Performance Details

Department of Labor and Workforce Development - Vocational Rehabilitation

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• Vocational Rehabilitation website

Mission

To assist people with disabilities to obtain and maintain employment.

Core Services

• Provide individualized services to enable people with disabilities to secure employment.

Mission Results

Core Services

A: Alaskans with disabilities enter employment and become more economically self-sufficient.  Details > TARGET #1: Equal prior year's number of employed individuals exiting the Vocational Rehabilitation program. TARGET #2: The average wage of employed individuals exiting the program increases every year.

A1: Provide individualized services to enable people with disabilities to secure employment.  Details > TARGET #1: 95 percent of eligibility determinations made within 60 days. TARGET #2: 85 percent of the Individualized Plans for Employment are developed within 90 days. TARGET #3: 56 percent or more of Individualized Plans for Employment are successfully completed with individuals exiting the vocational rehabilitation program employed.

Performance Detail

Target #1: Equal prior year's number of employed individuals exiting the Vocational Rehabilitation program. Methodology: The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Management Information System. Vocational Rehabilitation Program Participants Employed (did not achieve the target of previous year's employed participants) Fiscal Year YTD Total FY 2018 403 -16.74% FY 2017 484 -14.94% FY 2016 569 -6.26% FY 2015 607 0% FY 2014 607 +1.51% FY 2013 598 Analysis of results and challenges: In order to be considered a successful closure when exiting the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), an individual must obtain competitive integrated employment and maintain that employment for a minimum of 90 days. The number of individuals who maintained competitive integrated employment decreased in FY2017 due to significant changes in Federal Common Performance Measures (CPMs) as outlined in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Because the new CPMs rate a state’s success based upon employment status and median wages at second quarter after exit and employment status at fourth quarter after exit, DVR has placed more emphasis on the quality and appropriateness of the employment rather than the number of individuals exiting the program. Although the number of individuals successfully closed has decreased, the quality and retention of an individual’s employment is expected to increase. Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS), as required by WIOA, are to assist students with disabilities in preparing for the transition from secondary school into the workforce and/or post-secondary opportunities. Pre-ETS includes: (1) job exploration counseling; (2) work based learning experiences; (3) counseling on opportunities for enrollment in comprehensive transition or postsecondary educational programs at institutions of higher education; (4) workplace readiness training and independent living; and (5) instruction in self-advocacy and peer mentoring. These services require 15 percent of DVR’s federal award, these students are not expected to apply for DVR services successful employed case closures (a primary measurement of this target), it is anticipated these services will better prepare students for DVR services in the future. DVR was able to provide 802 students with disabilities with Pre-ETS in FY2018. Related links:    • Vocational Rehabilitation

Target #2: The average wage of employed individuals exiting the program increases every year. Methodology: VR Participant Wages: Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Management Information System Vocational Rehabilitation Program Participant Wages as a Percent of State's Wages (did not achieve the target of 65 percent) Fiscal Year YTD Total FY 2018 54% FY 2017 56% FY 2016 57% FY 2015 56% FY 2014 57% Analysis of results and challenges: The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) assists individuals with disabilities by providing career and training services to remove barriers to employment related to a disability and helps those individuals find competitive integrated employment that offers livable wages, benefits, and career pathways to create self-sufficiency. A federal measure for DVR had been that the average wage of individuals exiting the vocational rehabilitation program employed should equal 52 percent of the State's average wage. DVR has set its state goal to 65 percent in an attempt to exceed the former national standard. According to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, Alaska's mean hourly wage during the reporting period was $27.77. DVR participant’s average wage was $15.07, or 54 percent, of the state's average wage. DVR is consistently ranked in the top 15 states, nationally, for the average wage obtained by program participants.

Target #1: 95 percent of eligibility determinations made within 60 days. Methodology: Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Management Information System Percent of Vocational Rehabilitation Program Eligibility Determinations Made within 60 Days of Application (did not achieve the target of 95 percent) Fiscal Year YTD Total FY 2018 92% FY 2017 94% FY 2016 95% FY 2015 96% FY 2014 94% FY 2013 95% Analysis of results and challenges: Determining the eligibility of an individual with a disability for vocational rehabilitation services within 60 days of application is required by federal regulation, but also represents good, responsive customer service. The determination of eligibility is the point at which counselors and individuals can begin vocational rehabilitation planning and the employment goal.

Target #2: 85 percent of the Individualized Plans for Employment are developed within 90 days. Methodology: Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Management Information System Percent of Individualized Plans for Employment that are Developed within 90 days (did not achieve the target of 85 percent) Fiscal Year YTD Total FY 2018 67% FY 2017 70% FY 2016 72% FY 2015 93% FY 2014 79% FY 2013 77% Analysis of results and challenges: The implementation of the Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) is a milestone in the vocational rehabilitation (VR) process. The IPE is an agreement between the individual and the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) which outlines the employment goal, the rehabilitation services DVR will provide, as well as the individual’s responsibilities throughout the process. Timely development of the IPE keeps the individual engaged in the VR process, which results in higher participation rates. Thoughtful and well-developed IPE’s increase the likelihood of successful employment outcomes. The Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act of 2014 requires IPEs to be developed within 90 days, unless the individual agrees to an extension. This change continues to be a challenge for DVR due to the prior time-frame of 180 days.

Target #3: 56 percent or more of Individualized Plans for Employment are successfully completed with individuals exiting the vocational rehabilitation program employed. Methodology: DVR Management Information System Percent of Completed Individualized Plans for Employment Resulting in Employment (did not achieve target of 56 percent) Fiscal Year YTD Total FY 2018 46% FY 2017 51% FY 2016 54% FY 2015 61% FY 2014 64% FY 2013 64% Analysis of results and challenges: This measure speaks to the efficiency and effectiveness of the Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) process. An Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) is considered successfully completed when an individual receives the necessary rehabilitation services identified on the IPE, is able to obtain employment, and the employment is maintained for 90 days. IPEs are extremely comprehensive and must be developed thoughtfully in conjunction with the individual or their representative. The IPE delineates the employment goal, the type of rehabilitation services required to reach the employment goal, the estimated costs of those services, who will provide the services, and the length of time anticipated for the individual to complete the plan. Successful plan implementation requires the expertise of qualified vocational rehabilitation counselors; active involvement by the individual; labor market research; and consideration of the individual's strengths, resources priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests, and informed choice. In the state of Alaska, the labor market, unemployment rate, access to healthcare, and overall economic trends can drastically affect this rate. While this percentage continues to drop, many factors have impacted this target. Because IPEs are required to be developed within 90 days of eligibility, engagement in the VR process is imperative and includes intensive involvement from both the VR counselor and the individual. If regular contact with DVR is not maintained, an individual’s case is often closed prior to IPE development due to lack of contact or participation. This process has directly impacted the achievement of this target.

Current as of August 8, 2019