Milwaukee Equity Action Plan

Background

In partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), ICFW will work to develop, implement and test a consumer quality improvement plan at the Milwaukee central city location. This initiative builds on an extensive consumer service review that DVR conducted in 2019. Stakeholder interviews revealed that Milwaukee-area DVR consumers, the majority of whom are Black Americans, face multiple barriers to effective service engagement and completion. These include extreme poverty resulting from structural racism, significant distress due to current and historical trauma, and poor service access owing to organizational policies and procedures. Titled the Milwaukee Equity Action Plan, the consumer quality improvement plan aims to enhance the culturally responsive and trauma-informed nature of DVR consumer services.

Members of the Institute’s team for the Milwaukee Equity Action Plan project will help translate insights from the field and results from DVR’s consumer service review into a viable quality improvement plan. The Institute team will also develop and execute an evaluation plan to help DVR gauge progress toward consumer service goals and adjust the quality improvement plan as needed. In addition, the team will help DVR develop a sustainable, high quality consumer service model that reflects its values.

ICFW Team

Allison Amphlett
Joshua Mersky
Dimitri Topitzes

Partners

Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR)

All Community & Systems Change