Located in:
- Program-Specific Requirements for Vocational Rehabilitation
The Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Services Portion of the Unified or Combined State Plan* must include the following descriptions and estimates, as required by section 101(a) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by WIOA:
__________
* Sec. 102(b)(D)(iii) of WIOA
- d. Coordination with Education Officials
- 2. Information on the Formal Interagency Agreement with the State Educational Agency with Respect To:
- O. State's StrategiesDescribe the required strategies and how the agency will use these strategies to achieve its goals and priorities, support innovation and expansion activities, and overcome any barriers to accessing the VR and the Supported Employment programs (See sections 101(a)(15)(D) and (18)(B) of the Rehabilitation Act and section 427 of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA)):
- O. State's Strategies
- 2. Information on the Formal Interagency Agreement with the State Educational Agency with Respect To:
- d. Coordination with Education Officials
d. 2. O. viii. I. Achieve Goals and Priorities by the State, Consistent with the Comprehensive Needs Assessment;
Current Narrative:
DVR Goal 1 Strategies:
- Establish partnerships with community partners, workforce centers, educators, business and other community resources to identify and connect with underserved populations and potential applicants for VR services.
- Explore the expansion of technology and social media to provide better access and information to Coloradans.
DVR Goal 2 Strategies:
- Develop and update cooperative partnerships with Colorado school districts/BOCES, education providers and core workforce development programs to encompass PETS requirements.
- Create a youth transition unit within DVR to expand and innovate excellent transition services throughout the state.
- Explore the provision of transition services to groups of youth with disabilities who may not have yet applied or been determined eligible for vocational rehabilitation services and if feasible, develop policies and processes to provide these services
DVR Goal 3 Strategies:
- Implement integrated professional development for DVR staff with WIOA partner programs to elevate internal expertise and equip them with the tools necessary to operate a comprehensive, holistic approach to talent development for business and industry. Put particular emphasis on leveraging the synergies resulting from the merger of DVR and CDLE.
- Develop processes to ensure a statewide cadre of qualified vendors able to meet the requirements of working with disability-related issues.
- Implement the Colorado LEAN process to assure a customer-focused, continuous improvement culture of operational excellence.
DVR Goal 4 Strategies:
- Expand the involvement of DVR staff in regionally-focused sector partnerships to champion career pathways within business and industry for individuals with disabilities.
- Align business outreach efforts with partner agencies to leverage the identification of employment opportunities and expand awareness of disability employment competency within the business sector.
- Explore the provision of technical assistance to businesses that are seeking to employ individuals with disabilities and as feasible, develop policies and processes to provide these services.
Strategies Carried Over from Prior State Plan
- DVR will have thirty day contact with all clients to increase client engagement and enhance the client-counselor partnership.
- DVR will improve case file documentation reflecting personalized and meaningful contact with clients.
- DVR supervisors will meet regularly with counselors and staff to model excellent guidance and counseling skills as well as motivational interviewing so that counselors and staff can in turn use these skills with clients.
- DVR will generate, monitor and use information to make sound fiscal decisions to ensure the ability to provide effective individualized services to clients.
- DVR will continue collaborative efforts and working relationships between local DVR offices and mental health centers and between local DVR offices and agencies serving clients with intellectual disabilities.
- DVR will continue to work actively within the realm of education to assure that youth with the most significant disabilities are accessing career, transition and employment services, including supported employment.