Narrative: c. 1.

Rehabilitation Services for the Blind (RSB) works closely with a wide variety of agencies and programs in coordinating the provision of vocational rehabilitation and client support services. Some of these relationships have been agreed to in written cooperative agreements, such as those with the 22 State Independent Living Centers that spells out referral procedures, coordination of services, and the technical assistance available from both entities; and the Missouri School for the Blind, which provides for joint referral and service coordination.

RSB has partnered with seven (7) providers through contractual relationships to provide intensive specialized prevocational skills training to students with disabilities who are blind or visually impaired. RSB’s Pre-Employment Transition Services contracts provide students with disabilities with a foundation for the school-to-work transition. The program provides competitive work experience to high school age youth to enable each to practice personal independence through work and goal setting experiences, and to afford an opportunity for community involvement. This program consists of employment readiness skills instruction, including work place readiness training, job exploration counseling and self-advocacy training. The program delivers avenues for meeting vocational goals by focusing on problem solving and critical thinking, teamwork, communication, professionalism, and networking. In addition to employment readiness instruction the consumer experiences work-based learning for a period of up to sixteen weeks and 120 hours total. During this time the consumers receive on-the-job training and an hourly wage during their placement at a job site.   Involvement in this program is intended to increase a consumer’s career awareness, build marketable vocational skills, and support a healthy self-image.

RSB has formal contract agreements with community rehabilitation providers to work with employers and assist clients with job search, job placement and customized employment opportunities. Other services include work-based learning experiences, task analysis, and job coaching when needed. The relationships with these community rehabilitation programs are defined in State required contracts for service provision which specify the services to be provided, their duration, costs and reporting and billing requirements. Other services are predicated on working relationships for coordination of support services based on individual client needs at the local level, such as transportation, housing, recreation, supported employment extended services provided through the Department of Mental Health regional offices for individuals with developmental disabilities and Senate Bill 40 Boards (County Developmental Disability Services) and other local agencies involved in the provision of physical and mental rehabilitation.

A description of RSB services and procedures for referral from the Family Support Division (FSD) is specified in their Income Maintenance manual and, similarly, RSB policy requires referral of clients to the Family Support Division for determination of eligibility for Supplemental Aid to the Blind (SAB) or Blind Pension (BP). In PY 2018, RSB and FSD began a more comprehensive referral process, whereas FSD refers all newly SAB and BP eligible consumers to RSB to determine their desire or need to participate in VR or Older Blind Service programs. There are also referral procedures to/from the state-funded Prevention of Blindness Program for ophthalmologic services, as well as the Business Enterprise Program (BEP) for vocational rehabilitation services and training in order to qualify for employment as a Randolph Sheppard vendor.

RSB works cooperatively with the Small Business Administration’s Small Business Development Centers. Consultants with the Centers lend their expertise to RSB staff and clients in development of proposed business plans. They analyze cash flow and sales projections to determine the probability of success of the proposed business and provide recommendations to lenders for funding of plans deemed feasible.

RSB is a Partner Organization with the Starkloff Disability Institute’s “The Next Big Step” program. Through this program, Starkloff Disability Institute has partnered with “Role Model Companies” and “Partner Organizations” to help the Role Model Companies find disabled job candidates through Partner Organizations whom they can hire, retain and promote.