Program Services
Competitive Employment
Competitive Integrated Employment is work that is paid at least minimum wage, performed in the community alongside non-disabled workers, and presents opportunities for advancement. Services in support of competitive employment placement generally include vocational assessment; career development; job development and placement; job retention and stability; and job coaching. Customers are provided employment services both directly by vocational rehabilitation counselors and/or through contracted services with community rehabilitation providers. An individual must be stable in a competitive integrated employment placement for a minimum of 90 days before the placement is considered successful. The program spends an average of $7,715 on each successful placement, in addition to other investments for guidance and counseling and administrative support.
Supported Employment
Supported Employment services are ongoing support services needed for individuals with the most significant disabilities to achieve and maintain competitive integrated employment. Services are individualized and customized to be consistent with the individual's unique strengths, abilities, interests, and informed choice. Supported employment are provided on a short-term basis and typically last 24 months after initial job placement; but can be extended as needed. Customers tend to earn approximately $240 a week through this program.
Customized Employment
Customized Employment is competitive integrated employment for an individual with a significant disability that is based on individualized determination of the unique strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests, and informed choice. Customized employment is designed to meet the unmet needs of the employers, match with the skills and interests of the individual and can be carried out through flexible strategies. Customized employment services can include job creation, self-employment, and a business within a business. Average State spending on customized employment services is $12,420. People working in customized employment earned an average of $250 per week in FY22.
Individual Placement and Support
DRS funds, administers, and provides technical assistance for the 56 Illinois teams that provide specialized services based on the Individual Placement and Support Model of supported employment (IPS) to thousands of Illinois' citizens with most significant disabilities in all parts of the state. IPS is a model of supported employment for people with serious mental illness and is designed to help people living with behavioral health conditions work at regular jobs of their choosing. The IPS approach is to place an individual into employment as soon as possible, placing less emphasis on the traditional concept of employment "readiness" an more emphasis on the idea that working is therapeutic for many individuals with a serious mental illness and therefore contributes to their recovery. Individuals under this plan for employment typically earn $400 a week.
Transition
DRS offers employment age youth with disabilities a continuum of coordinated transition services. Services primarily surround:
- Job Exploration Counseling;
- Work-Based Learning Experiences;
- Counseling on Post-Secondary Education;
- Workplace Readiness Training; and
- Instruction in Self-Advocacy
With nearly 200 successful closures in FY2022, customers participating in Non-STEP transition programs earned an average of $478 per week.
STEP
Secondary Transitional Experience Program (STEP) is a program of transition services provided through a cooperative agreement of DRS and a Local Education Agency, typically high schools. Local high schools are the largest referral source (49% of FY22 referred customers & 4,820 of students) and are key partners in the coordinated services provided to students. STEP is an assessment and work experience program that helps students with disabilities prepare to transition to employment and community participation during and after high school. Students learn to become productive, self-sufficient adults through a variety of STEP experiences. These experiences assist students in:
- Developing desirable work habits and realistic career goals;
- Opportunities for students to explore careers;
- Develop the social and personal skills needed to maintain successful employment.
- Offer meaningful work experiences in support of the overall goal of achieving competitive integrated employment. Meaningful work experiences can include in-school and work site training options, including internships and apprenticeships.
Customers participating in the STEP program in FY22 earned an average income of $375 per week.
Fast Track Transition
Fast Track Transition is a program that serves students with disabilities who qualify under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) as potentially eligible individuals. These individuals must be at least 14 and not older than 21 years of age; enrolled in an education program; and not already a participant in the DRS vocational rehabilitation program. Fast Track transition services provide pre-employment transition services.
Project SEARCH
Project SEARCH prepares young people with significant disabilities for success in competitive integrated employment. The program provides work-based learning experiences, workplace readiness, job exploration and skills training through on-the-job internships. Project SEARCH is a collaboration between the host business, customer/family, school district, the Community Rehabilitation Program, Workforce Investment Board, Developmental Disabilities, and the Division of Rehabilitation Services.
College Training
DRS supports customers that wish to pursue their post-secondary education through two-year Associates programs in community colleges, vocational and technical degree or certificate programs, bachelor's degree awarding colleges and universities, and post-graduate studies. Support services available through programs like these may include tutoring; mentoring; assistance with goal setting, organizational and study skills; structured social gatherings and support groups; counseling services; and possibly occupational or speech therapies.
DRS has expanded its support of college transition support services throughout the state. During the last year, the program supported over 5,800 degree seeking customers. The program has a demonstrated history of assisting graduates find employment that pays on average nearly $700 a week.
Community Engagement and Support Services
The Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS), Bureau of Community Engagement and Support Resources, administers the workforce unit. Our primary mission is to help build an inclusive workforce by engaging employers to strengthen their businesses and enhance career opportunities for individuals with disabilities. We work collaboratively with employers and labor and workforce associates to provide talent acquisition solutions for businesses. Through nearly 2,000 connections, the VR program continues to build strong relationships with businesses throughout Illinois to expand competitive employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
The primary services we can provide businesses are:
- Disability Awareness Training
- Assistive Technology Presentations and Assessments
- ADA considerations
- Federal Bonding
- Tax Incentives
- Customized Training Information and Planning
- Job Analysis
- Targeted Hiring events
- National employment team (NET)/Talent Acquisition Portal (TAP)
- On-the-Job Training Contracts
- Apprenticeships
- Interagency Referrals
