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California PYs 2020-2023

Vocational Rehabilitation Program (Combined or General)

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

    • 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. 5. If applicable, plans for establishing, developing, or improving community rehabilitation programs within the State

View corresponding narrative from PYs 2018-2019

Current Narrative:

The CDOR continues to implement plans to establish, develop, and improve Community Rehabilitation Programs (CRPs) that address the needs of consumers. Efforts continue to take place to identify improvements to CDOR program evaluation processes for CRPs.  In California’s State Fiscal Year 2019/20 Budget, approved by the Legislature and signed into law by Governor Newsom, includes funds to support the first broad fee-for-service rate increase for CRPs since the establishment of the Uniform Fee Structure in 2009. Effective July 1, 2019, a 10 percent rate increase was applied to 42 fee-for-service Vocational Rehabilitation services provided by CRPs. In addition to the 10 percent increase applied to the 42 VR services, six services that include wage components under Situational Assessment and Work Adjustment, will receive an additional $4 per hour to compensate for the increase in the minimum wage. The hourly rate for both Situational Assessment and Work Adjustment includes wages paid to consumers. Supported Employment rates are expected to increase January 1, 2020.

In June 2018, CDOR established a new customized employment service description and rates to be piloted. The CDOR initiated pilot programs of the new service in July 2018 that continued through June 2019.

The new customized employment model includes a sequenced funding between the CDOR district and regional center, in which the regional center funds the first two components of the service (Discovery Process and Creating Discovery Document and Planning), and CDOR funds the last two components (Business Negotiation and Job Site Analysis and Systematic Instruction and Ongoing Supports). At the conclusion of the last component, and if the individual is stable on the job, they are transferred back to regional center who will fund additional supports as necessary.

All existing customized employment locations are now out of the "pilot" phase and CDOR is considering opportunities for expansion. The CDOR now has two customized employment programs in the Inland Empire districts with a total of 12 current participants and one customized employment site in San Diego with a total of six current participants. As of August 2019, the CDOR Customized Employment programs have led to the creation of three full-time positions for CDOR consumers including a sales associate, baker's assistant, and an Amazon Drone Delivery Associate. An additional 16 consumers are currently progressing through the customized employment process and further cohorts are expected to start in 2020.

The CDOR is working to identify additional customized employment sites statewide beginning with the highly rural Mendocino/Lake County area and potentially the East Bay Area. 

The CDOR’s Community Resources Development Section continues to update and use the Rehabilitation Resources Directory, an online resource on CDOR’s website that provides users with complete information about CRPs throughout California. CDOR’s Community Resources Development Section is updating the CRP Vendorization and Certification Guidelines with information on Pre–Employment Transition Services and Customized Employment WIOA services.

The CDOR continues to assess the viability of utilizing establishment projects and currently has no plans underway for any such projects.