Forums
VRS is pleased to invite VRS Community Partners and VRS Staff to regular VRS Community Partners + VRS Staff Forums. To receive email updates regarding the Forums, please contact Karla.F.Eckhoff@state.mn.us.
- What is the purpose? VRS Community Partners + VRS Staff Forums create a consistent communication opportunity for Vocational Rehabilitation Services staff and staff from Community Partners to hear VRS leadership and Community Partnerships updates. Hearing the same information at the same time facilitates a shared point of reference for VRS staff and Community Partners.
- What's the structure? VRS leadership and VRS Community Partnership team program specialists lead the forums, with speakers pulled in from all areas of our program to address specific topics.
- Who should attend? Any and all VRS Community Partner staff and VRS Staff are encouraged to attend.
- When will the meetings happen? VRS Community Partners + VRS Staff Forums are recurring meetings on the first Tuesday of every month from 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
- Forum Registration: VRS Community Partners + VRS Staff Forums Conversations will be held using Zoom. Each forum has a unique zoom link to register which will be sent in the weeks prior to each forum. Registration links for the year are also posted below. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the VRS Community Partners + VRS Staff Forum you registered for.
- Forum Accommodations: ASL Interpreters and Live-Closed Captioning are be provided for each VRS Community Partners + VRS Staff Forum. If you need any other accommodation, please contact Janeen Oien at Janeen.Oien@state.mn.us.
- Forum Recording and Materials: A recording and transcript of the forum and any shared meeting materials will be posted after each VRS Community Partners + VRS Staff Forums on this webpage.
- Email List: To receive forum registration information and zoom links prior to each forum, please contact Karla Eckhoff at Karla.F.Eckhoff@state.mn.us.
- For More Information: If you have any questions about any forum, please contact Janeen Oien at Janeen.Oien@state.mn.us.
Upcoming Forums
June 7, 2022: VRS Community Partners + VRS Staff Forum
Time: 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Agenda: TBD
Registration Link: https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJItcOugrDosHlofBRQwL5MlmbS6SZe6LDs.
August 2, 2022: VRS Community Partners + VRS Staff Forum
Time: 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Agenda: TBD
Registration Link: https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJItfuisrzIjHscwVZ9x-0mTN-DrKKXS2i4.
October 4, 2022: VRS Community Partners + VRS Staff Forum
Time: 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Agenda: TBD
Registration Link: https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJIsf-yprzgqGMem5xIZWi7tiqKhPtwUj38.
December 6, 2022: VRS Community Partners + VRS Staff Forum
Time: 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Agenda: TBD
Registration Link: https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJItcOquqTsiH1RMgOwuN242NxlX7kuTT_k.
Past Forums
April 5, 2022 - VRS Community Partners + VRS Staff Forum
February 1, 2022 - VRS Community Partners + VRS Staff Forum
October 5, 2021 - VRS Community Partner + VRS Staff Forum
August 3, 2021 - VRS and SSB Strategic Overview
June 29, 2021 - VRS Community Partners + VRS Staff PBA Training
June 1, 2021 - VRS Community Partners + VRS Staff Forum
May 6, 2021 - VRS Community Partners + VRS Staff Forum
February 2, 2021 - VRS Community Partners + VRS Staff Forum
November 30, 2020 - VRS Community Partners + VRS Staff Forum
August 21, 2020 - VRS Community Partners + VRS Staff Forum
May 15, 2020 - VRS Community Partners + VRS Staff Forum
CP Conversations
VRS is pleased to invite VRS Community Partners to regular to VRS Community Partner Conversations meetings. To receive email updates regarding the Community Partners Conversations, please contact Karla.F.Eckhoff@state.mn.us.
- What is the purpose? The VRS Community Partners Conversations meetings are meant to be casual office hours for VRS Community Partners to connect directly with VRS Community Partnerships program specialists. We hope this opportunity will provide support and community building for VRS Community Partners.
- What's the structure? VRS Community Partnerships Program Specialists lead the meetings, discussion on a specific topic each month, and facilitate a discussion with open questions and answers.
- Who should attend? Any Community Partner staff are welcome to attend - from direct service to billing to supervisors. VRS sends the meeting topic ahead of each Community Partners Conversation so organizations may send staff that apply to the topic each month. Regular attendance is not required.
- When will the meetings happen? VRS Community Partners Conversations are recurring meetings on the first Wednesday of every month from 8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
- Meeting Registration: CP Conversations are held using Zoom. Each CP Conversation has a unique zoom link to register which will be sent in the weeks prior to each month's CP Conversation. Registration links for the year are also posted below. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the CP Conversation you've registered for.
- Meeting Accommodations: If you need an accommodation for a CP Conversation, please contact Sara Sundeen, Community Partnerships Program Specialist, at sara.sundeen@state.mn.us.
- Meeting Recording and Materials: A meeting summary, a recording of the discussion topic, and any shared meeting materials will be posted after each CP Conversation on this webpage.
Upcoming CP Conversations
May 2022 CP Conversation
Date: Wednesday, May 4, 2022
Time: 8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Discussion Topic: Billing and Invoicing
Registration Link: https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJItduqsrjsqGAkUyZ-WYyzgbem5qas9-d8
June 2022 CP Conversation
Date: Wednesday, June 1, 2022
Time: 8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Discussion Topic: TBD
Registration Link: https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJItde-orjMpGOEbG46kcVqQFnDK4BVyBz8
July 2022 CP Conversation
Date: Wednesday, July 6, 2022
Time: 8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Discussion Topic: TBD
Registration Link: https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJItc-ygpjwqHoxzeSsAeZtFBgcMSUBgkNQ
August 2022 CP Conversation
Date: Wednesday, August 3, 2022
Time: 8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Discussion Topic: TBD
Registration Link: https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJIsdOmrqDMsGutQ8Wk1EKvg5jD4Z2KB1EU
September 2022 CP Conversation
Date: Wednesday, September 7, 2022
Time: 8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Discussion Topic: TBD
Registration Link: https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJIsdOqvqDwjHxHHznAafzfHjq9o8U5aHFY
October 2022 CP Conversation
Date: Wednesday, October 5, 2022
Time: 8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Discussion Topic: TBD
Registration Link: https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJIsdOuoqzkjGnl5G-2IXdb6euvaJVcg-jc
November 2022 CP Conversation
Date: Wednesday, November 2, 2022
Time: 8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Discussion Topic: TBD
Registration Link: https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJItc-mprj0pH3eGRwUqPhiXhwPWn3nqq7U
December 2022 CP Conversation
Date: Wednesday, December 7, 2022
Time: 8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Discussion Topic: TBD
Registration Link: https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJIsf-GpqT8rHFkJWJQQ_Df4oyEjDcoRSUY
Past CP Conversations
April 2022 CP Conversation
Date: Wednesday, April 6, 2022
Discussion Topic: Navigating the VRS Community Partners Website and Resources
Meeting Resources:
Discussion Recording
March 2022 CP Conversation
Date: Wednesday, March 2, 2022
Discussion Topic: Communication Strategies for Community Partners with VRS Teams
Meeting Materials
Discussion Recording: There is no recording of the March 2022 discussion. The discussion portion of the CP conversations will be recorded and posted for future meetings.
Partner Opportunities
Project Search Employment Services Provider Agency
DEED-VRS is requesting Letters of Interest (LOI) from VRS Community Partners with a VRS Professional and Technical (P/T) contract to be the Employment Services Provider Agency at the State of Minnesota Project SEARCH program which is located at the Capitol Complex in St. Paul.
A Project SEARCH program Employment Services Provider Agency provides Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS), Job Placement and Job Coaching services for students with disabilities participating in the Project SEARCH program.
Questions should be emailed to Alyssa Klein, VRS Transition and Pre-Employment Transition Coordinator: alyssa.klein@state.mn.us.
Deadline
Letters of Interest must be emailed to Alyssa Klein, alyssa.klein@state.mn.us, by 4:30 p.m. on Friday, October 29, 2021.
