Located in:
- Program-Specific Requirements for Vocational Rehabilitation (Blind)
The Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Services Portion of the Unified or Combined State Plan [13] must include the following descriptions and estimates, as required by section 101(a) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by title IV of WIOA:
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[13] Sec. 102(b)(2)(D)(iii) of WIOA
f. Arrangements and Cooperative Agreements for the Provision of Supported Employment Services
Describe the designated State agency’s efforts to identify and make arrangements, including entering into cooperative agreements, with other State agencies and other appropriate entities in order to provide supported employment services and extended employment services, as applicable, to individuals with the most significant disabilities, including youth with the most significant disabilities.
Current Narrative:
The Division has remained committed to assuring that individuals with the most significant disabilities, including youth, receive supported employment services when appropriate. An IPE is written that describes the goal, the planned services, the need for extended services (if appropriate), and an assurance that the individual has been able to make an informed choice in the development of this plan. If long term supports are necessary, the VR counselor is involved in the arrangements from the transition of the VR program to the long-term support program.
DBVI has Memorandums of Understanding and staff participate in meetings with the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office of Adult Mental Health Services (OAMHS) and the Office of Aging and Disability Services (OADS) to work more effectively in assisting consumers in obtaining employment with appropriate and necessary supports. The objective of the meetings is to get people together regularly to provide the opportunity for face-to-face communication so that we can better network services, increase understanding of program and resource limitations, and refine procedures. In conjunction with Community Rehabilitation Providers, DBVI along with the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation continue to advocate with DHHS for increased state financial support for extended support and supported employment services. Another outcome of these meetings has been increased collaboration at the local level in troubleshooting individual consumer circumstances, as well as learning about the various service opportunities as they occur.