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  2. Vocational Rehabilitation
  3. DVR Service Providers
  4. 2026 - 2028 Technical Specifications

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Technical Specifications

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List of Services

  • Customized Employment is an individualized, person-centered approach to employment for individuals with significant disabilities who require individualized strategies to achieve competitive integrated employment. Customized Employment uses an approach called Discovery to identify a consumer's strengths, interests, and support needs in community settings. The role of the Service Provider in Customized Employment is to facilitate customizing a job for the individual matching those strengths, interests, and support needs to an employer's needs, and provide supports to ensure success and stability. More information about Customized Employment can be found on the Service Details page.
  • Individualized Placement and Support (IPS) is competitive integrated employment that uses an evidence-based model of Supported Employment for consumers with the most significant disabilities (Category 1), including youth with a most significant disability, whose primary disability is a serious and persistent mental illness or substance use disorder. IPS services may be provided to adults or youth, including youth prior to exit from high school, if the consumer is receiving services from a county mental health program approved to deliver IPS services. IPS services are provided in a working alliance with county mental health services and DVR and are intended to follow the principles of the IPS model to maximize consumer independence, informed choice, and successful job placement consistent with the consumer's IPE.
  • Internship/Temporary Work (I/TW) provides time-limited, paid work experience in a competitive, integrated setting. It assists DVR and the consumer in determining strengths and support needs in a job setting, with DVR identifying and communicating the purpose and goals of the I/TW to the Service Provider. I/TWs may be used to determine compatible vocational goals, assess accommodation needs, build work endurance, develop new skills, establish current work references, or determine job fit.
  • Job and Task Analysis (JTA) and Systematic Instruction (SI) are task-based employment supports provided on the job to assist DVR consumers in learning job tasks, developing problem-solving skills and communication strategies, and increasing independence. JTA identifies the tasks that make up a job, considering the consumer's skills, learning style, and support needs, while SI provides step-by-step, individualized instruction. Supports are intended to fade as the consumer gains independence.
  • Job Preparation, Development, Hire, and Retention services provide a comprehensive approach to assist DVR consumers in planning for, seeking, obtaining, and maintaining employment. This statewide service category includes three interconnected services - Job Preparation and Development Plan, Job Development and Hire, and Job Retention services – which may be used individually or together depending on consumer needs.
  • Student Work-Based Learning Services are a set of Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) to be used for students with a disability in high school or a post-secondary education training program, ages 14-21. Skills gained through these experiences are intended to support future job goal identification and attainment as the student ages. These experiences are not intended to fulfill the student's long-term IPE goal.
  • Supported Employment is competitive integrated employment in an integrated work setting for individuals with a most significant disability, including youth with a most significant disability. Supported Employment services are designed to support individuals in obtaining and maintaining employment consistent with their unique strengths, abilities, interests, and informed choice, with ongoing supports as needed.
  • Vocational Evaluation services assist DVR consumers in identifying viable employment options and making decision about their vocational direction by exploring their interests, skills, abilities, personality, and values in relation to employment and training. In partnership with a credentialed vocational evaluator, these services provided structured assessment information to support vocational planning and IPE development, particularly for consumers with limited work history or unclear vocational direction.
  • Work Incentive Benefits Services assist consumers receiving Social Security benefits or other public benefits in understanding how work, earnings, and program rules may affect their benefits and progress toward self-sufficiency. Services provide individualized guidance responsive to each consumer's current circumstances and goals and are recommended for all consumers receiving public benefits, regardless of employment status.

There are other services that have been developed that are not a part of the DVR Statewide Service Agreement and a formal service agreement is not required to deliver the service. Other Services may have established fees, rates, reports, procedures, and service descriptions developed by DVR.

Some require a different agreement or require expertise in a specific area. Providers of Other Services agree to provide the service based on the description of the service, the published information about the service, and the purchase order issued to the provider.

  • Assistive Technology (AT) services, accommodations, solutions, and devices are intended to assist with disability-related needs by increasing, maintaining, or improving a consumer's functional abilities related to employment or training. AT includes both equipment and services to help consumers select, obtain, and use these tools effectively. AT services may be explored and provided at any time during the VR process, if needed to support participation in services or progress toward the consumer's IPE goal.
  • Customized Self-Employment - The customized self-employment process unites person-centered planning strategies with the development of a business plan. The goal of the planning process is to develop an individualized, profitable, and sustainable microenterprise.
  • Explore Work is a web-based learning program that covers topics critical to achieving a successful career outcome. Explore Work helps consumers identify career interests, build workplace readiness skills, and plan next steps aligned with their IPE. The curriculum is geared toward youth but also useful for adults. Skills are taught through a variety of engaging activities tailored to the youth and/or adult learners, including videos, journaling, self-surveys, quizzes, and guided external activities. Individual, remotely delivered sessions may be authorized as needed.
  • Job Shadow is a career exploration activity designed to increase a consumer's awareness of specific occupations through direct observation in an integrated, community-based work environment. Consumers learn about daily routines, essential job functions, and workplace culture, allowing for increased understanding of what a job may entail and informed decision-making about future careers. This temporary, unpaid experience supports person-centered, competitive integrated employment principles by providing firsthand exposure to real work settings.
  • On the Job Assessment is a short-term, paid assessment experience in a community-based, competitive integrated employment setting. It gives consumers firsthand exposure to work requirements, employer expectations, and job tasks to support vocational planning and employment decision-making. The purpose of the OJA – which may include exploring an occupation, assessing job fit, gathering employer feedback, and/or evaluating skill development needs in a real work setting – is specified in the service authorization from DVR.
  • On-The-Job Training (OJT) is a hands-on, employer-based initiative that teaches employees the duties, knowledge, and skills needed to perform a specific job within the workplace. DVR offers two initiatives: OJT, which connects DVR consumers to permanent employment, and Student OJT, a Pre-Employment Transition Service (pre-ETS) that connects students to paid employment and training opportunities that support career exploration and skill development. Both initiatives provide wage reimbursement to employers to support job-specific training beyond standard onboarding.
  • Partners with Business (PwB) is a strategy for providing on-the-job support using a consumer's co-workers instead of a Service Provider employee. The employer is reimbursed for the time a co-worker spends assisting a consumer. This service is especially effective for consumers transitioning to long-term supports but can also be used for consumers who are not.
  • Project SEARCH is a business led collaboration that enables young adults with disabilities to gain and maintain employment through training and career exploration.
  • Self-Employment – The self-employment process supports individuals in exploring, planning, and developing a viable business opportunity. Services may include concept consultation, feasibility analysis, business plan development, and ongoing consultation to support successful business operations.
  • Skills to Pay the Bills is a group-based learning program that covers the soft skills required for workplace success, such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving & critical thinking, professionalism, networking, and enthusiasm & attitude. Designed for youth or adults, the program uses engaging, modular activities in small groups or individual sessions when needed.
  • Visual Resume is an alternative way to present a consumer's skills and experiences using visual materials instead of a traditional resume. It highlights abilities gained through life experience and can support employment discussions with potential employers. Commonly used in Customized Employment, it may also be appropriate for other DVR consumers when traditional resumes are less effective.
  • Walgreens Retail Employees with Disabilities Initiative (REDI) is a structured, in-store retail training program that helps individuals with disabilities develop retail and customer service skills through hands-on experience in a Walgreens store. The program is time-limited and typically completed over four weeks.