Narrative: d. 1.

ARS assigns VR counselor liaisons to each high school statewide. VR counselors work collaboratively with combined plan partners.

ARS will set aside 15 percent of federal VR program funding to provide pre-employment transition services such as job exploration counseling, and work-based learning experiences including internships in integrated environments. ARS will provide counseling on opportunities for enrollment in comprehensive transition or postsecondary educational programs, will provide workplace readiness training to develop social skills and independent living skills, and will provide instruction in self-advocacy and peer mentoring.

Transition students/youth may be determined eligible for vocational rehabilitation within 60 days after application and the Individual Plan for Employment (IPE) will be completed within 90 days after eligibility.

In FY 2016, ARS was unable to fully meet the required 15% pre-employment transition reserve. Of the $6,063,079 reserve requirement, ARS expended $3,438,349 leaving $2,624,730 in unexpended reserve.

The MOUs with the LEAs essentially mirrors the MOU with Special Education. ARS is in the process of updating its MOU with Special Education to include Section 511 requirements. Once this is completed, ARS will update MOUs with LEAs statewide. ARS will amend the current agreement to provide information and awareness about Section 511. Furthermore, ARS will provide the following: training to schools on Section 511 to make them aware of the section in WIOA and the activities they can provide in areas, such as self-advocacy and career counseling; training through ARS CRP staff to the providers on referrals and related provider information; training to ARS Managers and ARS VR counselors on providing and understanding the assessment and evaluation process; and will provide training on Trial Work Experience in the community to determine potential work skills if applicable.

Section 511

ARS in collaboration with the SRC and in consultation with its RSA State Liaison proposes to implement the following strategies to address the requirements of Section 511. ARS will:

1. Develop and provide training for all VR Counselors on what section 511 is/does, its requirements, and agency/counselor responsibilities. ARS completed this strategy during program year 2017.

2. Revise its MOU with Developmental Disabilities to include how both agencies will develop policy/procedure to address clients effected or might potentially be effected by Section 511.

3. Revise its MOU with Behavioral Health to include how both agencies will develop policy/procedure to address clients effected or might potentially be effected by Section 511.

4. Revise its MOU with Special Education to include how both agencies will develop policy/procedure to address students effected or might potentially be effected by Section 511. The MOU will address the issue of referring students to CRPs for services while the student is still enrolled in school or referring the student to a CRP upon graduation as part of transition planning.

5. Work with Special Education to develop/provide training to special education teachers and special education supervisors regarding Section 511.

6. Work with colleges and universities within the state that train special educators and VR Counselors to include in their curriculum information on section 511.

7. Attempt to revise language in each MOU to include language that specifically addresses section 511. ARS currently has MOU’s with 155 individual school districts across the state.

8. Revise its contracts with CRPs to include language that addresses the presence of policies/procedures that Section 511 issues. This may include an assurance signed by the CRP that the program will inform clients, family/caregivers, and where applicable school districts of Section 511 requirements. This may also include a form signed by the client or legal guardian to affirm the sharing of information. After release of the updated federal 511 regulations in July of 2016, ARS determined that these revisions were not necessary.

Pre-Employment Transition

ARS in collaboration with the SRC and in consultation with its RSA State Liaison is implementing the following strategies to address the RSA requirements related to pre-employment transition.

1. ARS recognizes the importance of Pre-Employment Transition Services and the requirement set for by WIOA and monitored by RSA; therefore, ARS will assign VR counselors within each ARS district to solely serve as Pre-Employment transition counselors.

2. ARS also recognizes clients served through the PROMISE Grant may also qualify for pre-employment transition services. ARS will work with PROMISE leadership and other PROMISE partners to identify opportunities to partner/provide pre-employment services to PROMISE participants.

3. ARS has developed and provided training for all VR Counselors on what pre-employment transition is/does, its requirements, and agency/counselor responsibilities.

4. ARS will develop and implement a means to track eligible and potentially eligible clients served through Pre-Employment transition, including Pre-Employment expenditures thus ensuring funds earmarked address the 15% requirement.

5. ARS has revised its MOU with Special Education to include pre-employment transition. As part of the MOU the programs designed to provide pre-employment transition are detailed. ARS has requested the support of Special Education to inform and identify students within school districts who would benefit from pre-employment transition services. In order for Pre-Employment Transition Services to be provided in the school setting an application for services must be completed by the entity proposing to provide services. The application must be reviewed and approved by a selection committee. Next, an agreement to operate within the school system must be developed and approved by all parties. Pre-employment transition services require monthly reporting by the vendor, prior approval of the curriculum and monitoring by Arkansas Rehabilitation Services and the Division of Services for the Blind with collaboration and input from the local school officials on delineating WIOA from IDEA requirements and how to integrate the services into the school day. ARS has also developed a plan to partner with school systems to provide Opportunities for Work-Based Learning, known as OWL. School systems complete proposals to provide services, which delineate IDEA and WIOA responsibilities. The partnership includes measurable criteria, a reporting structure and a monitoring guideline.

6. ARS is working with Special Education to develop/provide training to special education teachers and special education supervisors on pre-employment transition.

7. ARS will work with colleges and universities within the state that train special educators and VR Counselors to include in their curriculum information on pre-employment transition.

8. ARS realizes providing pre-employment services to all Arkansas students with IEPs or 504 plans may require utilization of outside resources. ARS proposes to develop and issue a request for qualifications to determine potential outside providers of pre-employment transition services. It envisions the provider list of eligible programs might include CRPs or even educational cooperatives.