Steps to Discovery

Job seeker:
Process Facilitator:

Steps Date Activity Time Spent

Step 1: Explain Discovery process, customized employment, and the Vocational Profile process to the job seeker and family.
Step 2: Schedule initial meeting with student and family at the students’s home (or alternate location if family or student is not comfortable inviting you to their home).
Step 3: Complete identification info before home visit. Have family confirm that information is complete and accurate.
Step 4: Before or after the home visit-tour neighborhood observing surroundings, safety, businesses, culture, transportation, and services near the home. Be sure to take notes.
Step 5: Meet with student and family for 1-1 ½ hours in their home. - Interview the student and family about their routines. - Ask about formal responsibilities, chores. - Inquire about community activities the student participates in. - If the student is willing, have them show room you their room. - Have them demonstrate how they do chores, and what they do for activities.
Step 5a: Social Security Information (determining if eligible for a PASS) - Ask if the individual receives SSI, if they do, ask if it is below the annual Federal Benefit Rate ($603.00 per month in 2006) $ ________. - If the student does receive SSI now and it is below the FBR, they may be eligible for a PASS plan right now. - If the student is under 18, and the family was denied SSI upon application due to excess resource or income, they may be eligible for SSI and a PASS plan simultaneously if they shelter some of the excess income or resource in a PASS Plan. - Does the student or family receive more than 1 Social Security check monthly? __________ - If yes, is one of the checks a survivor’s benefit check? Disability insurance check (SSDI)? Adoption Subsidy? Veterans check? Retirement Benefits check? If so, the student may be eligible for a PASS plan right now.
Step 6: Meet with and interview other people who know the student well (with the student’s permission) teachers, para-professionals, other related services staff, friends, neighbors to obtain more information about the student’s interests, support needs and successful support strategies, performance in various activities and to identify connections.
Step 7: From the information gathered identify some familiar activities that the student participates in and attend them with the student to observe their performance, interests, connections... (work, a favorite community activity, church, a familiar store)
Step 8: Based on student’s interest, determine an unfamiliar activity which they haven’t tried before or a place they haven’t gone before and participate in this activity with them. Observe to obtain more information about support needs, reactions, attention to natural cues, etc.
Step 9: Return to student’s home for additional information, unstructured conversation, observation, and further interview if needed.
Step 10: Review files and records of past and current services.
Step 11: Write Profile using information obtained in discovery. Be very descriptive in writing.
Step 12: Provide a copy of draft Profile to student and family for their review, suggestions and approval.
Step 13: Distribute final copies to all persons involved in the employment planning process, and schedule a Profile/Employment Planning Meeting.
While gathering information during Discovery, capture the person’s skills, contributions, and performance of job tasks in pictures for their portfolio.