Located in:
- Program-Specific Requirements for Vocational Rehabilitation (Combined or General)
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. 2. Identify the need to establish, develop, or improve community rehabilitation programs within the State; and
Current Narrative:
The CSNA has indicated a high need for DVR to focus on further development of community rehabilitation programs within Colorado. Consistently, DVR has heard that the process for becoming a provider is a challenge and that local differences in the process and expectations make it particularly challenging for new vendors to work effectively with multiple offices. Further, as described in other areas of the State Plan, there is a direct service provider labor crisis in Colorado, with community rehabilitation programs currently having an exceedingly difficult time recruiting and retaining qualified staff. Payment structures and reimbursements likely contribute to this difficulty for providers. Counselors also report inconsistency with the quality of services and reports received from providers. DVR is currently exploring strategies to address each of these areas of concern, with particular focus on providers for services such as job development, job training, supported employment, customized employment, pre-ETS, and assistive technology, which includes additional staff resources to support the development and evaluation of providers, as well as review and updates to DVR’s fee schedule, as appropriate.