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:
DSB maintains contractual agreements with private non-profit and for-profit agencies in the state to provide supported employment and extended services as applicable to our consumers with most significant disabilities, including youth with most significant disabilities. These services have been provided by World Services for the Blind, Easter Seals, Job Connections, Goodwill Industries, Ed Davis Inc. Team Academy, Building Bridges, S.W. Chance, and Arkansas Support Network. A new vendor application is being utilized to improve client and vendor service delivery.
DSB continued to utilize a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Arkansas Rehabilitation Services, Division of Workforce Services, Arkansas Department of Education-Special Education Unit, Transition Services, Division of Developmental Disabilities Services, Division of Adult Services and Behavior Health Services. This MOU defines each agency’s roles and responsibilities toward competitive integrated employment for individuals with most significant disabilities. This partnership also supports on-going Employment First activities for the state.
Supported employment is integrated competitive employment, or an individual working in an integrated employment setting towards integrated competitive employment. This includes customized employment. Each of the SE services providers provides extended services for 24 months or as long as the individual is employed.
Half of the funds that Arkansas receives under the supported employment state grant is used to support youth with the most significant blindness and low vision needs (up to age 24), and these youth may receive extended services (i.e., ongoing supports to maintain an individual in supported employment) for up to 4 years.