Narrative: d. 1.

DES/Rehabilitation Services is part of a multiagency Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) that encourages and facilitates the cooperation and collaboration between Vocational Rehabilitation (VR), Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD), and the Public Education Agencies (PEA) represented by the ADE. The vision for the IGA is “to ensure a smooth and successful transition of students with disabilities to meaningful, gainful, and sustained employment, education, and community living.”

The IGA serves to establish a statewide, interagency system of transition services in order to facilitate service provision in the following areas: • Technical assistance and consultation; • Outreach and identification of students; • Referral of individuals; • Joint planning; • Scope of individualized services; and • Relationship management.

Under the umbrella of the IGA, DES/Rehabilitation Services provides coordinated transition services to 22 schools throughout the state. DES/Rehabilitation Services has 22 Third Party Cooperative Arrangements (TPCA) with PEAs to provide enhanced transition services. The TPCAs are commonly known as Transition from School to Work (TSW) programs.

DES/Rehabilitation Services works to engage students as early as possible within their high school experience for the purpose of developing an Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) before the student exits school. To assist in the identification of an employment goal and completion of the IPE, DES/Rehabilitation Services provides opportunities for students to engage in pre–employment transition activities. These activities can include career shadowing and exploration, work adjustment trainings, disability adjustment services, and exploration of postsecondary education and training options while in high school. Services are provided help to prepare the student to successfully transition from high school to postsecondary education or training if appropriate, and competitive, integrated employment.

DES/Rehabilitation Services operates under an Order of Selection; however, students not eligible for immediate services are offered referrals, community resources, and technical assistance for transition planning.