Through maximizing all available resources, Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies are uniquely positioned to provide the necessary services and appropriate supports to help people with disabilities achieve quality employment and career advancement consistent with their strengths, abilities, and interests.
The U.S. Department of Education’s Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) recently issued TAC 23-3 to provide guidance on how VR agencies and other stakeholders can maximize the use of funds to provide a full continuum of services that will strengthen quality employment outcomes leading to lasting careers and economic success for people with disabilities. TAC 23-3 discusses potential strategies to achieve this, including:
- Participant engagement
- Informed choice
- Investment in postsecondary training
- Access to assistive technology and critical support services
- Work-based learning experiences and apprenticeships
- Meaningful partnerships within the workforce development system
Suggested Resources
Use these resources to learn more about evidence-based, promising, or emerging practices VR practices to improve quality employment outcomes for people with disabilities.
- Quality Employment Findings from TACQE: A special issue of the Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation features eight articles based on findings from VRTAC-QE’s Comprehensive Review White Paper. The review focused on identifying the needs, priorities, innovative approaches to developing career readiness and quality employment outcomes, existing literature, emerging practices, and manualized interventions to inform and develop its technical assistance programming. It also evaluated a broad array of records using qualitative analysis to identify common themes regarding technical assistance needs, innovative practices, and other common factors related to quality employment.
- Spending Strategies from the CSAVR Spring 2023 Conference from the Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center for Quality Management (VRTAC-QM) – highlights on this topic – see session 5, session 6, and session 11.
- Pre-Employment Transition Services assistance from the National Technical Assistance Center on Transition: The Collaborative (NTACT:C):
- Vocational Rehabilitation Practices Focused on Underserved Populations: The recent issue of the Rehabilitation Counselors and Educators Journal (RCEJ) features seven articles based on findings from the VRTAC-QE’s Comprehensive Review White Paper. These articles focus on the implementation of evidence-based, promising, or emerging practices in vocational rehabilitation of underserved populations: TACQE’s Findings Featured Rehabilitation Counselors and Educators Journal.
- Supported Employment is an evidence-based strategy to support people with the most significant disabilities obtain and maintain competitive integrated employment. Learn more, and access TACQE’s online tool that helps vocational rehabilitation professionals choose between supported and customized employment approaches: Resource Guide: Supported Employment - TACQE