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. E. Cooperative Agreements with Private Nonprofit Organizations
Current Narrative:
MVR enters into cooperative written agreements with nonprofit, private CRPs to provide services on a fee-for-service basis to individuals with disabilities. MVR does not own or operate any of the programs. The CRP must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) or other approved accreditation entities as specified in the agreement. All CRPs must agree to the provisions of and sign the cooperative agreement with MVR prior to providing services to MVR consumers. CRPs provide services which may include job development, supported employment, employment skills training, employment services and employment transition services for individuals with disabilities. All CRP programs emphasize community integrated competitive employment.
MVR district offices meet with local CRPs to outline joint activities assisting mutual consumers in reaching employment outcomes. MVR and CRP staff offer input on service delivery processes and develop action plans to improve those processes. Other collaborative activities involve joint training programs.
In 2017, MVR held 10 CRP/MVR summits statewide. MVR staff and CRP direct services staff attended the meetings. The purpose of the summits was to enhance communication, promote partnering, share best practices, gather feedback and provide joint training.
Multiple ad hoc teams composed of MVR and CRP staff work together developing new ideas and designing processes to successfully support and implement those new ideas. For example, an ad hoc team reviewed documents that MVR requires from CRPs to ensure the forms were mutually agreeable and easy to understand. A CRP-MVR ad hoc team is forming to evaluate the results of the VR summer work experience project. This project was developed in partnership with CRPs in 2015 and continues. The ad hoc team will review lessons learned and work on ways to improve the project. A CRP-MVR team is assessing service overlap between DMH’s Division of Developmental Disabilities (DD) and CRPs. The team is looking at ways to braid services. These activities actualize the MVR operating principle of continuously evaluating its processes.
The CRP-MVR team updated goals and priorities within the CRP-MVR agreement. Through collaborative efforts, MVR and CRP partners have strengthened the requirements for CRPs who want to provide Employment Services Plus in the areas of deaf/hard of hearing, brain injury, and/or autism spectrum disorder.
Collaboration and partnership continue to be cornerstones of the relationship between MVR and CRPs in Missouri and have created an environment of creativity and innovation. The CRP-MVR steering committee meets regularly to review progress on projects, service delivery and to discuss current and future issues warranting attention.