Illinois Department of Human Services- Division of Rehabilitation (IDHS-DRS) received notification of the SWTCIE $14M DIF Award (H421D220009) from the U.S. Department of Education-Rehabilitation Services Administration in the fall of 2022, a contract with the project evaluator, University of Illinois- Urbana-Champaign, was executed March 15, 2023. The SWTCIE Illinois achieved much during year two, the pilot year of the grant period.
The two major performance measures the Project expects to accomplish are:
- the percentage of program participants who transition from sub-minimum wage employment to competitive integrated employment and
- the percentage of program participants who are contemplating sub-minimum wage employment and are redirected to competitive integrated employment.
To meet the program measures, the SWTCIE IL Project created an innovative and collaborative partnership model with six (6) 14c certificate holders in geographically diverse areas of Illinois and provide them with integrated services to promote CIE. The Division of Rehabilitation Services posted a Notice of Funding Opportunity, and the six agencies were selected through a Merit Based Review process. Each agency received a $125,000 sub-award for SFY 24, with the option to renew FY 25-FY27. The following entities were selected:
- The Workshop, Galena, IL
- Kreider Services, Dixon, IL
- CTF Illinois, Crestwood, IL
- Association for Independent Development, Aurora, IL
- Human Support Services, Waterloo, IL
- Centerstone, West Frankfort, IL
FY 24 Highlights
During FY24, the SWTCIE Illinois Project has cultivated a solid collaboration between the Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) and the University of Illinois Urbana/Champaign (UIUC), selecting individuals from each entity to serve as Project Managers. Further, the process continues to hire key staff to enrich the performance and evaluation pieces of the Project both internally and with Virginia Commonwealth University. Individuals from these entities will test the project's effectiveness and provide staff development and technical assistance to agency staff. Further, the Project has made significant outreach to stakeholders, not only touting the benefits of the Project, but to engage in significant relationships which will continue through the life of the project.
The SWTCIE Illinois Project worked to meet the following goals in FY 24. The percentage of completion is at the end of each goal listed:
- Hire and onboard various key personnel to implement and oversee the SWTCIE Illinois Project (100%).
- Provide technical support and training to six selected agencies and begin to change their business model (100%).
- Maintain a SWTCIE Illinois Project website and social media platform (100%).
- Provide training and ACRE certification to at least 12 employment specialists and participating 14C project staff (100%).
- Expand a SWTCIE Illinois Project workgroup comprised of project partners (100%).
- Collect and secure ongoing project related data (80%).
- Engage a total of 48 project participants (eight participants from each project site) (100%).
| Participants |
Total
Engaged |
Youth |
Adults |
Transitioned to
Competitive Integrated
Employment |
% Transitioned to
Competitive Integrated
Employment |
| Subminimum Wage Workers |
47 |
14 |
33 |
27 |
57% |
| Contemplators of Subminimum Wage Work |
24 |
11 |
13 |
7 |
29% |
| TOTALS |
71 |
25 |
36 |
34 |
48% |
Contributions to research, knowledge, practice, or policy:
Research. The evaluation team has collected data and reported findings for constructs of focus in the areas of interagency collaboration (interaction & relationship quality), implementation (training and development, technical assistance, and outreach [TDTAO]), sustainability (transformative business model), and vocational rehabilitation (VR) services. The team has presented at a variety of project functions to communicate the importance of evaluation and research in this project and provide transparency in their purpose.
Knowledge. Robust training and technical support continue to be provided to SWTCIE Illinois staff continues. Virginia consultants and community research specialists meet virtually on a regular basis with agency employment specialists on supported and customized employment topics as well as project issues. Further, they make in person visits to the agencies on a every other month basis to provide support. Monthly communities of practices are conducted for field staff as well as quarterly events for agency executive staff. A SWTCIE Annual Meeting was held to disseminate project information and celebrate success. ACRE certification training is offered to all SWTCIE, agency, and DRS staff. An Employment Specialist Roundtable event is held quarterly to help develop best practices within the project.
A SWTCIE Illinois website and social media platforms continue to be populated with educational links, event promotion, agency updates, etc. Monthly SWTCIE Connect newsletters highlight project topics are areas of interest.
Practice. Robust training and technical support continue to be provided to SWTCIE Illinois staff continues. Virginia consultants and community research specialists meet virtually on a regular basis with agency employment specialists on supported and customized employment topics as well as project issues. This is done to change the way employment specialists work with customers in job development and cultivate relationships with employers in their catchment areas. The Project began assisting the 6 agencies as they think about ways to change their business models and moving away from subminimum wage employment.
Policy. SWTCIE Illinois activities, methods, and practices are being monitored on a state and federal level as legislation is pending to phase out subminimum wage employment in Illinois. The SWTCIE Illinois Project is being viewed as a potential model to roll out statewide in working with individuals transitioning from subminimum wage to competitive integrated employment.
SWTCIE Il Website
SWTCIE IL Mailing List
