Vocational Rehabilitation

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services assist persons who are blind in preparing for, obtaining, and retaining employment. Applicants are made eligible based on their visual disability, their need for VR services, and their intent to work. The VR counselor and the eligible individual work in partnership to jointly identify a realistic employment objective consistent with the individuals skills, abilities, capabilities, aptitude, particular interests, concerns and resources through informed choice, as well as the services needed to achieve that objective. Services may include:

Assessment to evaluate their visual needs, skills, abilities, functional capacities and personality traits so that they can make informed choices about which career options are best for them.

  Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling and Guidance enables individuals to explore various types of low vision aids and other assistive technology to maximize their visual capacities and/or accommodate total blindness.

Training to acquire adjustment skills to blindness, vocational training or post- secondary education to prepare for employment in today’s labor market.

Job placement services  help job seekers develop a job-search plan, write a resume, practice interviewing, and locate appropriate job leads in line with their employment interests.

Rehabilitation technology services are provided for job-site assessment of reasonable accommodations, procurement of appropriate assistive technology devices, and training in the use of adapted equipment to afford blind employees the ability to perform their jobs competitively and efficiently in an independent manner.

Post-employment follow up after individuals have achieved their employment goals can continue to serve as a resource to both employees and employers to ensure job stability and retention as job demands and responsibilities change.