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
- i. Comprehensive System of Personnel Development; Data System on Personnel and Personnel Development
Describe the designated State agency's procedures and activities to establish and maintain a comprehensive system of personnel development designed to ensure an adequate supply of qualified State rehabilitation professional and paraprofessional personnel for the designated State unit, including the following:
- i. Comprehensive System of Personnel Development; Data System on Personnel and Personnel Development
i. 5. Personnel to Address Individual Communication Needs
Describe how the designated State unit has personnel or obtains the services of other individuals who are able to communicate in appropriate modes of communication with or in the native language of applicants or eligible individuals who have limited English speaking ability.
Current Narrative:
In addressing issues associated with diversity and cultural needs, the Division has staff who are visually impaired who utilize and are well versed in adaptive technology used by our consumers. DBVI has an agreement with the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation on referral of individuals who are deaf-blind who use American Sign Language (ASL) as their native language. DBVI also has staff with a background specialty in working with individuals who are Deaf Blind; specialty areas of these staff are low vision, orientation and mobility, and vocational rehabilitation. One individual serves as a subject matter expert and consultant for other staff working with consumers who are Deaf Blind and is supported to attend ongoing training in order to maintain her expertise. Recent training included the Helen Keller National Center on-line training group to include the Helen Keller Confident Living Course and the Haptics course. In addition, they serve on the Helen Keller Deaf Blind Steering Committee, and participate in the Helen Keller Tri-State Collaboration meetings, and Dual Sensory Loss chapter meetings.
DBVI staff participate in webinars that address communication barriers. One such webinar, Assistive Technology for Effective Distance Communications, was provided to staff by the Disability Rights Maine Deaf Services where staff learned about the Maine Relay system, Telecommunication Equipment program and the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Program.
DBVI staff utilizes certified interpreter services for individuals with language barriers, such as Maine State Interpreters, who help communicate clearly and accurately in over 40 languages, and Catholic Charities Maine, who work to bridge language and cultural barriers so that organizations can communicate directly with clients in over 35 languages. Some of the languages include: French, Spanish, German, Somali, Vietnamese, Arabic, Chinese, Korean, and Russian.
As a partner in the CareerCenters, DBVI clients who come to the centers and need language interpretation will have access to telephonic interpretation through Certified Languages International.