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:
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* 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:
A - The OVR has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in effect between OVR and Department of Human Resources (DHR) WIOA Workforce Board. The purpose of the MOU is to establish collaborative efforts regarding services and to develop a common understanding of each agency’s roles, policies, and procedures to better serve individuals with disabilities who may benefit from services from both programs. A goal for both the OVR and DHR-WIOA is to increase services to individuals with disabilities who are minorities. On a statewide level, OVR engages in hiring practices that promote diversity in the workforce. Openings within our office go through DHR to advertise on television, newspaper, radio and the bullentin board at DHR. OVR review the applications in anticipation of hiring individuals who represent the diverse groups of people we serve. Following an analysis of the results of OVR’s Statewide Comprehensive Needs Assessment for FY 2014 – 2015, OVR and our SRC worked together to prioritize goals for FY 2016 -2020 as follows: • Increase the number of individuals with significant or most significant disabilities. • Increase and improve outcomes for minorities and populations identified as underserved. • Develop and maintain effective working relationships with businesses directly and through expanding participation in forums to include local chambers of commerce and local workforce development partners. Support information sharing and talent pool exchanges. • Equip and train counselors and support staff to better identify the workforce needs of businesses and accurately meet them. • Increase consumer participation in on-the-job training services; develop internship and apprenticeship programs for consumer participation. • Coordinate efforts at the local level to improve work-related transportation options for consumers and awareness of existing options. • Increase knowledge and understanding of VR and its services through systematic outreach to groups such as referral sources, employers, consumers, advocates, school systems, and workforce development partners. • Increase client satisfaction with their counselor in terms of being easy to contact. • Increase the awareness of staff as to how assistive technology can increase placements in job settings, especially high demand careers.