Disability Policy Projects

Oregon Vocational Rehabilitation is responsible for the administration and operation of Oregon’s general vocational rehabilitation program. PPI has twice conducted the Statewide Comprehensive Needs Assessment to identify program strengths and opportunities for improvement. The needs assessment included a mixed mode survey of current OVRS consumers, a web-based survey of OVRS staff, semi-guided telephone interview with other key stakeholders, focus groups, and an analysis of existing disability prevalence data.

Federal legistlation authorizes funding and provides the mandate for state councils on Developmental Disabilities to engage in systems change, capacity building and advocacy activities. PPI staff provided long-term evaluation planning services to the Council, including development of strategic evaluation plans, logic models, data collection tools, selected data analysis. Additionally, PPI conducted an overall evaluation of the Oregon Consortium of Family Networks and provided workshops on evaluation as a learning tool.

PPI partnered with the Oregon Council on Developmental Disabilities to conduct a Literature Review and refine the program Theory of Change for the Oregon Consortium of Family Networks (OCFN). The literature review drew on research on children with disabilities and their families, in specific, as well as broader social determinants of health among other vulnerable populations, including children in poverty, that provide evidence-based lessons for the OCFN program model.

The Maine Department Health and Human Services contracted with Bloom Consulting, in partnership with PPI, to evaluate and update their Olmstead plan and ensure access to services for people with disabilities in the least restrictive environment. Data analyzed to update the Olmstead roadmap included extant and administrative data, stakeholder interviews, focus groups, and member surveys. The evaluation team worked with Department leadership to define performance measures for ongoing Olmstead evaluation work and continuous improvement.

PPI contracted with MDDC to develop measurable goals, a logic model, and evaluation plan for their state plan submission, using federal templates and evaluation guidance. PPI worked collaboratively with MDDC staff to define goals, objectives, strategies, and work plans based on input from the full council. The PPI team developed a logic model and a detailed evaluation plan to support workplan implementation.