Minnesota Transformation Initiative Technical Assistant Center (MTI)

Description

ICI and the University of Massachusetts Boston are collaboratively designing, implementing, and evaluating the Minnesota Transformation Initiative Technical Assistance Center (MTI). MTI supports Minnesota organizations to increase competitive, integrated employment while ending their use of subminimum wages for people with disabilities.

MTI's goals are:

  1. Develop and implement technical assistance plans with employment providers selected by the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS)
  2. Monitor and support provider progress toward project goals
  3. Develop and implement mentoring strategies to support peer-to-peer mentoring with self-advocates and providers
  4. Develop and implement a statewide training strategy to support provider transformation
  5. Develop a family engagement program
  6. Collaborate on a demonstration pilot project to introduce the LifeCourse Connect platform to individuals interested in moving from subminimum wage to competitive, integrated employment
  7. Integrate equity, inclusion, and diversity into all project activities
  8. Evaluate the effectiveness of MTI
  9. Implement a management structure to ensure project oversight and continuous quality improvement
Contact
Julie Bershadsky, Danielle C Mahoehney
Director
Julie Bershadsky
Website
mti.ici.umn.edu
Funder
Minnesota Department of Human Services
Collaborators
University of Massachusetts Boston

Staff

Julie Bershadsky :: Director, Community Living and Employment


Danielle C Mahoehney :: Community Living and Employment Specialist


Brian C Begin :: Education Program Specialist


Staff

Sherry L Healey :: Education Program Specialist


Jerry W Smith :: Director of Marketing and Communications


Kristin Dean :: Director of Information Technology


Staff

Connie J Burkhart :: Graphic Designer


Amy Kurowski-Moen :: Executive Office and Administration Specialist


Product

Rethinking What Works: May 2024

This issue features videos of a day and employment provider serving people with disabilities in rural Minnesota that decided to transition away from a center-based, subminimum wage service model …

Published: May 2024

MTI Success Stories: Udac

For decades, Udac offered center-based employment opportunities that paid subminimum wages to employees with disabilities, which is legal under federal law. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic spurred …

Published: 2023

MTI Quarterly Trainings: Training New and Existing Staff to Improve Retention

Quality training is essential to retaining a highly-skilled, competent, and confident workforce. It can be difficult to find time to properly train new direct support professionals(DSPs) and …

Published: 2/24/2023

MTI Success Stories: Kaposia

Founded in 1963, Kaposia is a Minnesota nonprofit agency based in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area, providing customized employment services for people with disabilities and retirement …

Published: 2024

MTI Quarterly Trainings: Engaging Employers for Competitive, Integrated Employment

Engaging with local employers is a necessary part of supporting people in finding competitive, integrated jobs. Building connections with employers and understanding their business needs is key to …

Published: 2/15/2024

Rethinking What Works: March 2024

This issue features customized employment, a process that identifies the strengths and interests of the job-seeker and matches those with the needs of a business. The issue also shares upcoming trainings and resources.Published: March 2024

Rethinking What Works: August 2024

This issue features opportunities for technical assistance from MTI, upcoming trainings, resources, and an advocacy opportunity.Published: August 2024

MTI Success Stories: Customized Employment in Action

As a leader for decades in connecting people to competitive, integrated employment, Kaposia, an employment services provider in Minnesota, has upended the traditional job search process. Instead …

Published: 2023

Collecting and Using Data to Inform Workforce Development Strategies

Presenters Danielle Mahoehney and Megan Sanders of ICI discuss how providers can use their data to inform workforce solutions techniques to recruit, select, train, and retain quality direct …

Published: 1/26/2023

MTI Quarterly Trainings: Community Life Engagement

As many states consider the movement away from 14c subminimum wage usage for people with disabilities, there is emerging research emphasizing the need to better connect unpaid day activities to a …

Published: 5/25/2023

MTI Quarterly Trainings: Starfire Council: Transformation and Supporting Community Life Engagement Outcomes in Ohio

Starfire, of Cincinnati, Ohio, ran award-winning outings and day programs for decades. Beginning in 2010, the organization transformed from disability-centered programming to community-centered …

Published: 8/9/2023

Rethinking What Works: July 2024

This issue features the transformation of Lake County Developmental Achievement Center, upcoming trainings, and resources.Published: July 2024

Rethinking What Works: January 2024

This first issue of MTI's newsletter introduces itself, its purpose, and audience. It shares upcoming trainings and featured resources.

Published: January 2024

Job Match Makers: Episode 1: Welcome to "Job Match Makers!"

In the first episode of Job Match Makers, hosts Brian Begin and Sherry Healey introduce the podcast, explain the objective of the Minnesota Transformation Initiative, and talk about their careers …Published: 10/7/2024

MTI Quarterly Trainings: Implementing a Credentialing Program to Retain Staff Long-Term

Credentialing programs for direct support professionals and frontline supervisors are being researched and developed by states and provider organizations across the country, and for good reason. …

Published: 3/23/2023

Rethinking What Works: February 2024

This issue shares the story and video of Udac, a Duluth employment service provider that won a national award for transforming its service model from center-based day and employment services to …

Published: February 2024

MTI Success Stories: Getting Buy-in from Stakeholders with PHASE Industries

PHASE-Industries is a day and employment provider serving people with disabilities in rural Minnesota. In 2024, PHASE-Industries ended its center-based, subminimum wage service model and is …

Published: 2024

Job Match Makers: Episode 3: A Job that Combines Fishing and Woodworking!?

Hosts Brian and Sherry are joined in the studio by their Institute on Community Integration colleague, Kathia Fernandez. Kathia shares a story from her time as an employment consultant when she …

Published: 10/7/2024

MTI Quarterly Trainings: Updates on Statewide Employment Initiatives

Representatives of various Minnesota state agencies give a May 2024 update on statewide initiatives that support the transition of workers with disabilities from subminimum wage jobs to competitive…

Published: 5/16/2024

Job Match Makers: Episode 2: Perspectives from 50 Years in Employment Services for People with Disabilities

In the second episode of Job Match Makers, Brian and Sherry are joined by their Minnesota Transformation Initiative colleague, Don Lavin. Don explains how he left his cousin Vinny behind in New …

Published: 10/7/2024

Rethinking What Works: October 2024

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), and this issue of Rethinking What Works offers suggestions for honoring NDEAM and learning more about employment for people with …Published: October 2024

Rethinking What Works: June 2024

This issue features MTI's peer mentorship program which helps people with disabilities and their support networks as they explore job options. It also shares upcoming trainings and resources.

Published: June 2024

MTI Quarterly Trainings: The Finances of Transformation and Employment Services

One of the most daunting parts of organizational transformation is planning for the financial implications, as shown in this webinar. Not only do organizations have to consider an approach to …

Published: 11/16/2023

Rethinking What Works: September 2024

This issue features an Employment First conference that MTI sponsored and upcoming trainings and resources.

Published: September 2024

Rethinking What Works: April 2024

This issue features a video about a Twin Cities organization that shifted from subminimum wage work and center-based employment to competitive, integrated employment opportunities chosen by their …

Published: April 2024

MTI Quarterly Trainings: Setting a Vision and Defining Success

Organizational Transformation can get messy. It is critical that organizations both understand and define their long-term vision and ultimately how success will be defined. Presented by Karen …

Published: 11/17/2022

MTI Quarterly Trainings: Managing Through Change

Organizations that transform from more traditional service models to those that prioritize competitive integrated employment outcomes successfully understand the importance of managing effectively …

Published: 2/16/2023

MTI Success Stories: Ending Center-Based Work at Rise, Inc.

Rise, Inc. is a Minnesota-based nonprofit agency that provides employment services in support of people with disabilities. In 2021, Rise decided to end piece-rate, center-based employment in favor …

Published: 2024

MTI Quarterly Trainings: The 10 Essential Elements of Organizational Transformation

Presented by Staci Jones of University of Massachusetts – Boston and Don Lavin of Strengths@Work, LLC, this free webinar gives an overview of the 10 Essential Elements of Organizational Transformat…

Published: 8/18/2022

MTI Success Stories: PHASE-Industries

PHASE-Industries is a day- and employment-provider serving people with disabilities in rural Minnesota. In 2021, PHASE-Industries began the transition from a center-based, subminimum wage service …

Published: 2023

Topics

  • Employment and postsecondary education
    • Employment and workforce development