The Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services (IVRS) counselor and job candidate select services they believe provide the type of experience and generate the quality of information necessary to develop a vocational plan that will lead to employment. Authorized providers must have personnel qualified with respect to personality, knowledge, and skills in the techniques of instruction, have adequate equipment and instructional materials, and be willing to make provisions for a plan of graduated progress according to an efficiently organized and supervised instructional schedule.
List of Services
Individual Placement and Supports (IPS) is a person-centered, zero exclusion, integrated services approach that leads to a competitive integrated employment outcome. IPS is appropriate for job candidates who are most significantly disabled, with barriers to chronic serious mental health and/or behavioral disabilities. Employment and mental health therapy are used to assist an individual's recovery. The results from each process of IPS are used to generate information by identifying a job candidate's skills, interests, abilities, conditions, contributions, and support needed for employment through job placement experiences based on the information identified through each experience; and provide supported employment job coaching support to ensure the candidate is successful.
Forms Needed
Career Profile Form
Job Development Log
Job Analysis Form
Plan for Natural Supports Form
Placement Report Form
Section IV Supported Employment Placement Agreement (SEPA)
Resources
Customized Discovery (also sometimes known as CD) is a person-centered approach that leads to a competitive, integrated employment outcome. Customized Discovery is appropriate for job candidates who are most significantly disabled, haven't worked, worked primarily in segregated settings, or had little vocational success. Candidates who know their vocational goal are not appropriate for Customized Discovery. The results from each process of Customized Discovery are used to generate information by identifying a job candidate's skills, interests, abilities, conditions, contributions, and support needed for employment to design a pathway to a career that focuses on the individual's interest, talents, and contributions (not limitations); to customize a job in the community that does not exist if needed based on the information identified; and provide consultative support to ensure the candidate is successful.
View Customized Discovery Responsibilities
Watch Discovery Training Videos
Forms Needed
Customized Job Development Activities
Customized Job Development Monthly Report
Discovering Staging Record
Resources
CD Cheat Sheet
CD Flier for JCs and Parents
CD Information Flier
Customized Discovery Desk Guide
Customized Discovery Training Video Part 1
Customized Discovery Training Video Part 2
Customized Employment Infograph
Workplace Readiness Assessment (WRA) is used to assist a job candidate and IVRS counselor in determining vocational options, direction, goals, and training strategies. While an Assessment service can be used more than once based on the needs, interests, desires, and capabilities of a candidate, it can only be authorized one site at a time to review and build on results. Assessment services may also complement the Discovery process, help identify support needs, and result in the development of a job candidate's individual Plan for Employment.
View Workplace Readiness Responsibilities
Forms Needed
Section III Vocational Assessment/ Preparation/ Training Services
The purpose of a Comprehensive Vocational Evaluation is to assess a job candidate's aptitudes in order to determine transferable skills for potential employment opportunities, possible training needs, or a specific skill program a candidate might undertake. Comprehensive Vocational Evaluation services provide an individualized and systemic assessment by which a candidate - in partnership with a Certified Evaluator - identify vocational options to assist in the development of appropriate employment goals and objectives.
View Comprehensive Vocational Evaluation Responsibilities
Forms Needed
Written report of assessment results
The purpose of a Job Shadow is to provide opportunities for a candidate to make an informed choice about occupations of interest to them in the implementation of an employment goal. This service utilizes experiential learning opportunities in the community with local employers and may include informational interviews.
View Job Shadow Responsibilities
Forms Needed
Section III Vocational Assessment/ Preparation/ Training Services
Career Exploration is to provide informed client choice and identify occupations of interest to a job seeker. Career Exploration is a process in which the candidate and staff research, through various media, labor market information, occupational skill requirements, occupational projections, and training providers. This service may also include a computerized career search to help identify vocational options available in the local labor market.
View Career Exploration Responsibilities
Forms Needed
Section III Vocational Assessment/ Preparation/ Training Services
Work Adjustment Training (WAT) is a training program that builds positive work habits and behaviors, improves work tolerance, and develops strategies to improve a job candidate’s ability to maintain employment. The purpose of WAT is to enhance a job candidate’s ability to find and keep a job. WAT can take up to a month to complete.
View Work Adjustment Training Responsibilities
Forms Needed
Section III Vocational Assessment/ Preparation/ Training Services
The purpose of Job Seeking Skills Training is to teach a job candidate how to find a job with assistance at a level required by the job candidate’s needs, and how to apply strategies to get a job in the future if necessary.
View Job Seeking Skills Training Responsibilities
Forms Needed
Section III Vocational Assessment/ Preparation/ Training Services
Transportation Training teaches the job candidate how to use mass transit to get to and from work, not how to drive.
View Transportation Training Responsibilities
Forms Needed
Section III Vocational Assessment/ Preparation/ Training Services
The purpose of Job Development is to place a job candidate with the most significant disability(ies) into competitive integrated employment where compensation is consistent with wage standards, and ongoing support services are available to provide a service to the business customer. Additionally, Job Development supports Iowa’s employers in hiring and retaining individuals with disabilities in the workforce. Employer Development is different from the other services because the primary customer is the business or industry with whom the job candidate has been placed. A Job Analysis is required to pay for services.
View Job Development Responsibilities
Forms Needed
Section IV Supported Employment Placement Agreement (SEPA)
Job Development Log
Job Development Monthly Report Form
Job Analysis Form
Plan for Natural Supports Form
Developing Natural Supports is a requirement for writing a plan for Supported Employment Services. Natural supports can be provided by a co-worker or member of the employment site who provides a job candidate the needed support to learn and perform a skill in order to be successful on the job. This plan is coordinated by the CRP in conjunction with the worksite employer.
View Natural Supports Responsibilities
Forms Needed
The purpose of Customized Employment (CE) is to create employment through negotiation or job carving instead of using the traditional approach. CE matches a person to an existing job or a new position may be developed. CE is provided conjunction with Supported Employment Services and involves revising a job description and/or or exploring work opportunities that don’t currently exist.
View Customized Employment Responsibilities
Forms Needed
Externship is a tool to assist candidates in preparing themselves for employment in a competitive work environment. Externship is a training program in which the business partner provides direct hands-on training to a candidate at the employer’s site, doing a job that would not displace another worker. This includes work experience, one on one training, work tryouts, etc. The CRP is the employer on record.
View Externship Responsibilities
Forms Needed
The purpose of Supported Employment Job Coaching is to provide extensive, upfront job coaching to assist the new hire to work in an integrated setting at a business, earning commensurate wages at or above minimum wage, and afforded company benefits. Supported Employment Job Coaching trains the candidate on the appropriate job specific skills, work habits, behaviors, socialization, and adjust to the job to achieve successful employment.
View Supported Employment Job Coaching Responsibilities
Forms Needed
Job Follow-Up requires an exception and is not widely used unless needed to maintain employment and ensure employer satisfaction. The purpose of this service is to monitor a candidate’s performance on the job when they are placed without any job coaching services. Job Follow-Up requires regular contact with the employer and job candidate after initial placement. The outcome of this service is that employment is maintained.
View Job Follow-Up Responsibilities
Forms Needed
Non-Supported Employment Job Coaching requires an exception and is not widely used. This service is provided when the counselor, candidate and employer determine that job coaching is needed. There is always a preference to work with a CRP for non-supported employment job coaching supports, however, there are times when services are not available through a CRP or the CCO option. In these rare circumstances, through informed choice, a job candidate may consider opportunities similar to CCO non-supported employment job coaching. This training may be available on or off the work site by the individual the job candidate chooses (e.g. co-worker, family member, friend, acquaintance) that is knowledgeable about the job candidate and the job needs. Throughout the work day, in consultation with the job candidate’s IVRS counselor, the job coach gains disability-related knowledge used to support the job candidate in learning the job-specific tasks, work habits, and behaviors so that they are eventually able to work independent of job coaching assistance. When this option is utilized, IVRS provides payment to the job candidate who then hires the job coach of their choice. These time-limited services then transition to natural supports occurring in the work environment unless specific arrangements and eligibility has been determined for extended long-term supports.
View Non-Supported Employment Job Coaching Responsibilities
Forms Needed
Supported Short-Term Paid Work Experience is only for students who are Most Significantly Disabled. This service provide a high school student the opportunity to work in competitive integrated employment prior to graduation. It may be provided for students who haven’t decided on their career goal and can occur during school, outside of school hours, and/or during the summer.
View Supported Short-Term Experience Responsibilities
Forms Needed
Supported Short-term Paid Work Experience for Students
Supported Short-term Employment Log for Students