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
- g. Coordination with Employers
Describe how the designated State unit will work with employers to identify competitive integrated employment and career exploration opportunities in order to facilitate the provision of:
- g. Coordination with Employers
g. 2. Transition services, including pre-employment transition services, for students and youth with disabilities.
Current Narrative:
Students with disabilities are provided access to local employers through Third Party Cooperative Arrangements (TPCAs) and Community Rehabilitation Program staff to enable them to obtain information about employment opportunities, to participate in Employer Site Visits, participate in Job Shadowing and Internships, and to participate in Work-Based Learning Experiences.
LRS has eleven (11) Third Party Cooperative Arrangements (TPCAs) established with separate School Districts in Grant, Bossier, Evangeline, Livingston, DeSoto, Natchitoches and Franklin Parishes as well as with Collegiate Academies Charter Schools, Sci Academy, Livingston Collegiate, GW Carver and Virtual Academy of Lafourche. Through these TPCAs, a Transition Specialist provides the required Pre-Employment Transition Services to students with disabilities.
LRS assigned Community Rehabilitation Providers (CRPs) to each public high school statewide not having a TPCA with LRS, including Charter schools, to make Pre-ETS services available to students who receive special education services through IDEA funds or students who are considered individuals with disabilities for the purpose of section 504 of the Act (29 U.S.C. 794). Assigned CRPs provide work readiness and identify employers in the area to give students opportunities for work-based learning experiences.
In PY 2019, LRS will partner with DOW Chemical, The Iberville ARC and the Iberville Parish School System to hold Louisiana’s first Project SEARCH initiative. DOW will host 6 – 8 transition students with disabilities as interns and will provide a minimum of three different work environments to enable these students to learn while on the job. This initiative will expand the students’ skill sets and allow them to have work experience in their community. LRS has another potential employer interested in starting a Project SEARCH site.
LRS also has been part of the State as a Model Employer (SAME) initiative which was started to increase the number of persons with disabilities employed in State government. A point of contact has been established with each state agency to coordinate hiring of individuals with disabilities. This initiative will benefit students with disabilities by enabling them to interview for and be considered for state employment once they are job ready.