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2 Year Modification

Plan: Minnesota PYs 2018-2019
Combined Plan C

Section: Vocational Rehabilitation Program (Combined or General)

Narrative: d. 2. G. ii.

Published
Located in:

d. 2. G. ii. Transition Services, Including Pre-employment Transition Services, for Students and Youth with Disabilities.

View corresponding narrative from PYs 2016-2017

Current Narrative:

The need for Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) is assessed for all students, grade nine or age 14, whichever comes first, through age 21, that VRS serves. From there, the needed Pre-ETS are added to the employment plan and delivered either through one-on-one counseling sessions with the VRS counselor, the student’s school, an internal VRS placement coordinator, or funds can be authorized to have them delivered via community rehabilitation programs, centers for independent living, etc. VRS staff work with local school districts to discuss how Pre-ETS are already available to students and where gaps are that VRS might be able to fill. VRS is also working to ensure that Pre-ETS are available statewide to students who are “potentially eligible” for VRS.

In February 2017, a request for proposals was issued for community organizations to apply for funds to provide this service on behalf of VRS. Nine organizations were selected, eight of which are Local Workforce Development Areas (LWDAs) who are well suited to provide the service being that they already operate youth programming to at-risk youth populations. These partnerships with the LWDAs is also enhancing the internal workforce development system partnerships to provide a seamless system of opportunities to youth with disabilities.

Other Pre-ETS service delivery options are being piloted in the areas where there currently aren’t contractors (northwest Minnesota and a portion of the Twin Cities metro area). These include: an internal placement coordinator in Washington County reaches out to the local school districts to provide one on one and classroom Pre-ETS opportunities; VRS is working with special education staff within the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Independent School District No. 196 (the 4th largest district in the state) to offer a Pre-ETS course via their community education program.