What's New in RSA

On October 27, 2021, the U.S. Departments of Labor and Education (the Departments) announced that the Departments determined it is appropriate and reasonable for the Department of Labor to begin assessing performance for two performance indicators under WIOA title I and III core programs for PYs 2020 and 2021 in accordance with the phased-in approach to performance assessments described in RSA-TAC-20-02. The Departments, as permitted under section 503(a) of WIOA, have determined it reasonable to delay assessing performance for the purpose of imposing sanctions for the remaining performance indicators to ensure an orderly transition from the requirements of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to those of WIOA.

RSA issued this joint policy guidance as RSA-FAQ-22-01. 

By a joint resolution approved on October 6, 1964, Congress authorized October 15 of each year as White Cane Safety Day, which is recognized today as Blind Americans Equality Day, to honor the contributions of blind and visually impaired Americans. Please join RSA in celebrating and read President Biden's Proclamation. 

Throughout October 2021, please join RSA in celebrating National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). The theme for NDEAM 2021 is “America’s Recovery: Powered by Inclusion" and reflects the importance of ensuring that people with disabilities have full access to employment and community involvement during the national recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Read President Biden's Proclamation on NDEAM 2021. 

• Listen to the 100^th episode of VR Workforce Studio featuring RSA's Carol Dobak. 

• Follow OSERS' Twitter as we highlight VR success stories for NDEAM 2021. 

• Learn more about NDEAM 2021 at the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy.

On August 11, 2021, RSA issued Policy Directive (PD) 21-01 titled, “Retirement of Certain Policy Issuances.” This PD retires outdated PDs related to information collections that RSA manages for Federal formula awards. This PD does not modify or rescind any RSA policy guidance or technical assistance.

Join RSA on August 26, 2021 from 2:00-3:00 pm EDT for a webinar providing an overview of the Randolph-Sheppard Vending Facility and AbilityOne programs. The webinar will also provide information related to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the U.S. AbilityOne Commission and RSA. The MOU describes how these parties have agreed to work together to increase communication and understanding between the agencies regarding which opportunities are appropriate for persons who are blind to operate vending facilities under the Randolph-Sheppard Act and which are appropriate for placement on the Procurement List under the Javits-Wagner-O’Day Act. Please email questions to Christine Grassman with RSA and register for the webinar here.  

Beginning in the Spring of 2019, RSA, CSAVR, NCSAB, and VR agencies committed to rethinking the way we look at the performance of the VR program, improving results, and maintaining high expectations of both the VR program and individuals with disabilities. Through several meetings in the Summer and Fall of 2019, RSA identified strategies it will adopt to rethink how RSA fosters continuous improvement, enhances collaboration, and maximizes high-quality employment opportunities for customers served by the VR program. During the CSAVR Fall 2019 Conference, RSA presented its ReThink VR Performance Plan outlining 52 specific actions across five priority areas. A recording of the Fall 2019 presentation is available.

As of July 26, 2021, RSA has completed 41 of 52 actions, or 79 percent of all actions. The remaining 11 actions are in progress with expected completion dates in FFYs 2021 or 2022. 

1. Performance Data: 9 of 10 actions completed

2. Flexibility and Reduction of Burden: 4 of 4 actions completed

3. Technical Assistance and Dissemination: 9 of 14 actions completed

4. Monitoring: 8 out 12 actions completed

5. Communication: 11 of 12 actions completed

In July 2021, RSA celebrates the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), landmark legislation created to ensure everyone has the right to take part in all aspects of life and community, including employment.

Developed through a multiagency collaboration around the ADA anniversary, this CIE Funding Opportunities Fact Sheet, published by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy, highlights new funding and flexibilities that provide significant opportunities to increase access to competitive integrated employment for youth and adults with disabilities. These opportunities are provided through the work of multiple Federal agencies providing services to individuals with disabilities, including:

• Administration for Community Living (ACL), HHS
• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), HHS
• Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), ED
• Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), ED
• Social Security Administration (SSA)

On May 27, 2021, RSA announced that its RSA-911 Edit Checker is available year-round to VR agency staff with permission to submit the RSA-911 reports in the RSAMIS. Since WIOA data collection began in Program Year 2017, VR agencies have only been able to use the RSA-911 Edit Checker during the four 45-day reporting windows after each quarter. While VR agencies could conduct limited testing of RSA-911 files during these 180 days, RSA wanted to provide access to the RSA-911 Edit Checker outside of the reporting windows so that all VR agencies may securely test files at no cost and without officially submitting them.  Year-round access to the RSA-911 Edit Checker should not only make reporting during the four 45-day reporting windows easier, but it should help to improve the quality of these data as VR agencies will have more opportunities for quality assurance.

We appreciate the support our colleagues at Idaho’s Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and Wisconsin’s Division of Vocational Rehabilitation who assisted us with testing this new feature. Please email RSAData@ed.gov with any questions or feedback.

On March 25, 2021, RSA Acting Deputy Commissioner, Carol Dobak, and RSA management held a quarterly teleconference with VR agencies and other stakeholders to share current RSA events and answer questions related to RSA Programs. The audio recording and transcript of the teleconference are available. 

On March 25, 2021, RSA announced its approach to Open Data in support of The Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 (Evidence Act), which requires changes to how Federal agencies manage and use the information they collect, emphasizing the strategic use of data. As required by the Evidence Act's Open Data Plan, RSA is committed to making the data it collects from grantees "open by default" and available to the public to use for a variety of purposes. RSA acknowledges that Open Data supports the performance and fiscal accountability of the programs it administers. RSA also acknowledges that data-driven decisions lead to better outcomes for individuals with disabilities who are served by these programs.

Throughout Spring 2021, RSA will begin to publish reports submitted by grantees across Federal Fiscal Years 2016 through 2020 under View Data. These reports will be available to grantees with RSAMIS accounts as well as the public. The publishing process will be incremental and not all reports will be available at once. As of March 2021, RSA has published all of the Resolution of Applicant/Client Appeals (RSA-722) reports. For RSA's formula awards, the Fiscal Unit will be publishing certain reports (e.g., RSA-2, RSA-17, RSA-692, and SF-425) while Project Officers will do the same for other programs’ reports (e.g., RSA-7-OB, RSA-15, RSA-227, RSA-509, and RSA-AIVRS). Points of contact for each information collection are listed in the table at View Data.

Please note that RSA publishes some reports in different formats outside of View Data, including: WIOA Annual Reports; WIOA Unified and Combined State Plans; VR Program Monitoring Reports; Randolph-Sheppard Arbitration Panel Decisions; and Annual Reports to Congress.

RSA appreciates your patience as we publish reports and thanks its grantees, in advance, as they make updates. As always, RSA welcomes feedback related to its website and the RSAMIS. Please email your suggestions to your RSA State Liaison or RSAData@ed.gov.