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. 2. F. Arrangements and Cooperative Agreements for the Provision of Supported Employment Services
Current Narrative:
VRS collaborates with the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE), Department of Human Services (DHS), and county and local service providers to offer statewide supported employment services. VRS is a partner in several state-level agreements that provide long-term supports. During development of an employment plan, VRS counselors and other service team members help consumers to select supported employment services that meet their needs. They identify which services will be provided by VRS, as well as the source of long-term supports in the community. VRS provides time-limited supports for up to 24 months, but an employment plan may be amended if additional time is needed to achieve job stability. The primary funding resources for long-term supports in the community following VRS case closure are county case managers, the VRS Extended Employment Program, DHS Medicaid-waiver funded services, and the Social Security Administration’s Impairment-Related Work Expense exclusions and Ticket to Work funding for persons on SSI and/or SSDI.
State-funded VRS Extended Employment Program
Minnesota’s Extended Employment Program, administered by VRS, provides ongoing employment support services for individuals to maintain and advance in employment. The direct services are delivered by CARF-accredited CRPs under performance-based contracts with VRS-EE. These collaborations contribute significantly to the quality, scope, and effectiveness of the state’s supported employment efforts.
The VRS Extended Employment Program augments Minnesota’s supported employment resources. It provides a $13.825 million a year to CRPs to provide ongoing employment support services. VRS coordinates both vocational rehabilitation and extended employment services to maximize the impact of both time-limited and extended services. In state fiscal year 2017, the VRS Extended Employment program provided ongoing work supports to about 4,200 individuals working in the community, about half of whom had previously received time-limited VR services. The Extended Employment Program is governed by state rule and the VRS-EE program have initiated a rule revision. Currently, more than 80 percent of the dollars support people working in integrated community settings. The proposed rule would eliminate center-based employment over five years and cap non-competitive employment, prioritizing funding for competitive, integrated employment.
Individuals with Serious Mental Illness and Individuals Who Are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing
Minnesota VR has been a leader in implementing the Evidence Based Practice of Supported Employment for persons with serious and persistent mental illness known as Individual Placement and Support (IPS). IPS receives $2.55 million in dedicated state funding, which is used for grants to local partnerships of mental health programs and employment providers (Community Rehabilitation Programs). These funds provide ongoing supports to persons with serious mental illness who are receiving community mental health services. Minnesota’s programs utilize the IPS fidelity scale (2008) to guide program development and implementation as well as program evaluation and outcome measurement. Another appropriation provides $1,000,000 annually to provide long-term supported employment services for persons who are deaf, deaf blind or hard-of-hearing.