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:
__________
[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. 3. The outreach procedures that will be used to identify and serve individuals with disabilities who are minorities, including those with the most significant disabilities, as well as those who have been unserved or underserved by the VR program
Current Narrative:
Specific strategies that will be used to reduce cultural barriers and identify and serve individuals with disabilities who are minorities, including those with the most significant disabilities, as well as those who have been unserved or underserved by the VR program include:
• Requiring case recruitment activities for all staff to identify and serve new clients, including those who serve areas with large minority populations and those who have been unserved or underserved by the VR program.
• Requiring district offices to create and implement outreach plans to locate, gain access to, and serve minority populations and those who have been unserved or underserved by the VR program.
• Working together with partner agencies to develop joint referrals and best practices for recruiting staff from minority populations or from groups with an awareness of minority population needs and issues in order to increase RSB’s success in outreach to minority communities.
• Improving the identification of and service to unserved or underserved populations through an increase in the number and quality of vendors to serve that population and train staff in identification and development of appropriate service plans for clients from that population.