Located in:
- Program-Specific Requirements for Vocational Rehabilitation
The Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Services Portion of the Unified or Combined State Plan* must include the following descriptions and estimates, as required by section 101(a) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by WIOA:
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* Sec. 102(b)(D)(iii) of WIOA
- b. Request for Waiver of StatewidenessWhen requesting a waiver of the statewideness requirement, the designated State unit must identify the types of services to be provided by the program on a non-statewide basis. The waiver request must also include written assurances that:
- b. Request for Waiver of Statewideness
b. 1. A Local Public Agency Will Provide the Non-federal Share of Costs Associated with the Services to Be Provided in Accordance with the Waiver Request;
Current Narrative:
• PROJECT SEARCH: Project SEARCH is a one—year internship program for students with disabilities in the last year of high school or with out of school youth. It is targeted for students and youth whose goal is competitive employment. The program takes place in a healthcare, government, or business setting where total immersion in the workplace facilitates the teaching and learning process as well as the acquisition of employability and marketable work skills. Students participate in up to three (3) internships to explore a variety of career paths. The students work with a team that includes their family, special education teacher and skills training instructor to create an employment goal, and to support the student during this important transition from school to work. The program is a cooperative arrangement between the employer, the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services, the Alabama State Department of Education, the Alabama Council for Development Disabilities the Alabama Department of Mental Health, the local school systems (or post-secondary education for youth) and most importantly the employers. The program is currently available in the following counties: Montgomery, Birmingham, Huntsville, Tuscaloosa, Shelby, Etowah, Marshall, Baldwin, Calhoun and two (2) programs in Mobile. When participating in Project SEARCH, the student actually goes to the employment site each day as opposed to going to the school. The LEA provides a classroom teacher(s) to provide employment instruction in the morning, and the students go to assigned internships the remainder of the day. Internships include patient escort, food service, central sterilization, pharmacy, maintenance, grounds keeping, and other settings at the business. No funds from other participating agencies are used to match federal money drawn down by ADRS. State Unit approval is obtained before services are initiated. All services are provided in accordance with the agency’s approved State Plan. • INDIVIDUAL PLACEMENT AND SUPPORTS (IPS SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT): IPS Supported Employment is an approach to support employment for individuals with serious mental illness and co-occurring substance abuse. IPS is evidence—based SE that is based on the following principles: (1) zero exclusion, (2) competitive employment in the community, (3) mental health treatment and employment services being integrated, (4) benefits planning provided, (5) job search occurs rapidly, (6) employment specialists develop relationships with employers in their communities, (7) job supports are continuous, and, (8) consumer preferences are honored. In 2014, Alabama applied for and was among seven states that received a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to implement IPS Supported Employment at two sites in the state. The grant is for five years, during which time our agency and partners will be working towards sustainability and expansion. Currently IPS is being implemented at Chilton Shelby in West Alabama (rural site) and at Altapointe in Mobile. This year we are expanding to a third site in Montgomery. No funds from other participating agencies are used to match federal money drawn down by ADRS. State Unit approval is obtained before services are initiated. All services are provided in accordance with the agency’s approved State Plan. No funds from these participating agencies are used to match federal money drawn down by ADRS.