History of VR: According to Parker and Szymanski, 1998, "The future of development of the profession is, however, rooted in the foundation of the past. Thus, to the extent that professionals are unfamiliar with the history and philosophical foundation of rehabilitation counseling, they are unprepared to deal with its future challenges.” In other words, you don’t know where you’re going unless you know where you’re coming from.
The Smith-Fess Act of 1920 (also known as the Civilian Vocational Rehabilitation Act) is considered the beginning of the public rehabilitation program for persons with disabilities. Funds were provided for vocational guidance, training, occupation adjustment, prosthetics, and placement services.
The Randolph-Sheppard Act of 1936 provided the opportunity for persons who were blind to be licensed to operate vending stands in Federal buildings. The Vocational Rehabilitation Amendments of 1943 expanded services to include physical restoration and also required states to submit a written state plan to the Federal government. In addition, provisions were expanded.
The Vocational Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1954 made major changes to financing provisions. Funding to state VR agencies was determined by a formula that considered state population and per capita income. Extension and improvement project grants were added as were research and demonstration grants. A provision was also made for training grants for VR agency staff.
The Vocational Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1965 expanded services to reach a broader population including, but not limited to, persons with a substance abuse history and those with socially handicapping conditions. Economic need was eliminated.
In 1973, the name of the legislation changed from the Vocational Rehabilitation Act to the Rehabilitation Act. A priority to serve persons with severe disabilities was mandated. Affirmative Action programs were established in Title V, Sections 501, 502, 503, and 504. The establishment of the Individual Written Rehabilitation Plan (IWRP), now commonly known as the Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE), was a major step to ensure the involvement of the consumer in developing a rehabilitation plan of action.
The Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1978 responded to consumer concerns for added involvement by the establishment of independent living centers. A focus on peer counseling and guidance emerged.
The Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1986 enhanced support for rehabilitation engineering, with clear definitions for rehabilitation engineering services. In addition, support for special projects and demonstrations in supported employment was established.
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 became law, and it provided comprehensive civil rights protection for people with disabilities. Closely modeled after the Civil Rights Act and Section 504, the law was the most sweeping disability rights legislation in American history. The Act mandated that local, State, and Federal governments and programs be accessible and that employers with more than 15 employees make "reasonable accommodations" for workers with disabilities, making it illegal to discriminate against otherwise qualified workers with disabilities.
The 1992 Amendments to the Rehabilitation Act clearly outlined the intent for Congress to ensure consumer choice in career opportunities, with competitive employment as the desired outcome.
The 1998 Amendments to the Rehabilitation Act contained provisions to simplify certain aspects of the vocational rehabilitation process for consumers. This included the presumptive eligibility for individuals with disabilities receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). In addition, the simplification included the use of existing, current documentation for eligibility determinations and Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) development. The Amendments expand consumer choice, require that individuals with disabilities are to be served not only by the VR program but also through the workforce investment system, and require information and referral services for individuals determined ineligible or assigned to a lower priority category within an Order of Selection.
The Workforce Investment Partnership Act of 1998 is a Federal act that "provides workforce investment activities, through statewide and local workforce investment systems, that increase the employment, retention, and earnings of participants, and increase occupational skill attainment by participants, and, as a result, improve the quality of the workforce, reduce welfare dependency, and enhance the productivity and competitiveness of the Nation." The law was enacted to replace the Job Training Partnership Act. It re-authorized the Rehab Act of 1973. Created One Stop Job Centers and local Workforce Boards encouraged to work with the State VR programs to serve persons with disabilities.
The 2002 Help America Vote Act became law in the U.S., and it required voting "systems" to be accessible for those with disabilities, including special assistance for Blind or otherwise visually impaired voters.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Amendments of 2008 became law and broadened the scope of who is considered disabled under the law. When considering whether a person is disabled, the law required that people ignore the beneficial effects of any mitigating measures (except ordinary eyeglasses and contact lenses) a person uses. Furthermore, when considering whether a person is substantially limited in a major life activity, which would make them disabled under the law, the law required the consideration of bodily functions as well as other major life activities.
Additional Americans with Disabilities Act rules came into effect in 2011. The rules expanded accessibility requirements for recreational facilities such as swimming pools, golf courses, exercise clubs, and boating facilities. The rules also clearly defined "service animal" as any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, and intellectual or other mental disability.
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) was signed into law on July 22, 2014. WIOA is designed to help job seekers access employment, education, training, and support services to succeed in the labor market and to match employers with the skilled workers they need to compete in the global economy.
The State Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program - The First 100 Years presentation by RSA outlines a historical overview of the VR program.
To-Do List
- Communicate the history of VR throughout your organization.