In 2020, OSERS Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) provided over $17.1 million to fund programs that help to assist state and other agencies in providing vocational rehabilitation (VR) and other services to individuals with disabilities to maximize their employment, independence and integration into the community and the competitive labor market.
Please read about these programs below and the 2020 new grant award recipients.
Rehabilitation Long Term Training Program, Rehabilitation Counseling (84.129B)
The Rehabilitation Long Term Training (RLTT) Program, Rehabilitation Counseling program provides training in rehabilitation counseling for individuals pursuing a master’s degree in vocational rehabilitation (VR) counseling. With the new awards, the RLTT program will be able to present data on current and projected employment needs and personnel shortages in state VR agencies, provide rehabilitation counselors the skills and knowledge to help individuals with disabilities meet current demands and emerging trends in the labor market, and recruit scholars who will complete an academic program, including practicum and internship experiences.
| Name | State | FY 2020 Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The George Washington University | DC | $199,952.00 |
| Auburn University | AL | $200,000.00 |
| Virginia Commonwealth University | VA | $200,000.00 |
| Thomas University | GA | $196,256.00 |
| Emporia State University | KS | $174,529.00 |
| Board of Regents of the University of WI System, UW Stout | WI | $190,000.00 |
| St. Cloud State University | MN | $199,539.00 |
| Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, RBHS-SHP | NJ | $200,000.00 |
| Florida Atlantic University | FL | $200,000.00 |
| San Diego State University Foundation | CA | $200,000.00 |
| South Carolina State University | SC | $200,000.00 |
| NC A&T State University | NC | $199,998.00 |
| Western Oregon University | OR | $200,000.00 |
| University of Northern Colorado | CO | $189,313.55 |
| University Enterprises Corporation at CSUSB | CA | $200,000.00 |
| University of Arkansas | AR | $192,989.00 |
| Illinois Institute of Technology | IL | $178,083.00 |
| Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico | PR | $200,000.00 |
| Northeastern Illinois University | IL | $183,642.00 |
| Troy University | AL | $200,000.00 |
| The University of Alabama | AL | $192,467.00 |
| Troy University | AL | $200,000.00 |
| Jackson State University | MS | $199,955.00 |
| Troy University | AL | $200,000.00 |
| University of Maryland Eastern Shore | MD | $199,033.00 |
| Assumption College | MA | $200,000.00 |
| University of Iowa | IA | $112,565.00 |
| Idaho State University | ID | $200,000.00 |
| University of South Florida | FL | $199,877.00 |
| Albany State University | GA | $176,342.00 |
| Winston Salem State University | NC | $196,769.00 |
| The Florida International University Board of Trustees | FL | $180,000.00 |
| San Francisco State University | CA | $199,985.00 |
Parent Information and Training Program (84.235F)
The Parent Information and Training Program supports projects that provide impartial training and objective information to enable individuals with disabilities, and the parents, family members, guardians, advocates, or other authorized representatives of the individuals, to participate more effectively with professionals in meeting the vocational, independent living, and rehabilitation needs of individuals with disabilities.
| Name | State | FY 2020 Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center | VA | $300,000 |
| Statewide Parent Advocacy Network | NJ | $300,000 |
| Federation for Children with Special Needs | MA | $300,000 |
| Pathfinder Services of ND Inc. | ND | $300,000 |
| Open Doors for Multicultural Families | WA | $300,000 |
| PEAK Parent Center, Inc. | CO | $300,000 |
| PACER Center, Inc. | MN | $300,000 |
| Alabama Parent Education Center Inc. | AL | $300,000 |
Parent Information and Training Program — Technical Assistance for Parent Training and Information Centers (84.235G)
The Parent Information and Training Program — Technical Assistance for Parent Training and Information Centers is funding one national PTI center to provide technical assistance to, and coordination of, the State-level PTI centers funded under 84.235F in FY 2020. The Center will also establish and maintain partnerships with the state-level PTI centers funded by the Office of Special Education Programs.
| Name | State | FY 2020 Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Statewide Parent Advocacy | NJ | $300,000 |
Innovative Rehabilitation Training Program for Assisting and Supporting Individuals with Disabilities Pursuing Self-employment, Business Ownership, and Telecommuting (84.263E)
The Innovative Rehabilitation Training Program for Assisting and Supporting Individuals with Disabilities Pursuing Self-employment, Business Ownership, and Telecommuting will develop a new or substantially improved and, to the extent possible, evidence-based training program. The program includes stand-alone modules and instructional materials to be incorporated into an existing academic degree programs for educating VR counselors or other VR professionals and paraprofessionals or into short-term training for VR professionals, or both. The funds for this program allow VR professionals and paraprofessionals to achieve increased skills, knowledge, and competence in the area of assisting and supporting individuals with disabilities pursing self-employment, business ownership, and telecommuting. This program will be housed at The Center for Social Capital, Inc. in Atlanta, Georgia.
| Name | State | FY 2020 Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Center for Social Capital, Inc. | GA | $450,000 |
Innovative Rehabilitation Training Program for Field-initiated Projects in an Area Related to VR (84.263F)
The Innovative Rehabilitation Training Program for Field-initiated Projects in an Area Related to VR program provides training where existing training is not adequately meeting the needs of VR professionals, paraprofessionals, and individuals studying to become VR professionals and paraprofessionals. The program will create an evidence-based training program, including standalone modules and instructional materials to be incorporated into existing academic degree programs for educating VR counselors or other VR professionals and VR paraprofessionals. The program will be housed at Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama, and the focus will be on the development of an innovative Vocational Evaluation Forensic Certification Program, which has the capacity to provide a contemporary evidence-based approach for improving employment outcomes of individuals with disabilities.
| Name | State | FY 2020 Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Auburn University | AL | $269,649 |
Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center for Quality Management (84.264J)
The Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center for Quality Management (VRTAC-QM) program will increase the number and quality of employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities through training and technical assistance to State VR agency personnel. The VRTAC-QM will enable State VR agency personnel to manage available resources, improve effective service delivery, and increase the number and quality of employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities. The VRTAC-QM center will be housed at San Diego State University Foundation in San Diego, California.
| Name | State | FY 2020 Amount |
|---|---|---|
| San Diego State University Foundation | CA | $3,344,560 |
Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center for Quality Employment (VRTAC-QE) (84.264K)
The Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center for Quality Employment (VRTAC-QE) program will increase the number and quality of employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities through training and technical assistance to State VR agency personnel. The VRTAC-QE will support State VR agency personnel to implement innovative and effective employment strategies and supporting practices. The VRTAC-QE center will be housed within the Board of Regents University of Wisconsin System in Madison, Wisconsin.
| Name | State | FY 2020 Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Board of Regents University of Wisconsin System | WI | $3,344,560 |
Independent Living Services for Older Individuals Who Are Blind Training and Technical Assistance (84.177Z)
The Independent Living Services for Older Individuals Who Are Blind Training and Technical Assistance program provides training and technical assistance to designated State agencies (DSAs) — the state agencies that provide vocational rehabilitation services to individuals who are blind — that receive grant funding under the OIB program and to other service providers that receive OIB program funding from DSAs to provide services to consumers. The training and technical assistance are designed to improve the operation and performance of programs and services for older individuals who are blind resulting in their enhanced independence and self-sufficiency.
| Name | State | FY 2020 Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Mississippi State University | MS | $597,456 |
