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. 7. Strategies for assisting other components of the statewide workforce development system in assisting individuals with disabilities
Current Narrative:
LRS continues to collaborate with LWC in identifying effective ways to integrate services and to be involved with the Workforce Commission and its fifteen (15) Workforce Development Areas. LRS is represented on each of the 15 boards and attends meetings as scheduled. There are fifteen (15) Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) established with each of the 15 Workforce Development Boards (WDBs). Within the 15 Workforce Development Areas, 62 American Job Centers have been established. Fifteen cost allocation plans have been completed by the WDBs, and approved by all parties. LRS has a good working relationship with the American Job Centers and continues to pay expenses to the local American Job Centers for our participation, as per the local cost allocation plans. To improve knowledge regarding assistive technology and address other accessibility issues, LRS’ Program Coordinator for Rehabilitation Technology continues to provide consultation to the American Job Centers. In addition, LRS’ REDS serve as the LRS liaison for all American Job Centers within their region and include providing “LRS Public Awareness” as well as services to consumers such as job seeking skills techniques and employment development. LRS and LWC are committed to the success of the American Job Centers and work collaboratively to serve individuals with disabilities at assigned Centers.
LRS continues to renew and revise existing local cooperative agreements, as applicable, with the 70 school districts and 146 Charter Schools in Louisiana. The LRS Transition Program Coordinator continues to collaborate and partner with LDE, OCDD, Work Incentive Planning Program, Office of Community Services, LWC, and the Office of Youth Development in an effort to network, share information and utilize comparable benefits to enhance VR services to transition students. The primary focus of LRS’ collaboration is to identify and address barriers (e.g. policies, eligibility process, resource allocation); assure effective service provision through the support of local interagency core teams, provide cross-agency training, outreach, engage in capacity building of young adults and family outreach efforts; provide continued support of innovative models and practices related to transition; and provide information and technical assistance. The Program Coordinator provides guidance and information to the Rehabilitation Counselors regarding specific transition issues. The Program Coordinator worked collaboratively with WINTAC’s Coordinator using conference calls, to discuss transition topics and provide information to LRS’ field offices. Training will continue to be provided statewide. VR Counselors are encouraged to provide services, when feasible, to students determined appropriate for workplace readiness training.
As LRS continues to focus on increasing/enhancing quality employment outcomes, every Regional Office now has a REDS position or an Employment Specialist that provides job development/placement assistance to consumers. This assistance may include direct job placement, job shadowing, work experience, on the job training, or custom solutions.
In addition, a State Office position coordinates employment activities statewide. The Employment Initiative Program Coordinator serves as LRS’ direct contact to the VR Business Network and distributes job leads and information to the regional offices. The Employment Initiative Program Coordinator continues to build relationships with employers by attending job fairs and by attending other diversity meetings that may host employers. The state also launched the State as a Model Employer (SAME) initiative and the Employment Initiative Program Coordinator readily contacts the state agency’s Human Resource Director when we are aware of when we have a consumer that has applied to a state job. The first year that this was launched was in SFY 18-19 and we had a total number of 38 LRS consumers become successfully employed with the State of Louisiana. LRS continues to participate with Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities (OCDD) in the “Employment First” initiative, which was designed to provide employment as a first option for persons with developmental disabilities, as an alternative to institutionalization, and to provide integration/independence in the community.
LRS participates in roundtable discussions hosted by OCDD to inform their staff and providers of new requirements related to integration of individuals with developmental disabilities into their communities as a result of new Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) rules, as well as how to better collaborate with LRS to achieve goals set forth in WIOA.