• Braillists at the Anamosa Men's Reformatory are experimenting with a new technique for creating tactile images and enhanced drawings of pictures in books.  These include history and architecture, line drawings and everything from the pyramids to modern skyscrapers. 

• The InfoEyes pilot is offering on-line training for library patrons in the use of search engines, including advanced features of Google, and the capabilities of First Search to bring on-line reference services and access to research to blind and visually impaired people nationwide.  

• The Department for the Blind was also awarded a five-year, one-million-dollar transition-mentoring grant by the Department of Education. Under this grant, the Department established Pathfinders, a transition mentoring program that matches blind youth and young adults ages sixteen to twenty-six with competent and successful blind adults. This program involves retreats, camps, and other activities provided to teens with visual impairments.
• Project ASSIST Online continues to promote distance learning through a computer-training program.  The project is now in its second year and offers online courses to prepare students for the Microsoft Office Specialist certification exams. Students use the Internet to do the required class work thus increasing their ability to take classes even when transportation services are not available.
• The Project ASSIST Deaf-Blind Grant staff has been developing a series of tutorials using keyboard commands and screen reading software, in conjunction with a refreshable Braille display, to teach deaf-blind computer users how to use Microsoft Windows XP and other popular Microsoft applications.  The tutorials feature step-by-step, specific instructions tailored to each individual combination of screen reader, Braille display and Microsoft application.

Department of Corrections
Agency Self-assessment:  Completed
Olmstead Strategic Action Plan: Completed
[Full report]

This agency has done an excellent job of recognizing the barriers that offenders with disabilities face when they enter or leave the corrections system as well as identifying improvements that can be made while the offender is incarcerated.  The following are specific steps they will be taking to address these issues.

 Information

• Enhanced data sharing between institutional and community corrections case managers will be developed to assure accurate information is available to identify inmates’ disabilities or diagnosis, thus improving interventions during incarceration and transition planning.
• The Department of Corrections’ Special Needs Workgroup (SNWG) will develop a web-based resource guide for case managers to use in discharge planning that provides information on the array of services and funding available to people with Mental Health/Developmental Disabilities/Brain Injury (MH/DD/BI) leaving DOC settings.

Training

• DOC Executive team is planning training for institutional counselors to improve Parole Board release plans in ICON.  Want counselors to make more specific, clear recommendations to the Board.  These comments could address unique problems of release planning for MH/DD offenders, including housing and medication issues.
• ·The SNWG will review the pre-service training for officers and treatment staff and add information about disabilities and mental illness to the training curriculum.
• DOC will explore adding information to the pre-release curriculum on how to help offenders with disabilities participate in developing their release plans and accessing services once they are released.

• DOC has only three transition planners with specialized knowledge about disabilities in two out of nine DOC institutions. To increase this number, DOC Executive Team will invite each institution and judicial district to identify a staff to be trained as the MH/DD Transition Specialist and assure that staff participates in annual training on disability issues.
• Due to the increasing numbers of inmates with diagnosed mental illness, DOC is constructing a new 170 bed Special Needs/Medical unit at the Iowa Medical Classification Center (IMCC) in addition to the 200 bed unit at the Iowa State Prison (ISP) that was opened in October of 2003.

• DOC staff must continue to advocate for increased funding for MH services in Iowa in addition to working collaboratively with community MH providers.
• DOC Olmstead Coordinator and Special Needs Work Group staff continues to collaborate with CPCs, ISAC, and community providers to improve coordination and funding of services for the offenders that are not yet in DOC institutions, or may be transitioning back to the community from Corrections managed residential facilities.
• DOC supports the establishment of statewide core services and eligibility standards to increase access to services for offenders moving back to rural settings.

Department of Economic Development
Agency Self-assessment:  Completed
Olmstead Strategic Action Plan:  Completed
[Full report]

The mission of the Iowa Department of Economic Development (IDED) is to continually improve the economic well being of all Iowans by working in focused partnerships with business, entrepreneurs, communities and educational entities.  IDED astutely recognizes that the well being of all Iowans implies that choice of living and employment alternatives will be available to individuals with disabilities. The following action steps are examples of targeted changes IDED has chosen to promote to assure individuals with disabilities are being offered a variety of living alternatives and employment opportunities.  

Information

• IDED’s Webmaster attended the April 2004 training for state agency webmasters concerning the development of accessible websites.  Work on IDED’s website is currently ongoing. A footnote has been added to instruct people with disabilities to contact the department if they need information in an alternative format. 

• IDED team leaders and division administrators will attend trainings on the Olmstead Decision using the power point presentation developed by the Olmstead Real Choices Consumer Taskforce.

• To assure a certain percent of housing units funded by IDED are accessible to those with physical or mental disabilities, IDED proposed emphasizing the construction of accessible housing units in the Consolidated Plan for Housing and Community Development.
• IDED also reviewed Iowa administrative rules for the Community Development Block Grant and the HOME Investment Partnership Act programs making changes that are framed to assist people with disabilities through a revised application process and revised program administrative rules at the state level.

• IDED will continue to work collaboratively with Iowa Finance Authority to increase housing opportunities for people with disabilities throughout Iowa.

• IDED will work with Iowa Workforce Development to assure the number of people with disabilities being hired through businesses receiving funds from IDED through the targeted small business and entrepreneurs with disabilities will continue efforts to increase the number of persons served.

• An in-house taskforce is being developed to continue ongoing exploration of employment opportunities for people with disabilities.  Partnerships with the Entrepreneur with Disabilities program, Iowa Workforce Development and Department of Administrative Services- Human Resources Enterprise will help assure ongoing work in this area.

Department of Education
Agency Self-assessment: Completed
Olmstead Strategic Action Plan:   In progress
[Full report]

• The Chief of the Bureau of Children, Family and Community Services is a member of the Oversight Committee for Designing a Coordinated Children’s System.  This group was appointed by the Mental Health/Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities/Brain Injury (MH/MR/DD/BI) Commission to oversee the design of a system that ensures quality services are available and provided to children with serious emotional disturbances, mental retardation, developmental disabilities, and brain injuries.  The charge is to also identify methods for the children to transition into adult services. DE has also had several staff members involved in the Commission’s work groups focusing on the redesign of the adult disability service system.

• ·The department has a transition work group, which includes parent advocates, Area Education Agencies (AEA) personnel, vocational rehabilitation staff, and others looking at the outcome of transition services.  To increase the availability of data that tells us how effective the transition process was for students once they exited the school system, the work group is in the process of developing and piloting three surveys.  These surveys will be used with both special education and general education students to assess students’ progress towards successful adulthood at three points after graduation. The surveys try to get at factors like furtherance of education, employment, living independently, community participation, and financial independence.
• ·In January 2004 a two-day conference was held in Ames with national experts providing information about transition issues for students with disabilities.  After the conference a workgroup was established with representatives from Regents, Community Colleges, AEAs, Vocational Rehabilitation and Iowa State University to address the issue of streamlining the process of getting accommodations when students with disabilities transfer from one school to another, or move from secondary to post-secondary settings. 
• ·The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services (DVRS) has also reviewed and modified their policy manuals to reflect the commitment to consumer directed services. These policies discourage the use of prescriptive services whenever possible.  The updated policy manuals provide the flexibility needed for counselors to individualize services that meet the vocational preparation and placement needs of each unique client.  Vocational Rehabilitation staff is now being trained to understand that uniformity of service means that everyone gets what they need, not that everyone gets the same thing or the same amount.

Department of Elder Affairs
Agency Self-assessment:  Completed
Olmstead Strategic Action Plan: Completed
[Full report]

The Iowa Department of Elder Affairs (DEA) commitment to self-determination and Olmstead principles runs throughout the department’s programs, is reflected in their mission statement, shapes their vision, and determines the benchmarks to be measured as long-term care options are developed.  DEA strategic plan has four major initiatives that are actively promoting systemic change and are described below:

• The Alzheimer’s Demonstration Grant seeks to develop an inventory of dementia-based training and create a website to disseminate information to consumers, providers and the general public.   Collaborative Partners include: Area Agencies on Aging, Alzheimer’s Chapters, Adult Day Services Association.

• A grant from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) was awarded to DEA to implement an Aging and Disability Resource Center concept that empower individuals and their care givers to make informed choices while planning ways to meet their long-term individualized needs, thus prolonging the person’s independence. This initiative is working to improve information sharing, with centralized data collection and evaluation tools.  State and local entities will also be able to use this system to monitor program quality and real time responses to issues that arise.  A website for this initiative will be created and piloted during the grants three year implementation process. Collaborative Partners include:  Department of Human Services, Department of Public Health Information Technology, Area Agencies on Aging, University of Iowa’s Center on Aging and Center for Disabilities and Development, consumers and advocates.

• A fall 2004 summit is planned and the information will be summarized and used to help the Senior Living Coordinating Unit (SLCU) to craft legislation and programmatic direction for services to elderly persons and Iowans with disabilities. Collaborative Partners include:  American Association of Retired People (AARP), Department of Human Services (DHS), Department of Public Health (IDPH), Area Agencies on Aging, consumers and advocates.

The Alzheimer Demonstration Grant will fund three Area on Aging regions to evaluate and develop culturally sensitive education and training materials to be utilized in classes and service settings.

• A Webmaster from DEA attended the training session sponsored by the Iowa Program for Assistive Technology (IPAT) and the Department for the Blind to learn methods to create web sites that are accessible to all individual with disabilities.

Services

• Through a grant from CMS, DEA has just completed an assessment for the feasibility of Iowa’s rural communities to operate a managed care model of service called Program for All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE).  The model assures consumers receive the full range of Medicare and Medicaid services using a capitated payment system for community based or institutional services.  Service coordination is used to assist the consumer in accessing supports needed to keep them independent and in the setting of their choice.  The study concluded several communities in Iowa had sufficient populations to make a PACE program viable.  Further action on this model development is contingent on Legislative authorization and allocation of a risk management pool as well as establishing a Medicaid capitated rate.  Collaborative Partners include:  DHS, IDPH, Iowa Finance Authority (IFA), providers, legislators and consumers.

Policy

• The Director of Elder Affairs is the current chair of the Senior Living Coordinating Unit (SLCU).  The SLCU membership also includes consumer representatives and directors from DHS, IDPH and the Department of Inspections and Appeals (DIA), along with four non-voting members from the General Assembly.  The SCLU has statutory and administrative authority to direct program development of long-term care services in Iowa and insure system integration between aging and disability services. 
• The Direct Care Worker Recruitment and Retention Initiative is a contract with the Iowa Care Givers Association to define strategies and policies that help reduce turnover and create tools that assist providers in stabilizing their workforce. Collaborative Partners include: Community Colleges and AARP.

• The Director of Elder Affairs chairs a workgroup sponsored by the National Governors’ Association to develop proposals to improve Iowa’s long term care system.  The initial projects include a universal assessment process which will provide options and support to people who can stay in their homes and communities rather than enter a nursing home. 

• DEA has been working on a Seamless Service Project to streamline Iowa’s home and community based long-term care delivery infrastructure in an effort to allow clients to achieve the supports needed for their individualized circumstances through any point of contact made with the system.  The project seeks to have a shared data base between the 17 different funding sources for support services. Collaborative Partners include: Area Agencies on Aging, DHS, Center for Disabilities and Development, AARP and consumers.

Iowa Finance Authority 
Agency Self-assessment:  Completed
Olmstead Strategic Action Plan:  Completed
[Full report]

The Iowa Finance Authority (IFA) has from the very beginning responded to Executive Order 27 and successfully integrated Olmstead planning into their agency’s activities.  FY 04 highlights include:

• Incorporated Olmstead-related activity into agency 3-5 year Strategic Plan
  

  Increase outreach
  Double the number of minority homeowners served by First Home and develop/preserve 1,000 units of housing for persons with disabilities.

• March 2003 Lt. Governor’s Summit on Housing for Persons with Disabilities
• 2nd Lt Governor’s Summit on Housing for Persons with Disabilities was held on October 7, 2004. 
• IFA intra-department housing web page has links to the Governor’s Executive Order 27, IFA response to Executive Order 27, and IFA Tracking of Housing for Person’s with Disabilities.
• Staff in-service on Olmstead and Agency Response is planned for November 15, 2004.
• June 2004 Home Ownership Month Awareness Campaign

• http://www.ifahome.com/press/pr-05-28-04_Lt_Gov.pdf

• News Release [June 2, 2004]:  Lt. Governor celebrated Homeownership month by visiting home of first person to purchase home with Section 8 homeownership program (disabled veteran). http://www.ifahome.com/press/pr-06-02-04_homeownership.pdf

• Applied for $1,000,000 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) grant to fund several IFA activities identified in the Housing Summit Plan:

• Establishing the “Integrating Long-term Supports with Affordable Housing” Subcommittee of the Olmstead Real Choices Consumer Task Force

• Holding a Summit on Housing for People with Disabilities each year of the grant to assess progress in implementing the Housing for Persons with Disabilities State Action Plan;

• Creating an accessible housing search website that people with disabilities can access on the internet or through an aging and disability resource center;

• Providing technical assistance to housing developers to create 3 demonstration models of affordable, accessible housing with access to long-term supports that can be replicated;

• Reducing barriers for consumers who desire to move from an institution to the community by providing outplacement counseling and assisting with transition costs; and

• Creating an educational initiative to reduce barriers to homeownership, including counseling.

Although this grant was not funded, it will serve as a planning tool for future housing activities.

Department of Human Rights 
Agency Self-assessment:  Completed
Olmstead Strategic Action Plan:  Completed
[Full report]

Each division of the department has analyzed identified barriers and proposed solutions that emerged from individual review and public input.  Division representatives brought proposed solutions to the planning group for the department to review.  Each division worked with their commission or councils to incorporate recommended changes into their strategic plan, agency performance plan, and Iowa Excellence Improvement Plan. 

Information

• Because each division within the Department of Human Rights focuses on a specific segment of Iowa’s population, the agency plans to develop a more formal mechanism for information sharing between each of the divisions within the Department of Human Rights to look at cross cutting barriers.

Training

• The Department will provide specific training for department employees to increase their ability to effectively serve all populations. Action Steps :

• Adopt cultural competence model for the department

• Establish a working group of staff to focus on cultural competence issues within the department and train department staff

• Share model with other agencies

Services

• The Department will develop a systematic approach to serving customers with disabilities who may contact another division based on race, gender, or economic status.

Policy

• The Department will develop a process for the divisions of Persons with Disabilities and Deaf Services to review proposed public policy by other divisions within the department to ensure accessibility.  Action steps:

• Develop a standardized procedure for divisions to follow when creating public policy
• Implement procedure in each division.

[Full report ]

Recognizing the unique nature and scope of the services it administers, the Department of Human Services (DHS) has also recognized the appropriateness of integrating Olmstead awareness into strategic planning initiatives throughout the agency.  As the recipient of Iowa’s 2001 Real Choices Systems Change grant from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)—an opportunity driven by the Olmstead Supreme Court decision and President Bush’s New Freedom Initiative—Governor Vilsack named DHS as the lead agency to facilitate the implementation of Executive Order 27.   This has included supporting the Olmstead Real Choices Consumer Taskforce in becoming a significant contributor to Iowa’s systems improvement initiatives.  DHS recently received a no-cost extension from CMS for the 2001 Real Choices grant, which means resources will be available through 9/27/05. 

Significant Olmstead-related activities during the past year include:

• Staffing the Mental Health/Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities/Brain Injury (MH/MR/DD/BI) Commission’s legislatively mandated redesign of Iowa’s adult service system.  An initial set of recommendations was delivered to the legislature in December 2003 and work groups have been convened in 2004 with key stakeholders to develop implementation plans for those recommendations.  Additional work continues on costing out the recommendations and a refined set will be delivered to the legislature this year.
• Beginning the MH/MR/DD/BI Commission’s legislative mandated redesign of Iowa’s children’s system.  An Oversight Committee of key stakeholders is now in place and a kick-off event will be held in Des Moines on October 21.  The Commission is charged to finalize its recommendations by December 2006.

• As part of the children’s redesign initiative, DHS submitted, and then received this September, two grants from the federal Administration on Developmental Disabilities.  One relates to leadership development for youth with disabilities and the other is to enhance family support resources for parents of children with disabilities.
• Receiving a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and CMS--supplementing resources from the 2001 Real Choices grant--that will assist Iowa to amend its current Home and Community-Based Medicaid waivers to add self-direction which will allow individuals with disabilities and elderly persons to have more choice and control over the supports they need to live in the community.

• Revamping the DHS website to make the website more user friendly, including assuring accessibility consistent with compliance with section 508. 

• Partnering with the Iowa Finance Authority on a Low Income Housing Summit in October 2003 and again in October 2004. 
• Collaborating with the Iowa Department of Education to implement the recently reauthorized federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act that requires all confirmed reports of child abuse for children age zero to three to be referred to a state’s early intervention program established under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (in Iowa called Early ACCESS).  This is intended to make sure families with children with or at risk for disabilities receive the services they need.

• Developing a reinvention grant to create alternatives to custody relinquishment for parents of children with mental and/or behavioral health needs who would otherwise be forced to give up custody of their child to obtain services.

• Developing an Aftercare Network in the foster care system that includes a focus on children with serious emotional disabilities.
• Staffing six Medical Assistance Crisis Intervention Team public forums around the state to obtain input on ways to address Iowa’s Medicaid budget challenges—an issue of critical importance to people with disabilities, the elderly, and their families.

Additional Olmstead related activities planned for the upcoming year include training all DHS Division administrators and supervisors on Olmstead based on materials prepared by the Olmstead Real Choices Consumer Taskforce.

This agency is one of many that chose to infuse Olmstead principles throughout its agency policies and procedures.  The following are just a few examples of how this will be accomplished.

• Personnel from the Department of Inspections and Appeals (DIA) attended training on how to assure the division’s web pages are accessible. DIA strategic plan now demonstrates a process being implemented to assure all DIA divisions and contracted partners’ web sites and links, purchasing policies, and training materials are 100% compliant with Section 508 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act. 

Training

DIA barrier assessment process recognized that their policies do not limit the hiring of people with disabilities.  However, attitudinal barriers often exist due to limited knowledge about disability issues and how to make appropriate adaptations or provide supports needed. Therefore, the agency’s strategic plan identifies the following steps to address this barrier:

• Training of agency personnel about attitudinal barriers to assure staff is knowledgeable about disability issues and how to address them.
• Routinely and proactively market state agency services and products to people with disabilities using accessible materials and methods.
• Encourage recruitment of people with disabilities in the general practice for all state agencies.

Services   

• To assure all DIA services are accessible, including sites where judicial hearings are held, DIA plans to implement physical and programmatic requirements concerning community programs that contract with them to meet specifications.  The specifications can also be shared with other state agencies so they can monitor accessibility compliance with contracted services.

Department of Management
Agency Self-assessment:  Completed
Olmstead Strategic Action Plan: Completed
[Full report]

The Department of Management (DOM) does not provide direct services but is responsible for state budget analysis, local budget oversight, the State Board of Appeal, Community Empowerment, Reinvention and governance systems.  Their Olmstead Strategic Plan prioritizes:

• Advocating for strong, bold, feasible, and fiscally responsible plans that promote Olmstead goals and provisions in the enterprise planning and budget process with five Enterprise Planning teams.
• Bringing reinvention resources to enhance Olmstead objectives identified during reinvention planning initiatives.
• Assisting local Community Empowerment Boards to watch for opportunities to integrate Olmstead objectives into their work.

DOM also tracks and reports on the number of accessible housing units constructed or available throughout Iowa for persons with disabilities.  This includes State-assisted projects and privately funded units.

The Results Iowa website was created to share information under the Accountable Government Act.  The site contains strategic plans from each state agency.  For example, data is available on this site that tracks the number of Medicaid enrollees using Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) supports compared to those using Nursing Facilities; the number of housing units built or remodeled to be accessible for Iowans 65 and older; and the percentage of assisted living programs in compliance with State standards.  By November 2004, this site will contain data on the percentage of Frail Elderly 60 years or older using case management services versus those 60 years or older using nursing homes.

The Department of Public Health (IDPH) has been very proactive and working diligently to infuse Olmstead activities throughout all its divisions, policies and procedures.  Their strategic plan documents willingness to work collaboratively with many state and private partners to address barriers at the state, local and policy levels.  The following are examples of significant activities.

Information

• All chapters in the Healthy Iowan 2010 mid-course review will be using a checklist for identifying Olmstead issues that can be infused throughout the plan rather than only addressed in the disability chapter.  Several chapter teams have already listed opportunities for collaboration with the department’s Olmstead action plan.  Members for Iowa’s Olmstead Consumer Taskforce and staff from the Center for Disabilities and Development have been assigned as liaisons to several Healthy Iowans chapter teams.

• Efforts are under way to link several data systems--such as the brain injury registry, the trauma registry, the inpatient hospital database, the hospital discharge database, and vital records--to improve data on health needs of people with disabilities.

• Department personnel are working with the University of Iowa College of Public Health to develop health indicators for the disability community.  These indicators will eventually enhance the Community Health Needs Assessment-Health Improvement Plan (CHNA-HIP) to better assess the needs of persons with disabilities in communities across the state.

• A department team, including the web master, attended a training designed to improve the accessibility of state agency web sites for persons with disabilities.  As a result of that training, access to the department’s web site has improved.  Recent changes were also put into place to account for more capable devices and software that help assure accessibility. The Brain Injury Program web site is also being updated to better connect it with the IDPH web site.

• The IDPH Iowa Excellence assessment is currently being completed and is another good way to integrate issues pertinent to persons with disabilities into IDPH programming.
• The Better Jobs Better Care (BJBC) project partnered with the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals to expand and restructure the direct care worker registry to improve the integrity of and access to direct care worker information.  This may potentially benefit access for persons with disabilities who seek to employ direct care workers.

• IDPH included “support for community living options for persons with disabilities” as one of its nine legislative priorities for the 2004 legislative session.

• The Healthy Communities Task Force is a collaboration among department administrators, legislators, and public health partners.  It is committed to initiatives that improve community-based supports and community living options for persons with disabilities.
• Dr. Mary Hansen has chosen mental health and substance abuse as a priority for her Director’s Public Health Advisory Committee.  The committee will soon meet to formalize an action plan on this issue.
• IDPH staff is participating on the Mental Health/Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities/Brain Injury (MH/MR/DD/BI) Commission’s adult system core services and screening/assessment implementation work groups addressing such issues as lack of accessible transportation, lack of personal assistance services, and unique health-related social and physical concerns.

• Olmstead planning team members conducted several information sessions with department leadership and programs to educate employees about the Olmstead Decision and the department’s activities to implement Executive Order 27.

• The Facilitated Communication Guide has been developed for use with persons with disabilities who have been raped.  This guide was developed by the IDPH and the Iowa Coalition on Sexual Assault and is being distributed to sexual assault nurse examiners across the state. It will help service providers to better understand sexual assault on women who have difficulty communicating.

• IDPH is working with Iowa Protection and Advocacy, which regularly presents information on persons with disabilities at the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy training for new recruits.  Other law enforcement personnel attend the trainings as part of their continuing education.
• Through a partnership with the University of Iowa’s Center for Disabilities and Development, the department conducts Living Well with a Disability classes to disability audiences around the state. This curriculum is designed to empower Iowans with disabilities to recognize barriers and take appropriate action.  In addition, the IDHP offers a free facility survey that assesses compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and provides technical assistance to remedy barriers.
• The department’s BJBC project will invite the BJBC Steering Committee to seek stakeholder participation in the coalition by people with disabilities.  This will help ensure the input of persons with disabilities as the coalition seeks to improve the care provided by direct care workers through reducing turnover and improving jobs.
• Personnel from the Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT) presented information on the Older Driver Initiative to the department’s regional community health consultants, including how to contact local IDOT personnel for presentations to local public health providers.

• The department’s Olmstead action planning team has tried to keep Olmstead in the forefront in grant applications, whenever appropriate, such as the recent request for funding for homeless persons with substance abuse and mental health issues.
• Acquired federal funding for traumatic brain injury activities will allow the IDPH and the Brain Injury Association. of Iowa to provide brain injury education, training, and technical assistance to requesting Iowa service providers.

The Department of Public Safety (DPS) has not completed work on its strategic plan for implementation of the Olmstead decision.  However, the Department has made incremental progress on several important aspects of implementation:

• An initial review of the Department’s process for recruiting, appointing, and training of peace officers has been undertaken.  Several barriers to employment of persons with disabilities have been identified and evaluated.  Most such barriers result from requirements for certification as a peace officer in Iowa. These requirements are established by the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy.

• Development of a “Real Choices” area on the Department of Public Safety’s Web site is underway.  An initial, limited version of this section is scheduled to be accessible by September 1, with a fuller version slated for completion by the end of 2004.

• Staff from the Building Code Bureau and the Agency Rules Administrator, are closely monitoring developments regarding federal adoption of an updated version of the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG).  Current federal ADAAG language is adopted by reference as part of the State of Iowa Building Code and the expectation is to amend these provisions with references to the new ADAAG language when the federal rulemaking process is complete.

• The Department of Public Safety has cooperated with efforts of the staff of the Center for Law, Health, and Disability of the University of Iowa to develop legislation regarding universal accessibility and visitability requirements for publicly funded housing in Iowa.

• A committee of DPS employees representing each unit of the Department is beginning to review statutes, administrative rules, and departmental policies and procedures to identify barriers to persons with disabilities living in community settings.  No timetable for completion of this work has been established.

During the barrier assessment process, the Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT) identified insufficient hours of transportation services for individuals who could not access traditional public transportation services.  In addition, there are barriers that arise when services are needed between counties, or from rural to urban settings.  The department recognizes that adequate transportation services are necessary for successful employment, and community inclusion.  Activities the department has taken to address these barriers include:  

• Reviewing existing funding policies and drafting a new formula proposal for allocating transit funds in an effort to make funding more feasible for para-transit services.  Traditionally the funding formula is based on 50% match from local funding sources and 50% based on efficiency use of the service.  The proposed change recognizes “efficiency” is not the primary purpose for accessible transportation and the change is reflected in a new formula based on 50% actual service delivery (number of riders and mileage with number of routes) plus 20 % efficiency and 30% local funding match.  The department is in the process of gathering public comment on the proposed formula before beginning the process of modifying the necessary administrative rules.  The first public hearing was held on September 29^th.

• IDOT also submitted a Federal Grant proposal in August of 2004 to the Federal Transit Administration to provide transportation services to individuals who meet eligibility guidelines for a variety of Department of Human Services (DHS) supports and services.  This grant was a collaborative project between IDOT, DHS and the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) to address barriers to proper use of services as identified in Iowa’s Healthy Iowans 2010 plan.

  In progress
Olmstead Strategic Action Plan:  Incomplete
[Full report ]

Iowa Veterans Affairs (IVA) has the mission to help veterans find supports they need to live in the community.  During their barrier assessment process in response to Executive Order 27, IVA received a legislative mandate to identify the number of veterans living in nursing homes in Iowa that wish to live in their local communities.  IVA developed a nursing home resident eligibility survey that is being tested in 15 facilities in Polk County. By November 1^st the remaining facilities in Polk County will be surveyed and December is targeted to send the survey to facilities through out the state. Data from the surveys will be used to help define future action plans that Iowa Veterans Affairs will need to prioritize to help Veterans achieve their goals of community living.  Olmstead Strategic Action Plan development will begin after completion of the Nursing Home surveys.

This year an administrative rule was also changed to make it mandatory for all nursing homes to inform IVA if they have veterans/spouses/dependents living in their facilities and the time frame they have to complete the report thus allowing IVA to assist the veterans in accessing all their benefits.  

The Federal VA provides grants to veterans who need to make modifications to their homes after they develop a disability.  Accessibility to these grants is dependant on IVA identifying the eligible veteran and helping them become aware of the resources available to them.  Our agency has found it is often a case of not being informed about resources that are available that limit services that veterans use rather than lack of service options.
                                              

Department of Workforce Development
Agency Self-assessment:  Completed
Olmstead Strategic Action Plan:  Completed
[Full report]

In completing its barrier assessment and strategic action plan, the Iowa Department of Workforce Development (IWD) has been particularly effective at recognizing the need for collaboration across agencies. Examples of the actions steps IWD will take to assure Olmstead principles are being implemented throughout the agency’s services and policies are described below:

• To assure agency staff have information and resources available to successfully include people with disabilities in their Regional Workforce training, plans will be reviewed and additions made about issues surrounding people with disabilities.  Speakers on disability issues will be identified in the trade association meetings to be included in future workforce development conferences and training.

Training

• Using the collaborative partnership of state agencies represented in “The Governance Group”  that advises Iowa’s Rehabilitation Services Administration’s Paths to Systems Change Grant, the Department of Labor’s Work Incentive and Disability Program Navigator Grants, and the Office of Disability Employment Program’s Transition and Planning Demonstration Grant, Workforce Development continues to look for opportunities to develop tools to support skill development for job seekers.  One such initiative being pursued at this time is the “Customized Placement” program.                     

Services

• In order to assure that job seekers with disabilities may easily access services that will support them in meeting employment objectives, Workforce Development is participating in a State Support Team project.  This project is establishing a memorandum of agreement between the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation Services (DVRS), the Department of Human Services (DHS), the Department for the Blind (IDB), the Department of Education (DOE), and the Governor’s Developmental Disability Council.  The State Support Team will be establishing policies and procedures to assure information dissemination, technical support to communities, assurance of a communication feedback loop and provide the forum for cooperative planning among partners.