Transcript VR&E Program Overview

V E T S U C C E S S . GOV
VR&E Program Overview
Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this training, you will
understand:
– Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment
(VR&E) program objective
– Basic Eligibility & Entitlement
– 5 Tracks to Employment
– Hiring Incentives
– Legislative Updates
– Coming Home to Work (CHTW)
– Chapter 36
– VetSuccess.gov
– Application Process
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Vocational Rehabilitation &
Employment Objective
• VR&E is an employment program
• Provide services to eligible
servicemembers and veterans with
service-connected disabilities to obtain
and maintain suitable employment or
achieve independence in daily living
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Basic Eligibility
The basic period of eligibility in which VR&E services
may be used is 12 years from the latter of the
following:
– Date of separation from active military service, or
– Date the veteran was first notified by VA of a serviceconnected disability rating.
• Note: Eligibility may be extended beyond 12 years
for participants with a SEH.
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Entitlement
• A maximum of 48 months.
• Must be used during the 12 years of
eligibility.
• May be extended for participants with a
SEH.
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VR&E’s 5 Tracks to
Employment
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Reemployment
Rapid Access to Employment
Employment through long term services
Independent Living Services
Self-Employment
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Reemployment
• Designed for individuals separating from active
duty, National Guard or Reserves who are
returning to their previous employment.
• Services may include job accommodations, job
modifications, case management, coordination of
services with VA Healthcare, advice on
reemployment rights, work adjustment services,
and consultations with employer.
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Rapid Access to Employment
• Designed for individuals expressing interest in
seeking employment soon after separation or
have the necessary skills to be competitively
employed in an appropriate occupation.
• Services may include job readiness preparation,
resume development, job search assistance,
development of employment resources, job
accommodations and post employment followup.
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Employment Through Long
Term Services
• Designed for individuals requiring specialized
training and/or education to qualify for suitable
employment.
• May include on-the-job training,
apprenticeships, internships, work study,
public-private job partnering or higher
education sufficient to obtain suitable entrylevel employment.
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Independent Living Services
• Designed for individuals who may not be
currently ready for employment but who need
assistance to reduce their dependence on
others.
• May include assistive technology, independent
living skills training, connection to communitybased support services and other services as
deemed appropriate.
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Self-Employment
• Designed for individuals with limited access to
traditional employment, need flexible work
schedules, or who need a more accommodating
work environment due to their disabling
conditions or other life circumstances.
• Services include analysis of the viability of the
business concept, development of a business
plan, training in the operation of a small
business, marketing and financial assistance,
guidance on obtaining adequate resources to
implement the business plan.
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Other Services
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Medical
Dental
Optical
Mental Health
Vet Centers
Specially Adapted Housing
Vocational/Educational Counseling
Special Hiring Authority
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Hiring Incentives for Veterans
VR&E assists Veterans with service-connected
disabilities to obtain suitable careers using creative job
development tools and existing programs:
Special Hiring Authorities
– Gives preference to Veterans applying for federal
government jobs
– Targets federal government agencies
Non Paid Work Experience (NPWE)
– Opportunity to obtain training and gain practical job
experience
– Targets federal, state, or local government agencies
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Hiring Incentives (continued)
On-job-training
– Opportunity to obtain training and gain practical hands-on
experience
– Salary is supplemented by VA subsistence allowance, so
Veterans receive journeyman wages from the start
– Targets private, non-profit sector
Special Employer Incentives
– Opportunity to obtain training and gain practical hands-on
experience
– Reimbursement of up to 50% of Veteran’s salary
– Employment is expected to continue following successful
completion of the SEI program
– Targets private, non-profit sector
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VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011
• Signed into Law on November 21, 2011 provides
increased VA Vocational Rehabilitation benefits for
Veterans with disabilities including:
– Individual assessment on equivalence between military
occupational specialty skills and qualifications for private
sector employment
– Assistance finding and keeping a job, including the use of
special employer incentives and job accommodations
– Supportive rehabilitation services including case
management, counseling, and medical referrals to include
services to help severely disabled Service members who are
unable to work
– Automatic eligibility for VR&E services is extended until
December 31, 2014 for severely injured active duty military
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VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011
(Cont’d)
• Key Provisions:
• Tax credit up to $9,600 for hiring Veterans with
Service Connected disabilities that have been
unemployed for more than 6 months
• Allows Service members to begin the federal
employment process by acquiring Veterans preference
status prior to separation for a seamless transition
from military to civilian employment
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Public Law 111-377
• New Payments Available Under Chapter 31
• Service members and Veterans eligible for both Chapter 31
and Chapter 33 benefits can choose a higher BAH rate
instead of the Chapter 31 subsistence allowance.
• BAH rate based on an E-5 with dependents for the zip code
where the school or training facility is located.
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Coming Home to Work (CHTW)
• VR&E’s early intervention and outreach efforts.
• Provides comprehensive VR&E services nationwide.
• Service members can receive all VR&E services,
except subsistence allowance payments.
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Chapter 36 Services
• Educational and Vocational Counseling services.
• VA Form 28-8832
• Transitioning servicemembers who are within six
months prior to discharge from active duty or within
one year following discharge from active duty .
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VetSuccess.gov
Purpose
• Comprehensive employment resource for all Veterans
• Agencies can post job openings directly on VetSuccess.gov
• Job board currently connects over 90,000 Veterans with over
2,000 registered Employers
• Veterans have access to over 8,000,000 jobs through
VetSuccess and Job Central Database
• Employers can search existing Veteran resumes for direct
placements, such as:
- Security Clearance
- Degree
- Skill type
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Application Process
• Service members must
– have been referred to a Physical Evaluation Board (PEB)
or
– be participating in the Integrated Disability Evaluation
System (IDES) or
– have a VA C&P memorandum rating of 20%.
 VA Form 28-0588, in addition to
 VA Form 28-1900
• Veterans with a VA C&P rating of 10% may apply.
However, VR&E must determine that the veteran
has a SEH.
– VA Form 28-1900
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Application Process Cont…
Where can servicemembers and Veterans apply for
VR&E Services?
– On-line
• www.va.gov
• www.vetsuccess.gov
– Mail applications to their local Regional Office. (VA
Forms 28-0588 and 28-1900 can also be found on
either website listed above by following the
appropriate links.)
– In person at their local Regional Office.
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Questions?
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