U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Https

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock () or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Idaho PYs 2020-2023

Vocational Rehabilitation Program (Blind)

Located in:
  • Program-Specific Requirements for Vocational Rehabilitation (Blind)

    The Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Services Portion of the Unified or Combined State Plan [13] must include the following descriptions and estimates, as required by section 101(a) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by title IV of WIOA:

    __________

    [13] Sec. 102(b)(2)(D)(iii) of WIOA

    • o. State's Strategies

      Describe 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. 7. Strategies for assisting other components of the statewide workforce development system in assisting individuals with disabilities

Current Narrative:

The WIOA Advisory Group, in conjunction with the Idaho Division of Vocational Rehabilitation has agreed that both ICBVI and IDVR will be lead agencies in addressing the continuing education and technical assistance needs of external workforce partners in best serving individuals with disabilities. ICBVI and IDVR will jointly sponsor a yearly needs assessment of workforce partners regarding employment and disability. This collaboration will include the establishment of stand-alone informational products, tailored face-to-face trainings and informal consultation as needed. ICBVI will coordinate activities with mandatory One-Stop partners by sharing program contact information, eligibility criteria, and training on program services and mission. The Commission will maximize services to individuals with disabilities through increased collaboration and integrated service delivery with various partners in One-Stop centers. Comprehensive information and training will be provided to outside organizations such as, the Department of Mental Health and Welfare’s Division of Behavioral Health, School to Work Transition, American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Services, and Centers for Independent Living. Participants will be encouraged to co-enroll in applicable services at the local One-Stop to ensure participants can benefit from the full range of services available to them.

The Commission has partnered with Live Better Idaho (LBI) (https://www.livebetteridaho.org/), a virtual portal which “connects service providers with Idahoans seeking those services.” This website, exclusively funded by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, is an ‘agency agnostic’ service which is offered to public and private providers of services and connects Idahoans in need to relevant services by matching individuals with programs they may qualify for. The tool is localized and customized, connecting users to services that are relevant and available in their local areas.

ICBVI has created a presence on LBI to connect potential customers to Vocational Rehabilitation and other ICBVI services and programs. The tool can help connect rural Idahoans to locally available resources, including VR, and expands the range of options youth can use to find appropriate employment programs.