Transcript Slide 1

Vocational Rehabilitation
Employment for people with disabilities
Eunice Thompson
Kansas Rehabilitation Services
November 7, 2009
KRS programs are authorized
by the Rehabilitation Act
Our programs are authorized through the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The purpose of this law is
to empower persons with disabilities to maximize:
Employment
Economic self-sufficiency
Independence
Inclusion and integration into society
Title I: Congressional findings
Work is a valued activity, both for individuals and society
Work fulfills the need of an individual to be productive
Work promotes independence
Work enhances self-esteem
Work allows for participation in the mainstream of life in the United
States
Title I: Congressional findings
Individuals with disabilities, including
individuals with the most significant
disabilities, are presumed to be capable
of engaging in gainful employment.
The provision of individualized VR
services can improve their ability to
become gainfully employed.
Individuals with disabilities must be
provided the opportunities to obtain
gainful employment in integrated
settings.
Title I: Congressional findings
Individuals who are applicants or eligible to participate must be
active and full partners in the VR process, making meaningful
and informed choices . . . during assessment, in choosing their
employment outcomes, services needed, entities to provide the
services, and the methods to secure such services.
Families and other natural supports can play important roles in
the success of the VR program if the individual with a disability
requests, desires or needs such supports.
Individuals with disabilities and their representatives are full
partners in the VR program.
Accountability measures must facilitate the accomplishment of
the goals and objectives of the program.
Title I: Purpose

Provide a comprehensive, coordinated, effective, efficient and
accountable program.

Ensure the program is designed to assess, plan, develop, and provide
vocational rehabilitation (VR) services for individuals with disabilities.

So that an individual with disabilities may prepare for and engage in
gainful employment, services are consistent with the individual’s:
* strengths
* resources
* priorities
* concerns
* abilities
* capabilities
* informed choice
Reference: § 361.1
KRS mission and values
Our mission:
Working in partnership with Kansans with disabilities to achieve their goals
for employment and independence.
Our values:
KRS values the worth, rights and contributions of people with disabilities.
KRS values competent, facilitative and responsive staff.
KRS values a supportive and accountable organization.
KRS values responsive acquisition and accountable management of resources.
KRS values public support.
Overview of VR
The VR program is the cornerstone of KRS efforts to support people
with disabilities to become gainfully employed and self-sufficient.
Community-based services, integration and consumer choice are
emphasized.
VR counselors work in partnership with consumers to help them assess
their skills and interests, to develop Individual Plans for Employment, and
to provide or purchase needed services.
Services are customized according to each person’s strengths, interests,
skills, goals and informed choice.
Services may include counseling and guidance; assessment; physical
and mental restoration; training; rehabilitation technology; job placement;
and supported employment.
KRS is part of SRS
State of Kansas
Mark Parkinson, Governor
Kansas Department of Social & Rehabilitation Services
Don Jordan, Secretary
Integrated Service
Strategic
Delivery
Development
Disability and Behavioral
Government Affairs and
Operations and
Health Services
Public Services
Administrative Services
Information Technology
Integrated Service Delivery
Candace Shively
Deputy Secretary
Special Assistant
Children & Family
Services
Child Support
Enforcement
Economic & Employment
Support
KRS
Operations
Regional Offices
KRS structure
Michael Donnelly
Director
Vocational
Rehabilitation
Kansas Services
for the Blind
and Visually
Impaired
(KSBVI)
Kansas
Commission
for the Deaf
and Hard of
Hearing
(KCDHH)
Independent
Living
Disability
Determination
Services
(DDS)
VR services are delivered through 6 regions
Statewide access to services
81 VR counselors are stationed in 35 offices.
Kansans from each and every county received VR services in SFY 2009.
11 offices have staff with expertise
in serving people who are blind or
visually impaired.
4 offices have staff who specialize
in serving people who are deaf or
hard of hearing.
7 offices have counselors with
expertise in mental illness.
Other areas of specialization
include developmental disabilities,
transition, veterans and persons
exiting the correctional system.
In 16 offices, only one VR counselor is
stationed in the community, meaning
staff must have the skills and expertise
to effectively serve all eligible
individuals who come through the KRS
door.
Who is a typical customer of VR?
15,966 persons received services last year.
Female
49.6%
Male
50.4%
Marital status
24% - Divorced, separated or
widowed
15% - Married
61% - Single
SFY 2009
Characteristics of persons served
5.4% of consumers declared Hispanic/Latino as their ethnic background.
SFY 2009
Educational background of applicants
SFY 2009
32%
• High school diploma or GED
25%
• Some high school but no diploma
19%
• Some post-secondary ed but no degree
12%
• Associate or vo-tech degree
4%
• Bachelor’s degree
3%
• Special ed certificate
2.3%
• Grades 1-8
1.5%
• Master’s degree or higher
0.2%
• No formal schooling
VR process
• Application and Eligibility
• Order of Selection
• IPE development
• Provision of services
• Job search
• Employment
• Application and Eligibility
After you apply for services, you will meet with a VR
counselor or another staff person for an interview.
During this interview and other meetings, VR will collect
information about:
Your strengths
Your employment skills and interests
Your educational, disability and employment
background
If more information is needed, then you and the
counselor may discuss participation in additional
assessments, such as appointments with doctors or
psychologists and vocational evaluation.
• Application and Eligibility
Have a
physical or
mental
disability
Eligibility
Disability
results in a
substantial
impediment to
employment
Require VR
services to
achieve
employment
This information is
then analyzed by
your Counselor to
determine if you are
eligible for services.
• Application and Eligibility
In most cases, your VR Counselor will be able to tell
you if you are eligible within 60 days. If a delay is
anticipated, your counselor should discuss the
possibility of a time extension with you.
• Order of Selection
Once you have been determined eligible, the Counselor will also
analyze:
 The functional limitations caused by your disability
 The number of services you are expected to need to become
employed
 The length of time your services are expected to last.
This information is used to determine your Order of Selection
category. In the event that KRS does not have enough money to
serve all eligible persons who apply, your category will determine
whether you can receive services or whether you will be on a
waiting list.
• Order of Selection
In reviewing functional limitations, the Counselor will
consider if your disability makes it difficult for you to:
 Get from one place to another
 Make realistic plans or carry out plans
 Talk and listen to others
 Get along with people
 Get ready for work or care of yourself
 Work full-time, or perform all the physical duties of
certain jobs
 Keep a job once you get it
 Learn new job skills
• Order of Selection
Category 1 ~ Persons with the most significant
disabilities
Individuals with the most significant disabilities will be served first.
 Individuals in this group must have a disability that results in 2 or more
functional limitations.
 More than 1 service is expected to be provided.
 Service provision is expected to take at least 4 months.
Category 2 ~ Persons with significant disabilities
 Individuals in this group must have a disability that results in 1 or more
functional limitations.
 More than 1 service is expected to be provided.
 Service provision is expected to take at least 4 months.
Category 3 ~ All other persons who are eligible for VR
• Order of Selection
Currently, there are no waiting lists for VR services.
Waiting lists are not expected in SFY 2009 and 2010.
This status may change depending on the
continued availability of state and federal funds.
If a waiting list were to be implemented, services would continue for
persons who already have Individual Plans for Employment (IPEs)
in place.
The application and eligibility process would also continue to be
open so that services could be provided as quickly as possible for
individuals affected by the waiting list once sufficient funds
become available.
• IPE development
You will develop an Individualized Plan for Employment
(IPE). This is a plan of action that describes the steps and
services you need to reach your employment goal.
One of the first steps is to identify what kind of job you want
to get, and how soon you will be able to begin working. To
help you think about this decision, you and your counselor
will discuss:
The kind of life you want to build for yourself
Your career interests and abilities
What jobs fit your interests and abilities
Available jobs in the labor market
• IPE development
After you determine your employment goal, the next step
is to identify the services you will need to meet that goal.
There are many core VR services, including:
 Vocational counseling and guidance
 Employment-related training at a vocational school,
community college or university
 Physical or mental restoration services
 Supported employment
 Job-seeking skills training
 Job development and placement
 On-the-job coaching
 Assistive technology, telecommunications devices or
other tech aids
• Provision of services
The IPE also states who will pay for services. Depending on
your income, you may be asked to help pay for the cost of your
services.
During your plan, your Counselor will meet with you from time
to time – to talk about your progress, to make sure your plan is
still working for you, and to discuss anything important for your
success.
Depending on individual needs, VR services may last from a
few months to several years.
VR services will continue as long as you are making progress
toward the goal on your IPE.
Services must be pre-authorized by your VR counselor.
Case service expenditures
$17,937,356
Job Finding
Services
$1,993,246
11%
Maintenance
$1,632,637
9%
Training
$5,062,110
28%
Transportation
$2,968,017
17%
Assistive
Technology
$2,089,461
12%
Physical & Mental
Restoration
$1,456,200
8%
SFY 2009
Assessment
$1,168,008
6%
Personal
Assistance
$286,057
2%
Other Services
Misc Contracts
$781,652
$499,968
4%
3%
• Job search
Getting a job is the main goal of the partnership between you
and VR.
The job search and placement services you will receive will
depend on your individual needs. These services may include:
Resume preparation
Practice interviews
Development of job leads
Guided placement
Customized placement
For some of these services, you may be referred to a service
provider who will assist you in seeking employment.
• Employment
After you are employed, VR will provide follow-up
services for at least 90 days before closing your case.
We will close your case only if:
You are satisfied with your employment outcome
The job is consistent with your strengths, resources,
priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, and
informed choice
You agree you are performing well on the job
You have been employed for at least 90 days and
your employment is stable
If you need services later, you may be able to receive
post-employment services, or a new case can be
opened.
Ross Etter
Wichita, Kansas
Sports Announcer
Wichita Pro Sports, Inc.
Maranda Bussen
Hays, Kansas
Market Designer
Meckenstock Group
Critical factors
Competitive, integrated employment
VR services support individuals with disabilities to achieve
competitive, integrated employment. VR does not provide
services for sheltered employment.
Informed choice
Throughout the VR process, you are supported in getting the
best information available and in making informed choices
about your goals and the services you will need to reach
your goals.

If you want to develop your IPE on your own, you can do that too. If you
develop a plan on your own, or with the help of a friend or advocate, the VR
Counselor must review the plan and determine that it will lead to
employment and that the services are needed to reach your goal.
Critical factors
Confidentiality
All information about you is kept strictly confidential.
Individualized services
KRS will provide personalized services that match your
interests, abilities and goals. There’s no “cookie-cutter”
approach where everyone receives the same services.
Rights to appeal
You have the right to appeal KRS decisions about eligibility,
your IPE, services to be provided and case closure. The
Client Assistance Program is available to help resolve
questions or concerns.
Facts in brief about VR
In SFY 2009, KRS:
Worked with 7,138 new applicants who began their road to employment.
Partnered with 3,691 consumers to develop new Individual Plans for
Employment.
•
Supported 1,526 persons to achieve their employment goals.
21.5% of these individuals were transition-aged youth
(21 years-old or younger at the time they applied for VR services).
SFY 2009
Primary disabilities of persons served
Total persons served = 15,966
Mental Illness
34.5%
Orthopedic/Physical Impairments
17.9%
Other Cognitive Impairments
9.1%
Learning Disabilities
9%
Mental Retardation
8.5%
Other Physical Impairments
Deafness/Hearing Impairments
General Physical Debilitation
Blindness/Visual Impairments
Miscellaneous Other Impairments
6.7%
5.2%
4.1%
3.5%
1.5%
Please note:
 Persons with Traumatic Brain Injury as the cause of any primary disability
represented 1.9% of persons served.
 Persons with Autism as the cause of a disability represented 1.5% of persons served.
SFY 2009
Types of occupations achieved
Office &
Administration
Support: 16.2%
Production: 6.6%
Transportation/Moving:
7.3%
Food Service: 14%
Cleaning/Maintenance: 10.1%
Professional, Technical &
Managerial: 17.2%
Personal Care & Services: 7.6%
Miscellaneous: 4.1%
Sales: 7.4%
Health Care: 9.5%
Average hourly wage: $9.74
Average hours worked per week: 30
SFY 2009
Facts in brief about VR
What would you estimate
the highest hourly wage
earned by a VR customer in
SFY 2009 to be?
Top full-time employment outcomes
40 hours per week
Northeast
CONSTRUCTION MANAGER
$36.06 per hour
KC Metro
LIBRARIAN
West
RADIOLOGY DIRECTOR
$29.00 per hour
Southcentral
$30.75 per hour
PHYSICIAN
ASSISTANT
$41 per hour
SFY 2009
Wichita
Southeast
TRUCK
DRIVER
WELDER
APPRENTICE
$27.32 per hour
$23.71 per hour
Successful initiatives with transition students
KRS has experienced a dramatic increase (132%) in the number of
new applications from transition-aged youth with disabilities.
2009:
2008:
2007:
1,347 persons
2006:
755 persons
FFY 06 and 07; SFY 08 and 09
1,570 persons
1,754 persons
During the same time period,
the number of new Individual
Plans for Employment
(IPEs)for transition youth has
increased 135%. A total of
27% of all persons served are
transition youth.
Examples of transition successes
Pictured clockwise:
Jorge Holguin
Mechanic, Dodge City International
Nicole Denney
School Guidance Counselor, Leavenworth
Andrew Shirk
Fashion Designer, Ralph Lauren, New York
Return on investment
$18.9 million
During their first full year of work, the 1,526
Kansans with disabilities who achieved
employment through VR services in SFY 2009
will generate approximately $18.9 million in
new wages, a substantial contribution to the
Kansas economy.
Multiplier impact on the economy
A study conducted by the Center for Economic
Development and Business Research at Wichita
State University shows:
The employment of VR customers has a positive,
or multiplier impact on the economy.
For each dollar earned as a result of a VR
placement, there is about $1.66 in total earnings
through the economy.
People employed as a result of VR services
spend their income in local communities on
housing, groceries, gasoline, services, and taxes.
As a result, for each person employed, there are
about 1.85 total jobs created in the overall
economy.
Sustained employment
Three years after their cases
were closed, 78% of those
working as a result of VR were
still employed, and many had
received wage and benefit
increases, according to the
national Longitudinal Study
conducted for the U.S.
Department of Education.
Questions?
Contact:
Eunice Thompson
Rehabilitation Services
Docking State Office Building
915 SW Harrison 9N
Topeka, KS 66612
785 368 7478
[email protected]