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Local employment pilots and DARS referral process highlighted to DD Committee
Summary
Program leaders described two pilot employment shops—Rise and Shine Cafe and Sensational Treats—staffed by program participants, and Tyler from DARS explained the agency's role in vocational rehabilitation and an online referral form to connect residents to work services.
Meredith, employment program manager, briefed the committee on new employment‑readiness pilots; one program runs a weekly coffee shop (Rise and Shine Cafe) and another operates a small store (Sensational Treats) where participants manage sales and gain on‑the‑job experience.
“These programs let individuals run the shop and work with real money, helping them build transferable employment skills,” Meredith said. Tyler from the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) explained that DARS conducts assessments and pre‑employment transition services, and that the agency recently launched a new website with an online referral form to help Virginians access vocational‑rehab resources. He encouraged providers and families to use the referral route as a first step toward funded employment supports.
