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
d. 2. C. Roles and responsibilities, including financial responsibilities, of each agency, including provisions for determining State lead agencies and qualified personnel responsible for transition services;
Current Narrative:
(C) roles and responsibilities, including financial responsibilities, of each agency, including provisions for determining State lead agencies and qualified personnel responsible for transition services;
Both the SEA, specifically the DEI/SES, and DORS have roles and responsibilities regarding transition services. Lead agencies are identified for specific responsibilities based off the responsibilities of the agencies as outlined in either WIOA or IDEA. The formal agreement identifies the DEI/SES as the primary entity responsible for providing educational, career preparation, and transition services to students with disabilities and DORS as the primary entity responsible for carrying out Federal and State policies relating to the program under the Rehabilitation Act, to include the provision of Pre-Employment Transition Services. Both entities share responsibilities regarding collaborative activities to coordinate transition planning for students with disabilities. Examples of those responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the DEI/SES referring students with disabilities to DORS and DORS collaborating with the local school systems to provide and coordinate Pre-Employment Transition Services.
Financial roles and responsibilities are also noted in the formal agreement regarding services to students with disabilities. The agreement notes that DORS funded services are not to be construed as reducing the responsibility of the local school systems or any other agencies under the IDEA to provide or pay for transition services are are also considered to be special education or related services under the IDEA necessary for the provision of a free appropriate public education to students with disabilities. The agreement confirms that’s DORS funded Pre-Employment Transition Services are new and expanded services that supplement, and not supplant, transition services provided under IDEA.
Qualified staff personnel are identified by each agency as appropriate professional development activities are provided by both agencies regarding transition services. DORS identifies counselors, with an expertise in transition, as liaisons for every public high school in Maryland. These qualified counselors are referred to as “Transition Counselors” and have roles and responsibilities to work with their local school systems for the transition planning of students with disabilities. These qualified counselors also receive ongoing professional development opportunities through DORS.
DORS maintains a Staff Specialist for Transition position to lead the following activities:
- Coordinate all VR and Pre-Employment Transition Service activities and projects with other state agencies, community organizations, public and private facilities, local DORS field offices, and employers.
- Collaborate with the DORS Grants Administrator in responding to federal and state transition requests for proposals and in implementing cooperative agreements.
- Develop, update and monitor transition documents.
- Provide program information to state level transition personnel and to the local education agencies through in-service training and publications.
- Serve as consultative staff for the Governor’s Interagency Transition Council for Youth with Disabilities.
- Facilitate an intra-agency transition group for counselors who provide transitioning services for the purpose of information sharing and ongoing training.