Return-Path: <nifl-ld@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id gB3C7KX09940; Tue, 3 Dec 2002 07:07:20 -0500 (EST) Date: Tue, 3 Dec 2002 07:07:20 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <004f01c29ac4$36403400$5c216318@chlee8100> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-ld@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-ld@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-ld@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Christopher Lee" <christopherlee@mindspring.com> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-ld@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-LD:4050] Re: News about Vocational Rehabilitation X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1106 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; Status: O Content-Length: 5745 Lines: 110 Thanks June - this is great info! ----- Original Message ----- From: "Crawford, June" <jcrawford@nifl.gov> To: "Multiple recipients of list" <nifl-ld@literacy.nifl.gov> Sent: Monday, December 02, 2002 5:36 PM Subject: [NIFL-LD:4049] News about Vocational Rehabilitation > For those working with adults with learning disabilities, here is some > interesting information > Subject: REFERENCE POINTS: Comprehensive Federal Study Finds VR > Successful at Assisting People with Disabilities to Secure Employment > More than 1.2 million people with disabilities served; 233,000 become > employed annually > WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 13, 2002-- The Public Vocational > Rehabilitation (VR) Program is effective at putting people with disabilities > > to work in good jobs with opportunities for advancement. This conclusion > comes from the results of a multi-million dollar study commissioned by the > Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA)/Department of Education that > demonstrates for the first time that VR services contribute significantly to > positive employment outcomes for people with disabilities. The Longitudinal > Study of the Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program was conducted by RTI > International under contract number HR92022001. > Ten years before President George W. Bush unveiled his performance-based > budget this past February, the RSA embarked on the study to assess the > performance of the state-federal VR Program in "achieving positive, > sustainable economic and non-economic outcomes as a result of their VR > services." According to a National Health Interview Survey, approximately > 13% of working-age Americans - or 21.3 million people - have a physical or > mental disability; 16% of whom may be eligible and benefit from VR services > that range from assessments, training, counseling, post-secondary education, > support services such as transportation and housing assistance, and job > placement. Eighty-percent of those who apply are found eligible and accepted > into the program. > Results of the study show that 69% of clients who exited the program > achieved an employment outcome - 75% of whom are in competitive jobs that > are in professional, managerial, technical, service or clerical/sales > positions. Three years after job placement, 76% continued to be employed and > received increases in salary and benefits. > Individuals who completed VR services fared far better than similar > individuals who did not complete services or who were eligible but did not > receive services, strongly indicating that VR services are effective in > assisting individuals with disabilities to obtain employment. Additional > findings include: > 36% of VR clients in competitive jobs received employer health benefits at > exit; this rose to 58% three years later (the national average is 52% for > all employed individuals); 32% received wages at 200% of the federal > poverty level (about $16,000/year); three years later, 46% were at 200% of > the federal poverty level; Of individuals competitively employed, 39% had > received some form of public assistance at entry to VR; three years after > their cases were closed, the percentage declined to 26%; 44% no longer > needed public assistance; > Clients reported significant satisfaction with having an active role with > their VR counselor in the process of assessing which services would be > required to achieve an employment outcome; 20.7% utilized assistive > technology - special computerized devices, portable speech synthesizers, > software - in helping to enter the workforce; and, most significantly, 66% > of people entering competitive jobs said if they had to pay for services, > they would purchase "exactly the same" services provided by the Public VR > Program. > Each year, approximately 1.2 million people with disabilities are served by > the $3.1 billion Public VR Program; in 2001, 233,000 individuals entered the > workforce, earned $3.4 billion in wages and paid $977 million in > federal/state/local, Social Security and Medicare taxes. > RSA is the federal agency within the Department of Education that monitors > the results of the State VR Program, provides technical assistance to the > agencies, and collects and analyzes performance data on the program. > "It is our job to get people with disabilities ready for employment," said > Joanne Wilson, RSA Commissioner. "This long term study demonstrates that the > Public VR Program achieves this goal and has the right formula for ongoing > success." > The Public VR Program is administered by the individual state agencies of > vocational rehabilitation. Each state contributes a percentage match to > federal funds and provides or outsources a multitude of assessment, training > and job placement services to people with disabilities seeking employment. > The Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR) > provides a national forum for state administrators to study and act upon > matters affecting the rehabilitation and employment of persons with > disabilities. The outcome of this study helps make the case for additional > funding. > CSAVR Executive Director, Carl Suter, said, "As our government reviews the > effectiveness and value of federal programs, it's critical that a federal > study has validated the Public VR Program. We are grateful to RSA for making > the commitment to prove that Public VR works." > The final results of the study are expected to be released and evaluated > over the next few months. > > > June Justice Crawford > Learning Disabilities Program Director > Program Analyst, Adult and Adolescent Reading > National Institute for Literacy > 1775 I St. NW, Suite 730 > Washington, DC 20006-2417 >
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