Vocational Rehabilitation.

Last updated Thursday, January 06, 2005

About vocational rehabilitation (VR)

What is vocational rehabilitation?

Federal and state governments work in partnership to fund vocational rehabilitation (VR) programs.

The VR agency assists people with disabilities to find and keep employment. To achieve this goal, VR provides a variety of services that help clients market and use their interests, skills and abilities within the present work force. These services include work evaluation, job retraining and educational expenses.

Vocational rehabilitation is not a "make work" or entitlement program. You are not automatically eligible just because you have arthritis and are unemployed or because you are at risk of losing your job. It must be shown that the disability directly affects your ability to obtain or maintain employment.

Every state is required to have a VR program and the services are financed by federal and state funding. However, the range of services, number of clients served and money available will vary between states.

Each state has a central office that administers the VR program and district offices that actually provide the services. District offices are located throughout the state and serve a specific geographic area.

The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation for the State of Washington is in the Department of Social and Health Services, OB 21 C, Olympia, Washington, 98504, (206) 753-2544. For other states contact the Arthritis Foundation or the state government offices.

How can a person with arthritis qualify for vocational rehabilitation?

Eligibility for rehabilitation services is determined on the basis of three criteria:

1. You must have a physical or mental disability.
2. Your disability must create or cause a substantial handicap to employment or cause you to perform the job below your potential.
3. There is a reasonable expectation that the provision of VR services will help you obtain employment.

The relationship between these three criteria is very important, as shown in the examples given below:

1. An unemployed school counselor with osteoarthritis in the knees would probably not be eligible for services. This is because the disability does not prevent the person from counseling and the individual already has the skills necessary to perform the work.

2. An unemployed construction worker with rheumatoid arthritis would most likely benefit from VR services. The arthritis may present a handicap to employment. The provision of services such as job restraining would enable the person to enter a field of work that better suits his or her limitations.

A state rehabilitation counselor will decide if a person qualifies for VR services based on the federal definitions of "physical and mental disability," "Substantial handicap to employment" and "employability." The counselor will also consider medical and work evaluations and the effects of the disability on the person's job performance.

There are several factors that should not affect a person's application:

• Race, sex, color, creed or national origin.
• Whether or not the person is a resident of the state.
• Age: clients should be at an employable age. However, services are available to younger students in preparation for future work or higher education. Older adults are also served, but many states often set priorities based on age groups and funding limits.

Three outcomes are possible when you apply for VR services:

1. You may be determined to be not eligible for services. This decision can be appealed (see "Appeal Rights").
2. You may be determined to be eligible for services. (Application and preliminary diagnostic studies meet guidelines.)
3. You may be given an extended evaluation period. If there is a question about employability, the extended evaluation looks at all client information in depth. Services will be provided on a trial basis for up to 18 months to determine if the person's employability will improve. During this time a decision will be made to continue or terminate services. Again, the denial can be appealed.

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