Priorities for Rural Vocational Rehabilitation

In January of 1997, the Research and Training Center on Disability in Rural Communities (RTC: Rural) asked Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies to prioritize the issues they face when providing rural services.

The purpose of our request was to make sure that RTC: Rural projects continued to address issues with the highest priority. We received 59 responses from 40 agencies in 32 states.

First, we asked agencies to review the ranking from our 1993 Rural VR agenda. Here are the updated priorities:

Rural transportation;
VR's involvement with creating job opportunities in rural areas;
Being creative in rural areas because of a lack of service providers;
Rural economic development (e.g., the relationship between VR and economic development entities);
Rural self-employment;
Not enough job coaches, placement specialists, or job service specialists in rural areas;
Rural employers who will not hire people with disabilities;
Consumers who don't have adequate financial resources to live on until they find a job;
Counselors do not have enough time to serve consumers.

We also asked respondents to tell us what other important issues they faced when providing services in rural areas. Their other rural issues include:

Lack of any employment opportunities and of good jobs that pay well and provide benefits;
Inability to assist consumers with vehicle repair;
Lack of resources for assistive technology;
Policies are urban-oriented;
Low wages that compete with SSI/SSDI, Workers Compensation, and insurance;
Lack of personal attendant services;
Lack of self-advocacy organizations;
Lack of adequate health care;
Lack of training and educational programs;
Confusion and concern about the relationship between VR and welfare reform in rural areas;
Lack of support staff such as OT, PT, mental health providers, chemical dependency counselors in rural areas.

Finally, we asked respondents to suggest approaches they would like to see tried or evaluated. Here are some of the ideas suggested:

Improve the rural transportation system through (1) grants to promote rural transportation, (2) grants to buy buses, linking school system transportation and VR services, (3) state or federal funding for transportation services that will cross city boundaries.
Use VR funds for car repairs.
Develop ways for state and federal systems to work with each other. For example, VR needs to link with other systems. One way to do this might be for VR to outpost counselors to a state agency with an office in a rural county.
Link economic development and VR. Use business development strategies in rural areas to (1) develop jobs, (2) create jobs in tourism, value-added agriculture, and natural resource industries.
Develop sites in the community, like hospitals and community colleges, where consumers can be evaluated and obtain training.
Use families and neighbors as resources.
Identify counselors who are successful with rural caseloads to participate in round table discussions for developing best practices.
Develop and conduct community outreach and education on hiring people with disabilities.
Develop and test virtual offices.

RTC: Rural is currently conducting research, training, or demonstration projects addressing several of the above issues including transportation, job creation, self-employment, economic development, and health care. We hope to pursue more solutions over time.

If you have questions or suggestions, please write to Nancy Arnold at the address below, call (406) 243-2469, or e-mail the Rural Institute

Produced by the Research and Training Center on Disability in Rural Communities with the U.S. Department of Education's Research Grant #H133B20002-94.

The opinions expressed in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal government.

RTC: Rural
The University of Montana Rural Institute: A Center for Excellence in Disability Education, Research and Services, 52 Corbin Hall, Missoula, MT 59812-7056
(888) 268-2743

Questions? Would you like to receive periodic updates about our research and training activities? Do you have comments or suggestions about this site? E-mail your requests, comments and suggestions to Diana Spas or call 888-268-2743 and ask for the Information Coordinator.


	Ruralfacts: Priorities for Rural Vocational Rehabilitation
In January of 1997, the Research and Training Center on Disability in Rural Communities (RTC: Rural) asked Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies to prioritize the issues they face when providing rural services. The purpose of our request was to make sure that RTC: Rural projects continued to address issues with the highest priority. We received 59 responses from 40 agencies in 32 states. First, we asked agencies to review the ranking from our 1993 Rural VR agenda. Here are the updated priorities: Rural transportation; VR's involvement with creating job opportunities in rural areas; Being creative in rural areas because of a lack of service providers; Rural economic development (e.g., the relationship between VR and economic development entities); Rural self-employment; Not enough job coaches, placement specialists, or job service specialists in rural areas; Rural employers who will not hire people with disabilities; Consumers who don't have adequate financial resources to live on until they find a job; Counselors do not have enough time to serve consumers. We also asked respondents to tell us what other important issues they faced when providing services in rural areas. Their other rural issues include: Lack of any employment opportunities and of good jobs that pay well and provide benefits; Inability to assist consumers with vehicle repair; Lack of resources for assistive technology; Policies are urban-oriented; Low wages that compete with SSI/SSDI, Workers Compensation, and insurance; Lack of personal attendant services; Lack of self-advocacy organizations; Lack of adequate health care; Lack of training and educational programs; Confusion and concern about the relationship between VR and welfare reform in rural areas; Lack of support staff such as OT, PT, mental health providers, chemical dependency counselors in rural areas. Finally, we asked respondents to suggest approaches they would like to see tried or evaluated. Here are some of the ideas suggested: Improve the rural transportation system through (1) grants to promote rural transportation, (2) grants to buy buses, linking school system transportation and VR services, (3) state or federal funding for transportation services that will cross city boundaries. Use VR funds for car repairs. Develop ways for state and federal systems to work with each other. For example, VR needs to link with other systems. One way to do this might be for VR to outpost counselors to a state agency with an office in a rural county. Link economic development and VR. Use business development strategies in rural areas to (1) develop jobs, (2) create jobs in tourism, value-added agriculture, and natural resource industries. Develop sites in the community, like hospitals and community colleges, where consumers can be evaluated and obtain training. Use families and neighbors as resources. Identify counselors who are successful with rural caseloads to participate in round table discussions for developing best practices. Develop and conduct community outreach and education on hiring people with disabilities. Develop and test virtual offices. RTC: Rural is currently conducting research, training, or demonstration projects addressing several of the above issues including transportation, job creation, self-employment, economic development, and health care. We hope to pursue more solutions over time. If you have questions or suggestions, please write to Nancy Arnold at the address below, call (406) 243-2469, or e-mail the Rural Institute Produced by the Research and Training Center on Disability in Rural Communities with the U.S. Department of Education's Research Grant #H133B20002-94. The opinions expressed in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal government. RTC: Rural The University of Montana Rural Institute: A Center for Excellence in Disability Education, Research and Services, 52 Corbin Hall, Missoula, MT 59812-7056 (888) 268-2743 Questions? Would you like to receive periodic updates about our research and training activities? Do you have comments or suggestions about this site? E-mail your requests, comments and suggestions to Diana Spas or call 888-268-2743 and ask for the Information Coordinator.

Ruralfacts: Priorities for Rural Vocational Rehabilitation