Department of Rehab (DOR) - An Overview
The Department of Rehabilitation, or DOR, is a government agency in California for California residents (the California version of Vocational Rehab). DOR works with youth (aged 16 and older) and adults with disabilities to help them find and maintain competitive Employment.
Here are the qualifying criteria from the DOR website:
To be eligible for services, an individual must:
Have a physical or mental impairment that substantially impedes his / her ability to secure employment, and vocational rehabilitation services are required to prepare for, secure, retain, or regain employment consistent with the applicant's unique strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, interests, and informed choice;
Be able to benefit from the DOR's services in terms of an employment outcome in an integrated setting.
DOR helps clients by providing access to the support, training, and opportunities needed to become competitively employes in a job of their choice*
The entire mission of DOR is to the GET THEIR CLIENTS EMPLOYED
in a job of their choosing*
*Of course this chosen job needs to be attainable by the individual and be a viable option in the employment market. DOR will not be supporting your son or daughter to be an NBA star or a lamplighter.
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DOR’s services break down into two general categories – and beware, the names are not altogether informative.
For Student Services
(sometimes called the P.E. or Potentially Eligible program)
Here is the link to the DOR website for the Student Services page: https://www.dor.ca.gov/Home/StudentServices
For youth still being served by the school district, an IEP is all that is needed to qualify for services. So, to be clear, EVERY student age 16 or older with an IEP qualifies for DOR Student Services.
While DOR Student Services is a part of most special ed programs within the school program, often it's not. So, a youth can also apply to the DOR office directly - a quick Google search will find the closest office.
Although implementation is variable and sometimes the youth/advocate really needs to advocate for what they want/need, I’m especially excited about this program and think ALL our youth with an IEP should apply. Here's why:
Applying is easy. Just go to the DOR website under Student Services and fill out the one page application. Then you just submit the application with a copy of the IEP or 504. Simple!
If you want to print it out you can apply at the local DOR office and the youth will get an office-based case manager to work with them. Or communicate with the school special ed case manager and see if there are services on campus.
Workability is a component of Student Services when delivered on a school campus.
This program can offer the youth100 hours of PAID internship job experience, paying market rate and at least minimum wage through their Paid Work Experience program. And they can do this at any time.
Keep in mind that the 100 hours is TOTAL hours, across all jobs.
Here are some of the categories of support a youth can have access to through Student Services.
Job Exploration and Counseling: Explore Career Options and Find the Job that Fits You
Work-Based Learning Experiences: Real-World Work Experiences and Research & Connections
Post-Secondary Counseling: Postsecondary Options and Resources to Support Your Success
Workplace Readiness Training: Good Work Habits & People Skills and Financial & Independent Skills
Self-Advocacy Training: Build Knowledge & Confidence and Build Connections & Leadership
This is a wonderful collection of supports that can be found on form DR 205A, so ask for it. For some reason this form is not available anywhere on the DOR website
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But the DR 205A works in conjunction with for DR 205, easily found on the DOR website.
For Employment Services
(Sometimes called V.R. or the Vocational Rehab/Rehabilitation program)
Here is the link to that program: https://www.dor.ca.gov/Home/EmploymentServices
Once a client is ready to work, or work toward training in support of an employment goal they can maybe qualify for their Employment Services program if they have a qualifying disability (usually any disability that impacts ability to work).
Although you might be told that Employment Services is for youth who have graduated from High School, or for youth who have ‘aged out’ of Student Services this is not the case. High School students can apply for Employment Services.
The youth needs to be able to identify an “Employment Goal”. But this can change over time, so no need to worry. And they can choose a generic version of a job in a field of interest.
The Employment Goal needs to be the “entry level” or the final job they are interested in. So no, they can’t get support to be a brain surgeon, but the can get the support needed to be a doctor.
The youth will still have access to all the services available in the Student Services program, but will also have access to services that needs to be funded to reach the Employment Goal.
Application is online and will require documentation to support the qualifying diagnosis.
Make sure you track the application and follow up with DOR as the application is sometimes not submitted successfully or completely.
Once a client qualifies they will be assigned a case manager and will do an Individual Plan of Employment (IPE) and identify the employment goal. This document then will identify the supports DOR will provide/fund to help the client reach their employment goal, and the expectations of the client.
DOR can help locate and set up internships, shadow experiences, purchase needed supplies, materials, uniforms, etc…and help find part and full time jobs.
Depending on the employment goal DOR can pay for college, vocational/trade school, clothing and equipment for work, transportation for work, workshops, or whatever is needed to address the disability related challenges and help their clients get to the Employment Goal.
So….what are you wanting for?? Apply to DOR!