Attachment 4.8(b)(3) Cooperative Agreements with Private Nonprofit Vocational Rehabilitation Service Providers
Florida Division of Blind Services (FDBS) historically contracts with community rehabilitation programs to provide vocational rehabilitation services for individuals with visual impairments.
FDBS has established in excess of 20 private nonprofit community rehabilitation programs (CRPs) agreements, all of which exclusively serve individuals with visual impairments. This ongoing commitment to providing personal and social adjustment, vocational development, and supported employment services comprises a major financial investment from FDBS. FDBS contracts with CRPs for specified services for a specified number of individuals with disabilities. These contractual agreements reflect the results of needs assessments and collaboration with these community partners. These contracts are established in accordance with federal and state requirements. Contract compliance is monitored by staff in FDBS compliance unit.
FDBS meets regularly with consumer groups and the service provider network to review and plan for improvements in meeting the needs of individuals with visual impairments. Collaboration between this public and private sector partnership is expected to continue due to shared interests and investments. Public demand for increased accountability is strengthening outcome-oriented service agreements. Limited resources will most likely result in the satellite expansion of existing agencies, rather than the additional establishment of new community rehabilitation programs.
FDBS attributes its success in part to long-standing relationships with this network of private and nonprofit community rehabilitation facilities/programs located throughout Florida. These facilities provide a wide variety of employment and work readiness services to FDBS clients that include vocational evaluation and training; work adjustment and skills training; supported employment and job coaching; job development; and other specialized training activities. FDBS understands the need for additional service providers to maximize service efforts for unserved and underserved populations. Through these partnerships, FDBS has agreements that it contemplates to meet the needs of those unserved and underserved populations.
Service Category
CRPs typically offer the following vocational rehabilitation services:
- Intake
- Assessment of Need - O&M
- Orientation and Mobility - Travel Training
- Assessment of Need - ADL, Pre and Post
- Adjustment to Blindness Counseling (Individual or Family)
- Information and Referral of Complementary/Collateral Services
- Communication Skill Training
- Personal Management Training
- Home Management Training
- Adaptive Aids and Devices Training
- Management of a Secondary Disability Training
- Assessment of Need - Assistive Technology
- Assistive Technology Training
- Rehabilitation Engineering Services
- Assessment of Low Vision Needs (Examination or Functional)
- Optical Devices Training
- Non-Optical Devices (lighting, contrast, etc.) Training
- Peer or Facilitated Support Group
- Community Integration
- Work Adjustment/Experience Services
- Personal and Social Adjustment Services
- Vocational Evaluation
- Job Development
- Job Coaching