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IVRS
Financial Update
posted 05-11-06
Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services (IVRS) continues
to reduce and contain costs. Significant progress has been made in this
effort that resulted in long term, permanent solutions to avoid future
problems. The following provides a summary of some of the measures that
have been implemented:
1. Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services has adopted a fee schedule
for all medical providers based upon the Disability Determinations Services
(DDS) Bureau fee schedule. This fee schedule is based primarily upon the
Iowa Medicare Fee Schedule according to the Current Procedural Terminology
manual. All providers who have been approved through DDS are approved
providers for all bureaus within the IVRS agency.
2. Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation is applying the requirement in the Rehabilitation
Act as amended to seek out comparable services and benefits prior to funding
any service. As such, individuals who are eligible for services through
the Medicaid Waiver will be expected to access those services prior to
IVRS providing support. IVRS staff will perform job development duties
to assist an individual in obtaining employment, but will still require
confirmation from the county of residence to agree to the job coaching
and long term support as required by the individual.
3. Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services has designed a service delivery
system within the agency that maximizes the opportunities for individuals
with disabilities and utilizes the strengths of the staff. As such each
vacancy created by retirement or resignation has been reviewed to determine
the most appropriate manner in which the position should be staffed. As
such 27.5 FTEs have not been filled and instead work assignments have
been redistributed and staffing patterns have been modified. In addition
Rehabilitation Assistants and Associates have been employed in some area
offices so that the work performed more closely match the job requirements
and needs of the individuals IVRS serves.
4. Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services terminated some consulting
and direct service contracts to minimize the financial strain. While the
work is still necessary and vital to the function of IVRS, it has been
assumed by existing staff thereby creating a delay in the completion deadlines.
While it is unfortunate that it created this delay, it is inevitable given
the fact that there are only a certain number of hours in a work day.
In addition to cost containment measures Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation
continues to strive for quality improvement and excellence in service
delivery. Recently IVRS and community partners joined together in a Supported
Employment Analysis Retreat that focused upon the development of an Iowa
Model that will utilize Iowa’s resources more efficiently and minimize
duplication of services. Central Point of Coordination Managers (CPC),
Community Rehabilitation Partners (CRPs), Case Managers from DHS and the
counties, and IVRS staff joined forces to analyze what needs to be improved
to serve Iowan’s with disabilities more effectively. While the work
is still in progress, preliminary results indicate that this effort will
improve service delivery and efficiencies in the State of Iowa.
Within the State of Iowa, the secondary school system operates under a
non categorical system. This system adds value to both the student in
terms of self esteem but also to the student, adult partners and educators
in better identifying student needs. The adult system is generally based
upon the traditional medical model which requires a diagnosis. Recently
after a three year process of working through a pilot project that sought
to connect IVRS eligibility requirements with information contributed
by secondary schools, IVRS was successful in demonstrating the value of
the functional information received and the applicability to the eligibility
process and case coding. This project was approved by the Rehabilitation
Services Administration thereby allowing IVRS to proceed in determining
eligibility in a much more economical and client focused manner.
IVRS will continue to strive for excellence and outcomes through a cost
efficient manner to serve Iowan’s with disabilities. The partnership
IVRS has with community members remains the vital link to IVRS’
success in continuing to improve quality while maximizing resources.
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