VR Services: A Case Study

With nearly 20% of Americans having a disability, the voice of the disability community is growing stronger and louder. The disability community has worked long and hard to ensure that people with disabilities are included in conventional American life and not sent away to institutions such as mental hospitals and nursing homes. While the disability community has made large strides towards equality, there is still much to come until people with disabilities are truly integrated in mainstream life. For example, Scott Randolf, a Vietnam veteran who lost his sight and legs from duty, complains that he is not getting the help he needs. His wheelchair is unable to fit through several doors; if he falls on the floor, he is not able to get up until the ambulance and

Summary: Dominick Murphy is a 27-year-old male who is a previous customer of this counselor. A comprehensive orientation was provided in the office on 7/25/17, to Dominick and his mother/guardian Renee Gates. During the meeting counselor reviewed agency services; the employment purpose of MRS programming; that an employment outcome shall be in an integrated setting; eligibility criteria; services available through MRS and the statewide workforce investment system; the individualized nature of the program; the requirement to use other sources of funds before MRS can pay for services; how the applicant will be involved in making informed choices regarding their rehabilitation program; customer contribution; the agency’s order of selection

Voc Rehab or “Nebraska VR is an employment program for people who experience a disability. Everything Nebraska VR does and all of the services we provide are for the purpose of helping people with disabilities prepare for, find and/or keep a job (www.vr.nebraska.gov). As a member of the DD participant’s interdisciplinary team, Voc Rehab contracts with the Public Schools and the DD provider to split the cost of funding transportation, continuing of education opportunities, on the job training, and job coaches to people with

The author is affiliated with Mississippi Department Rehabilitation Services (MDRS). MDRS is the largest state agency committed solely to helping students/people with disabilities achieve their independence through employment. MDRS provides services designed to improve economic opportunities for consumers with physical and mental disabilities. The programs under the umbrella of MDRS includes the following: (a) Vocational Rehabilitation, (b) Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind, (c) Supported Employment, (d) Transition Services, (e) AbilityWorks Inc., and (f) Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services. These centers provide vocational assessment, job training, and work experience for consumers with disabilities.

One-fifth of the estimated global total, or between 110 million and 190 million people, experience significant disabilities.” Worldbank is an organization that works in areas of development and they help countries share knowledge and solutions to challenges (http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/disability). In addition to Worldbanks` statistical data on the number of people with disabilities in the U.S., per Serviceandinclusion.org, “an estimated 48.9 million people, or 19.4% of the non-institutionalized civilians, have a disability. An estimated 24.1 million people have a severe disability. An estimated 34.2 million people, or 17.5%, have a functional limitation.

While some people live with significant disabilities and severe health conditions that render them unable to work, millions of individuals can and do work despite their disabilities. The Department of Labor reported in June 2014 that only about nineteen percent of disabled Americans were employed, compared to almost seventy percent of non-disabled workers. Though disabled Americans comprise twenty percent of the overall population, they are twice as likely to be unemployed as their nondisabled counterparts. For those who are employed, research provides evidence

Persons with intellectual disabilities have also see a significant increase in life expectancy, and are more likely to outlive their caregiver. Workers with long-term disability see a significant decline in employment beginning in the 40-49 age range, while their non-disabled counterparts do not typically see a decline until 10-20 years later (Mitchel, Adkins, & Kemp, 2006). According to Brown and Johnson (2014), the vocational rehabilitation system has served very few of these workers, with poor outcomes. Although this group is a smaller population than those older workers with age acquired disabilities, they appear to be underserved by vocational rehabilitation and deserve

The organization I volunteered for this project was North Star Community Services. North Star is a non-profit rehabilitative service agency that provides adult day services and supported community living services so individuals with disabilities have a better opportunity to live enriched lives within the community. The organization 's mission statement is “North Star Community Services empowers each person to realize potential, pursue dreams, and enjoy life”. The agency serves people of all different ages, backgrounds and disabilities. From my observation, the adults that I met at North Star dealt a very wide variety disabilities ranging from

Public sector rehabilitation services, also known as Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services provide various services to clients who are determined eligible based on the program’s eligibility requirements. Public sector rehabilitation works with clients with disability through both state and federal levels. Federal VR programs work only with disabled veterans within the Veterans Administration. State-federal rehabilitation counselors work with all persons with disabilities, including veterans. Zanskas and Strohmer (2011) reported that 26% to 30% of all master degree rehabilitation counselors obtain employment in the state-federal VR program. Public sector rehabilitation counselors assist clients to minimize their barriers to employment

Over 65% of working-age people with disabilities are unemployed. Nearly one third of working adults with disabilities earn an income below the poverty

One study found that only twenty percent of disabled individuals capable of working are employed (Valcourt, 2003). One company that has made great strides to employee workers with disabilities disabled is Walgreens. Walgreens has opened two distribution centers designed to accommodate disabled employees. The company goal is to have one third of the job openings in these centers filled with disabled workers. Furthermore, Walgreens hopes to use the lessons learned from these facilities to open similar distribution centers in the future. The distribution center located in South Caroline employees 400 workers, forty percent of which are disabled. The technology and process changes the South Caroline center implemented to help accommodate disabled workers actually helped the center increase their overall efficiency by twenty percent. (Gomez-Mejia, Balkin, & Card, 2012). Walgreens is one company that has made big strives to employee disabled

The article “Providing Work Opportunities for People with Disabilities Benefits Economy and Society” was published on

In the U.S. alone, studies have shown that about 19%’’Brault” have or has had a disability or disorder that makes it very hard to earn a living. People with

The Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1986 was a revision and extension of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 that was then further revised in 1992. The main purpose of this revision was to define and establish supportive employment as a replacement for the previous practice of sheltered workshops. Supportive employment is competitive work in an integrated setting that aligns with the strengths, priorities, abilities, and interests of individuals being employed. This type of employment enacted the service of assisting people with disabilities finding, obtaining, and maintaining employment (King and Olson, 2014). The three main elements of supportive employment are (1) paid work of more than 20 hours per week; (2) placement in employment where no more than eight other employees with disabilities; (3) twice monthly follow-along assessment of the employee in their place of employment (Shafer, Tait, Keen, and Jeisolowski, 1989).

The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) is a resource throughout all of Washington State that provides this kind of support. The purpose of DVR is to achieve a greater quality of life by obtaining and maintaining employment. A DVR counselor can help you explore types of jobs that best match your interests and strengths. Regardless of whether you are able to return to the same job held prior to brain injury, discovering how to use your talents and skills will make life more rewarding. A DVR counselor offers ongoing counseling, guidance, and support as you dive back into the employment