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Indiana PYs 2024-2027
U

Vocational Rehabilitation Program (Combined or General)

Located in:
  • Program-Specific Requirements for State Vocational Rehabilitation (Combined or General)

    The Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Services Portion of the Unified or Combined State Plan must include the following descriptions and estimates, as required by sections 101(a) and 606 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by title IV of WIOA.

    • l. Interagency Cooperation with Other Agencies

      In accordance with the requirements in Section 101(a)(11)(C) and (K), describe interagency cooperation with and utilization of the services and facilities of agencies and programs that are not carrying out activities through the statewide workforce development system to develop opportunities for community-based employment in integrated settings, to the greatest extent practicable for the following:

l. 7. State agency responsible for providing mental health services; and

View corresponding narrative from PYs 2022-2023 (Mod)

Current Narrative:

VR enhanced its partnership with the Division of Mental Health and Addiction (DMHA) in 2019 through co-leading a workgroup aimed at improving employment services and outcomes to individuals with mental health disabilities. DMHA and VR also jointly submitted and were subsequently awarded several rounds of training and technical assistance through Department of Labor initiatives, including the Visionary Opportunities to Increase Competitive Employment (VOICE), and Advancing State Policy Integration for Recovery and Employment (ASPIRE) projects.

In partnership with DMHA, BRS is supporting two early adopter Individual Placement and Support (IPS) Community Mental Health Center (CMHC) sites in late 2021. DMHA Has issued a request for funding to identify up to two additional IPS early adopter sites, to begin in January 2024.  As mentioned previously, BRS, DMHA and OMPP jointly developed a funding guidance document to outline allowable braiding and sequencing of VR and MRO funds for IPS sites. Early adopter sites report that the IPS program is financially solvent due to the ability to braid and sequence these different funding sources.  

Ten of the 24 community mental health centers across the state are registered employment service providers with VR for the provision of employment services including supported employment. VR Leadership has frequently been invited to present to CMHCs around the state to provide updates on VR initiatives and address questions and concerns.