Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Vocational Rehabilitation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Campbell County DVR presenters highlight transition services, entrepreneurship and employer partnerships
Summary
Regional DVR staff and a program vendor described pre-employment transition services for students with disabilities, hands-on work experiences, entrepreneurship and community-based day programs; they noted shifting funding priorities for paid work experiences as caseloads grow.
Amanda (DVR regional presenter) and vendor Melissa Brower described how regional Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) services in Campbell County support students and adults with disabilities to prepare for employment. Amanda said DVR is a federal-state program housed under the U.S. Department of Education at the federal level and under the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services at state level, with 16 field offices, 20 satellite offices and 29 counselors statewide.
She outlined pre-employment transition services (PT-ETS) for students: counseling on enrollment and training options, work-based learning (paid and unpaid), job exploration, workplace-readiness training and instruction in self-advocacy. Amanda said transition services receive a 15% mandatory set-aside under federal rules and that many local initiatives (summer camps, workshops, college and vocational tours) are in place to build foundational and soft skills.
Vendor Melissa Brower described a local program, Achievable Beyond Limited Expectations, which provides hands-on training, entrepreneurship classes and community-based work exposures that feed into paid placements when appropriate. Brower said the program blends in-school instruction with community employment opportunities and job coaching; some business partners have hired participants for steady jobs.
A question from an educator raised whether DVR had cut funding for paid work experiences; Amanda replied that program managers have "shifted" how paid placements are used because caseloads and demand have increased, emphasizing shorter, more structured paid experiences after foundational training.
The presenters asked the Council to continue supporting outreach and partnerships; local staff also requested marketing materials and limited "swag" to draw attendees to job fairs and outreach events. The Council offered to follow up through foundation or subcommittee channels.
