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
j. 1. D. Who have been served through other components of the statewide workforce development system; and
Current Narrative:
The CSNA survey identified the need to do more outreach to employers about individuals who are blind and visually impaired. Employers will benefit from increased education about consumer’s unique strengths and capabilities and the services provided by DBVI.
Co–location in Maine’s network of Department of Labor (MDOL) One–Stop CareerCenters has provided DBVI the opportunity to work in partnership with several other programs that are components of the statewide workforce development system and can support the employment of people with disabilities. The CareerCenters provide several employment programs that serve people with disabilities. The Maine Job Link is an online accessible CareerCenter tool to allow job seekers from around the state to be matched with real-time available open (currently over 11,862) positions. Currently, the Job Link shows 3,298 job seekers.
While the Bureau of Employment Services (BES) collects data on self-reported disability, it does not require that individuals disclose having a disability. As a result of past work through collaborative efforts including two rounds of the Disability Employment Initiative grant funding, there is increased awareness and attention in the CareerCenter to increasing access to expanded services for customers with visual impairments. There are concerns about the accuracy of the Maine Job Link’s data collection system. The system is designed to support employers and job seekers without focusing on disabling conditions.
The numbers of individuals with disabilities enrolled in WIOA title IB and III programs during PY18 (PY18 Annual Report data):
| Program | Enrolled | Disclosed Disability | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEX Self-Service | 42,700 | Not reported | |
| LEX Employment Srvs | 4819 | 505 | 10.48% |
| ADULT | 540 | 68 | 12.59% |
| DISLOCATED WORKER | 264 | 22 | 8.33% |
| YOUTH | 402 | 186 | 46.27% |