SKCAC 2020 Annual Report
Management Preface
In 2020 SKCAC, the State of Washington, the United States and then entire World has encountered the unprecedented challenge of the COVID-19 virus. March 23, 2020, Governor Jay Inslee shut down the State of Washington and placed restrictions on all activities. SKCAC was deemed an essential business providing job coach supports to essential workers at Safeway, Fred Meyer, Amazon and MV Transportation. All other positions were furloughed at that time and job seekers were home, waiting to find out what comes next. Our staff supported essential workers within the guidelines and safety requirements. During this time of limited access to participants and restrictions in place, SKCAC turned to remote communications and ways to engage with participants, providing training and support for personal safety; training for hand washing, and use of personal protective equipment. SKCAC provided face coverings, hand sanitizer and supports to assist in the process of keeping everyone safe. We were able to obtain additional supplies through our partnership with King County and share supplies with our program participants. SKCAC implemented a COVID-19 Prevention and Recovery plan and holds weekly COVID-19 meetings with staff to help all to remain current with Center for Disease Control, Washington State Department of Health and King County Public Health information. This also helps us to share information with our participants that is valid, correct and based on the science. As vaccines were being researched and developed, our meetings covered the information to help staff to understand the making of and the science behind the vaccines. Helping SKCAC staff to stay current and aware has helped us to stay safe and healthy and support our participants through this time. Unfortunately, two of our SKCAC family passed away from the COVID-19 virus during 2020 and we sorely miss them and are honored to have known them. Although the focus for 2020 has been on safety, pivoting of services and survival of our business and has not focused on our usual outcomes, we are proud of our organization and what we have accomplished and done for and with participants and the community during this pandemic. Our annual report details the work we do.
2020 Employment Services Outcome Report
SKCAC Industries and Employment Services (SKCAC) strives to provide quality services to our program participants.
Our mission: Empowering people with developmental disabilities through gainful employment and community inclusion, drives the quality outcomes of the organization.
SKCAC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization serving individuals with disabilities in employment services. Our service area is, in most cases, King County with a focus on South King County due to travel and proximity to our offices and work opportunities.
Referrals and participation in SKCAC’s Employment Services is in accordance with our Referral Acceptance Policy. Most referrals for SKCAC Employment Services come from the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and Developmental Disabilities Administration. SKCAC welcomes inquiry of our employment services and is a resource to those seeking employment who are facing barriers to employment related to their disability. Those seeking services find us through our website, government partners, school transition programs and word of mouth. We continue to increase our presentations to school district transition programs to expand options for students through the school to work program partnership with schools and King County. We have added the two year program to provide employment services to transition students a year before their last year of transition. This improves their employment preparation and outcomes to leave school with a job.
SKCAC’s Employment Services includes planning, assessment, job development, job placement and on-going employment support services with a focus on the individual served and their desired employment goal. Our employment services provide an inclusive process for the individual and others important to their employment success. SKCAC’s Community Inclusion (retirement) Services for participants with long employment careers who want to connect with typical retirement resources such as events at area senior centers is established and working well for those who opt to retire.
Our Outcome Management System is designed to measure the effectiveness, efficiencies, customer and stakeholder satisfaction. We make every effort to provide employment services to meet the needs of each individual served. SKCAC has historically sought and received referrals for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and shapes our services to meet on-going support needs for employment success. We believe that employment is empowering for all adults of working age and brings value to people’s lives.
SKCAC gathers data through our case management system, surveys, annual meetings, daily operations and other means. Participant satisfaction is gathered through annual planning meetings, six month review meetings, satisfaction surveys, suggestion boxes and open-door policy for input. Family, funders, employers and community stakeholder satisfaction is gathered in formal and informal ways; surveys, community meetings, community awareness breakfast, and other opportunities.
Demographic information is gathered and shared to measure SKCAC’s effectiveness in meeting the needs of the community and to align staffing to trends and changes. These are detailed in this annual report.
Demographics of those served YE 2020:
Gender: 71 – Male 51 – Female
Age: 18-40 – 58 41-62 – 47 Over 62 – 11
Ethnicity: White/Caucasian: 84; Black/African/American: 14; Native Am.: 7; Hispanic: 3; Asian: 6; Pacific Islander: 1; Other: 1
Primary Disability: 85% Intellectual/Developmental Disability.
Dominate Language: English
2020 Outcomes:
In 2020 SKCAC served 122 participants in employment services.
Community Based Assessment (CBA) Service area had a decrease in the number of referrals over 2019, completing 2 CBA referrals due to COVID restrictions.
The average length of time to complete planning and assessment exceeded SKCAC’s goal of 90 days due to COVID restrictions and limited access to the participants.
The satisfaction rating for CBA participants was at 100% satisfaction, exceeding SKCAC’s goal of 90%.
Job Placement Services area had a 200% increase in the number of participants over 2019 as there were no referral for direct job placement in 2019 and 2 in 2020. All information/data is off due to COVID restrictions.
The percentage of participants placed in jobs was 0% due to COVID restrictions.
Individual Employment (IE) Service area had a net gain of 10 persons served with 5 new job starts.
The percentage of participants placed in jobs was 62%, falling short of the 85% goal, and due to COVID many retained their jobs although were furloughed until restrictions end.
The percentage of participants earning more than minimum increased to 48%, falling short of the goal of 50%.
The percentage of participants who maintained their job for more than 90 days was not measured due to COVID restrictions, layoffs/furloughs.
The satisfaction of IE participants was at 97%, exceeding SKCAC’s goal of 90% although limited responses due to the COVID restrictions.
The satisfaction of employers was at 98%, exceeding SKCAC’s goal of 90%.
Summary of results:
SKCAC is working to increase community job placements and reducing time from referral to placement although with COVID restrictions and limited access to jobs, participants and services this goal is on hold and will resume when the outlook is better for this work. Vaccines and safety protocols will help to re-open. We are dedicated supporting our participant through this difficult time and when health and safety returns to pre pandemic SKCAC will work to support safe return to work and will continue to provide supports to the essential workers who have worked through this pandemic. Using best practice of building relationships with employers as a resource for their hiring objectives has resulted in placements and long term employment even during the COVID restrictions. Developing jobs with natural supports as an expectation is an opportunity of growth for our program. SKCAC is dedicated to developing better community business partnerships for increased customized job opportunities, community partners and community awareness of the value of people with varying abilities in employment.
Our satisfaction survey will continue to be provided to a more diverse cross-section of the community to help SKCAC to better target areas of interest and need for employment services. Increasing opportunities to engage diverse communities, SKCAC will reach out with focus groups and invite the community to participate in our planning and service review as well as continued outreach to area school district transition programs.
SKCAC values and appreciates the participants, family members, employers, customers, residential provides, funders, referral sources, community stakeholders and our staff who together will again continue developing good opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in typical community employment and be included in typical work and community settings once the COVID restrictions, vaccines and people can return to work.
For questions and input, please contact
Debbie Meyers, Executive Director,
253-395-1240 x4 or TDD Relay: 711