Located in:
- Program-Specific Requirements for Vocational Rehabilitation (Combined or General)
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
- b. Request for Waiver of Statewideness
When 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:
Waiver of Statewideness
IDVR is requesting waivers of statewideness for cooperative agreements with:
- Various Local Education Agencies (LEAs) across Idaho and
- Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC).
All funds made available to IDVR across these agreements are certified non-federal funds.
Note: IDVR utilizes the last completed SFY/PY for projection estimates. SY2021/PY2020 data is the most current completed year available to report.
Local Educational Agency Agreements:
IDVR currently has 11 School to Work Transition (SWT) cooperative agreements serving 50 of the 175 total LEAs across Idaho. These cooperative agreements are solely to facilitate the transition of students with disabilities from K-12 public education into adult life. This transition to adult life may involve any or all of the following goal-oriented activities: post-secondary education, training and job placement, direct placement into appropriate employment (to include supported employment if required), advocacy and any other activities that are relevant to the student and within the scope of IDVR’s mission and role. Additionally, IDVR agrees to collaborate with LEAs to provide or arrange for the provision of pre-employment transition services for eligible and potentially eligible students with disabilities who need these services in accordance with 34 CFR 361.48.
Each signed individual agreement with participating LEAs provides for certified non-federal matching funds and further stipulates that IDVR will not provide pre-employment transition services that the school customarily provides under IDEA.
These agreements promote better understanding and convenient access to VR services, including pre-employment transition services, to qualifying students offered through School to Work Transition, but do not expand the scope of services available statewide (e.g. all services provided under these agreements are available statewide for all students, regardless of the presence of an LEA agreement). The services offered under these agreements include:
- Job exploration counseling
- Work-based learning experiences
- Counseling on opportunities for enrollment in postsecondary educational programs at institutions of higher education
- Workplace readiness training and
- Instruction in self-advocacy
- All other traditional VR services
These agreements are revised and renewed on an annual basis.
These agreements increase outreach through stronger relationships between the LEA, VR, and individuals with disabilities promoted by a better understanding of services by LEAs where agreements are in place. Enhanced relationships between all parties to the agreement promote an informed transition to traditional VR services and the opportunity for potentially eligible students to participate in Pre-ETS. There are a growing number of students being served under these agreements with a 21.22% increase in PY20 to 1485 students, and participating students are utilizing a greater array of services with 110 fund expenditures rising from $804,270 in PY19 to $1,815,717 in PY20.
All state plan requirements, including a state’s Order of Selection, apply to all services provided under these cooperative agreements.
Data for each of these 11 agreements are included in the following table, including the LEAs, number of students served, receipt of non-federal funds and VR 110 grant funds (not including match funds). IDVR utilizes the last completed SFY/PY for projection estimates.
| Agreement | Students Served (PRE & VR) | Non-Federal Funds Captured | VR 110 Funds Expended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Region 1 Agreement with LEAs: #271, #273 | 69 | $18,522 | $181,158.55 |
| Region 1 Agreement with LEAs: #83, #84, #101, #272 | 89 | $18,522 | $60,266.83 |
| Region 2 Agreement with LEA: Lewiston Independent School Dist. #1 | 35 | $18,522 | $78,244.29 |
| Region 3 Agreement #1 with LEA: Boise Independent School Dist. # 1 | 132 | $18,522 | $117,275.17 |
| Region 3 Agreement #2 with LEA: West Ada School Dist. #2 | 156 | $37,044 | $136,578.37 |
| Region 3 Agreement #3 with LEA: Nampa School Dist#131 | 108 | $18,522 | $121,363.97 |
| Region 3 Agreement #4 with LEAs: #133-137, #221, #363, #370, #372, #373 | 102 | $18,522 | $91,366.44 |
| Region 4 Agreement with LEAs: #61, #234, #121, #151, #314, #231, #232, #233, #261, #331, #418, #316, #312, #465 | 225 | $18,522 | $246,682.15 |
| Region 5 Agreement #1 with LEAs: #25, #52, #55, #58, #381 | 314 | $18,522 | $485,513.01 |
| Region 5 Agreement #2 with LEAs: #33, #148, #351, #21, #149, #150, #201, #202 | 63 | $18,522 | $37,866.27 |
| Region 6 Agreement with LEAs: #59, #60, #91, #93, #251, #252 | 192 | $18,522 | $259,402.28 |
| Totals: | 1485 | $222,264 | $1,815,717.33 |
Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) agreements:
IDVR has also entered into two cooperative agreements with the Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) which cover six of the seven IDOC Districts in Idaho, excluding IDOC District 2. The purpose of these agreements is to provide comprehensive Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services to eligible offenders with disabilities leaving the prison system that have been identified as at risk for recidivism, thus needing more intensive reentry services to promote post-incarceration stability including stable employment.
These agreements promote better understanding and convenient access to VR staff and services to promote the reentry of the offenders into society, with an emphasis on stability and employment. All relevant VR services may be provided, depending upon the need of the individual. The scope of services provided under these agreements may include:
- Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling and Guidance
- Assessment
- Diagnosis and Treatment
- Training services to include, graduate, 4-year college, junior or community college, occupational or vocational, on-the-job, job readiness, miscellaneous, registered apprentice, basic academic remedial or literacy and disability related training
- Information and Referral
- Short-Term Job Supports
- Job Search and Placement Assistance
- Supported and Customized Employment
- Benefits Counseling
- Rehabilitation Technology
- Personal Assistance and Technical Assistance Services Including Self-Employment
- Reader and Interpreter Services
- Extended Services, if applicable and individual meets the eligibility criteria to receive such services
- Supportive services to include, maintenance and transportation
- Other Services
All state plan requirements, including a state’s Order of Selection, will apply to all services provided under these cooperative agreements. Both agreements are revised and renewed on an annual basis.
All funds allotted to IDVR via these IDOC agreements are certified non-federal funds. Both signed agreements provide this assurance.
- IDOC Agreement 1 $65,607 (Region 1 and 5)
- IDOC Agreement 2 $116,029 (Regions 3, 4, 6, 7)
The total receipt of certified non-federal funds from IDOC is anticipated to be $181,636 for SY 2022. The total number of individuals served in SY2021/PY2020 by both agreements was 693 individuals with disabilities. The Division expended $160,756 VR 110 grant funds (not including the above listed match funds). The Division anticipates similar projections for the number of individuals services and funds expended in SY2021/PY2020 per these agreements. The Division expended $342,734.89 in total for this population in SY2021.
Note: IDVR utilizes the last completed SFY/PY for projection estimates. SY2021/PY2020 data is the most current completed year available to report.