Staff development is the most critical element to quality services. Development opportunities are available in many formats. A Community of Practice (CoP) is a powerful and effective means to support our staff. The CoP will provide a forum for sharing best practice while allowing members to problem solve with colleagues. Customizing the experience to the needs of the group, while supporting the individual team member provides for sustainable improvement in the quality of services. A CoP can be a “lifeline” for staff to stay engaged in their work and remain in a position.

SCDD secured national technical assistance through the U.S. Dept. of Labor NEON grant (National Expansion of Employment Opportunities Network) and Administration of Community Living’s Disability Employment TA Center. The focus is on California’s transition out of subminimum wage by maximizing national best practices in California. These include focused, national subject matter expert (SME) led technical assistance on how to leverage state and federal funding for braiding and sequencing competitive integrated employment funding and the developing of our CoP.  Optimizing braided funding between government agencies is rooted in value-based purchasing which focuses on funding services that secure desired outcomes like competitive integrated employment and job retention.

The CA CoP, led by a national SMEs, targets diverse stakeholders like employment providers, regional center employees, and other direct service staff involved in 14-c transition.  The content includes work incentives/benefits planning, change management, customized employment, individualized services, business bottom-line enhancing employer education and outreach, and self-employment. CoP content is strategically designed to respond to CA stakeholder areas of interest identified in SB 639 phase-out focus groups and other disability employment related initiatives.  The CoP provides an opportunity to introduce new resources, share national best practice, identify CA innovation, explore challenges and celebrate achievements in real time as services evolve.