Located in:
- Program-Specific Requirements for Vocational Rehabilitation (Combined or General)
The Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Services Portion of the Unified or Combined State Plan [13] must include the following descriptions and estimates, as required by section 101(a) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by title IV of WIOA:
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[13] Sec. 102(b)(2)(D)(iii) of WIOA
- o. State's Strategies
Describe the required strategies and how the agency will use these strategies to achieve its goals and priorities, support innovation and expansion activities, and overcome any barriers to accessing the VR and the Supported Employment programs (See sections 101(a)(15)(D) and (18)(B) of the Rehabilitation Act and section 427 of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA)):
- o. State's Strategies
o. 4. The methods to be used to improve and expand VR services for students with disabilities, including the coordination of services designed to facilitate the transition of such students from school to postsecondary life (including the receipt of VR services, postsecondary education, employment, and pre-employment transition services)
Current Narrative:
DRS Goal 1 – Provide integrated vocational rehabilitation services to West Virginians with disabilities to promote attainment of a high school education or greater, in order to increase their ability to move through meaningful career pathways.
DRS will continue to monitor the educational achievement of all of its consumers, especially those in the TY population. Youth have become a primary focus in vocational rehabilitation and DRS will work closely and diligently with State and Local Education Agencies to ensure that its TY population receives the services that it needs, including Pre-ETS for students with disabilities. Each high school in WV has a DRS counselor assigned to it to guarantee the service provision of students with disabilities. A greater emphasis is now being placed for counselors to do outreach with these students and their parents/guardians during their freshman and sophomore years (rather than their junior year, as was formerly practiced) in order to maximize the counseling opportunities.
DRS counselors will continue to take part in the IEP development of students with disabilities when they are invited to do so. Counselors will also stay in contact with educators to discuss and resolve educational difficulties as they arise. DRS will also work closely with WV Adult Education, referring consumers as needed, to ensure that individuals with disabilities have an adequate opportunity to obtain a completed high school level education.
DRS Goal 2 – Provide Pre-ETS to students with disabilities.
The 2018 CSNA indicated that job exploration counseling was the most frequently reported Pre-ETS need. In accordance with this, and per the requirements of WIOA, DRS counselors in high schools will provide Pre-ETS to students with disabilities, especially job exploration counseling, in order to give students with disabilities and their parents/guardians a better understanding of labor market conditions, current and emerging career opportunities, and the necessary education and training requirements related to those opportunities.
DRS will continue to work closely with the WV Office of Special Education to ensure that special education teachers, parents, and students with disabilities are aware of the availability of Pre-ETS. This work will continue through joint-training conferences with special education staff from across the state. Additional, intensive training on the Pathways to the Future Pre-ETS website will also continue to be provided to special education teachers in upcoming years. As part of its outreach campaign, DRS will continue to place large banners in high schools and distribute Pre-ETS materials to students with disabilities across the state.
In addition to ongoing program activities, DRS will continue to sponsor the CEO Summits, four-day summer workshops students with disabilities statewide. The CEO Summits will be held in multiple locations across the state to ensure statewide coverage. DRS will utilize the assistance of CRPs to conduct the Summit activities. Class size for each of the Summits will be approximately 20 students. Students will earn a stipend for the time that they attend. DRS will also request WorkForce WV and WV Adult Education to participate in the Summits to provide additional information to the students.
Topics to be covered:
– Career planning
– Career preparation
– SSI/SSDI Information
– Understanding the importance of necessary personal documents (e.g., social security card, driver’s license, birth certificate, pay stubs).
– Communication
– Conflict Management
– Employer Expectations
– Attendance and Punctuality
– Timeliness of task completion
– Be able to work without supervision
– Positive work ethic
– Manage multiple tasks
– High–growth Jobs
– Personal Brand
– Job Hunting Tools – resumes, cover letters, interviews, and digital profiles