Longitudinal Study of the Vocational Rehabilitation Service Program

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Longitudinal Study of the Vocational
Rehabilitation Service Program

• Highlights Significance

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Background

• Conducted by RTI International for RSA
• Study mandated by Congress
• Initiated in the fall of 1992
• Assess performance of Public VR Program
• Study sample 40 local VR offices 30 states
  8,500 applicants
• Tracked over three year period

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Report 1 How Consumer Characteristics Affect
Access to, Receipt of, and Outcomes of VR
ServicesHow demographics affect access to and
receipt of VR services

• 21.3 million working-age Americans have a
  disability
• 3.3 million of those persons might benefit from
  VR services
• In FY 95, the VR Program served 1.25 million
  persons
• In 2001, 233,000 individuals entered the
  workforce, earned 3.4 billion in wages and paid
  977 million in federal/state/local, Social
  Security and Medicare taxes (Ref. CSAVR)

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Report 1 How Consumer Characteristics Affect
Access to, Receipt of, and Outcomes of VR
Servicescontinued

• Characteristics that made a person more likely to
  be accepted for VR services
• Higher self-esteem
• Significant disability
• Receiving financial assistance such as SSI/SSDI
• Eligibility for services was not related to a
  persons age, gender, race or work history
  (except for current employment)

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Report 1 How Consumer Characteristics Affect
Access to, Receipt of, and Outcomes of VR
Servicescontinued

• At end of study period, 69 of VR consumers
  achieved an employment outcome as a result of VR
  services
• Of those achieving an employment outcome, 75
  were working at jobs in the competitive labor
  market 25 held non-competitive jobs

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Report 1 How Consumer Characteristics Affect
Access to, Receipt of, and Outcomes of VR
Servicescontinued

• More than 80 of persons who are eligible for and
  receive VR services have a disability that meets
  the VR Programs criteria as significant or most
  significant (state determined)

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Report 1 Significance (CSAVR determined)

• The Public VR Program is successful at placing
  individuals with disabilities in both competitive
  and non-competitive jobs

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Report 2 VR Services and OutcomesDetails of
services received and relationship between
receipt of services and outcomes

• 97.6 of VR consumers received an average of 12
  services (assessment, counseling, job placement,
  on-the-job training, etc.)
• 84 received medical, psychological or
  psychiatric evaluation
• 20.7 of consumers received assistive technology

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Report 2 VR Services and OutcomesDetails of
services received and relationship between
receipt of services and outcomes

• Services that increase the likelihood of higher
  earnings include receipt of assistive technology
  devices, participation in business/vocational
  training, two- or four-year college/university,
  and receipt of tools, uniforms, equipment or
  stock
• Of those achieving an employment outcome, 83
  were working after one year 79 after two years
  76 after three years

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Report 2 VR Services and Outcomescontinued

• These consumers earned an average of 7.33/hour
  rate increased to 9.62/hour after three years
  (minimum wage is 5.15/hour)
• At exit from the VR Program, 32 of consumers in
  competitive jobs were earning about 15,990/year
  (200 above poverty level)
• Among individuals who completed VR services, 44
  no longer needed public assistance

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Report 2 VR Services and Outcomescontinued

• The quality of the relationship between the
  consumer and counselor was significantly related
  to employment and earning levels
• 66 of persons exiting the program into
  competitive jobs said if they had to pay for
  services, they would purchase exactly the same
  services they received from the VR Program

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Report 2 Significance (CSAVR determined)

• VR consumers successfully retain their
  employment and increase their wages and attribute
  this success to the VR services and counselors

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Report 3 The Context of VR ServicesInfluence of
the local environment and VR offices on outcomes
VR consumers receive as a result of VR services

• 81 of VR offices are located in communities with
  ready availability of the Employment Security
  Commissions
• 66 reported availability of employment-related
  services under Javits-Wagner-ODay
  Program/JTPA/WIA
• 72 of offices have access to comprehensive
  centralized rehabilitation centers

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Report 3 The Context of VR ServicesInfluence of
the local environment and VR offices on outcomes
VR consumers receive as a result of VR services

• Communities in which VR offices deliver services
  range from small towns to large cities. Office
  catchment areas range from about 60,000 to
  250,000 people, averaging about 120,000
• Over 60 of VR offices are accessible to mental
  health, counseling and substance abuse treatment
• About half are accessible to vocational training
  (56), higher education (51), and medical
  services (47)

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Report 3 The Context of VR Servicescontinued

• VR counselors average 11 years in rehabilitation
  counseling 41 hold a bachelors degree 56
  hold a masters degree 17 hold Certified
  Rehabilitation Counselor certification
• 90 of offices have requirements for number of
  employment outcomes counselors should achieve per
  year
• 66 of counselors list personal commitment to
  the success of consumers with whom they work as
  the most important factor in effective
  performance of their job

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Report 3 Significance (CSAVR determined)

• VR consumers achieve success if they have access
  to employment-related services and higher
  education, as well as to committed, experienced
  VR counselors

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Report 4 Results of the VR ProgramSynthesized
all findings to address overall question Given
the relationship among consumer characteristics,
contextual factors and VR services, what are the
results of the VR program?

• Report 4 summarized data from prior reports, but
  did not state a final conclusion
• RTI to prepare additional research briefs, a
  methodology report and public use data files with
  full documentation

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Longitudinal Study of the Vocational
Rehabilitation Service Program

• CSAVR concludes that the Longitudinal Study data
  supports the fact that the Public VR Program
  works
• RSA has supported CSAVR efforts to communicate
  this message
• Some initial interest from Wall Street Journal
  and NPR to tell story
• Members of Congress received press release
  stating study results
• Public relations effort moving forward
  aggressively