Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) is a state-federal program whose goal is to assist people with disabilities prepare for, secure, retain or regain employment.
What VR Programs are offered?
Vocational Rehabilitation’s primary goal is employment. Vocational Rehabilitation provides individualized vocational guidance and counseling as well as other services to assist people with disabilities to make informed choices concerning their careers so that they can become successfully employed
Mental Health
Vocational Rehabilitation works closely with the Department of Health and Welfare’s Mental Health Program to provide services to individuals with severe and persistent mental illness. Services are provided utilizing a team approach and are focused on assisting the mental health clientele to work in the community. Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) teams and Case Management Teams have been established around the state and VR has placed counselors with these teams to address employment issues.
Public Offenders
Vocational Rehabilitation is proactive in assisting inmates with disabilities to transition into the community by developing a program to concentrate on this clientele. Utilizing a team approach, counselors work collaboratively with the client, the Department of Probation and Parole and medical or psychological experts to re-introduce the individual to the workforce. The Division has gained a level of expertise that has resulted in a high success rate of individuals securing and maintaining employment, a savings in institutional costs and an overall net gain to the community.
Students with Disabilities
Vocational Rehabilitation works with students with disabilities who require assistance to transition from school to employment. Vocational Rehabilitation maintains relationships with schools throughout the state to serve students needing this assistance. Any student can apply directly for services without referral from the school. These individuals must meet the VR eligibility criteria.
Services for Individuals with Disabilities
The Idaho Division of Vocational Rehabilitation’s program goal is to place Idahoans with disabilities into the workforce by securing and maintaining productive employment. IDVR can provide the services required to assist you to go to work and can assist you in locating suitable employment. Only services that you need to reach employment will be provided.
Services to individuals may include:
- Vocational guidance and counseling for adjustment to disability.
- Vocational exploration and planning for entry or re-entry into the workforce.
- Assessment to determine vocational strengths and weaknesses to plan for services required to reach the employment outcome.
- Training for those who need a career change because of disability. Such training can involve higher education, on the job training, vocational-technical training, etc.
- Tools and licenses can be provided, if needed, to enter a specific trade or profession.
- Medical assistance can be provided, if needed, to secure or maintain employment and is part of a comprehensive rehabilitation plan.
- Job development and placement involves you and your Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor working together to secure employment.
- Rehabilitation Technology can be provided to assist you in preparation for placement on the job site.
- Follow-along can be extremely important to ensure that your job is successful. Such follow-along can assist in resolving any job problems that may occur.
Services to Businesses & Professional Organizations
The Idaho Division of Vocational Rehabilitation offers an array of services to assist you in employing individuals with disabilities so that you can maintain a qualified, productive and diverse work environment. VR is interested in assisting you to be as profitable as possible by providing cost-effective assistance when issues arise.
Some of the services available to organizations include:
- Accessibility Issues: VR can refer you to people who can assess the conditions which may create barriers to serving your clientele or employing your workforce. They can make recommendations for overcoming these barriers.
- Job Placement Resource: VR identifies community job opportunities and assists employees with disabilities to enter or re-enter the workforce.
- Qualified Job Applicant Referrals: VR provides training and counseling to thousands of individuals each year, preparing them for a myriad of jobs. VR counselors match the skills and abilities of potential employees to the specific requirements of your jobs. Qualified applicants are pre-screened to reduce your costs associated with recruitment and hiring.
- On the Job Training: VR can reimburse you for additional training time that may be needed at your place of employment to assist referred individuals with learning the specific tasks of a particular job.
- Job Coaching Services: Some employees need more individualized training than others. In these instances, VR can contract with job coaches to assist in getting your employees up to speed with specific job tasks.
- Consultation on Disability Issues: Vocational Rehabilitation professionals are available to meet with you and your staff to answer your questions concerning employing people with disabilities including:
“How can I integrate people with disabilities into my organization?”
“How do I work with a person who has a disability?”
“What does it cost to hire a person with a disability?”
Cost of Services:
Because people are expected to contribute to the cost of their vocational rehabilitation program to the extent possible, you may be responsible for some costs of your rehabilitation plan. This will be based upon your individual financial need. However, no one is ever turned away because of inability to pay.