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.
- i. Comprehensive System of Personnel Development.
In accordance with the requirements in Section 101(a)(7) of the Rehabilitation Act, the VR agency must develop and maintain annually a description (consistent with the purposes of the Rehabilitation Act) of the VR agency’s comprehensive system of personnel development, which shall include a description of the procedures and activities the State VR agency will undertake to ensure it has an adequate supply of qualified State rehabilitation professionals and paraprofessionals that provides the following:
- i. Comprehensive System of Personnel Development.
i. 4. Method(s) the VR agency uses to ensure that personnel are able to communicate in appropriate modes of communication with or in the native language of applicants or eligible individuals who have limited English speaking ability.
Current Narrative:
MVR employs seven vocational rehabilitation counselors for the deaf (RCDs), located throughout Missouri, who are skilled in manual communication for the deaf/hard of hearing. Biannually, they gather for training to discuss services and to receive training on deaf/hard of hearing topics. MVR employs an assistant director of deaf and hard of hearing who plans and organizes training. Three of the RCDs are deaf or hard of hearing. Each have met CSPD requirements.
MVR utilize various forms of technology to communicate directly with clients and staff that are deaf/hard of hearing including videophones, email, and texting as well as communication apps.
Any approved CRP has qualified staff, or they provide language accommodations or interpreters, to deliver Employment Services Plus to deaf/hard of hearing clients.
Applicants and eligible individuals who have limited English-speaking skills are provided interpreters funded by MVR. All brochures are translated into Spanish so that individuals and families who speak Spanish have access to information in their native language. The state has a contract with an over-the-telephone foreign language interpretation service, which MVR has utilized upon occasion for translation.