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
p. 1. B. Describe the factors that impeded the achievement of the goals and priorities
Current Narrative:
Goal 1
To obtain at least 1000 successful closures for DVR clients in FFY 2018 and 2019 thereby substantially maintaining solid employment outcomes for DVR clients in Maine. These employment outcomes and goals from 2018 through 2019 will be impacted by the change in serving more youth in school. DVR has seen a decrease in their overall employment outcomes, as DVR will not realize successful outcomes from these in school youth for a few years. In addition, with the focus of DVR’s resources to in-school youth, there may be fewer VR resources for adults with disabilities
Factors that Impeded: Maintaining a waitlist for OOS3 has resulted in fewer employment closures. As DVR has increased focus to youth and students with disabilities, it is expected that cases may stay open longer and will take longer to get to successful employment closure.
Goal 2
To serve all individuals with the most significant disabilities in a timely manner, which means determining eligibilities within 60 days and developing plans for employment for all consumers within the new 90-day time frame. DVR will continue to maintain no wait list for those individuals in categories 1 and 2 and will monitor the ability to again serve those in category 3 in the future.
Factors that Impeded: Staff often experience challenges in getting parent signatures and information needed for eligibility and IPE development for youth. Training to staff on strategies to address these challenges will help to improve compliance going forward. Challenges in hiring and retention also negatively impact eligibility determination and IPE development in a timely fashion when staff vacancies require doubling up of caseloads by staff or distribution of cases to supervisors.
Goal 3
To ensure that individuals with disabilities who may be unserved or underserved or who have minority status have access to DVR services.
Factors that Impeded: Maine's largely homogenous and very rural nature can create challenges to recognizing and addressing the needs of unserved or underserved populations. DVR has also experienced challenges in hiring and retaining staff who represent diversity. Training and workgroups are underway to address some of these needs - for example LGBTQ work group and joint training with Tribal VR.
Goal 4
Maine DVR will partner with the larger workforce development system to improve opportunities and access for DVR clients as measured annually by documented collaborative activities, technical assistance, and training.
Factors that Impeded: DVR continues to work closely with the workforce development system, aided by placement within the Maine Department of Labor. The scale of change involved and the number of partners requires regular communication and information sharing which is well underway.
Goal 5
Maine DVR will partner with Adult Education, the SWIB, and the larger workforce development system to incorporate and apply the new rules related to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).
Factors that Impeded: As above, regular communication and information sharing is underway to implement the significant changes in philosophy and practice that are required under WIOA.