Suspensions/ Transfers and Exitsof Program

Suspensions

Volunteer Participants (eg. voluntaryDSP recipients) may be suspended from program assistance when they are unable to look for work due to personal reasons or well being but for Newstart or other DHS income support compliant participants the reason must be validated and approved by DHS-Centrelink before suspension can be granted/updated on DVJS database.

Case Managers must notify an Intake/Community Liaison Officer of their intent to suspenda volunteer participant by completing the ‘DVJS Consumer Suspension proforma’. Site Manager’s signature approval is required as well. A form is NOT required for participants who have been suspended or granted an exemption by DHS Centrelink. Intake Team regularly monitors site caseloads and shall advise affected parties of this.

The Intake Officer will suspend the Participant on the ESS and DVJS databasesand notify the case manager and site manager accordingly.

Refer to the DSS Guidelines regarding eligibility & duration of suspensions as not all Participants can be suspended without DHS approval as it may depend on their benefit.

To record a suspension of a Participant’s record of program with DVJS:

ESS Web IT system.

  1. Access Participant’s record in ESS.
  2. Navigate to “Suspension and Volunteer Periods” screen located on left hand side menu underneath “Job Seeker” heading
  3. Underneath the Suspensions field select the “add suspension” button.
  4. Select reason for suspension and today’s date with a future review date. This cannot be more than 13 weeks in the future.
  5. Once all fields completed, submit and save.

DVJS Database

  1. Change Participant status to “suspended” in Client details screen.
  2. A suspension field shall appear. Add suspension dates the same as the dates appear in ESS Web IT’s system.
  3. Create journal note of suspension.
  4. In income tab, add suspension dates into “Notes” field located on right hand side of the latest service fee received.
  5. Email case manager and site manager of suspension. Email CEO as well.

Note: Maximum suspension period at one time is 13 weeks.

If a Participant has been suspended by DHS, this will appear in ESS Web’s IT system. Intake Officer then shall update DVJS database as outlined above and notify those required accordingly.

Intake Officer shall also notify appropriate case managers and site managers of when a participant’s exemption/suspension has expired. Intake Officer shall also update Income Tab screen if required as well.

Transfers

A Participant may only be able to be transferred if they wish to be transferred to another DES ESS agency. This also applies to a Participant with another agency wishing to join DVJS.

If the Participant wishes to transfer to another program provider other than a DES ESS they will require an ESAt/JCA. It would be appropriate to discuss with the case manager and site manager as required beforehand.

A DSS “Transfer by Agreement” form is always required for a transfer of a Participant, to or from DVJS, but not within DVJS. A transfer cannot occur until all parties have completed and signed their respective sections.

This includes:

-The Participant requesting the transfer

-The original disability employment service

-The receiving disability service.

As of 1.7.15, a Participant can request a Transfer from one DES ESS agency to another themselves on line as well.

A Client can access their jobseeker account through MyGov site and request their own Transfer by Agreement request via their jobseeker account.

They don’t have to physically go in to their DES ES Provider to arrange this.

The proposed provider will get a noticeboard message of “proposed transfer by jobseeker”in ESS Web IT system which Intake Officer will have to action. Intake Officer may need to discuss circumstances with case manager and site manager if it is a DVJS client wishing to transfer to another agency

If action is accepted, message goes to current provider to action the transfer.

If declined, reason has to be given in box located in ESS Web IT system

We have 3 business days to action request in ESS Web IT system (either end...whether accepting or actioning)

IF not actioned in 3 business days the Transfer by Agreement shall be auto declined in ESS Web system.

The Transfer by Agreement form STILL exists and can still be used by Providers and clients.This process has NOT changed.

This is just another form of Transfer by Agreement if a client wishes to directly do this in this way via their jobseeker account.

Once this has occurred, the coding process to Transfer a client to another DES agency is as follows:

ESS Web IT system

  1. Navigate to client record in ESS web.
  2. Select “Transfer” field located in left hand menu in ESS, under sub heading Job Seeker
  3. Once in this screen, under Transfer Details heading, select from the drop down option the most appropriate reason for transfer.
  4. You can then select the “list provider sites” button. Choose the appropriate site code noted on the Transfer by Agreement form. This is the code of the receiving DES ESS agency.
  5. Finally click on the “Transfer” button listed just below on this screen.
  6. Confirm and save. Double check your caseload list to show client successfully transferred.

DVJS database.

  1. In client details screen, change client status to “withdrawn”
  2. Change DSS end date field to date of transfer/exit.
  3. In “reason for exit” field, select “JSA/DES transfer”.
  4. Create journal entry advising of this.
  5. Transfer by Agreement form should be attached to file or uploaded onto file.
  6. Delete Client’s DVJS website user name and password.
  7. Delete the need to send a newsletter.
  8. Email to CEO, case manager and site manager of transfer/exit.

Extension or Termination of Program

No matter how hard we try, we cannot guarantee that all Participants will obtain employment.

If a case manager wishes to exit a volunteer Participant prior to their program being completed due to participation failure, they must meet with the Site Manager first to discuss/review the case. Obviously if they are deceased / moving overseas or interstate / wishing to try another service etc this would not be necessary. The Manager may determine to keep the participant but transfer them to a different case manager as it may be a personality conflict, misunderstanding etc.

At the conclusion of the Participants’ program, if they are still in Employment Assistance phase and unlikely to become an employment outcome (achieving 26 weeks employment) within the next 6 months they shall be exited from program. If the Participant is likely to become an employment outcome within 6 months (ie they are currently working), their Program will be reviewed and extended. Review to DSS DES Program Review Guidelines.

If a Voluntary Participant is to be exited, the Case Manager and Intake Officer are not to wait until the next service fee is due. This is against Departmental Guidelines as a Service Fee is paid for a participant’s following 13 weeks of program. DVJS cannot knowingly accept funds for a future period knowing that a participant is to be exited. The Participant is to be exited in a timely manner.

Note: A compulsory activity tested participant cannot be voluntarily exited from program. If there are any concerns or significant changes to a Participant’s circumstances, it may require an update of the Participant’s JSCI and a referral back to DHS for an ESAT/JCA.

A DVJS Exit request pro forma needs to be completed by the case manager before an exit can be actioned. Site Manager’s signature approval is also required.

To exit a Participant from program:

ESS Web IT system

  1. Select client record or navigate toParticipants’ case summary screen.
  2. In “Job Seeker Information” field, select the “Mange Referral” button.
  3. This will take you to “Action Job seeker” screen.
  4. In action field select “Provider exit” reason.
  5. Then select most appropriate exit reason from drop down menu in “Exit Reason” field.
  6. Select submit button.
  7. ESS database shall then confirm participant has been successfully exited as it takes you back to the Case summary screen.

DVJS Database

  1. In Client Details screen, update participants status to “withdrawn”
  2. Update DSS End date field with the date of actual exit.
  3. Select most suitable exit reason from drop down “reason for exit” field and save.
  4. Delete client’s DVJS website username and password as well as no need to send newsletter.
  5. Create journal entry of action.
  6. Email to CEO, case manager and site manager of Participant’s exit from program and also request program summary to be completed by case manager within 5 working days. DES ESS Survey in ESS Web IT system needs to be completed also.

Program Summary Report - ESS: First, the EC will complete an Exit Request Form and give to the Intake Officer who manages the intake and exits of DVJS. Once the exit has been confirmed by the Intake Officer, the case manager will complete the Program Summary Report electronically on the ESS within 5 days.

  • The program summary report is located in the menuon the left hand side of the ESS screen. Under “Job Seeker” heading, select sub heading “Disability Employment Services” and then select “DES Program Summary”. Or you may wish to type “DES Program Summary” in top left hand side search field.
  • After completing the report:
  • View report in the Draft Status
  • Change the Status box from Draft to Finalized before submittingthe finalized Program Summary.
  • Lastly, the case manager should print off a hard copy and attach to file as well.
  • EXIT letter template found on DVJS website, to be used to formally advise participant of their exit from DVJS DES ESS program.

Only the Intake Officer is authorized to suspend/transfer/exit Participants on the ESS & DVJS data bases. The Intake Officer in turn shall notify CEO, case manager and site managerof the outcome.

DVJS / Suspensions and Exits Manual Last updated July 2015 / 1