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
- c. Cooperative Agreements with Agencies Not Carrying Out Activities Under the Statewide Workforce Development System
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 with respect to:
- c. Cooperative Agreements with Agencies Not Carrying Out Activities Under the Statewide Workforce Development System
c. 2. State programs carried out under section 4 of the Assistive Technology Act of 1998;
Current Narrative:
The Vermont Assistive Technology program (VATP), funded by the federal Assistive Technology Act, is housed within the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) as part of the Department of Disabilities Aging and Independent Living (DAIL). The VATP staff receive operational and business office support through DAIL and DVR. The program maintains a contract, in conjunction with DVR, for Assistive Technology (AT) Specialist services currently provided by the University of Vermont. These include AT Core services such as tech demonstrations, loans, information and assistance, and trainings as well as consultations for VR consumers that could benefit from Assistive Technology or devices. The AT program also has three AT Specialists on staff. Two are funded through the Linking Learning to Careers, Work Based Learning Demonstration funded through the US Department of Education. They provide AT services for youth and students in transition. The third AT Specialist is funded to provide AT services for VR eligible consumers in the south eastern part of the state. The AT program is also constantly looking for new ways to extend our reach and have partnered with Fanny Allen, the No Wrong Door program in cooperation with DAIL’s Adult Services Division, the Area Agencies on Aging, and Castleton State College who recently agreed to host a new tryout center available to the general public. Finally, the VATP partners with Opportunities Credit Union to provide low interest, variable term loans for purchasing AT equipment such as modified vehicles and hearing aids, that would be beyond the reach of some consumers.