Vocational Rehabilitation State Grants

Program Office: Rehabilitation Services Administration

CFDA Number: 84.126A
Program Type: Formula Grants
Also Known As: State Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program

This program provides grants to states to support a wide range of services designed to help individuals with disabilities prepare for and engage in gainful employment consistent with their strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests, and informed choice. Eligible individuals are those who have a physical or mental impairment that results in a substantial impediment to employment, who can benefit from vocational rehabilitation (VR) services for employment, and who require VR services. Priority must be given to serving individuals with the most significant disabilities if a state is unable to serve all eligible individuals.

Funds are distributed to states and territories based on a formula that takes into account population and per capita income to cover the cost of direct services and program administration. Grant funds are administered under an approved state plan by VR agencies designated by each state. The state-matching requirement is 21.3 percent; however, the state share is 50 percent for the cost of construction of a facility for community rehabilitation program purposes.

Who May Apply: (specifically): State vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies may apply.

• Agency Report Cards
  Spreadsheets containg 95 data elements on the performance of each agency.

• Annual Review Reports
  Written in non-technical language for the general public.

• Monitoring
  See below for more information on monitoring.

• Standards and Indicators
  Evaluation standards and performance indicators for each vocational rehabilitation (VR) state agency.

• VR State Plans
  Overview of the state plans with links to the plans, supporting matierial and related letters.

• Wall chart of State Vocational Rehabilitation Performance
  Download a PDF of the wall chart or download supporting data in document or spreadsheet formats.

Section 107 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (Act), requires the commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) to conduct annual reviews and periodic on-site monitoring of programs authorized under Title I of the Act to determine whether a state VR agency is complying substantially with the provisions of its state plan under Section 101 of the Act and with the Evaluation Standards and Performance Indicators established under Section 106.

Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, Title I, Parts A and B, Sec. 100-111; 29 U.S.C. 720-731.

34 CFR 361  PDF (373KB)

PD-13-02
Apr 30, 2013
"Extension of the State Plan for the Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program and the Supplement for the Supported Employment Services Program"
 MS Word (240KB) | PDF (1.6 M)

PD-12-09
March 15, 2012
"OMB Approval of the Extension of the Quarterly Cumulative Caseload Report (RSA-113)"
 MS Word (47KB) | PDF (306KB)

PD-12-08
March 5, 2012
"Announcement of Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for the on-line submission of the Vocational Rehabilitation Program Improvement Plan"
 MS Word (45KB) | PDF (527KB)

PD-12-07
March 5, 2012
"Announcement of the OMB approval for the on-line submission of the Corrective Action Plan (CAP) for the Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program and the Supported Employment Services Program"
 MS Word (45KB) | PDF (527KB)

PD-12-06
February 13, 2012
"Revision of PD-11-02, instructions for completing the Federal Financial Report (SF-425) for the Vocational Rehabilitation State Grants Program"
 MS Word (135KB) | PDF (527KB)

PD-12-05
February 8, 2012
"Approved the use of the Case Service Report (RSA-911) through November 30, 2014"
 MS Word (575KB) | PDF (1.7M)

PD-11-02
October 26, 2010
"Revision of PD-10-03 instructions for completing the Federal Financial Report (SF-425) for the Vocational Rehabilitation State Grants Program"
 MS Word (120KB) | PDF (1.9M)

TAC-12-04
June 11, 2012
"Provision of Vocational Rehabilitation Services to an Individual by More Than One Agency"
 MS Word (44KB) | PDF (214KB)

• Emerging Practices
  RSA has established the Emerging Practices as a mechanism for sharing state information to help promote communities of practice and increase awareness of a variety of approaches that provide a foundation for research and lead to the development of evidence-based practices.

• Fiscal Resources
  Resources providing guidance on fiscal matters related to the Basic VR program.

• Orientation & Technical Assistance Guide for State Vocational Rehabilitation Directors
  The Orientation Guide is provided to support new state vocational rehabilitation (VR) directors in the important work of administering federal programs within your state funded under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, including the Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program, the Supported Employment Program, the State Independent Living Services Program, and the Independent Living Services for Older Individuals who are Blind Program.  RSA developed this guide to provide quick and efficient access to information and technical assistance resources related to the administration of these programs.

• SRC Online Training Series
  This self-directed program intends to address the training needs of SRC members. It contains a series of topical modules, each approximately 30 minutes in length, intended to provide a resource to SRC members, especially new members, to increase knowledge of the VR program and improve understanding of SRC responsibilities. The series is designed for use "anytime-anywhere," including group settings or individually.

• Vocational Rehabilitation Needs Assessment Guide
  The Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Needs Assessment Guide and its Appendices provide state VR agencies and State Rehabilitation Councils (SRC) with fundamental tools necessary to meet the requirements of a fully developed comprehensive statewide needs assessment (CSNA).

• Vocational Rehabilitation Research in Brief
  Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Research in Briefs provide a summary of research and literature on issues, practices, and topics related to the employment of individuals with disabilities; and facilitate further exploration and study.

For this program, RSA has designated State Liaisons for each state and territory.

The Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) is pleased to announce the Comprehensive Statewide Needs Assessment (CSNA) (also known as the Vocational Rehabilitation or VR Needs Assessment Guide) and its Appendices. The Guide and its Appendices provide state VR agencies and State Rehabilitation Councils (SRC) with fundamental tools necessary to meet the requirements of a fully developed comprehensive statewide needs assessment (CSNA).

The Guide is arranged into two parts:

• Part I—The Model CSNA
  • Overview of the Model CSNA
  • Six Steps to Assessing and Addressing VR Needs
  • Seven Information Strategies
    
    
• Part II—Implementing the Model CSNA
  • Step 1: Defining and Establishing CSNA Goals
  • Step 2: Developing CSNA Plan for Information and Dissemination
  • Step 3: Gathering the information
  • Step 4: Analyzing the Results and Developing Findings
  • Step 5: Develop the Conclusions: Potential Action Strategies
  • Step 6: informing State Plan, Goals, Priorities, and Strategies

The Appendix is arranged into ten parts:

• Disability Population Statistics
• Disability Population Estimates
• Projections of State Population and Labor and Economic Forecasts
• VR Agency Data
• State-Level Data from National Programs
• State and Sub-State Reports and Other Materials
• Input from Stakeholders
• Minorities and Unserved or Underserved Groups
• Literature Review
• Reviews of State Needs Assessments

Frequently Asked Questions about the CSNA and a presentation on the materials are available as additional resources.

RSA is committed to providing technical assistance resources to enable VR agencies to meet their required responsibilities. We hope that state VR agencies and SRCs find these materials helpful in developing a plan for, conducting and reporting the results of a comprehensive statewide needs assessment.

Please contact your state liaison or TACE center if you require additional assistance.

• VR Needs Asessment Guide:
   MS Word (3.0MB) | PDF (2.6MB)

• VR Needs Asessment Guide Appendices:
   MS Word (2.8MB) | PDF (7.0MB)

• VR Needs Asessment Guide FAQ:
   MS Word (35KB) | PDF (104KB)

• VR Needs Asessment Training:
   MS Word (52KB) | PDF (419KB)

This content was copied from www.ed.gov on 05/25/2013