Important Terms | Your VR Counselor | Steps to Your Vocational Rehabilitation | Responsibilities & Rights | Avenues of Appeal
Congratulations! By coming to DARS, you've taken an important step towards employment. Our Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) program offers services to empower individuals with disabilities to enter the work force or return to work.
You are eligible for the DARS Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) program if:
ADA - Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, which prevents discrimination against people with disabilities in employment or public accommodation. Financial Participation. DARS requires you to contribute to the cost of certain services, based on your ability to pay.
Service Providers - Individual or entity that provides a DARS-approved service to you.
Vocational Goal - A suitable job, chosen by you and your counselor, for which you are preparing. This goal is used in deciding which services you need to become employed.
Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) - The steps you and your counselor must take in order to decide if you qualify for the DARS vocational rehabilitation program, to choose a vocational goal, to evaluate your service needs, and to prepare for and find that job. It also includes the steps needed to help you keep or regain employment after your case is closed as successful.
Your DARS counselor is one of the most important people on your vocational rehabilitation team. Your counselor is a trained vocational rehabilitation professional. He or she has skills and resources to empower you to get ready for and find a job that's right for you. Along the way, your counselor will offer guidance and check on your progress. As a team, you and your counselor will face many decisions about your work future. Your counselor can get and help you understand valuable information so you both can make these decisions wisely.
When working with your DARS Counselor, please....
If you have not yet met with your counselor, call the nearest DARS office. In most cases (depending on your schedule and your counselor's), you can meet within two weeks. To save time, be sure to ask what records to send in advance or to bring with you.
Your first step is to meet with your counselor to get to know each other and to...
Your counselor will explain what new information is needed and why. For example, your counselor may ask you to get (at no cost to you) a medical, psychological, personal assistance, rehabilitation technology, or other evaluation. Tell your counselor if you need communication accommodations or other assistance to complete an evaluation.
Information from you, your records, and any new reports (see box below) will be used to learn about your disability, how it affects your work capabilities and limits, and whether DARS services can help you become employed. Even if you have a disability, you and your counselor must decide if you meet all the eligibility criteria.
How Long Will Your Eligibility Evaluation Take?
Typically, you'll get an answer within 60 days from your initial meeting. Much of this time is spent collecting valuable information from others (such as your records or scheduling evaluations and waiting for the results).
You can help by...
What Job Is Right For You?
If you meet the eligibility criteria, you and your counselor will work together to choose the type of job (your vocational goal) that's right for you.
A vocational evaluation can include counseling, testing, work samples, and on-the-job evaluations. The results help you both learn about the types of jobs you can do and are most interested in doing.
In choosing a job goal, you and your counselor will talk in more detail about your job interests, concerns, capabilities, and limits. If you need more information, your counselor will probably suggest a vocational evaluation (at no cost to you).
What Services Do You Need To Get That Job?
Your counselor may suggest one or more needs assessments (at no cost to you) to give you both a clearer picture of medical, psychological, personal assistance, rehabilitation technology, post-employment services, or other services you need to reach your job goal.
Next, you and your counselor will jointly decide what services you need to get ready for and find that type of job.
Before you receive any DARS service, your counselor must...
Before you receive certain DARS services, you and your counselor must...
DARS Vocational Rehabilitative Services
You and your counselor will decide if any of the following services are required for your vocational rehabilitation:
Other Goods and Services needed for your vocational rehabilitation
WWRC
If services you need are not available where you live, the Wilson Workforce and Rehabilitation Center may be one of the service providers you and your counselor consider. Visit the WWRC web site for more information. http://wwrc.virginia.gov.
By signing the Employment Plan and any changes, you are promising to take the steps in your Employment Plan to become employed. You also show that you made the Employment Plan planning decisions jointly with your counselor. Ask questions to be sure you understand your role, rights, and responsibilities under the Employment Plan. Your Employment Plan is important. Keep your copy where you can find it easily.
Agreements you and your counselor make about your job goal, services, service providers, dates, estimated cost, funding sources, and progress review dates must be put in writing. This is your Individualized Employment Plan (IPE).
You and your counselor must review your Employment Plan as often as needed (but at least once a year). You and your counselor must sign and date your Employment Plan (and any changes) before these services can begin.
To successfully carry out your Employment Plan, you should...
It is not your counselor's role to "get you a job." The counselor may give you some job leads, but you must look for job leads, too. When you have received the services you need to get ready for the job listed in your Employment Plan, your job hunt begins. This is your job search. However, your counselor can offer services to assist you. For example, your Employment Plan may include job seeking skills training on how to look for and interview for jobs, on-the-job training, or job coach services. Your counselor can help you deal with disability issues in the workplace, such as your employer's legal obligations under ADA, your right to confidentiality; your feelings about discussing your disability with job interviewers, your employer, or your co-workers.
Closing Your Case
In general, after you have been working at least 90 days you and your counselor will close your DARS case. Before closing your case, your counselor will stay in touch to make sure the job is right for you and that you and your employer are satisfied. Other reasons your counselor will close your case can include: a DARS decision that you are no longer eligible, that services will not result in your employment, that you have not met your responsibilities, etc.
Having Your Case Re-Opened
If your DARS case is closed and you think you need more DARS services, you may ask your counselor to re-open your case. Counselors make the decision on a case- by- case basis. For example, if your disability has changed you must begin at Step 1 and re-apply. If you were successfully placed in a job and you later ask for short term services to keep or regain that job, you and your counselor may be able to skip to Step 3.
DARS cannot discriminate against me because of my race, religion, gender, sex, color, age or type of disability. I have the right to file civil rights complaints with the U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights. I have the right to file ADA/504 disability rights complaints with the DARS ADA Compliance Officer and the U.S. Department of Justice. If I disagree with a DARS decision about my vocational rehabilitation or I am dissatisfied with the DARS services I am receiving, I can:
The Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services wishes you success in your vocational rehabilitation!