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Maryland PYs 2020-2023
C

Vocational Rehabilitation Program (Combined or General)

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:

    __________

    [13] Sec. 102(b)(2)(D)(iii) of WIOA

    • h. Interagency Cooperation

      Describe how the designated State unit will collaborate with the State agency responsible for administering each of the following programs to develop opportunities for competitive integrated employment, to the greatest extent practicable:

h. 3. The State agency responsible for providing mental health services.

Current Narrative:

(3) the State agency responsible for providing mental health services.

Recognizing the shared responsibility to optimize resources and expand employment opportunities for individuals with mental illness and co-occurring mental illness and substance related disorders in Maryland, DORS and BHA are working to update the cooperative agreement between BHA and DORS. While both state agencies are committed to the dissemination and implementation of Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) in Supported Employment (SE) statewide, this agreement addresses the provision of both traditional supported employment services as well as EBP in SE. It also addresses SE services provided within the context of Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) and First Episode Psychosis Programs (FEPP).

The cooperative agreement addresses referrals between agencies, specifies shared responsibilities for funding of supported employment, as well as cross-training for staff. This Agreement formalizes the ongoing collaborative relationship between DORS and BHA. To meet the requirements outlined in the WIOA, the agreement updates policies and practices for each organization as well as defines the shared responsibility in the implementation of supported employment (SE) services for youth and adults with mental illness or a co-occurring mental illness and substance-related disorder.

The updated cooperative agreement is projected to be finalized early 2020.