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
j. 3. Include an assessment of the needs of individuals with disabilities for transition career services and pre-employment transition services, and the extent to which such services are coordinated with transition services provided under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
Current Narrative:
Research verifies that pathways from school to work or secondary to postsecondary education can be more difficult for individuals with disabilities; therefore, the need for transition career services and pre-employment transition services is great.
DESE reports that for 2017–2018 school year, the percent of youth who had IEPs, are no longer in secondary school and who have been:
- enrolled in higher education is 25.6%.
- enrolled in higher education or competitively employed is 58.3%.
This data indicates that there is a need for transition services.
In 2017, MVR surveyed statewide staff members, who work with students or youth with disabilities, to gather information on practices and services for youth with disabilities. Among the findings, staff reported that some of the barriers that youth with disabilities face in obtaining successful employment are a lack of work exposure or work experiences, transportation issues, the absence of parent/family involvement or follow through from parents and students.
Feedback has shown that not all school districts are open to enhancing transition services. MVR is utilizing its transition counselors to forge inroads with school districts statewide. It is also working with the University of Missouri, College of Education, through pre-employment services to access all school districts including ones that historically have been hesitant in enhancing transition services. Additional strategies include an MVR-developed YouTube video, which can be shared with parents and students before, during or after IEP meetings. MVR counselors are present at IEP meetings when invited in order to coordinate services that are a part of the VR individualized plan for employment (IPE). MVR conducted a statewide training for MVR staff on outreach, joint service provision and coordination of IEP/IPE services. New MVR counselor training includes a special education transition coordinator who provides training on IEP development and transition services.
The DESE Graduation Handbook and DESE Transition Agreement include three work-based learning experiences for students with disabilities on an IEP and are coordinated with special education. Students receive high school credit. These three experiences are the COOP Program, employer-based transition training/Project Search for students with most significant disabilities, and unpaid internships.
Any workforce development boards that have youth committees have an MVR representative. MVR is part of the St. Louis County Youth Interagency Partnership, comprised of any organization serving youth in St. Louis County, which was formed to coordinate services so that no youth will fall through the cracks between agencies. MVR is also a part of the Tri-County Youth Task Force, comprised of any organization serving youth in Pettis, Johnson and Henry counties, which replicated the partnership developed in St. Louis County ensuring no youth will be lost between agencies in rural Missouri.