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
n. 1. Specify the State's goals and priorities for funds received under section 603 of the Rehabilitation Act for the provision of supported employment services
Current Narrative:
DVR’s priority is to provide supported employment services to all who need them. Historically,
DVR’s Title VI–B funding has been insufficient to meet this need. DVR anticipates that in years when the Title VI–B grant is available, it will not be sufficient to meet the needs of all individuals who need supported employment services. DVR’s electronic case management system provides the utility to ensure that Title VI–B funding is the primary source of payment for supported employment services when available. If that funding is not available, funding continues to be provided through Title I. DVR also funds supported employment services provided under cooperative agreements.
Beyond Title VI-B funds, Colorado makes significant investment into its Supported Employment Program. Colorado passed legislation in 2018 requiring all supported employment service providers to complete nationally recognized training or certification in supported employment by June 30, 2024, and provides for reimbursement of training costs to providers completing training or certification. DVR partners closely with other state agencies, stakeholders, training entities, and service providers to ensure providers are able to complete this requirement. Additionally, DVR is implementing training initiatives that will significantly increase the number of providers available to provide Customized Employment services, and DVR has created a Customized Employment Collaborative made up of stakeholders, agencies, and training entities regularly meeting to strategize and continuously support capacity building for quality Customized Employment services in Colorado.
DVR seeks to increase the number of individuals receiving supported employment services and to improve competitive integrated employment outcomes for these individuals. The training efforts described above will support increased provider capacity, leading to improved supported employment outcomes for individuals with the most significant disabilities. To successfully meet the supported employment needs of individuals with the most significant disabilities, DVR continues the collaborative efforts and working relationships between local DVR offices and mental health centers, and between local DVR offices and agencies serving individuals with IDD.
In partnership with the Colorado Office of Employment First, DVR and other state agencies providing Supported Employment services are evaluating the overall rate structure for these services, with the goal of establishing reasonable and sustainable rate structures that will support the availability of high quality supported employment services leading to competitive integrated employment.
In 2021, Colorado passed legislation that will phase out subminimum wage employment over five years. While the legislation does not directly impact the work of DVR, it is expected that many individuals currently working at subminimum wage will require supported employment or customized employment services to succeed in competitive integrated employment. DVR will continue to work toward increased capacity to ensure these individuals have the needed support.