CESP and Employee Retention Carrie OConnell Ability Beyond

CESP and Employee Retention Carrie O’Connell, Ability Beyond Kate Travis, Ability Beyond Cassy Beckman, APSE National

Presentation Goals CESP overview, its value, and its requirements State requirements/recommendations of CESP Preparation for managed care/Medicaid Employee retention rates in our field Ability Beyond and increasing employee retention The future of CESP

What do you know about CESP™? CESP is… The first national certification program for ESP’s Nationally-accredited A professional credential Individualized Portable Competency-based A great complement to program certification and licensing Required to be renewed every 3 years

Now that we know what CESP™ is… CESP is not… A training A guarantee Something that belongs to your employer Mandated by APSE For a lifetime

Eligibility Standards? Applicants for certification must meet all of the following requirements before they apply to the exam: Education Requirement High school diploma, GED or equivalent Experience Requirement Each applicant must meet one of the following requirements: 1 year of employment services professional (ESP) work experience as defined on the application, which may include up to a maximum of 3 months of internship or practicum time OR 9 months of ESP work experience with training component as defined in the candidate handbook Code of Conduct Each applicant must agree to and sign the Code of Conduct

3 Year Recertification Cycle Get/Stay Certified! Pay Recertification Fee Submit Application (up to 9 months prior) Do/Learn (obtain CE’s) Upload Documentation

Value of CESP™

Industries Where National Certification Improves Salaries Certification = Professional Standing Law Medical Professionals Teaching Information Technology Financial Planning

Many states are now… • Requiring CESP • Offering higher reimbursement rates to those who are certified • Offering large-scale certification efforts by fully sponsoring exam seats

CESP Use in States South Dakota June 1, 2016: Service Providers who obtain the status of Certified Employment Support Professional (CESP) from the Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE) and complete a 2 -day Person Centered Thinking (PCT) training will be reimbursed 25% above the current established fee rates. Oregon July 1, 2016: Agency Service Providers and Independent Contractors must have a minimum of one employee who has the DHS approved credentialing: ACRE Basic or Professional Certificate APSE CESP Certification Department-approved Substantial Equivalent North Carolina January 1, 2016: The CESP is required for providers of the MH IPS services who do not have a four-year degree. This is a higher reimbursed service so additional requirements like being certified makes sense. It is recommended that even staff who have a four-year degree also be CESP’s.

CESP Use in States Just VR: SD (25% higher reimbursement rate) TN (CDS/CES or CESP required for SE providers) OH (proposed 25% higher reimbursement rate) Just Waivered Services: KY (Community Living Waiver-required; othersrecommended) NC (MH IPS Services-required) IA (recommended as a similar option to ACRE or CDS/CES) OR (DD Services-required for 1 person in each agency) Both VR and waivered services: PA (ACRE or CESP required) RI (ACRE or CESP required) State, Agency or University Exam Sponsorship: DE NM NY OR OH NE

“At Ability Beyond, we celebrate the ability in all people. ” Began in 1953 Service Offerings Support 2500 people a year Geographic Locations: Westchester, Duchess, and Putnam Counties in NY Fairfield, Litchfield, Hartford, New Haven, Middlesex Counties in CT Our Career Development programs… 12

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• Employment Specialists= Bachelor’s Degree or 8 years experience in the field. • Our ESs provide all employment related services (Intake to job development to job coaching and follow up support) • Currently have 21 Employment Specialist positions in CT: • • 8 DMHAS IPS 11 BRS (CT’s VR) 1 DDS (DD) 1 Ticket to Work Our Employment Specialists… 14

What does your organization struggle with? *Retention * Turnover * Satisfaction * Employment Outcomes * Creating Creative Solutions Determine what your agency needs are 15

Three factors are driving states to expand managed care enrollments: (1) Severe budget constraints under which most states presently operate and predictions that budget shortfalls will continue (2) Impending expansion of Medicaid roles (3) Growing consensus among health experts and government officials that high-cost Medicaid recipients can be served more effectively and at lower costs through managed care plans Because of this, there is a continued shift towards Supported Employment! • Further reason to continue to standardize, and enhance the field and bring our employment staff to a more professional level Supported Employment is; • More Cost Effective • Generates lower per capita costs Managed Care Implications 16

The rates aren’t pretty! 47 -50%! (some agencies experience as much as 60%!) National Turnover Rates in Our Field 17

• • • Retention Desire to be a Provider and Employer of Choice Wanted to increase recognition of the position as a profession, not just a ‘stepping stone position’ Why Career Pathing? 18

Goal 1: To allow opportunities for personal growth and career advancement, as well as continued professional development for Employment Specialists Setting our goals. . . 19

Goal 2: To increase awareness of the position of Employment Specialist as a professional role Setting our goals. . . 20

Goal 3: To increase positive outcomes for the individuals we serve, by encouraging and allowing opportunities for our staff to be trained and certified on the best practices of Supported Employment, which can then be implemented in their work. Setting our goals. . . 21

Step 1: After one year in the role, an Employment Specialist is able to choose to work a 4 day work week, or continue in a 5 day work week. How we made it work…. . 22

Step 1 Cont’d… • Obtainment of ACRE recognized National Certificate in Supported Employment or Supported Employment and Mental Illness, through completion of a Virginia Commonwealth University course. For more information please see: http: //www. worksupport. com/training/courses. cfm#a cre • An Employment Specialist would be eligible to enroll in the next available VCU course after a successful first year of employment • All course work hours would need to be completed outside of work hours How we made it work…. . 23

Step 2: After 2 years as an ES, the ES has the opportunity to take the Certified Employment Support Professional designation test, after obtaining the National Certificate in Employment Services. The ES, after passing the test, is responsible for maintaining the certification and staying up to date on requirements. Getting creative with CESP 24

Step 3: Creation of a ‘Senior Employment Specialist’ position, to replace the ES II role. ES would be eligible after a minimum of 2 years employment as an ES. This position would be a change in title only, with no raise. Getting creative with CESP 25

Requirements: • Must have obtained the National Certificate/ACRE certification. • Must have obtained and maintained the Certified Employment Support Professional Designation or may substitute 5 years experience as an ES. • Must have had no Disciplinary Actions in the previous year. • Must have an overall Meets or Exceeds on Performance Appraisal. Getting creative with CESP 26

7/1/2012: Rolled out the VCU course and ACRE certification 7/1/2014: Rolled out the 4 day work week 3/2015: Rolled out the CESP designation and Senior ES Job Title The Data…or, is it working? 27

Looked at the past 10 years of Employment Specialists in our CT Career Development programs. Total of 81 Employment Specialists over 10 years! The Data…or, is it working? 28

Average Tenure Rate of Employment Specialists 5 4. 5 Average Years in Job 4 3. 5 3 2. 5 2 1. 5 1 0. 5 0 Before Career Pathing After Career Pathing CESP The Data…or, is it working? 29

Average ES Tenure before Career Pathing: 625. 85 days/1. 7 years Average ES Tenure after Career Pathing: 827. 81 days/2. 27 years Average ES Tenure of those that obtained CESP: 1659. 69 days/4. 54 years *Data as of 5/31/17 The Data…or, is it working? 30

Brainstorming Time! How can you utilize the CESP to further your organization? Ideas? Suggestions? Questions?

Brainstorming Time! Where would you like to see the CESP designation continue to go from here? (Increasing professionalism? Consistent standards? Increasing the value of the services provided by CESPs? ) Ideas? Suggestions? Questions?

Thank you!