Community Partners Committee

Overview

The Community Partners Committee provides strategic advice and consultation to DEED's Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VRS) program on topics and issues that affect vocational rehabilitation and community rehabilitation services to Minnesotans with disabilities.

About
Guidelines
Application
Meeting Dates
Meeting Minutes
Members
Funding

About

DEED Vocational Rehabilitation Services established the Community Partners Committee (CPC) Committee (formerly known as the VRS CRP Advisory Committee) in November 2010. For more than 10 years, the CPC has provided vital strategic advice and consultation to VRS on important topics and issues affecting the shared provision of employment services to Minnesotans with disabilities.

Specifically, the Community Partners Committee:
- Represents the perspectives and interests of Community Partner Committees in advancing rehabilitation and employment issues
- Provides strategic level advice and consultation to DEED/VRS on matters affecting Community Partner Committees
- Identifies key topics and issues affecting Community Partner Committee and DEED/VRS
- Considers input from subject matter experts in issues affecting economic development, state demographics / population trends, and promising practices
- Engages in active reflection, spirited discussion and strategic dialogue on critical topics affecting Community Partner Committee and DEED/VRS services to persons with disabilities in Minnesota
For additional information contact CPC Co-Leaders:
- Chris McVey, VRS Deputy Director of Employment Services: chris.mcvey@state.mn.us
- Amanda Jensen-Stahl, VRS Manager of Interagency Partnerships and Business Engagement: amanda.jensen-stahl@state.mn.us
- Kim Babine, VRS Director of Community Partnerships: Kim.Babine@state.mn.us
Committee Guidelines

Purpose

The purpose of the Community Partners Committee (CPC) is to provide strategic advice and consultation to DEED Vocational Rehabilitation Services on topics and issues affecting the shared provision of employment services to Minnesotans with disabilities. It is a voluntary, advisory committee.

Terms of Membership
- Community Partner representatives serve a three-year term that runs September 1 through August 31.
- Community Partner representatives must be employed by a VRS Community Partner.
- Applicants must be in management and supervisory positions that directly oversee disability employment services provision. (e.g., rehabilitation program manager, program director, or service manager).
- Members will be familiar with their organization’s operation and able to understand the varied challenges of providing services in different locations and service environments in Minnesota.
- Consideration is also given to geographic representation to foster statewide perspective.
- Members should have the full support of their respective organizations to apply and to participate on the advisory committee.
- Members are selected based on individual qualifications rather than an organizational basis. In the event, a member is unable to complete their term of membership, VRS may at its discretion fill the vacancy by appointment for the remainder of the vacated term or leave the vacancy open until the next round of applications occur.
- Individuals may not serve more than two consecutive terms without a minimum of one year between service terms. Current members eligible and interested in being reappointed for a second term must complete the application form and will be considered within the full pool of applicants.
- Members must continue to be employed by a VRS Community Partner during their term to be eligible for membership. Exceptions are allowed for short periods of job transition between employments at different VRS Community Partner organizations.
Staggered Membership Structure

Every year, one third (four members) of the VRS Community Partners membership will rotate.

Committee Meetings

Frequency of meetings

Meetings occur approximately monthly.

Day of meetings

Meetings generally occur the 3rd Wednesday of the month with the exception of a combined November/December meeting on the first Wednesday in December.

Time and length of meetings

Meetings are approximately 3 hours from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Location of meetings

Meetings may be scheduled virtually or a hybrid virtual/metro in-person option. DEED/VRS is unable to compensate and/or reimburse member expenses.
Application

The next opportunity to submit applications for the VRS Community Partners Committee (CPC) will be summer 2023. To receive notification when applications are open, please sign up for VRS email updates by contacting Karla Eckhoff, karla.f.eckhoff@state.mn.us.
Meeting Dates

2022-2023 Term Scheduled Meetings

Generally held monthly on the 3rd Wednesday of the month from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Note November/December meeting is the 1st Wednesday of December to combine November/December meetings.
- November/December Meeting: December 7, 2022 | 1st Wednesday to combine November/December meetings
- January Meeting: January 18, 2023
- February Meeting: February 15, 2023
- March Meeting: March 15, 2023
- April Meeting: April 19, 2023
- May Meeting: May 17, 2023
- June Meeting: June 21, 2023
- July Meeting: July 19, 2023
- August Meeting: August 16, 2023
Meeting Minutes

2023
- March Key Messages
- February Key Messages
2022
2021
- October Key Messages
2020
- February Key Messages
- January Key Messages
2019
Members

2022-2023 VRS Community Partners Committee Members
- Anisa Ali, Lead the Way MN/Metro Region
- Kim Babine, VRS Director of Community Partnerships – Committee Co-Leader
- Michelle Basham, VRS Deputy Director of Service Operations and Partnerships – Committee Co-Sponsor
- Anna Cahak, ProAct, Inc./Metro Region
- Dana Eisfeld, Kaposia, Inc./Metro Region
- Vanessa Gallagher, Tran$Em/North Region
- Jennifer Germain, VRS Rehabilitation Area Manager/Metro Region
- Melissa Grover, KCQ/South Region
- Jay Hancock, VRS Regional Director Representative - South Region
- Kassia Janezich, Tasks Unlimited/Metro Region
- Amanda Jensen-Stahl, VRS Manager of Interagency Partnerships and Business Engagement – Committee Co-Leader
- Denise Johnson, PHASE Industries/North Region
- Randa Lundmark, VRS Rehabilitation Area Manager /North Region
- Chris McVey, VRS Deputy Director of Disability Employment Services – Committee Co-Sponsor/Co-Leader
- Julie Peterschick, Productive Alternatives/ North Region
- Robert Reedy, RISE/Metro Region
- Alanna Rice, Leading Prospects/Metro Region
- Karla Tauer, VRS Rehabilitation Area Manager/ South Region
- Sarah Timmerman, Ability Building Center/South Region
- Dee Torgerson, VRS State Director – Committee Co-Sponsor
- Sheila Ward, WCI/South Region
Facilitator: Holly Johnson, Lanterna Consulting Inc.
Funding

The VR program received 78.70% of federal fiscal year 2024 funding through grants from the U.S. Department of Education. The federal fiscal year 2024 grants totaled $52,850,455. The required state match for these funds is $14,299,999. The state of Minnesota appropriated $14.3 million to meet the match requirement.