Employability Assistance for People with Disabilities Operating Manual
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Section 35 - Inter-Agency Cooperation
Purpose
The purpose of inter-departmental, inter-jurisdictional, or inter-agency cooperation is to provide participants with a streamlined process to reduce duplication of services and make accessing services easier.
Process
Coordination of the vocational process may involve service and funding supports from other service delivery systems. To be responsive to changing vocational training needs involving other jurisdictions, the department has established cooperative working relationships with the following delivery systems:
- Manitoba Economic Development, Investment, Trade, and Natural Resources, via Manitoba Jobs and Skills Development Centres, provides service needs assessments, employment counselling, and negotiated financial assistance to eligible Manitobans. If appropriate, and when mutually agreed upon between the participant and Career Development Consultant during the counselling process, individuals may be referred to third party funded projects or educational projects, to meet the needs of individuals with disabilities.
For persons meeting eligibility requirements, up to 100 percent of the education training funding costs for persons with disabilities may be authorized. This funding is negotiated on a case-by-case basis with Vocational Counsellors. - The Department of Families' Employment and Income Assistance (EIA) Program has established a process that allows Case Coordinators to be responsive to situations where a person with a disability can access short-term mainstream programming. Short-term skills training generally refers to training programs of approximately three months or less in duration that leads to employment as part of the participant's action plan.
This service access point does not replace the current referral process for education/employment services, but makes EIA more receptive and responsive to the needs of people with disabilities in accessing funding for educational or training needs. EIA is not a service access point for tuition or course fees.
When participants are involved with other private or public insurers there is the possibility for partnership. It would be important to discuss with the participant and other parties what impact such partnerships may have on their entitlement to benefits.
Partnerships may be explored and considered when deemed advantageous to a participant’s Vocational Plan. Partnerships may be entered with:
- Canada Pension Plan – Disability's (CPPD) Vocational Rehabilitation Program may provide funding in situations where there is a high probability of full-time employment following relatively short-term training. CPPD may be able to cover other costs, and therefore, may be able to enter a partnership or agreement to support participants who are eligible for both programs.
- Other organizations, such as Manitoba Public Insurance and private long-term disability insurers (for instance, Great West Life, Blue Cross, Manulife Financial) may also be able to enter into partnership agreements on an individualized case-by-case basis.
