DSB Strategic Plan

Summary

Review DSB's plan to meet changing customer expectations with new levels of success.

Strategic Initiative 1: Enhance Communications to Reach More Customers and to Serve Customers Better

Project Area	Objectives	Success Criteria
1.1 Gathering the DSB Story	Gather participant first person experience stories Maintain and improve systems for documenting and cataloguing agency participant success stories, feedback, and the agency impact on customer Gather DSB staff activities to add to library of DSB story	Effective systems for tracking, retrieval and use of DSB stories are in place
1.2 Targeting the DSB message	Increase effectiveness and relevance of agency story content Survey key audiences to identify effective messaging Identify key cultural motivators for target and underserved groups Develop comprehensive outreach strategy for youth and youth stakeholders Develop systems for feedback loop to assess outreach successes Prepare all DSB staff to tell the agency story to a range of audiences	Staff have developed a prioritization mechanism for local outreach activity Staff can convey DSB story targeted to specific audiences Agency has data to demonstrate which efforts are effective
1.3 Telling the story for highest impact	Revise and update web-based and other modes for public access to agency story Develop strategic statewide and local outreach activity plans Develop effective relationships through targeted outreach and broad-based media activity Leverage funding and resources through partnering	DSB story is consistently told across a variety of platforms, with up-to-date content Increased number of referrals Partnerships in place to meet full circle of DSB participant needs Funding sources understand DSB impact on community and return on investment

Strategic Initiative 2: Enhance and Maintain DSB Capacity & Expertise in Serving Blind Washington Residents

Project Area	Objectives	Success Criteria
2.1 Enhance agency capacity and core competencies	Explore ways to stabilize the agency’s finances and increase revenues in order to minimize delayed VR services, and maximize VR, IL and BEP services Enact deliberate systems for process improvement and skills enhancement for all agency programs Improve systems for universal accessibility, both internally within the agency and externally among partners Enhance awareness among all staff of agency mission and context, issues, & skills of blindness Promote teaming within and among programs Develop systems to ensure multi-directional communication within agency	There are no delayed or waitlisted VR or IL participant services BEP vendors are supported through industry cycles & changes, and number of facilities & licensees increase Productivity of those with visual disabilities is not impeded by accessibility obstacles, internally or externally Increased participation and ratings in Employee Engagement Survey
2.2 Enhance recruitment, retention, and succession	Implement strategies for fostering diversity, equity and inclusion Target recruitment and development of qualified individuals with visual disabilities across all levels of agency Develop and implement long term recruitment and retention strategies Refine and maintain systems for transfer of knowledge & agency values Develop leadership at all levels Target and promote interest in vocational rehabilitation careers to prepare to fill critical future resource and peer mentorship needs for agency and field	DSB staff is representative of the state and population we serve Representation of individuals with visual disabilities will exist at all levels and areas of agency Employee Engagement shows high ratings for respectful teaming and workplace New staff receive knowledge transfer needed to maintain program stability Promotional opportunities in agency attract internal candidates Increased numbers of DSB participants hired into VR-related positions

Strategic Initiative 3: Integrate employment into a unified customer experience at all phases of the vocational rehabilitation process, and serve business as a customer

Project Area	Objectives	Success Criteria
3.1 Integrate employment and real-world work experience for VR participants throughout all phases of VR process and training	Explore, customize and implement a progressive employment model of career exploration that provides low risk connections among business and job seekers with visual disabilities Integrate real time market labor data and sector strategies in vocational planning Define stages of job-readiness and related employment activities Develop system for peer mentorship Explore participation in established job readiness and work-based learning programs (such as Career Connect, apprenticeships)	DSB participants are aware of range of career options, and find a good career fit Increased number of employment outcomes Federal agency & contractors State agency employment Maintained stability of employment outcome (2nd and 4th quarter) Increased quality (wage/benefit/diversity) of employment outcomes DSB staff have access to real time labor market information tools, and incorporate the tools into every VR case DSB participants are satisfied with the outcomes achieved through DSB services
3.2 Build regional business expertise	Ensure equal access in the comprehensive American Jobs Centers in order that blind, low vision and deaf blind individuals can benefit from the array of services they are eligible for through the state’s workforce system Proactively and systematically engage with business to meet the mutually beneficial needs of business and DSB participants Build employer-desired core soft skills (critical thinking, decision making, etc.) throughout skill development process	Increased utilization of American Jobs Centers by DSB participants Business engagement is systematic, and relationships are maintained over time Business is satisfied with the employer engagement services DSB provides them DSB staff have common understanding of the job readiness expectations and language of the business community Increased DSB participant hires among businesses and agencies where DSB accessibility technical assistance has been provided