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. iii. The Outreach Procedures That Will Be Used to Identify and Serve Individuals with Disabilities Who Are Minorities, Including Those with the Most Significant Disabilities, as Well as Those Who Have Been Unserved or Underserved by the Vr Program.
Current Narrative:
DVR believes strongly in being able to provide quality services to everyone who applies for vocational rehabilitation services. Based upon DVR’s recent Comprehensive State Needs Assessment, DVR is aware that specific demographics of the disability population appear to be underserved by DVR. Specifically underserved appear to be:
- Rural populations of Colorado;
- Individuals with criminal histories;
- Youth within the foster care, juvenile justice and mental health systems;
- Individuals with limited education;
- Homeless individuals; and
- Refugees.
DVR intends to increase the number of applications for services from unserved and underserved populations, including minority populations. DVR has begun, and intends to increase, outreach to these populations to educate individuals with disabilities about DVR and support their access to vocational rehabilitation services, when these are needed. Strategies include:
- As identified under DVR Goal 1, establishing 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.
- DVR will develop working and, as appropriate, formal partnership agreements with state community partners to create referral processes and jointly deliver services to customers, including customers from unserved and underserved populations.
- As identified under Goal 1, exploring the expansion of technology and social media to provide better access and information to Coloradans.
- Outreaching and providing technical assistance to community partners to generate referrals and educate them about DVR and services DVR can provide.
- Making training on cultural competence available to DVR staff.
- Making resources on cultural competence available to DVR vendors.
- Expanding the provision of traditional transition services, and pre-employment transition services, to students and youth in all Colorado communities.
- Exploring opportunities from providing services to groups of individuals from unserved and underserved demographics of the disability population.
- Increasing collaboration with Colorado’s two tribes, including the cross-training and the development of a formal interagency agreement between DVR and each tribe.