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
- i. Comprehensive System of Personnel Development; Data System on Personnel and Personnel Development
Describe the designated State agency's procedures and activities to establish and maintain a comprehensive system of personnel development designed to ensure an adequate supply of qualified State rehabilitation professional and paraprofessional personnel for the designated State unit, including the following:
- i. Comprehensive System of Personnel Development; Data System on Personnel and Personnel Development
i. 5. Personnel to Address Individual Communication Needs
Describe how the designated State unit has personnel or obtains the services of other individuals who are able to communicate in appropriate modes of communication with or in the native language of applicants or eligible individuals who have limited English speaking ability.
Current Narrative:
The Agency of Human Services has a contract with the Association of Africans Living in VT for on-site interpretation and translation services. If an appropriate interpreter is not available, AHS has a contract with Telelanguage Inc. in Portland, Oregon, which provides telephonic interpretation.
DVR oversees the statewide contract for ASL interpreters. ASL Interpreters are available through the State Interpreter Referral Services. DVR utilizes a variety on assistive technology tools to assist consumers who are deaf or heard of hearing communicate with VR staff, other service providers and employers. This includes video phones, the telephone relay service and other tools. DVR also has two Rehabilitation Counselors for the Deaf who are fluent in ASL and serve an exclusively deaf and hard of hearing caseload. DVR consults extensively with DBVI around assistive technology and other tools to support consumers who are blind and visually impaired. This includes use of Dragon and other voice activated tools. Through the interpreter contract DVR can also access specialized ASL interpreters to translate for consumers who are deaf blind.