Department for Children and Families Vocational Rehabilitation

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Program Name

Kansas Rehabilitation Services

  • Vocational Rehabilitation Services
  • Pre-Employment Transitional Services

Agency Name

Department for Children and Families

Program Description:

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services:  To empower Kansas citizens with disabilities to become gainfully employed and self-sufficient, Kansas Rehabilitation Services (KRS) offers a variety of vocational rehabilitation (VR) services. If you have a disability which impacts your ability to get, keep, or maintain a job, you may want to apply for VR services. If you are eligible for services, you and your counselor will work together to develop an Individual Plan of Employment (IPE). Your IPE will list your job goal, the services you will receive (both from VR and comparable benefits), when you will receive the services, and how your progress will be measured. The services will be designed according to your unique needs, therefore not all clients will receive the same services. All eligible consumers will receive vocational counseling and guidance at no cost.

Pre- Employment Transtional Services: Empowering youth with disabilities (age 14 to 21) to achieve their highest employment potential is one of the major goals of Rehabilitation Services (RS). To help achieve this goal, RS is providing Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS), which were authorized by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.

List of Services:

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services: VR services are customized according to each person’s unique needs, skills, interests, and abilities. Services which may be provided to help you become employed include:

  • Vocational assessment to help you identify your skills, abilities, interests and job goals.
  • Vocational counseling and guidance
  • Physical and mental restoration services, including artificial limbs, psychotherapy and physical.
  • Training and education to learn new vocational skills
  • Rehabilitation technology, telecommunication aids and other adaptive devices.
  • Job placement services.
  • Services to help individuals with disabilities get a job after finishing high school.
  • Support employment.
  • Referral and collaboration to other services.

Pre- ETS Services: Services are designed to be an early start at job exploration and to assist students with disabilities in making the transition from secondary to post-secondary education, training, and competitive integrated employment. Services include the following:

  • Job exploration counseling
  • Self Advocacy Training.
  • Workplace Readiness Training
  • Counseling on Comprehensive Transition or post-secondary Education.
  • Work-based Learning Experiences.

Vocational Rehabilitation Contact Persons: To find the counselor that serves your area, use the link below to search by county the staff that will be working with you.

Website Link:

For additional information on both programs, follow the link below. We also have information on services for individuals who are Blind and Visually Impaired, Centers for Independent Living (CILs), Kansas Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (KCDHH), and Disability Determination Services (DDS).

Eligibility Requirements

Vocational Rehabilitation: To receive services from Vocational Rehabilitation, you must meet all three parts of the following eligibility requirements:

  1. You must have a physical or mental impairment or disability; and
  2. Your disability must result in a substantial impediment to employment; and
  3. You must require VR services to prepare for, secure, retain or regain employment.

Individuals who are eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) are presumed to be eligible for VR services.

Pre-Employment Transitional Services: In collaboration with local education agencies and qualified community partners, RS will provide or arrange for the provision of Pre-Employment Transition Services for students with disabilities who are in need of such services and who meet the following participation criteria:

  • The student is 14-21 years of age.
  • The student is in a secondary, post-secondary, or other recognized education program.
  • The student is eligible for and receiving services under an Individual Education Plan or 504 Plan, or the student is an individual with a disability as defined by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
  • The student is a resident of Kansas.  Any student with a disability who is not a U.S. citizen must have employment authorization documentation.

VR Handbook of Services: Please follow the link for a Handbook of services: VRHandbook.pdf (ks.gov)

Applications:

Contact Information for Referrals:

For referral to the Pre-ETS Transition Specialist serving your community, please call the Rehabilitation Services toll-free Customer Service Line: 1-866-213-9079.

For VR referral please contact:

Tim Wright
VR Program Administrator
DCF-West Region
620-283-3015 Ext #209
Timothy.Wright@dcf.ks.gov

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