ACCES-VR TRANSITION SERVICES

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ACCES-VR TRANSITION SERVICES

• Transition to Career
• 80 Wolf Road Suite 200
• Albany, New York 12205-2644
• www.acces.nysed.gov/vr/
• Telephone [phone]
• Toll Free 1-800-272-5448
• Fax [phone]

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9 countiesAlbany, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer,
Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Warren,
Washington 75 school districts 8 alternative
schools/placements
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What is ACCES-VR?

• Adult
• Career and
• Continuing
• Education
• Services -
• Vocational
• Rehabilitation

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EMPLOYMENT

• ACCES-VR Is All About Work!

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From Special Education to Adult Vocational
Rehabilitation

• When students leave high school, there are no
  more education entitlement programs.
• Adult services are based on eligibility
  requirements and availability of funds and
  services
  
  

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Transition Services

• ACCES-VR helps individuals with disabilities to
  obtain and maintain employment.
• Transition services specifically refers to
  services provided to students with disabilities
  in order to assist them to transition from school
  into the world of work.

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Mission Statement

• The Mission of Transition to Career Services of
  the Capital District Office of ACCES-VR is to
  provide consumer focused, high-quality vocational
  counseling, consultation, and collaboration with
  secondary school students, parents, and staff to
  facilitate an understanding of and effect a
  seamless and timely transition through ACCES-VR
  services, with a goal of successful employment
  outcomes for individuals with disabilities.

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When to refer students

• Interested students with disabilities should be
  referred within the last 2 years of high school
  for eligibility determination and planning
  purposes.
• ACCES-VR funding for services is usually not
  initiated until the last semester of high school,
  but there can be individual exceptions.

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Who can be referred to ACCES-VR?

• Any student with a permanent
• disability can be referred for eligibility
• determination.

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Who should be referred to ACCES-VR?
Students who are motivated to work and who will
be capable of working independently in the
community
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Types of Disabilities

• Often hidden
• Learning disability
• Medical heart, diabetes, kidney disease
• Alcohol or drug abuse
• Psychological emotional conditions

• Often obvious
• Visual impairment
• Deaf or hard of hearing
• Mobility impairment
• Developmental disability
• Amputation

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Referral Process

• Application packet with documentation of
  disability is submitted to the ACCES-VR office
  (forms can be obtained electronically by
  contacting aleifer_at_mail.nysed.gov)
• Case is registered and then assigned to the
  vocational rehabilitation counselor (VRC) working
  with the students home school
• The VRC will work with the school transition
  liaison to arrange to meet with the
  student/parents/other interested parties for an
  intake interview

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Referral Process
Complete application packet arrives at ACCES-VR
Eligibility determination is made within 60 days
Meeting with VRC coordinated with school at any
point once complete packet is received
Work goal is identified and IPE developed together
 
Services begin as agreed, dependent on type of
service
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Referral Package

• Referral Cover Sheet
• Assets Challenges Checklist
• Current IEP/504
• Psychological (if applicable)
• Transcript (if post secondary education is
  planned)

• ACCES-VR application VR-04
• ACCES-VR Information Release Authorizations
• VR-21 VR-22
• Student Questionnaire
• ACCES-VR Financial Survey
• Other medical reports when applicable

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Applications

• Documentation of the disability from the
  physician, therapist, counselor, etc. should be
  submitted with the application along with any
  school testing/records/ plans.
• All Applications/releases for students need to be
  signed by the student.
• Applications/releases for students under the age
  of 18 need to be signed by the student and
  co-signed by a parent or guardian.

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Eligibility

• Must have a permanent and/or progressive,
  documented disability
• Disability must be an impediment to reaching a
  vocational goal
• Must be able to benefit from services in terms of
  employment outcome
• ACCES-VR services must be required to reach
  employment goal

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The Individual Plan for Employment (IPE)

• All ACCES-VR consumers develop an IPE with a
  specific employment goal stated
• The goal must be feasible and approved by
  ACCES-VR
• There must be a reasonable expectation that a
  successful employment outcome will be reached

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Overview of Possible ACCES-VR SERVICES

• Vocational Counseling
• Vocational Assessments
• Diagnostic Vocational Evaluations
• Functional Evaluations
• Technological Evaluations

• Vocational Training
• College Services and Supports
• Supported Employment
• Direct Job Placement
• Work try out
• On the job training
• Driver training

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Economic Need

• Some services do depend on economic need
  tuition and fees, books, tools/equipment,
  rehabilitation technology, some training programs
• Some services do not depend on economic need
  evaluations, tutors, note takers, some training
  programs, placement, job coaches, OJT, driver
  training

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ACCES-VR SERVICES and economic need

• Vocational Counseling
• Vocational Assessments
• Diagnostic Vocational Evaluations
• Functional Evaluations
• Technological Evaluations
• Driver training

• Vocational Training
• College Tuition, fees and books
• Rehabilitation Technology Services
• Academic support services
• Supported Employment
• Direct Job Placement
• Work try out
• On the job training

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Types of Vocational Training

• BOCES training programs
• Private vocational school programs
• Certificate programs at Community Colleges

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College Training Services

• May include financial contribution toward
• Tuition, fees, books, room and board
• One-on-one tutors
• Note takers
• Travel costs to and from school if not living on
  campus
• Other disability specific supports such as
  interpreters and aides for physical needs

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Supported Employment

• Job placement services through agencies on
  ACCES-VR contract for specific area disability
  group
• Intensive services
• Situational assessment
• Job development
• Job coaching
• Extended Services
• On-going follow along services are funded through
  OPWDD, OMH, or ACCES-VR

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Job Placement Services

• Assistance with choosing a job goal, resume
  development, interviewing skills and job search
• On the Job Training
• Work Try-Outs
• Occupational tools clothing (based on economic
  need and job requirement)

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What services will be provided?

• Only the services necessary to reach the job goal
  identified in the IPE are provided. These
  services are listed as part of the IPE.

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Under the ACCES-VR program an individual has the
right to

• Participate in the decision making process about
  his or her vocational program
• Receive services in a timely manner
• Receive services designed to assist in preparing
  for finding employment
• Confidential services
• Appeal a decision made by ACCES-VR

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Under the ACCES-VR program an individual has the
responsibility to

• Participate in the decision making process about
  his or her vocational program
• Maintain contact with ACCES-VR counselor
• Provide required information in a timely manner
• Contact the ACCES-VR counselor about changes in
  job goal or financial status
• Contact the ACCES-VR counselor upon getting a job

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• Follow through with the steps in your plan,
  assess your progress, and keep your counselor
  informed of how you are doing.

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When you get a job.

• Contact ACCES-VR!
• You will continue to work with your ACCES-VR
  counselor
• To identify supports that you need to keep a job.
• To plan how you will get these supports
• To maintain contact with ACCES-VR for at least
  three months after you start your job.

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Transition Tips

• ACCES-VR is a voluntary, adult service you
  decide if you want it.
• You have rights and responsibilities
• Remember to apply to ACCES-VR before your last
  year of school the process takes time!

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EMPLOYMENT

• Remember
• ACCES-VR Is All About Work!

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ACCES-VR Transition Staff 2010-2011

• Amy J Leifer Senior VRC
• [phone] aleifer_at_mail.nysed.gov
• Veronica Nostramo VRC Assistant
• [phone] vnostramo_at_mail.nysed.gov
• Lynn Ricciardi VRC Assistant
• [phone] lricciar_at_mail.nysed.gov
• Lisa Williams Keyboard Specialist
• [phone] lwillia5_at_mail.nysed.gov

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• Abby Hout VRC Cobleskill, Gilboa-Conesville,
  Jefferson, Middleburgh, Schoharie,
  Scotia-Glenville, Sharon Springs
• [phone] ahout_at_mail.nysed.gov
• Alexis Merrill VRC Guilderland, Mohonasen,
  Niskayuna, Shaker, Shenendehowa
• [phone] amerrill_at_mail.nysed.gov
• Bernard Mack VRC Berkshire, Chatham, Columbia
  , New Lebanon, Taconic Hills, Troy (shared)
• [phone] bmack_at_mail.nysed.gov

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• Deborah Gabrione VRC Albany (shared), Averill
  Park, Berne-Knox, Cohoes, Lansingburgh, Ravena,
  Voorheesville
• [phone] dgabrion_at_mail.nysed.gov
• Ed Lessard VRC Albany (shared), Charlton,
  LaSalle, Parsons (Neil Hellman School),
  Schalmont, Schenectady, School at Northeast, St
  Annes, Vanderheyden
• [phone] elessard_at_mail.nysed.gov
• Joseph Tedesco VRC Berlin, Rensselaer HS
• [phone] jtedesco_at_mail.nysed.gov

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• Kathleen McCartan VRC - Galway, Hoosic Valley,
  Saratoga Springs, Stillwater, Tamarac, Troy
  (shared),Waterford-Halfmoon
• [phone] kmccarta_at_mail.nysed.gov
• Kyle Ferris VRC - Germantown, Hudson, Ichabod
  Crane
• [phone] kferris_at_mail.nysed.gov
• Lindsay Pirozzi VRC Cairo Durham, Catskill,
  Coxsackie-Athens, Greenville, Hunter-Tannersville,
  Windham-Ashland-Jewett
• [phone] lpirozzi_at_mail.nysed.gov
• Mark Rubenstein VRC - Burnt Hills/Ballston Lake
• [phone] mrubenst_at_mail.nysed.gov

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• Melissa Strauss VRC - Fort Edward, Hudson Falls
• [phone] mstrauss_at_mail.nysed.gov
• Pam Brehm-Bisaillon VRC Argyle, Cambridge,
  Corinth, Fort Ann, Granville, Greenwich,
  Hartford, Hoosick Falls, Mechanicville, Salem,
  Schuylerville, South Glens Falls
• [phone] pbrehmbi_at_mail.nysed.gov
• Rich Myette VRC Bolton, Glens Falls,
  Hadley-Luzerne, Johnsburg, Lake George, North
  Warren, Queensbury, Warrensburg, Whitehall
• [phone] rmyette_at_mail.nysed.gov

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Salvatore Cerniglia VRC Maple Hill
(Schodack) [phone] scernigl_at_mail.nysed.gov
Sonam Ben Willow VRC Bethlehem, Colonie
Central, Duanesburg, Green Island,
Scotia-Glenville, Watervliet [phone]
swillow_at_mail.nysed.gov Vicki Starr VRC
Ballston Spa HS [phone] vstarr_at_mail.nysed.g
ov
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