In case you missed the February VR Forms and Employment Services Updates webinar and trainings, or if you just need a refresher, here is a recap.
New and Revised Employment Services
Documentation has gotten so much easier!
Changes to Work Experience
Work Experience is now an hourly service (it's no longer tiered A,B,C), and includes:
- an arrangement (planning time and effort) of the work experience,
- on-site observation of the participant,
- discussion with the VR participant of their likes, dislikes, and what was learned,
- discussion with the VR participant about next steps, and
- documentation
VR no longer requires an employment service provider to be on site for 75% of the time during a work experience. The amount of supportive time on the work experience should match the needs of the participant.
Youth Extended Services
VR is introducing a new service for MSD participants 14-24 years of age. Youth extended services:- can extend up to 4 years or until age 25 once stabilization is achieved.
- requires that providers investigate and use natural supports or other funding sources if available.
- can only be used if these services are required in order to maintain competitive, integrated employment.
More Employment Services Update Resources
Forms (They're Easier; We Promise!)
How-to Videos for the New VR Forms
Need more instruction on how to fill out the new VR forms? Visit this YouTube VR Forms playlist for details on completing each form. And in case you hadn't heard, VR has added two new forms to make your job easier: the Monthly Progress Report and the Authorization Request Form.
Sample New Forms
To get a sense of how the new forms play out in the employment process, you can see examples for VR participants Amy Sample, Don Dolittle, and Angie Chen on VR's "Sample Employment Services Forms" page. There you can see how employment specialists and VR counselors use each of the forms for various types of participants. Forms included in the examples are:
- authorization request,
- monthly progress summary,
- Discovery Profile,
- job development and placement plan, and
- stabilization and notification form.
Note that during the course of any participant’s Discovery and job development process there will be many more monthly summaries than you see included in the examples.
Finding Forms
You'll find the gold mine of forms on VR's website. Using this link, scroll down to "Employment Service Forms." And don't forget to bookmark the page!
