Narrative: a. 1.

The Puerto Rico State Rehabilitation Council presents the following recommendations to the VRA, related to the VRA Portion Goals and Strategies in the 2020 Unified State Plan.

Goal 1

• Establish alliances with existing public and private entities that provide training, advice and resources for self-employment. For example: Guayacán, Colmena 66, Centro para Puerto Rico, among others.
• Establish alliances with job placement entities to identify available positions and consumers who could be potential candidates.
• As agreed, it is recommended that a written protocol will be established to share communications for the provision of services, so that CER makes the corresponding recommendations.
• Establish a frequently updated electronic database through the Internet to match available job positions and qualified consumers.
• Amend the current regulatory communication related to the services of independent living centers, or publish a new one, to clarify how these can benefit the active consumers of the VRA. In this way, increase referrals of consumers with significant disabilities to independent living centers to strengthen their skills and achieve greater job placement, employability and possible support in job retention

Goal 2:

• Strengthen the effective implementation of the protocols existing between the DE and the ARV, including the coordination of the PEI review at any time of the year, to avoid accumulation during certain months of the year; in this way, the participation of VRA personnel can be increased.
• Guarantee the acquisition of pre-employment knowledge and skills of youth in transition, which are measured through the evaluation sheets at the end of each workshop or activity.
• Continue to identify the island-wide number of students who can benefit from this service compared to people who have not been impacted.

Goal 3:

• Establish alliances with the regional employers' committees to identify the available positions and the consumers who could be potential candidates.
• Incentivize employers through public recognition for inclusive practices.
• Develop an online guide for employers that provides information on the benefits of VRA services and having an inclusive work environment, as well as applicable legislation.

Goal 4:

• Use the VRA website and social networks to educate parents, school personnel and other interested parties about VRA services.
• Proactively use the mass media for the dissemination of VRA services, for example FM radio stations and television programs at times with the largest audience.
• Establish a procedure for coordinating the participation of the CER in all outreach activities sponsored by the VRA. The purpose of such participation is so that the general public knows the role of the Council, the sectors represented and who can participate in the public meetings that the Council leads. Furthermore, the participation of the Council in the activities would allow members to observe how the activities are carried out to make recommendations, as established by federal law.

Goal 5:

• Digitalization of documents containing administrative, fiscal and programmatic procedures in an accessible format so that they can be easily accessed through the web by VRA personnel and the general public.