who received services but were not employed at case closure survey results and federal fiscal year trends (igures 1a-e) are reported in this section. Results by closure status are provided at Appendix A. Satisfaction Overall satisfaction was 77 percent (n=356) and five percentage points below the agency target of 82 percent. Satisfaction with involvement in developing the VR plan and the time it takes were 73 percent (n=332) and 71 percent (n=323), respectively. Satisfaction with the time it takes to develop the VR plan has been on a gradual decline since Counselor-Consumer Relationship Assessing satisfaction with various aspects of the VR process helps to indentify strength and weaknesses in our VR program. Learning from the prior eight years suggest that counselors are strong in the initial phases of VR (explaining services, not rushing the consumer, taking the case serious) and not as strong in service delivery (meeting discussed timetables and knowing about programs in the community that could help consumers). These trends were evident in Satisfaction with counselors dipped slightly from After a fairly consistent run above 85 percent for the past three years, the percentage of consumers agreeing that their counselor took the case seriously dropped to 82 percent (n=372). Eighty-five percent of consumers agreed their counselor did not rush them (n=383) and 85 percent agreed that their counselor explained clearly the services that were available to them (n=383). Relative to how counselors treated consumers, fewer consumers agreed their counselors met discussed timetables (79%, n=355) and knew about programs that could help them (78%, n=350). Information and Services Close to 80% of consumers in 2011 agreed they got the information they needed (79%, n=356), received the services they needed (75%, n=338), or benefited from the services they received (74%, n=334). All were slightly below prior eight-year averages. 8 The 2011 rehabilitation rate and closure information is based on AWARE closure dates as of September 30, VR Consumer Satisfaction Survey Page 11 of 38

12 Quality of Service Consumers continue to have a fairly strong belief that people at DARS treat them well (90%, n=405). The percentage of consumers willing to tell a friend to go to DARS was 83% (n=375). Sixty-three percent (n=289) indicated they would definitely come back to DARS if they need additional help and another 18 percent (n=81) were not definite but thought they would come back. Satisfaction Trends for VR Survey Measures (Refer to Appendix C for Questionnaire) igure 1a. Satisfaction with DARS, Involvement in Developing the VR Plan and the Time it Takes igure 1b: Agreement with Statements Regarding VR Counselors 80% 80% 60% DARS 81% 83% 81% 82% 80% 81% 81% 80% 77% Involvement 75% 78% 77% 75% 75% 78% 75% 75% 73% Time 76% 77% 75% 76% 73% 76% 74% 73% 71% 60% Not rushed 84% 87% 87% 85% 85% 86% 87% 86% 85% Explained 88% 88% 87% 87% 87% 88% 86% 89% 85% Serious 86% 89% 88% 88% 85% 87% 87% 88% 82% Timetable 80% 81% 81% 82% 81% 81% 82% 83% 79% Knowledge 80% 79% 80% 82% 79% 80% 78% 81% 78% igure 1c: Agreement with Statements Regarding the Information and Services igure 1d: Agreement with Statements Related to Quality of Service 80% 80% 60% Information 80% 82% 81% 81% 80% 80% 81% 81% 79% Received 78% 81% 79% 80% 79% 80% 79% 80% 75% Benefited 78% 81% 80% 79% 78% 80% 77% 79% 74% 60% Treated 91% 92% 93% 90% 89% 91% 90% 91% 90% Refer friend 85% 87% 86% 85% 82% 85% 84% 85% 83% Come back 82% 85% 83% 83% 79% 83% 83% 84% 81% 2011 VR Consumer Satisfaction Survey Page 12 of 38

13 Job Satisfaction for Rehabilitated Consumers Among consumers who were competitively employed and earning at or above minimum wage, 86% (n=223) 9 said they were earning wages or being paid for a job. Job satisfaction among these consumers was 83% (n=181) and two percentage points above the prior eightyear average. Sixty-eight percent (n=123) of consumers indicated they expected to be in the job a year later. This percentage was similar to the prior eight-year average of 68%. igure 1e: Self-reported Earning Wage at Time of Survey and Satisfaction with Current Job 95% 85% 75% 65% Earning wage 86% 87% 89% 90% 91% 89% 88% 90% 86% Job 79% 84% 79% 80% 84% 79% 80% 80% 83% Problems Encountered Consistent with the past two years, seven percent (n=33) of consumers indicated they had encountered problems or inconveniences related to their disability and 88% (n=398) indicated they did not encounter any problems or inconveniences. Of the 33 consumers who indicated they encountered problems, only four reported problems that were related to a disability. The problems included: 1. A consumer who indicated that job training class at 10:00 a.m. was too early for individuals with disabilities since some have personal care attendants who come at 9:00 am and are not able to get there by 10:00 a.m. 2. A problem with elevators being out for a consumer who used a scooter. 3. More research needed for CAPD and training to deal with it in order to prevent future inconveniences and misdiagnoses and/or assumptions Counselor never offered any help or suggestion for consumer s Asperger s Disorder. 9 or this report, competitive employment is employment in an integrated setting with or without supports or selfemployment that is performed on a full-time or part-time basis for which an individual is compensated. Please note that respondents self-reported whether or not they were earning wages. 10 The assumption for this report is that the consumer was speaking of Central Auditory Processing Disorders 2011 VR Consumer Satisfaction Survey Page 13 of 38

14 Section II: Survey Results for outh in Transition from School to Work, Hearing Impaired, and Specialty Caseloads 2011 VR Consumer Satisfaction Survey Page 14 of 38

15 outh in Transition from School to Work 11 DARS continues to work with youth and families to provide support in transitioning from school to work. Transition students may be served by counselors who are: 1) dedicated transition school counselors, 2) counselors with a general and transition caseload (at least one school area), or 3) counselors with primarily general vocational rehabilitation (VR) caseloads. or ease of discussion, the three categories will be referred to as dedicated transition, mixed, and general. In 2011, 25 percent (n=118) of consumer respondents were transition-age youth at application. Thirty-nine percent of these youth were served by counselors with dedicated transition caseloads (n=46), 36 percent were served by counselors with mixed caseloads (n=42), and 25 percent were served by counselors with general caseloads (n=30). Satisfaction highlights are provided below. Consumer Satisfaction Summary Satisfaction was low on most survey items relative to prior eight-year averages ( ). This was consistent with the trend for the agency. Job satisfaction for transition consumers who were competitively employed and earning at or above minimum wage was slightly above that of the agency. Eighty-six percent (n=59) of transition students who were competitively employed and earning at or above minimum wage reported they were working at the time of the survey. 12 Job satisfaction for 2011 was 86 percent (n=50). Overall satisfaction was 75 percent (n=88). Additionally, 73 percent (n=84) of the students were satisfied with their involvement in the process and 68 percent (n=79) were satisfied with the time it took to develop their VR plan. Over 80 percent of youth in transition agreed their counselor took their case seriously (81%, n=96), explained clearly the services available to them (83%, n=98), and did not rush them (85%, n=98). Close to 80 percent agreed their counselor knew about programs that could help them (78%, n=91) and met discussed timetables for their VR program (77%, n=90). While 2011 satisfaction was down for transition as a whole, satisfaction for transition consumers served by counselors with general caseloads was generally at or above the prior eightyear average ( ). Satisfaction for consumers served by dedicated transition counselors or counselors with mixed caseloads was generally at or below the prior eight-year average. 11 or this survey year, transition is based on RSA definition of age 14 to 24 years old at application. 12 or this report, competitive employment is employment in an integrated setting with or without supports or self-employment that is performed on a full-time or part-time basis for which an individual is compensated VR Consumer Satisfaction Survey Page 15 of 38

16 Satisfaction for outh in Transition from School to Work 13 Satisfaction for outh in Transition by Counselor s Caseload Type Dedicated Primarily Transition Transition/ General (n=46) General (n=42) (n=30) 14 Satisfaction for Transition and Non-Transition Cases Not Transition Transition (n=118) 15 (n=346) N % N % N % N % N % Satisfied Overall satisfaction with DARS Degree of satisfaction with your involvement in developing your Vocational Rehabilitation Plan our general satisfaction with the time it took to develop your Rehabilitation Plan Did you encounter any problems or inconveniences with DARS? All of the people at DARS treated me well. If a friend of mine were in a similar situation to mine, I would tell them to go to DARS. I always got the information I needed Neither Dissatisfied Don't know Satisfied Neither Dissatisfied Don't know Satisfied Neither Dissatisfied Don't know Don't know Rather not say No es Agree Neither Disagree Don't know Agree Neither Disagree Don't know Agree Neither Percentage rounding in discussion text is based on Microsoft Excel formula for rounding percentage. 14 General includes primarily non specialized caseloads. 15 or this survey year, transition is based on RSA definition of age 14 to 24 years old at application VR Consumer Satisfaction Survey Page 16 of 38

17 Satisfaction for outh in Transition by Counselor s Caseload Type Dedicated Primarily Transition Transition/ General (n=46) General (n=42) (n=30) 14 Satisfaction for Transition and Non-Transition Cases Not Transition Transition (n=118) 15 (n=346) N % N % N % N % N % from DARS. Disagree My counselor took my case seriously. My counselor clearly explained services available to me. My counselor knew about programs in my community that could help me I never felt my counselor was rushing me when we met or spoke about my case. My counselor always met the timetables we discussed for my vocational rehabilitation program. I received services that I needed. I benefited from services that I received. Don't know Agree Neither Disagree Don't know Agree Neither Disagree Don't know Agree Neither Disagree Don't know Agree Neither Disagree Don't know Agree Neither Disagree Don't know Agree Neither Disagree Don't know Agree Neither Disagree Don't know VR Consumer Satisfaction Survey Page 17 of 38

18 If you were to seek help again, would you come back to DARS? Are you currently earning wages or being paid for a job? 16 Overall satisfaction with your current job?(of those earning wage) Do you expect to be in this same job a year from now? (consumers satisfied with job) Satisfaction for outh in Transition by Counselor s Caseload Type Dedicated Primarily Transition Transition/ General (n=46) General (n=42) (n=30) 14 Satisfaction for Transition and Non-Transition Cases Not Transition Transition (n=118) 15 (n=346) N % N % N % N % N % es, definitely es, I think so No, I do not think so No, definitely not Don't know es No Satisfied Neither Dissatisfied Don't know es No Don t know Job satisfaction includes only consumers who were competitively employed earning at or above minimum wage and self reported in the survey that they were earning wages or being paid for a job VR Consumer Satisfaction Survey Page 18 of 38

19 Consumers with Hearing Impairments 17 DARS recognizes the unique needs of consumers who are deaf or hard of hearing. Consumers seeking vocational rehabilitation (VR) services may be served by Rehabilitation Counselors for the Deaf (RCDs) or other DARS specialist/general counselors. In 2011, nine percent (n=41) of consumer respondents had hearing impairments; 51percent (n=21) were served by RCDs and 49 percent (n=20) were served by non-rcds. Satisfaction highlights are provided below. Consumer Satisfaction Summary While small in numbers, consumers with hearing impairments reported strong satisfaction for the VR program and their counselors in Unlike the agency as a whole, consumers with hearing impairments reported strong agreement regarding their counselors meeting discussed timetables for their VR program and knowing about programs in the community that could help them. Eighty-six percent (n=24) of consumers who were competitively employed and earning at or above minimum wage reported they were working at the time of the survey. 18 Job satisfaction for 2011 was 92 percent (n=22). Overall satisfaction was 80 percent (n=33). Additionally, 75 percent (n=30) were satisfied with their involvement in the process and 78 percent (n=32) were satisfied with the time it took to develop their VR plan. Consumer perception of counselors was strong with 85 percent or higher agreeing their counselor took their case seriously (88%, n=35), explained clearly the services available to them (95%, n=38), knew about programs in the community that could help them (88%, n=35), did not rush them (87%, n=34), and met discussed timetables for their VR program (85%, n=34) satisfaction was at or above the prior eight-year average ( ) on almost all survey measures. This trend was evident for consumers who were served by RCDs and evident to some extent for consumers served by non-rcds. 17 or this survey year, hearing impaired is based on all impairments in AWARE including those beyond primary and secondary impairments. 18 or this report, competitive employment is employment in an integrated setting with or without supports or self-employment that is performed on a full-time or part-time basis for which an individual is compensated VR Consumer Satisfaction Survey Page 19 of 38

20 Overall satisfaction with DARS Degree of satisfaction with your involvement in developing your Vocational Rehabilitation Plan our general satisfaction with the time it took to develop your Rehabilitation Plan Did you encounter any problems or inconveniences with DARS? All of the people at DARS treated me well. If a friend of mine were in a similar situation to mine, I would tell them to go to DARS. I always got the information I needed from DARS. My counselor took my case seriously. Satisfaction Ratings for Consumers with Hearing Impairments Overall Hearing Impaired Consumers with Other Impairments (N=423) Not Served by Served by RCD (N=21) RCD (N=20) (N=41) N % N % N % N % Satisfied Neither Dissatisfied Don t know Satisfied Neither Dissatisfied Don t know Satisfied Neither Dissatisfied Don t know Don't know Rather not say No es Agree Neither Disagree Don t know Agree Neither Disagree Don t know Agree Neither Disagree Don t know Agree Neither Disagree Don t know My counselor clearly explained Agree VR Consumer Satisfaction Survey Page 20 of 38

21 Not Served by RCD (N=20) Overall Hearing Impaired (N=41) Consumers with Other Impairments (N=423) Served by RCD (N=21) N % N % N % N % services available to me. Neither My counselor knew about programs in my community that could help me. I never felt my counselor was rushing me when we met or spoke about my case. My counselor always met the timetables we discussed for my vocational rehabilitation program. I received services that I needed. I benefited from services that I received. If you were to seek help again, would you come back to DARS? Are you currently earning wages or being paid for a job? (Status 26 and competitive employment status) 19 Disagree Don t know Agree Neither Disagree Don t know Agree Neither Disagree Don t know Agree Neither Disagree Don t know Agree Neither Disagree Don t know Agree Neither Disagree Don t know es, definitely es, I think so No, I do not think so No, definitely not Don t know es No Survey items related to job satisfaction include only those consumers who were successfully rehabilitated and self reported that they were earning wages or being paid for a job VR Consumer Satisfaction Survey Page 21 of 38

22 Overall satisfaction with your current job?(of those earning wage) Do you expect to be in this same job a year from now? (consumers satisfied with job) Overall Hearing Impaired Consumers with Other Impairments (N=423) Not Served by Served by RCD (N=21) RCD (N=20) (N=41) N % N % N % N % Satisfied Neither Dissatisfied Don t know es No Don't know VR Consumer Satisfaction Survey Page 22 of 38

23 Consumers Served by Specialty Caseload VR Counselors 20 DARS recognizes the unique needs of youth in transition from school to work as well as consumers who are deaf and hard of hearing, dealing with substance abuse, or dealing with a serious mental illness. In 2011, 29% (n=133) of consumer respondents were served under a special caseloads. Ten percent (n=46) were served by dedicated transition counselors Eight percent (n=37) were served by counselors who specialize in substance abuse (SA) cases ive percent (n=23) were served by counselors who specialize in long term mental illness (SMI) cases. ive percent (n=21) were served by Rehabilitation Counselors for the Deaf (RCDs) Only one percent (n=6) of consumer respondents were served under Temporary Assistance for Needy amilies (TAN). Satisfaction for this group is not discussed in this report. Satisfaction highlights for special caseloads are provided below. Consumer Satisfaction Summary In general, consumer perception of their current job and DARS overall was good. Eighty percent or higher agreed their counselor knew about programs that could help them. Dedicated Transition: Ninety two percent (n=23) of consumers who were competitively employed and earning at or above minimum wage were satisfied with their current job. 21 Overall satisfaction was 78 percent (n=36). RCD: Eighty-two percent (n=9) of consumers who were competitively employed and earning at or above minimum wage were satisfied with their current job. Overall satisfaction was 81 percent (n=17). SA: Seventy-one percent (n=12) of consumers who were competitively employed and earning at or above minimum wage were satisfied with their current job. Overall satisfaction was 81 percent (n=30). SMI: Seventy percent (n=7) of consumers who were competitively employed and earning at or above minimum wage were satisfied with their current job. Overall satisfaction was 78 percent (n=18). 20 or this survey year, transition is age 14 to 24 years old at application and served by a dedicated transition counselor; RCD represents consumers with hearing impairments and served by a RCD; SA represents consumers who are SA clients and were served under SA caseloads; and SMI represents consumers with mental impairments. 21 or this report, competitive employment is employment in an integrated setting with or without supports or self-employment that is performed on a full-time or part-time basis for which an individual is compensated VR Consumer Satisfaction Survey Page 23 of 38

24 Satisfaction Ratings for Consumers Served by Specialty Caseload Counselors VR (N=331) Dedicated Transition (N=46) RCD (N=21) SA (N=37) SMI (N=23) N % N % N % N % N % Overall satisfaction with DARS Degree of satisfaction with your involvement in developing your Vocational Rehabilitation Plan Satisfied Neither Dissatisfied Don't know Satisfied Neither Dissatisfied Don't know our general satisfaction with the time it took to develop your Rehabilitation Plan Did you encounter any problems or inconveniences with DARS? All of the people at DARS treated me well. If a friend of mine were in a similar situation to mine, I would tell them to go DARS. I always got the information I needed from DARS. My counselor took my case seriously. My counselor clearly explained services Satisfied Neither Dissatisfied Don't know Don't know Rather not say No es Agree Neither Disagree Don't know Agree Neither Disagree Don't know Agree Neither Disagree Don't know Agree Neither Disagree Don't know Agree Neither VR Consumer Satisfaction Survey Page 24 of 38

25 VR (N=331) Dedicated Transition (N=46) RCD (N=21) SA (N=37) SMI (N=23) N % N % N % N % N % available to me. Disagree Don't know My counselor knew about programs in my community that could help me. I never felt my counselor was rushing me when we met or spoke about my case. My counselor always met the timetables we discussed for my vocational rehabilitation program. I received services that I needed. I benefited from services that I received. If you were to seek help again, would you come back to DARS? Are you currently earning wages or being paid for a job? (Status 26 & competitive employment status) 22 Overall satisfaction with your current job?(those earning wage) Agree Neither Disagree Don't know Agree Neither Disagree Don't know Agree Neither Disagree Don't know Agree Neither Disagree Don't know Agree Neither Disagree Don't know es, definitely es, I think so No, I do not think so No, definitely not Don't know es No Satisfied Neither Dissatisfied Don t know Do you expect to be in this es Survey items related to job satisfaction include only those consumers who were successfully rehabilitated VR Consumer Satisfaction Survey Page 25 of 38

26 same job a year from now? (consumers satisfied with job) VR (N=331) Dedicated Transition (N=46) RCD (N=21) SA (N=37) SMI (N=23) N % N % N % N % N % No Don t know VR Consumer Satisfaction Survey Page 26 of 38

27 Appendix A: 2011 Survey Results by Closure Status Consumers who are successfully employed have consistent satisfaction from year to year and those who are very satisfied with their involvement in developing the VR plan speak positively of the help, the counselors, or the service they receive from counselors and staff. This trend continued in 2011 with satisfaction percentages at or above 90% for nine of the fourteen survey items. Satisfaction with involvement in developing the VR plan and the time it took were 86% and 83%, respectively. Overall satisfaction was 90 percent (n=250). In contrast to consumers who are employed at closure, those who are not employed show slightly more variation in their satisfaction. Prior eight-year averages are below 79 percent for all except four of the 14 survey items. Survey items with eight-year averages at or above 79 percent are related to the initial phases of the process (treated well by people at DARS, counselor clearly explained services, counselor took the case seriously, and never felt counselor was rushing). Additionally, consumers who are not employed at closure have fairly consistent downward trends for overall satisfaction with DARS as well as satisfaction with involvement in developing the VR plan and the time it takes to develop the VR plan. Since 2009, there has been a downward trend in satisfaction for counselors meeting discussed timetables. In 2011, 28 consumers were very dissatisfied with their involvement (8 closed less than a year from application and 20 closed a year or more after application). Delayed status was not mentioned as an issue. While 16 consumers voiced perceptions of the experience (not much help, waste of time, did not meet my needs, and others), 12 provided input related to specific areas. 1. Nine consumers in the system for a year or more described perceptions that suggested a lack of understanding in the following areas. a. Why requests were not possible (perception of denial versus counselor s guidance or adherence to policy (n=5) b. Role of various individuals who assisted with the case (n=3) i. Perception of being passed around ii. Perception of discontinuity c. Expectation of what the counselor s responsibility was in communicating a piece of information (n=1) 2. Three consumers in the system for less than a year described perceptions related to counselors. a. No one assigned to case when counselor was out b. Counselor needs to be more understanding of consumer s needs and time c. Calls were never returned (consumer was still waiting for an individual to call) 2011 survey results by closure status are provided in the table below. Trends by Closure status are provided in igures 2a-h VR Consumer Satisfaction Survey Page 27 of 38

28 2011 Survey Results by Closure Status Overall satisfaction with DARS Degree of satisfaction with your involvement in developing your Vocational Rehabilitation Plan our general satisfaction with the time it took to develop your Rehabilitation Plan Did you encounter any problems or inconveniences with DARS? All of the people at DARS treated me well. If a friend of mine were in a similar situation to mine, I would tell them to go to DARS. I always got the information I needed from DARS My counselor took my case seriously. My counselor clearly explained services available to me. Status 26 (N=278) Status 28 (N=186) All Self- Respondents (N=464) N % N % N % Satisfied Neither Dissatisfied Don't Know Satisfied Neither Dissatisfied Don't Know Satisfied Neither Dissatisfied Don't Know Don't know Rather not say No es Agree Neither Disagree Don't Know Agree Neither Disagree Don't Know Agree Neither Disagree Don't Know Agree Neither Disagree Don't Know Agree Neither Disagree Don't Know VR Consumer Satisfaction Survey Page 28 of 38

29 Status 26 (N=278) Status 28 (N=186) All Self- Respondents (N=464) N % N % N % My counselor knew about programs in my community that could help me. I never felt my counselor was rushing me when we met or spoke about my case. My counselor always met the timetables we discussed for my vocational rehabilitation program. I received services that I needed. I benefited from services that I received. If you were to seek help again, would you come back to DARS? Are you currently earning wages or being paid for a job? (Status 26 & competitive employment status) 23 Overall satisfaction with your current job?(those earning wage) Agree Neither Disagree Don't Know Agree Neither Disagree Don't Know Agree Neither Disagree Don't Know Agree Neither Disagree Don't Know Agree Neither Disagree Don't Know es, definitely es, I think so No, I do not think so No, definitely not Don't Know es No Satisfied Neither 17 8 Dissatisfied 20 9 Don t know Survey items related to job satisfaction include only those consumers who were successfully rehabilitated. or this report, competitive employment is employment in an integrated setting with or without supports or self-employment that is performed on a full-time or part-time basis for which an individual is compensated. Please note that respondents self-reported whether or not they were earning wages VR Consumer Satisfaction Survey Page 29 of 38

30 Do you expect to be in this same job a year from now? (consumers satisfied with job) Status 26 (N=278) Status 28 (N=186) All Self- Respondents (N=464) N % N % N % es No 15 8 Don t know VR Consumer Satisfaction Survey Page 30 of 38