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
- o. State's Strategies
Describe the required strategies and how the agency will use these strategies to achieve its goals and priorities, support innovation and expansion activities, and overcome any barriers to accessing the VR and the Supported Employment programs (See sections 101(a)(15)(D) and (18)(B) of the Rehabilitation Act and section 427 of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA)):
- o. State's Strategies
o. 1. The methods to be used to expand and improve services to individuals with disabilities
Current Narrative:
BRS will use the following objectives to expand and improve services to individuals with disabilities:
- Conduct outreach to stimulate participation of individuals with disabilities as well as employers, with the VR program. Under an overall strategic marketing plan outreach activities will be approached in multi-faceted manner to include social media, digital and print. This with the goal of reaching a wider range of individual with disabilities. Specific methods will be developed to target previously underserved populations
- Collaborate with WIOA core and other state-level partners to ensure that services are, from a cross-disability perspective, fully accessible and that individuals with disabilities are effectively supported in any state workforce or employment system that is developed.
- Operationalize local labor market information and leverage workforce training/education programs by ensuring robust and up to date distribution of appropriate opportunities to both VR Counselors and their consumers.
- Dedicate a specific unit of VR staff to work closely with Regional Workforce Development Boards in creating or enhancing access pipelines for individuals with disabilities that are seeking training or employment. This unit will also continue BRS’ support to employers as dual customers. Through the creation of greater numbers of business partnerships formed through the use of On–The–Job (OJT) Trainings and Industry Specific Training Program (ISTPs), increased consumer employment opportunities will emerge.
- Continue to evolve BRS’ strategic plan for delivering services to youth by creating specific case services units, each with an emphasis on the provision of pre-employment transition and out of school youth services for individuals with disabilities.
- Continue to implement and make accessible Customized Employment (CE) services in CT by partnering under a Memorandum of Agreement with the CT Department of Developmental Services to offer recurring certification-level training on the provision of CE to qualified individuals.
- Focus on timely progress through each step of the case management process.
- Invest in staff recruitment and retention as necessary to ensure access to high quality VR counseling and services statewide. Continue to maintain dedicated staff resources to manage the BRS training program and maintain a separate line item within the Bureau’s budget to offer training options. Partner with entities that operate or maintain virtual learning platforms to avail comprehensive, yet efficient to access curriculum that may be used to onboard and train new employees.
- Encourage staff to develop skills to better serve individuals with disabilities and strengthen state agency partnerships through cross agency trainings offered by the Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE).