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:
__________
* Sec. 102(b)(D)(iii) of WIOA
- d. Coordination with Education Officials
- 2. Information on the Formal Interagency Agreement with the State Educational Agency with Respect To:
- O. State's StrategiesDescribe 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
- 2. Information on the Formal Interagency Agreement with the State Educational Agency with Respect To:
- d. Coordination with Education Officials
d. 2. O. iii. The Outreach Procedures That Will Be Used to Identify and Serve Individuals with Disabilities Who Are Minorities, Including Those with the Most Significant Disabilities, as Well as Those Who Have Been Unserved or Underserved by the Vr Program.
Current Narrative:
DVR’s most underserved population continues to be rural Alaskans. This has been an ongoing challenge for the Rural Development Team, as there are so few jobs within remote and rural communities. Available employment opportunities and employers are much more available in urban areas. The Rural Team strategizes ways to obtain more CRPs in rural areas, which are traditionally underserved. The Business Employment Services Team has been created specifically to provide outreach and training services to employers, with the goal of encouraging more employers to provide employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. DVR has expanded services to Petersburg, Haines, and Prince of Wales Island due to increased need and has increased the number of counselors within the agency who are providing rural services. Collaboration with the AT team has enabled utilization of available electronic tools and video conferencing. DVR has increased the number of CRPs serving rural Alaska through the provision of Pre—Employment Transition Services. Work is ongoing on developing qualifications for rural CRPs, as it is difficult to find qualified CRPs in rural areas.
See section VI-VR j.1.B for additional information.