SAN FRANCISCO VOCATIONAL SERVICES
ANNUAL PROGRAM EVALUATION
FY00: 7/1/01 to 6/30/02
Executive Summary
Descriptors for
All Clients Served
The total number of
clients served dropped nine percent from the prior year (317 in FY01, down from
359 in FY00.) There was a slight
increase in the age of consumers: the
proportion of consumers aged 36 years or older increased from 72% to 77%.
Slightly more men than women were served.
An increasing percentage of referrals (66%, up from 58%) come from the
State Department of Rehabilitation.
There were minimal
changes in patterns of persons served by type of disability.
The percentage of persons served with orthopedic impairments decreased
slightly from 32% to 25%. The
largest categories of disability among consumers continue to be Orthopedic,
Emotional, and Chronic Disease (most commonly HIV+).
There was a small increase in numbers of consumers with developmental
disabilities from 1 to 9 persons served. The
small number reflects skill requirements for our specialization in business
office computer and clerical skills training and placement.
The volume of
initial referrals to the COMPUTERS PLUS! program and the Transitional
Employment Program (TEP) grew slightly, while there was a very large decrease in
initial referrals for Vocational Evaluation (high staff turnover contributed to
underutilization of Vocational Evaluation services.)
Patterns of
educational level show an increasing majority of consumers (62% vs. 52%) who
claim some amount of postsecondary education.
Only ten percent acknowledge less than a high school education.
Consumer ethnic patterns are similar to the prior year, continuing a
trend toward a predominantly non-white population, with Caucasians at 38%, and
significant numbers of blacks (22%), Asians (14%) and Hispanics (13%) served.
The overall average
tested grade level for academic achievement remains unchanged at 9.3 years.
The relatively low academic achievement of consumers is addressed by
remedial coursework in English and math in COMPUTERS PLUS!
Vocational
Evaluation
Expressed
satisfaction with vocational evaluation services by referring counselors
improved significantly over the previous year, exceeding the goal.
One hundred percent of counselors expressed satisfaction with response to
referral questions; the goal was 90%. Prompt
scheduling of clients improved slightly from the prior year (80% vs. 72%) but
still fell below goal (80% vs. 90%.) Dramatic improvement was achieved in
satisfaction with assisting referring counselors in setting vocational goals for
client (93% vs. 74%.) Consumers
expressed unanimous satisfaction with vocational evaluation services, with 100%
expressing satisfaction (goal was 70%.) Average
daily attendance dropped significantly from the prior year, from 1.33 to .83,
half the budgeted ADA goal of 1.68. Vocational
Evaluation services were negatively impacted by staff turnover: the Vocational
Evaluator was replaced twice during the fiscal year and the Vocational
Evaluation Technician was out on medical leave for an extended period, resulting
in some months with no services rendered.
COMPUTERS PLUS!:
Department of Rehabilitation
The actual
graduation rate of 56% fell below the goal (60%.)
The percent of graduates who started employment (47%) fell far below goal
(70%), which is partly a reflection
of a very weak economy. Average
hourly wage rate jumped dramatically from the prior year ($13.55 vs.
10.50/hour), well above goal ($9.50/hour.)
As in the prior year, 90 day job retention was below goal (71% vs. 85%.)
However, two additional clients are pending 90 day retention; if
successful, the rate would be thereby increased to 100%.
Consumer satisfaction remained well above goal with 87% of students
rating their training experience “above satisfactory” (goal was 70%.)
Average daily attendance grew from the prior year from 11.57 to 12.39.
The budgeted ADA goal of 18 is misleading: the DR contract called for a
total monthly attendance of 18 unduplicated individuals, and this goal was
exceeded.
COMPUTERS PLUS!:
Special Programs
Special Programs
outcomes were a mixed picture. graduation rate slightly exceeded goal (62% vs.
60%); however percent of graduates who start employment was dismal at 28%
(goal is 70%), although six graduates are still active in job search and
if successful the placement rate would be increased to 71%.
Consumer satisfaction remains well above goal (86% vs. 70%.) Special Programs graduates continue to earn a significantly
higher wage than DR graduates ($16.70 vs. $13.55 per hour) , well above the goal
of $9.50 per hour. (Special Programs students, who include injured workers, tend
to have more work experience than do Department of Rehabilitation students.)
90 day job retention improved over the prior year (75% vs. 65%), but
remained below goal (85%), reflecting the fragile health status of many Special
Programs students who are HIV+, and/or who have histories of substance abuse and
who subsequently fail to maintain sobriety. Due in part to the closing of the
Homeless Employment Collaborative (HEC) program, ADA fell below the prior year
(6.52 vs.8.22) and below the
budgeted ADA of 7.11. (The
department was commensurately staffed with fewer FTE’s than was budgeted.)
Transitional
Employment Program
TEP serves clients
with the most significant barriers to employment, often including no work
history or a negative work history and poor work habits.
Outcomes fell significantly from the prior year: there were many very
challenging clients who failed to meet program standards.
The graduation rate from TEP fell below goal (67% vs. 80%), representing
a substantial drop over the prior year (82%.).
The percentage of graduates who obtain employment met goal (56% vs. 55%),
yet fell significantly lower than in the prior year (74%).
On the positive side, there was a significant increase in percent of
persons placed retained employment long term from 70% to 89%, well above the
goal of 80%. Hourly wage rates fell
significantly from $10.14 to $8.32, below
goal ($8.50). Many graduates
continued to work at the host employer site at relatively poor wages, partly due
to lack of more attractive employment alternatives in a weak economy. Consumer
satisfaction continued to meet goal (73% vs. 71% in prior year, above the goal
of 70%.) Average Daily Attendance
improved over the prior year (11.37 vs. 10.31) despite the closing of TEP III,
and nearly met the revised goal of 12.
Placement
Fewer total consumers were served in Placement (129 in FY 2001, compared with
167 in FY 2000 and 213 in FY 1999.) In
large part, the reduced number reflects a transfer of clients served by the East
Bay PWI Placement Specialist to the MDVS placement program: in effect, this
caseload transfer decreased the number of clients served at SFVS by 33 persons.
Overall placement outcomes continue to be a primary concern at SFVS. Only 61
consumers obtained employment as compared with 116 individuals in FY 2000 and
160 individuals in FY 1999. Many
factors contributed to program underperformance. A weak economy has had a major
negative impact: our job seekers faced strong competition for fewer job
openings.* In addition,
considerable placement staff turnover created repeated interruptions in client
services. And fewer qualified,
job-ready individuals graduated from SFVS’ training programs including
COMPUTERS PLUS! and from TEP due in part to high negative termination
rates and longer average program durations.
Strategic planning and assessment are under way to further identify
problem areas and implement program improvements that are possible within the
constraints of the overall economy.
On the positive side there was a slight increase in average hourly wage over
the prior year ($12.64 vs. $12.49.) The
90 day job retention rate continued to fall below goal (75% vs. 90%), but this
was an improvement over the prior year (72%) and the goal may be set
unrealistically high. (Also note that nine clients are pending 90 day retention,
and thus the figure of 75% retention is an optimistic projection.)
Consumer satisfaction improved significantly from the prior year (71% vs.
59%), meeting the goal (70%.) Significant
improvement was obtained in the percent of placed consumers who were quick to
obtain employment (63% vs. 49%), approaching program goal (70%.)
(*Ms. R, a manager at a well-known personnel agency, which places clerical
personnel in temporary and permanent employment, reported: “The past year has
been by far the worst we have ever seen for permanent entry level office
positions. We are seeing
well-qualified job seekers who are
very frustrated, running out of money and living with friends.
Even the temp side has not picked up, contrary to our expectations.
The few jobs that are being posted with us are for workers with higher
level specialized skills and experience.”)
(Telephone interview September 19, 2002.)
|
SFVS Client
Descriptors
|
|
|
7/1/01
to 6/30/02
|
7/1/02
to 6/30/03
|
|
|
Number
|
Percent
|
Number
|
Percent
|
|
1) Clients
served
|
359
|
100%
|
317
|
100%
|
|
2) Age:
18-25
26-35
36-45
46-54
55+
|
31
70
109
104
45
|
9%
19%
30%
29%
13%
|
24
49
109
95
40
|
8%
15%
34%
30%
13%
|
|
3) Sex:
Male
Female
|
182
177
|
51%
49%
|
168
149
|
53%
47%
|
|
4) Referral
source:
1-Department
of Rehabilitation
2-Private
Insurance
3-Department
of Human Services
4-Self
5-Other
|
209
62
1
43
44
|
58%
17%
1%
12%
12%
|
208
43
0
40
26
|
66%
14%
0%
13%
7%
|
|
5) Primary
Disability:
1-Visually
impaired
2-Hearing
impaired
3-Orthopedic
4-Emotional
5-Drug/alcohol
6-Developmentally
Disabled
7-Chronic
disease
8-Learning
disabled
9-Neurological
10-Other
|
30
7
114
65
23
5
53
23
33
6
|
9%
2%
32%
18%
6%
1%
16%
6%
9%
1%
|
33
6
79
62
21
9
55
12
31
9
|
10%
2%
25%
20%
7%
3%
17%
4%
8%
4%
|
|
6) Reason
for referral:
1-Computers
PLUS! Assessment
2-TEP
Assessment
3-HEC
Assessment
4-Direct
placement
5-Vocational
Evaluation
6-Training,
No Assessment
|
97
19
9
87
124
15
8
|
27%
5%
3%
24%
35%
4%
2%
|
104
32
5
93
63
20
N/A
|
33%
10%
2%
29%
20%
6%
N/A
|
|
7) Educational
Level
1-8th
Grade or lower
2-Some
high school
3-High
school/equivalency
4-Some
college
5-College
graduate
6-Some
graduate studies
7-Graduate
school
8-Other
|
10
26
136
121
47
4
15
0
|
3%
7%
38%
34%
13%
1%
4%
0%
|
4
27
88
129
51
6
9
3
|
1%
9%
28%
40%
16%
2%
3%
1%
|
|
8) Ethnicity:
1-Caucasian
2-Black
(non-Hispanic)
3-Asian
4-Hispanic
5-Native
American
6-Other
7-Multi-Ethnic
|
158
72
65
45
4
15
N/A
|
44%
20%
18%
13%
1%
4%
N/A
|
119
69
44
42
5
26
12
|
38%
22%
14%
13%
2%
8%
3%
|
|
9) TABE
Grade level scores:
Language
Mechanics
Language
Expression
Reading
Comprehension
Vocabulary
Math
Computation
Math
Concepts
Spelling
Overall
|
8.2
8.8
9.7
9.9
8.8
9.2
8.2
9.3
|
|
8.4
8.9
10.4
10.0
8.8
8.9
8.5
9.3
|
|
PROGRAM: 
PROGRAM:
COMPUTERS PLUS! OFFICE
SKILLS TRAINING PROGRAM:
PROGRAM: PLACEMENT
PROGRAM: TRANSITIONAL
EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM (I, II & III)
PROGRAM:
VOCATIONAL EVALUATION