Located in:
- Program-Specific Requirements for State Vocational Rehabilitation (Blind)
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.
- b. Comprehensive Statewide Needs Assessment (CSNA).
Section 101(a)(15), (17), and (23) of the Rehabilitation Act require VR agencies to provide an assessment of:
- b. Comprehensive Statewide Needs Assessment (CSNA).
b. 1. B. Individuals with disabilities who are minorities and individuals with disabilities who have been unserved or underserved by the VR program;
Current Narrative:
Agency Response:
Data shows that numbers of individuals with visual disabilities who are minorities and served by the agency exceed the state demographic ratios of each community (that can statistically be measured). See data table below:
| WA DSB | WA DSB | Washington | Washington | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Community Self Identity | Percent of cases served 7/1/22 – 6/30/23 | Count | Percent of population w/visual disability | Count |
| White | 61% | 672 | 2.3% | 111,914 |
| Black/African American | 8.6% | 95 | 2.3% | 6,496 |
| Native Am. or Alaska Native | 3.4% | 37 | NA | NA |
| Asian | 5.4% | 60 | 1.6% | 11,519 |
| Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander | 1.4% | 16 | NA | NA |
| One or More Race/Ethnic Group | 15.3% | 161 | NA | NA |
| Hispanic | 3.4% | 37 | 1.9% | 20,145 |
| Did Not Wish to Identify | 1.7% | 19 | ||
| Missing Data | .6% | 7 | ||
| Total | 1104 |
Through the collected interviews conducted by the most recent CSNA, it appears that staff and community perception is less certain of equitable services for individuals with disabilities from various communities. Focus group participants, customers, and key informant interviewees identified unserved and underserved groups of individuals who could benefit from WA DSB services. The most common responses pointed to those living in remote areas, youth, and people of diverse backgrounds including Mexican/Latino/Hispanic, Asian, Middle Eastern, Native/Tribal, and Black/Brown communities. Other unserved or underserved groups noted by WA DSB included individuals who are deaf blind and have significant mental health diagnoses.
The perception through interviews is at odds with the data. While the data shows the agency is serving individuals from Black, Asian and Hispanic communities in greater proportion to the demographics of the state, there is a feeling that individuals from those communities are not being served adequately. The equitable provision of the services is needed to be analyzed to determine if services and results are not equitable.
The agency will need to do greater analysis around equity in agency services provided and results achieved, and DSB will be contracting with a consultant to assist with a study to assist in developing a clearer understanding. Questions have also been added by the State Rehab Council to the 2024 Customer Satisfaction Survey intended to better gauge equity in service provision and customer experience.
The demographic data appears to show that outreach efforts are adequate for equitable application and entering into services. More research will be needed to determine if internal processes are causing any barriers to equity.