Narrative: g. 2. A.

Due to current legislative budget authority, caseload and agency expenditure/budget projections, personnel data and VR’s current methods of implementation, VR elects to continue its current management of categories under the Order of Selection. This method of managing resources will maximize and prioritize positive outcomes for individuals with disabilities.

Management of categories under Order of Selection continues to be the greatest measure of control over service expenditures to ensure that VR doesn’t exceed its current budget authority, which must be secured in Florida a year prior to enable VR to expend funds in areas including client services.

For FFY 2025, VR’s approved legislative budget authority for purchased client services totals $137,500,000. Caseload and budget projections indicate a total of 39,684 individuals will be eligible for services under the VR Program and 9,865 individuals will be eligible for services under the Supported Employment Program and the total revenue needed to provide services for all individuals is $140,818,016.89, which exceeds the approved amount of legislative budget authority available. This projected total does not include certain preemployment transition services (Pre-ETS), job retention or contracted expenditures, as these costs are not fully realized and included in caseload and budget projections.

An additional factor influencing VR’s decision to continue its current management of wait list categories is limited personnel resources. As of December 2023, approximately 140 counseling and counselor support staff positions were vacant. Over the past year VR has taken deliberate measures to increase staff retention and recruiting and more closely monitor offices with critical staffing needs. In recent months, VR has seen improvements in staff retention and recruiting data and will continue to closely monitor personnel resources data. Vacancies in counseling and counselor support positions as of April 2024 have decreased to 90 positions.

Each month, the VR Executive Leadership Team reviews expenditure and revenue projections, staff capacity, and current caseload, including the number of potentially eligible students with disabilities receiving Pre-ETS services, and the number of individuals on the Category Three waitlist for services to determine the release of individuals from the waitlist. The average wait time for individuals on the Category Three waitlist is ninety days.

VR is preparing to explore options to have all three categories open, with no wait. Before making this decision, VR plans to reach out to other state VR agencies to find out how changes to their OOS status impacted their financials, overall caseload and employees. VR plans to conduct additional financial, caseload and staffing projections prior to changing OOS status. Plans will be reviewed with FRC and their feedback will be taken into consideration. Public input will also be requested prior to making changes. Once OOS decisions are finalized and approved by VR and FDOE leadership, a plan amendment will be submitted detailing the changes.

The OOS remains in effect statewide and does not prioritize type of disability, age, sex, marital status, religion, race, color, national origin, political affiliation or vocational goal of the individual with a disability. Elements that relate to the significance of disability are the only factors used in OOS.