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:
- G. Coordination with Employers(Formerly known as Attachment 4.8(b)(5)). 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
- 2. Information on the Formal Interagency Agreement with the State Educational Agency with Respect To:
- d. Coordination with Education Officials
d. 2. G. i. Vr Services; and
Current Narrative:
VR continues to work to support businesses with their respective diversity/disability hiring initiatives. Very often a first meeting with a business begins with a tour of the workplace, an overview of business services and an in depth listening session on what that business believes that it needs. Most recently, a business asked the Business and Community Engagement team to help build a March Disability Awareness program to present to their Supervisors. Through a lengthy discussion, this business revealed that they potentially have opportunities that might become workplace learning opportunities for local youth.
It is the goal of the VR Business and Community Engagement team to focus on building long-lasting relationships with each business that will ultimately increase the number of individuals with disabilities who are hired. Getting to this point often requires thinking outside the box. One business stated an immediate need for individuals to fill their employment vacancies. Aware that it was not going to be possible for VR to fill the immediate need, the team connected other potential resources (local veterans’ services and workforce development representatives) with this business to assist with solving their hiring challenges.
The re-launch of the Indianapolis Chapter of the Business Leadership Network (BLN) has also been a great collaboration between employers, community rehabilitation providers and VR. Because the Business and Community Engagement team was present and actively assisted in the planning and events surrounding the re-launch, the relationships with businesses continued to grow. As one example of the continued engagement, the VR team has been included on the strategic planning committee that will bring the first annual Midwest Diversity and Disability Awareness Conference to Indianapolis in 2018.