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:
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[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:
Jointly Funded Pre-Employment Transition Specialist: There are 134 school districts in Alabama. All school districts are offered the opportunity for jointly funded pre-employment transition specialist through a partnership with ADRS. The Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services enters into these third-party cooperative agreements with thirty-one local education agencies. These agreements are written and carried out in compliance with 34 CFR 361.28. The agreements provide for jointly funded pre-employment transition specialist to provide pre-employment transition services that are not typically or customarily provided by the LEA. These pre-employment transition services are designed to prepare students with disabilities to enter competitive integrated employment by identifying and exploring career interests, as well as, increasing individual independence, self-sufficiency and inclusion of students with disabilities, including those with significant disabilities, in their communities. Services provided by Pre-ETS Specialists are provided based on the individual needs of the student and may include: job exploration counseling, work- based learning experiences, counseling on opportunities for enrollment in comprehensive transition or postsecondary educational programs, workplace readiness training and instruction in self-advocacy, which can include development of a peer mentoring program. Students served by this program include: Any student with a disability, 9th grade or age 16-21, who is eligible for or potentially eligible for Vocational Rehabilitation Services, upon referral from the VR Transition Counselor. State Unit approval will be obtained before services are initiated. All services will be provided in accordance with the agency’s approved State Plan. The agency has on record that no federal funds are used by the LEA to provide their share of the services. LEAs with which third-party third cooperative agreements for Pre-Employment Transition Specialists are: Alabama Institute for Deaf & Blind, Alabama School for the Blind— Talladega County; Alabama Institute for Deaf & Blind Alabama School for the Deaf — Talladega County; Anniston City; Baldwin County; Bessemer City; Blount County; Clay County; Dekalb County; Escambia County; Etowah County; Fairfield City; Florence City; Gadsden City; Hale County; Haleyville City; Homewood City; Huntsville City; Lauderdale County; Limestone County; Marshall County; Monroe County; Pell City ; Piedmont City; Pike County; Shelby County; Sylacauga City; Talladega County; Tarrant City; Ft. Payne City; Mt. Brook City and Walker County.
Jointly Funded Full Time Instructor: The Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services entered into this agreement to mutually serve students with disabilities in Pike County through cooperatively funding the professional services of one full-time nine-month instructor, housed at Charles Henderson High School and Troy/Pike Center for Technology. Instruction will be provided in an integrated classroom setting with peers who are not identified as students with disabilities and will focus on the area of pre-employment transition services. These pre-employment transition services, which are not typically or customarily provided by the LEA, will be provided in a group setting in a classroom or the community. The instruction of pre-employment transition services provided will be in the areas of: job exploration counseling, work- based learning experiences, counseling on opportunities for enrollment in comprehensive transition or postsecondary educational programs, workplace readiness training and instruction in self-advocacy. This instruction is designed to prepare students with disabilities to enter long term, competitive, integrated employment in high demand careers by identifying and exploring career interests, as well as, increasing individual independence, self-sufficiency and inclusion of students with disabilities in their communities. Students served by this program include any student with a disability enrolled at Charles Henderson High School and Troy/Pike Center for Technology, who is in the 11th or 12th grade, is eligible for or potentially eligible for Vocational Rehabilitation Services and has received a referral from the VR Transition Counselor, Special Education Teacher and/or school administrator. Course curriculum will consist of instruction in the following areas Basic Computer Skills, Financial Literacy, Problem Solving, Manufacturing, Job Acquisition. Course curriculum will also include discussion of local high demand careers, labor market information and activities that may include community-based experiences.