What are Vocational Rehabilitation Services?

What are Vocational Rehabilitation Services?

Having a job can
be a really fulfilling part of life.

Employment can help you
connect with people, discover your passions, and of course make money!

But if you have a disability, there are obstacles
that can make the idea of getting
- and keeping a job - pretty intimidating.

That’s where
Vocational Rehabilitation, (or “Voc Rehab”) comes in.

Voc Rehab services are
provided by the state, and they’re designed
to help you - a person with a disability - get and keep employment.

Some states may have more than one Voc Rehab program.

For example, there might be
a program specifically for people who are
blind or low vision, or a program that serves
Native Americans

There are lots
of different ways to get connected to
Vocational Rehabilitation.

If you receive disability
related services in high school, your school might connect
you to Voc Rehab as part of a plan to help you
transition into adult life.

You can visit the website or contact the
Voc Rehab program that serves your area.

You can also get
help connecting with Voc Rehab services by
contacting your state’s Protection and Advocacy program, or Client Assistance Program.

Once you get in touch with
the Voc Rehab program that serves your area, you’ll go through a
process to make sure you qualify for services.

To qualify, you need to
have a disability that makes it hard for
you to get or keep a job, you can benefit from
Voc Rehab services, and you have a documented
diagnosis of your disability.

If you don’t have a
documented diagnosis, Voc Rehab can refer
you to professionals who can help determine if you qualify for services.

Every Voc Rehab program will have requirements
and deadlines.

So it's extremely important to keep track of key dates.

For example, you may be
required to check in with Voc Rehab staff a certain amount of
times per year, or submit documents
by specific dates.

If you qualify, what do Voc Rehab services
look like in action?

First, you’ll be assigned
a counselor.

Your counselor will help
you develop an Individualized Plan
for Employment, or IPE, which will outline the
help and services you’re going to receive.

The goal of the plan
and Voc Rehab services is to support you in
getting and keeping a job!

Voc Rehab can help pay
tuition at trade schools, community colleges or universities.

And they can help with
services to succeed at a job like a job coach.

Or they can help you get
assistive technology: that could include
screen reading software, car modifications to get
to and from work, and hardware like
a laptop or printer.

If you don’t feel like you’re
being properly served by your Voc Rehab program or one of its service providers, you have the right to appeal, but be sure to file the
appeal by the deadline.

Keep a record of interactions
with Voc Rehab in writing, like emails and any documents
related to your services, and copies of your IPE.

For information about
the appeal process, you can contact the
Client Assistance Program in your state or territory.

So, let’s review.

If you’re a person
with a disability, you may qualify for
Vocational Rehabilitation, or Voc Rehab services.

They might provide services
like job coaching, assistive technology, or funding for school
or training.

Every Voc Rehab program will have requirements
and appeal deadlines.

So it's extremely important
to keep track of key dates.

The goal of Voc Rehab
is to support you in successful employment - both getting and keeping a job.

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