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.
- b. Comprehensive Statewide Needs Assessment (CSNA).
Section 101(a)(15), (17), and (23) of the Rehabilitation Act require VR agencies to provide an assessment of:
- b. Comprehensive Statewide Needs Assessment (CSNA).
b. 2. Identify the need to establish, develop, or improve community rehabilitation programs within the State.
Current Narrative:
As described throughout the Comprehensive Statewide Needs Assessment, WVDRS’ direct client services units are crucial for WVDRS to meet the needs of individuals with disabilities identified under the unserved and underserved portion of this assessment, including individuals with disabilities who live in the rural parts of the State, blind and visually impaired individuals, and individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. WVDRS’ direct client services units focus on providing specialized services for consumers with sensory impairments, which includes those who are blind, visually impaired, deaf or hard of hearing; rehabilitation technology, which includes job accommodations, product fabrication and driver education; assistive technology; and environmental modifications, which ensures consumers have the highest level of independence in and around their home and work by providing evaluations, technical assistance, and modifications. Ongoing development and improvement of direct client services units are necessary to maintain its operation in the most efficient and cost-effective manner possible.
SURVEY OF CRPs/CSPs
As part of the FY 2024 CSNA, WVDRS conducted a survey of CRPs/community service providers (CSPs) with acknowledged vendor status to provide services (including supported employment services) to WVDRS consumers across the state.
A survey for CRPs was developed online, with a request that service providers indicate the types of services provided for WVDRS consumers and the counties in which those services are provided. CRPs were asked to indicate the service types from a list, with an additional option to include an “other” service. CRPs were also asked to indicate which Pre-Employment Transition Services they provided to students with disabilities.
CRPs were also asked to rate their communication with WVDRS personnel using a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from Excellent to Very Poor, and whether the WVDRS liaison counselor was in contact on a regular basis. Finally, CRPs were given the opportunity to provide comments on 1) their communication with WVDRS, 2) specific things WVDRS could do to improve services or service delivery, and 3) what, if anything, the CRP urgently needed to better serve West Virginians with significant disabilities. The full survey is as follows:
This survey is part of the 2024 West Virginia Division of Rehabilitation Services’ (WVDRS) Comprehensive Statewide Needs Assessment and your responses are critical to ongoing program improvement and expansion to better serve West Virginians with significant disabilities.
- Contact information for the CRP/CSP:
- Name
- Company
- Phone Number
- For which counties do you provide services? (Checkbox for each county)
- Please indicate the types of services your CRP/CSP provides for WVDRS consumers. (Checkboxes)
- Community-based assessment
- Counseling on postsecondary opportunities
- Direct Placement
- Extended Assessments
- Extended Supported Employment (ESES)
- Job Coaching (Other than SE)
- Job Exploration Counseling
- Life Skills
- Self-Advocacy Training
- Supported Employment (SE)
- Work Adjustment Training
- Work-based Learning Experience
- Work Skills Assessment
- Workplace Readiness Training
- Other
- Please indicate which Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) listed below you provide to students with disabilities (i.e., enrolled in school and under the age of 21). (Checkboxes)
- Counseling on postsecondary enrollment opportunities
- Job exploration counseling
- Self-advocacy training
- Work-based learning experience
- Workplace readiness training
- Please describe your perception of communication between your CRP/CSP and WVDRS personnel today. (Checkboxes)
- Excellent
- Very Good
- Good
- Poor
- Very Poor
- Does your WVDRS counselor contact you on a regular basis? (Multiple Choice)
- Yes
- No
- Please provide additional comments regarding your responses on communication with WVDRS personnel. (Comment box)
- Please identify specific things that WVDRS can do to improve services or service delivery for West Virginians with significant disabilities. (Comment box)
- What else does your CRP/CSP urgently need to better serve West Virginians with significant disabilities? (Comment box)
Results
Service Provision
Sixty-one CRPs responded to the survey. In each of the six WVDRS districts, all nine categories of services were reported as being provided. Services were also reported as being provided in all 55 counties in West Virginia. All nine services were reported as being provided in 45 out of 55 counties (81.8%). The remaining counties were reported to be provided with between three and eight CRP services. Additionally, in several counties, various services were reported as provided by multiple CRPs. However, based on records in the WVDRS CRP directory, all nine categories of CRP services are provided in all 55 counties. Response counts for provision of each of the service categories are presented in Table 1.
Pre-Employment Transition Services
All five categories of Pre-ETS were reported as being provided by CRPs in all six WVDRS districts. Services were also reported as being provided by CRPs in all 55 counties in West Virginia, with all five categories of Pre-ETS being reported as provided in 46 of 55 counties (83.6%). The remaining counties were provided with between one and four categories of Pre-ETS. Additionally, in some counties, various Pre-ETS were provided by multiple CRPs. Response counts for provision of each of the Pre-ETS service categories are presented in Table 2.
Table 1. CRP Response Counts for Provision of Service Categories
Service | Number of Respondents Reporting Provision | Percentage of Respondents (N = 61) |
---|---|---|
CBA | 49 | 80.3% |
DP | 43 | 70.5% |
EA | 20 | 32.8% |
ESE | 31 | 50.8% |
JCOTHER | 40 | 65.6% |
LS | 46 | 75.4% |
SE | 41 | 67.2% |
WAT | 44 | 72.1% |
WSA | 39 | 63.9% |
OTHER | 23 | 37.7% |
Table 2. CRP Response Counts for Provision of Pre-ETS Service Categories
Pre-ETS Service | Number of Respondents Reporting Provision | Percentage of Respondents (N = 61) |
---|---|---|
CPSO | 28 | 45.9% |
JEC | 33 | 54.1% |
SAT | 33 | 54.1% |
WBLE | 40 | 65.6% |
WRT | 35 | 57.4% |
Communication and Liaison Contact
All 61 of the CRP respondents provided a rating of their communication with WVDRS. Options ranged from Excellent to Very Poor. No CRPs gave a rating of Very Poor and 58 of the 61 CRPs (95.1%) gave a response of Good or better. Table 3 shows the breakdown of responses.
Table 3. CRP Responses Regarding Communication with WVDRS
Response Option | Number (percentage) | Cumulative Percentage |
---|---|---|
Excellent | 16(26.2%) | 26.2% |
Very Good | 15 (24.6%) | 50.8% |
Good | 27 (44.3%) | 95.1% |
Poor | 3 (4.9%) | 100.0% |
Very Poor | 0 (0.0%) | 100.0% |
When asked whether a WVDRS liaison counselor was in contact on a regular basis, 35 of 61 CRPs responded yes, while 26 CRPs responded no (57.4% and 42.6%, respectively). All respondents answered this question.
Comments
Communication
Forty-three of 61 CRP respondents gave additional comments regarding communication with WVDRS. Most of these comments were positive (e.g., “Communication very fluid, constant, and results oriented!”), but a few negative comments were noted as well that generally focus on a lack of communication or that the CRP must initiate any interaction.
WVDRS Improvement
Thirty-five of 61 CRP respondents gave comments regarding specific things that WVDRS could do to improve services or service delivery. The most common themes found in the comments were in higher fee schedules (e.g., “The fee schedule needs to increase so that providers can pay their staff”) and networking (e.g., “A way for CRPs to network with community businesses to establish relationships for CBA, WAT, and WBLE placements”). Other themes referred to WVDRS staffing (e.g., “More DRS counselors”) and service provision issues (e.g., “…more personalized services…can be difficult to address individual needs in a group setting”).
CRP Needs
Thirty-six of 61 CRP respondents gave comments on what the CRP urgently needed to better serve West Virginians with disabilities. Referrals and authorizations (which generate funding for CRPs) were the most reported needs. These comments ranged from the convenient (e.g., “The only issues I’ve had is for referrals to be sent, it’s not happening right away”) to the necessary (e.g., “Referrals to reach underserved school systems”). Other themes that could be found in the comments included increases/improvements in service provision, transportation, and improved willingness of employers to facilitate placement. Other topics were mentioned as well, and some comments merely stated that there were no pressing needs at this time.
Discussion
No less than four services were reported by CRPs as being provided in each of West Virginia’s counties listed. All nine CRP services were reported as being provided in all six WVDRS districts and in all West Virginia counties. At least two Pre-ETS services were reported by CRPs as being provided in each of the listed counties, with all five categories of Pre-ETS being reported as provided in all six WVDRS districts and in all West Virginia counties.
Over 95% of CRPs reported a Good or better rating of communication with WVDRS and no CRP rated communication with WVDRS as being Very Poor. This is somewhat contradictory with the fact that only 57.4% of the CRPs claimed that a WVDRS liaison counselor was in contact on a regular basis. This seems to indicate that communication does not have to be frequent, or even regularly occurring, in order to be good. Comments regarding communication (which were provided by nearly all respondents) reflected this at times, suggesting that communication was good when it occurred. At other times, comments indicated that the lack of regular communication was indeed a problem.
Comments on WVDRS improvement focused on referrals and improved communication. Transportation and service provision were also highlighted. Comments on CRP needs generally emphasized referrals, but also addressed service provision, transportation, and employer education.
Moving forward, as WVDRS continues providing services to individuals with the most significant disabilities, CRP services will continue to be a vital resource in helping these individuals attain their goal of competitive, integrated employment. WVDRS takes the feedback of its acknowledged vendors seriously and aims to make improvements, as needed, to facilitate relationships and performances with CRPs statewide.
CRP SERVICE RESPONSES FROM WVDRS FIELD STAFF SURVEY
CRP Service Need/Use
Service need/use for each service was assessed to allow respondents to indicate which services their consumers need/use most often. This was done independently of the service gap assessment as some services may be highly needed/used but are readily available, and therefore, do not require an increase in availability.
Employment and CRP services that were identified as needed by 50% or more of the total respondents are listed for each service category below with the percentage of respondents in parentheses:
- Vocational Counseling & Guidance (76%)
- Job Placement (68.9%)
- Psychological Evaluation (68.3%)
- Community-Based Assessment (67.1%)
- Direct Placement by CRPs (66.5%)
- Vocational Evaluation (64.7%)
- Work Skills Assessment (63.5%)
- Job Coaching other than SE (62.3%)
- Work Adjustment Training (61.7%)
- Job Development (59.3%)
- Work-related tools/equipment (58.7%)
Service Gaps
Respondents that indicated a perceived service gap were totaled for each service. The top five employment and CRP service gaps are listed for each service category below with percentage of respondents in parentheses:
- Small Business Development (21.6%)
- Direct Placement by CRPs (18.6%)
- Job Development (17.4%)
- Supported Employment (17.4%)
- Trial Work Experience (17.4%)