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:
California is a culturally diverse state and CDOR is committed to providing timely language services, as required. The Dymally–Alatorre Bilingual Services Act is a state law that ensures individuals seeking state government services whose primary language is not English are not precluded from receiving State of California Services because of language barriers. The CDOR has a Bilingual Services Program that ensures its services are effectively communicated to limited or non–English speaking individuals, as required by the Act.
To ensure effective communication with members of the public, including applicants and eligible individuals with disabilities, CDOR provides a variety of language services including, but not limited to, bilingual oral interpretation, bilingual written translation, and American Sign Language Interpreting. The CDOR translates a variety of written materials that communicate its services in the following languages: Spanish, Armenian, Cambodian, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.
Additionally, appropriate accommodations, such as Auxiliary aids and services are provided, where necessary and as required, to afford an individual with a disability an equal opportunity to participate in CDOR services. Auxiliary aids include services or devices such as qualified interpreters; assistive listening devices; real time, open, closed captioning; teletypewriters or Video Relay services; videotext displays; readers; taped texts; Braille materials; and large print materials.
In addition, the CDOR’s Disability Access Services (DAS) provides training and technical assistance to ensure that individuals with disabilities have full and equal access in government services, public accommodations and employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities are achievable. The DAS provides internal and external partners with training and technical assistance to ensure that all digital and written materials intended to communicate with individuals with disabilities are accessible regardless of disability type.