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
- i. Comprehensive System of Personnel Development; Data System on Personnel and Personnel Development
Describe the designated State agency's procedures and activities to establish and maintain a comprehensive system of personnel development designed to ensure an adequate supply of qualified State rehabilitation professional and paraprofessional personnel for the designated State unit, including the following:
- i. Comprehensive System of Personnel Development; Data System on Personnel and Personnel Development
i. 6. Coordination of Personnel Development Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
As appropriate, describe the procedures and activities to coordinate the designated State unit's comprehensive system of personnel development with personnel development under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
Current Narrative:
In Puerto Rico, the Assistant Secretariat of Comprehensive Educational Services for Persons with Disabilities and the PRVRA are located in two different state departments (PRDE and PRDOLHR). The first one is responsible for the implementation of Public Law 108-446, as amended, known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA); the second one is responsible for the implementation of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and State Law 97-2000, as amended, known as the Vocational Rehabilitation Law of Puerto Rico. In addition to the aforementioned legislation, we have State Law 51-1996, as amended, known as the Integral Educational Services for Persons with Disabilities, which provides for the coordination to be achieved between various local agencies to ensure an effective transition of disabled youth coming from the Department of Education. Both agencies maintain cooperative ties related to the development of their respective human resources and as such, have been planning, developing, offering and/or participating in numerous in-service training activities since 1987. Some of the topics covered in such training include: transition from school to work; vocational evaluation; supported employment; IDEIA; Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Public Law No. 101-336, as amended; Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Public Law 113-128 of July 22 of 2014; among others. In addition, both agencies are members of an Advisory Committee, which meets periodically to plan and join efforts in the development and implementation of transition services from school to work.
The efforts and alliances carried out under collaborative agreements with the PRDE, as well as with the PRDOLHR and its components, are conducive to the development of strategies and activities to comply with federal regulations.
The PRVRA has the responsibility to provide follow up to the cooperative link with the PRDE. As part of this commitment, during PY 2017, the agency participated in meetings with the Advisory Committee of Special Education.