Located in:
- Program-Specific Requirements for State Vocational Rehabilitation (Combined or General)
The Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Services Portion of the Unified or Combined State Plan must include the following descriptions and estimates, as required by sections 101(a) and 606 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by title IV of WIOA.
e. 4. Sections 101(a)(22) and 606(b)(4) of the Rehabilitation Act require the VR agency to describe efforts to identify and arrange, including entering into cooperative agreements, with other State agencies and other appropriate entities in order to provide supported employment services. The description must include extended services, as applicable, to individuals with the most significant disabilities, including the provision of extended services to youth with the most significant disabilities in accordance with 34 C.F.R. § 363.4(a) and 34 C.F.R. § 361.5(c)(19)(v).
Current Narrative:
The West Virginia Division of Rehabilitation Services (WVDRS) continues to concentrate efforts on educating interested parties regarding the process of becoming a non-traditional provider source for supported employment services. A variety of supported employment provider choices are needed, particularly due to the rural nature of the state.
WVDRS continues to focus on providing technical assistance and coordinating training for vendors of supported employment services, WVDRS staff members, and staff members of other public and private agencies. WVDRS keeps current on changes and advances in supported employment through documented research, literature, and reviews of best practices.
Other agencies with which WVDRS collaborates for the provision of time-limited supported employment services are:
- West Virginia Developmental Disabilities Council funds;
- West Virginia Title XIX––Home and Community-Based Waiver Program for intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD) recipients; and
- Social Security Administration work incentives programs.
In implementing school-to-work transition services for individuals exiting the school system, WVDRS also collaborates with family resource networks.
Through a combined effort with other disability organizations, $78,000 was appropriated (annually since 2017) by the West Virginia Legislature for supported employment follow-along services (extended supported employment services). WVDRS serves as the fiscal agent for these funds. WVDRS has created program guidelines governing the use of state-appropriated funds for extended services under the supported employment program created by state statute in 1993. The sole use of the state funds attached to this program is to provide extended services for individuals not eligible from any other funding source. All providers of supported employment services may access these funds for individuals who are eligible under the guidelines. At the end of Program Year 2022, WVDRS had sponsored 24 individuals in the extended supported employment program so they could maintain and retain their jobs within the community. This figure represents the cooperative efforts of seven CRPs.
Agreements between WVDRS and all acknowledged providers of supported employment services document collaboration for extended services. Each agreement details the time-limited and extended services that WVDRS will secure through the vendor.
Extended services specified in the agreement will be provided by the vendor and include, at minimum, monitoring two hours per month (no more than eight) at the job site of each individual unless the individual can be better served through offsite monitoring. If offsite monitoring is determined to be appropriate, it must, at a minimum, consist of two hours per month with the individual and at least one contact with the employer during those hours. The vendor also agrees to provide other support services as needed and specified in the Individualized Plan for Employment.
In addition to the basic vendor agreement identifying the time-limited and extended services to be mutually provided by WVDRS and the vendor, WVDRS has attempted to collaborate with other agencies and organizations to provide funding for extended services.
These sources of extended supported employment services are:
- West Virginia Title XIX––Homes and Community-Based Waiver Program for I/DD recipients;
- WVDRS program funds for persons receiving extended services at WVDRS-acknowledged CRP work centers; and
- Social Security Administration programs such as Impairment Related Work Expenses and Plan to Achieve Self Support for approved Social Security recipients.
WVDRS continues its efforts to expand the number of acknowledged vendors of supported employment services, particularly in areas underserved and unserved within the current system. As of November 2023, the number of supported employment service providers was 64, an increase of 26 providers since Fiscal Year 2006.