Technical Assistance

Technical Assistance from Employment First Missouri assists your organization to increase its skills and capacity in supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to successfully obtain and maintain employment, in support of the Missouri Division of Developmental Disabilities Employment First Policy.

What is technical assistance?

Technical assistance (TA) consists of consulting services that provide targeted support to an organization, assisting them in building capacity and expertise on strategies to increase employment of people with disabilities.

Who is TA for?

Whether your organization is new to working with individuals on employment, or highly experienced, Employment First Missouri is available to assist you in program development and enhancement, to ensure community integrated employment is available to all interested individuals and a priority in services and supports. TA is available at no charge to Division of Developmental Disabilities Service Providers and Targeted Case Management Providers.

What areas can TA from Employment First Missouri assist Service Providers with?

TA is customized to an organization’s specific needs. Examples of focus areas include:

• Creating a flow of services for assisting individuals to achieve their employment goals.
• Aligning service components with best practice, including person-centered planning, job exploration, customized employment, technology in employment, job development, post-placement support.
• Developing partnerships at the local and regional level, including service providers, targeted case managers, vocational rehabilitation, workforce development, business groups, schools, transportation organizations.
• Management and supervisory structures for effective employment services.
• Development of policies and procedures to support effective employment services and supports.

What areas can TA from Employment First Missouri assist TCMs with?

Employment First Missouri can assist TCMs in building capacity regarding:

• Working with individuals and families to develop employment as a service goal.
• Incorporating goals and objectives regarding employment into service plans.
• Ensuring informed choice for individuals regarding employment, including understanding what informed choice means, and how to apply it in service planning.
• Addressing specific concerns by individuals and families regarding employment.
• Working with service providers on ensuring alignment with individual’s employment goals.
• Working with vocational rehabilitation to coordinate funding of services between VR and DMH.

How is TA provided?

1. TA begins with Employment First Missouri staff working in partnership with you to conduct a needs assessment regarding your organization’s goals and needs in terms of employment services and support.
2. After completion of the needs assessment, a customized TA Plan is developed.
3. TA is then provided via a combination of virtual and in-person meetings and activities.

What types of TA are available?

• Short-Term TA to address specific issue(s) identified.
• Comprehensive TA with a full program analysis available via the Employment First Model Agency Initiative.

Employment First Model Agency Initiative

Are you an employment service provider or targeted case management interested in a comprehensive analysis to determine where your organization stands in terms of national best practices regarding employment? The Employment First Model Agency initiative is designed to assist your organization in aligning with quality benchmarks for effectively assisting individuals with employment and career development.

• Flyer on Employment First Model Agency process for Targeted Case Management providers
• Flyer on Employment First Model Agency process for Employment Service providers

The Employment First Model Agency process consists of the following:

1. Initial Information Gathering
   • Site visit & interviews (1 to 2 days)
   • Staff survey
   • Data, policy, materials review
2. Development of the EFFECT Rubric, Summary Report, TA Plan
   • Use of Employment First Fidelity & Elevating Capacity Tool (EFFECT) rubric for self-evaluation and evaluation of current capacity
   • Development of summary report
   • Technical assistance plan development including timelines and goals
3. Implementation
   • Ongoing personalized coaching and mentoring to implement technical assistance goals
4. Quality Assurance
   • Ongoing support to assess and refine implementation
   • Revisiting EFFECT rubric and baseline measures to track outcomes
   • Updating goals and strategies as needed

Check out our visual for the Employment First Model Agency process

Availability of ongoing assistance

After TA is completed, Employment First Missouri staff are available on an ongoing basis, by phone or email, to answer any questions you may have related to assisting and supporting individuals with their employment needs.

Contact Us

To learn more about technical assistance options and the Employment First Model Agency initiative, please contact:

Hannibal, Kirksville, Rolla, Central Missouri regions:
Jessi Keenoy, Training Associate – [email protected]

St. Louis Regional, Sikeston, Poplar Bluff regions:
Leslie Quarles, Training Associate – [email protected]

Albany, Kansas City, Springfield, Joplin regions:
Nick Holz, Training Associate – [email protected]