Nebraska VR Services Janet Drudik (402)

Objective Explanation of the process Nebraska VR uses while working with a student Discuss the importance of the school information within the VR process Share other activities that are going on and involve transition

Partnerships Nebraska Department of Education - Office of Special Education and Nebraska VR have an Interagency Agreement for VR to provide transition services. The agreement is signed by the Directors from each agency. Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) monitors our interagency agreement and the services that we provide to students

Transition Services Partner with Nebraska High Schools  Referral made to VR Transition from High School to Career Focus on Juniors and Seniors Work with Freshmen and Sophomores is possible in specific cases The Student must be willing to participate

Referral Enter into QE2 right away Contact with Student and Family 10 days VR Application and Release Student and Parent Signature Eligibility MDT Report Medical paperwork 60 Days Job Planning Evaluation Resources from the School Career Scope, Compass, Refer to Evaluation IPE Training Post Secondary Project Search Certificate Program Placement Job Search Employment follow-up Transition Services Timeline

Referral

Special Education Staff School Counselor School Nurse Teachers Parents Other referral sources  Doctor, Probation Officer, Parent, Friend, etc Referral Sources

Client Contact

Contact with Student Outreach at the high schools Contact the client within 10 days of the referral to schedule an appointment to meet  Mail, , phone, and create a task note Include the parents Gauge the clients interest Start the process for application and release

Application and Release

Application  Client and parent/guardian must sign unless the student is 19  Eligibility and VR services cannot start without a completed application  If the parent is not involved, complete a parent waiver form Release  Receive all the releases that you will need to continue to work with the client

Eligibility

Eligibility Program Disability / Impairment  Cognitive, Emotional, Physical  Diagnosis from a Licensed Professional Impediment to employment Benefit from VR Services Requires VR Services Voluntary Program The student must be willing to participate with VR. VR uses informed choice

Eligibility From a Licensed Professional that can diagnose Multidisciplinary Team Report (MDT)  Must be signed by a School Psychologist  Individual Educational Plan (IEP) alone cannot be used for eligibility since it is not signed by the School Psychologist, but will be necessary for eligibility in QE2 and career planning Doctor Psychologist

Autism (AU) Behavior Disorder (BD) Deaf-Blindness (DB) Hearing Impairment (HI) Mental Handicap (MH) Mild (MH:MI)  IQ Moderate (MH:MO)  IQ Severe/Profound (MH:S/P)  IQ 35 and below Multiple Impairments (MULTI) Orthopedic Impairment (OI) Other Health Impairment (OHI) Specific Learning Disability (SLD) Speech-Language Impairment (SLI) Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Visual Impairment including Blindness (VI) Special Education Services (Rule 51, pg. 24)

Hearing and Visual Impairments VR has requirements for eligibility on the basis of a hearing loss. If a student is identified blind or visually impaired, VR will refer to the Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired. If the student is not eligibility for services with the commission, VR can continue the process of working with a student. The Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired and Nebraska VR have created a Memorandum of Understanding

504 Plan VR can work with students that experience a disability, but do not receive special education services. A student with a 504 plan is an example of a student that could be referred to VR if they experienced an impairment.

Job Planning

Tools available from the school  Interest inventories, learning styles testing, etc Scheduled events at the school  ACT testing, Compass testing, etc. Vocational Evaluation with VR

IPE

Individual Plan for Employment IPE and the IEP IEP is the school, IPE is Nebraska VR VR uses the IEP to help develop the IPE Complete by Exit of Educational Setting (Graduation) It is our goal to complete the IPE by graduation, but there are times that this is not possible (plans change, late referral, pending information).

IPE Employment Is employment the best fit for now What can VR do to help the student achieve employment for their life after graduation. Post Secondary Training Emphasize that college is training for a Job Interest Aptitude Financial Factors Vocational Evaluation Labor market information Education Quest

Development Disability Services Is the student and family planning to apply for DD Services Nebraska VR and DD Services are separate agencies and it is important for VR to allow the family to work directly with DD Services. Is the student and family planning to participate in a 18 to 21 year old program through the school VR works to consider where we fit and can be the most helpful to the student and their family?

School information helpful to VR

How Schools can help Outreach Referrals Evaluation information School testing dates Help with developing a relationship with the family Information for VR eligibility and planning MDT and IEP

Other Transition Activities

Nebraska Youth Leadership Councils (NYLC) Juvenile Justice Referrals (Probation and YRTC’s) State DD Planning Council Out of Home Placements Committee Nebraska Children Commission Juvenile Services Committee

What to take away from this information

How we help People Prepare for a job Get a Job Keep a job VR advocates for Clients

What we need from Clients Medical verification of an impairment  Licensed Professional that can Diagnose Be prepared to go to work Actively participate with VR A willingness to learn Contact with VR during the process

How VR is Unique VR Services Vocational (Employment) Rehabilitation (Self-sufficiency) Voluntary Program Eligibility Program Career Orientated Other Resources Therapeutic Counseling, Food, Housing Long-term services Varied Participation requirements Varied Eligibility requirements Job Service Program

Office Locations Columbus Fremont Grand Island Kearney Lincoln Norfolk North Platte Omaha Scottsbluff South Sioux City

Questions Thank you