DHS COVID-19 PROVIDER RESOURCES // ODP
ODP Announcement 20-048:
Temporary Changes to the College of Employment Services
ACRE Fieldwork Assignments During COVID-19 Pandemic
Issued: April 24, 2020
Audience
Providers of employment and prevocational services in the Consolidated, Community
Living, Person/Family Directed Support (P/FDS), and Adult Autism waivers
Purpose
The purpose of this communication is to inform providers of the new, temporary
directions regarding fieldwork assignments approved by the College of Employment
Services (CES).
Discussion
The College of Employment Services (CES) is a course that, upon completion, offers a
Basic Employment Services Certificate of Achievement approved by the Association of
Community Rehabilitation Educators (ACRE). The CES ACRE course is comprised of two
parts:
Part 1: CES ACRE-Certified Course. In Part 1, learners move through 11 self-directed
modules; and
Part 2: CES ACRE Supplement. This portion of the curriculum consists of 4 recorded
webinars, discussion forums, case studies, and field assignments that are reviewed and
approved by an instructor from the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at the
University of Massachusetts Boston.
To obtain the complete ACRE Basic Certificate in Employment Services, learners must
complete both Part 1 and Part 2 of the CES ACRE Training.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, CES has received temporary approval for fieldwork
assignments that usually require contact with employers and job seekers to be revised.
Now learners will use the internet, phones, video conferencing and other media in lieu of
face-to-face meetings and contact. Learners do not need to have any contact with
employers but will still need to have remote access to a job seeker to complete some
of the assignments.
These temporary directions for fieldwork assignments are posted on the courses and will
expire on September 30, 2020.
Questions about specific circumstances to which this change applies can be directed to
the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI): Lara Enein-Donovan,
lara.eneindonovan@umb.edu
General questions about this communication can be directed to RAPWOPD_OUTREACH@pa.gov.