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
- o. State's Strategies
Describe the required strategies and how the agency will use these strategies to achieve its goals and priorities, support innovation and expansion activities, and overcome any barriers to accessing the VR and the Supported Employment programs (See sections 101(a)(15)(D) and (18)(B) of the Rehabilitation Act and section 427 of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA)):
- o. State's Strategies
o. 7. Strategies for assisting other components of the statewide workforce development system in assisting individuals with disabilities
Current Narrative:
DVR was closely involved in developing the overall vision for the Unified Plan. DVR along with VDOL and AOE placed strong emphasis on serving all Vermonters including people with disabilities. This is reflected in the Unified Plans Vision and Goals as follows: Vermont’s employment demands will be met through a statewide, coordinated, and integrated system of workforce education, training, and development where all Vermonters can connect to robust career pathways, advance along career ladders, and new Vermonters can quickly secure employment with a Vermont employer.
Goal 1: Connect Vermonters to the education, training, and supportive services needed to enter and advance along a career pathway that leads to greater financial independence.
Goal 2: Increase the number of women, minorities, people with disabilities, and other underrepresented people employed in the skilled trades, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields, advanced manufacturing, and other priority industry sectors in Vermont.
Goal 3: Increase the number of Vermonters with barriers to employment who complete high school, earn a post-secondary credential - including an industry-recognized certificate, registered apprenticeship, or post-secondary degree program - and become employed in occupations that align with the needs of Vermont’s employers.
Goal 4: Improve Vermont’s workforce development system by continuously aligning, adapting, and integrating workforce education and training programs and career and supportive services to meet the needs of all customers.
Goal 5: Expand Vermont’s labor force by helping more Vermonters enter the labor market and assisting out-of-state workers in securing employment with Vermont employers and relocating to Vermont.
As outlined in this plan, the DVR Goals and Priorities are directly aligned with the Unified Plan Goals allowing for close cooperation across programs:
DVR will be implementing the following strategies to support our workforce partners serve adults with disabilities served in their programs:
1. Workforce Partners such as VDOL, local training providers, schools, community rehabilitation providers will continue to participate in the local Creative Workforce Solutions teams to coordinate outreach to employers. As noted earlier in the plan the DVR Business Account Managers convene the groups and use Salesforce to track employer engagement.
2. In the past two years DVR and VDOL have strengthened collaboration at state and local level. Most DVR and VDOL offices are in the same building or very close by allowing for easier coordination. DVR and VDOL staff have joint staff meetings to share information and plan joint activities such as job fairs. At the State level the DVR Director and VDOL Workforce Director convenes joint meetings with the local managers to facilitate collaboration. These efforts will continue for this State Plan period.
3. The DVR will routinely provide training to workforce partners to support their efforts in serving people with disabilities including, work incentives and benefits counseling, assistive technology and disability etiquette.