Jump to

Develop Your Individualized Plan for Employment

After you have explored your skills, interests, abilities, and career options, it is time to develop your Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) with your Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Specialist. This plan is unique to you and details your employment goal, what you need to reach your goal, and the services you will receive from RSA. Your IPE will be developed within 90 days of eligibility determination.

Key Questions

What is your employment goal?
What skills are needed for your desired job? Do you need to participate in post-secondary education and/or post-secondary training?
What type of services are required to be successful on your job? Who provides and pays for these services?
What is your timeline for achieving your employment goal and how will you measure your progress?

Your Choices

You and your VR Specialist will work together to answer these questions and write your IPE. Your VR Specialist will provide you with all the options that align with your skill set so that you are able to make an informed choice about the employment goal you want to pursue. Decisions about service implementation must be mutually agreed upon by both you and your VR Specialist.

Activities

A) Write Your IPE

Include your employment goal, which should be aligned with your interests, skills, and abilities, with available and attainable training opportunities, and with current job opportunities in the labor market.
Identify the supports and services you need to achieve your employment goal.
Determine who will provide the services.
Determine the cost of services and who is responsible for paying for services.

B) Complete a Financial Needs Assessment

This will outline your individual contribution and RSA's contribution.
RSA is the payer of last resort

C) Sign Your IPE

Your IPE needs to be signed by you and your VR Specialist.

D) Participate in Follow-up Meetings with Your VR Specialist to Review Your IPE

Note: You can modify your IPE at any point in the process as long as the changes are mutually agreed upon by you and your VR Specialist.

Post-Secondary Education as a Services

If you and your VR Specialists mutually decide that your employment goal will require you to attend a college or university to achieve that goal:

You and your VR Specialist will identify the supports you will need to succeed in post-secondary education and will develop a plan for ensuring that these services are in place when you start school.
Your VR Specialist will discuss with you the institutions that have the necessary programs or training to meet your employment goal. The assigned VR specialist will also provide contact information for the Student Disability Support Services Offices at the school.
You and your VR Specialist will first consider public institutions within the metro DC area, per DC RSA's Post-Secondary Policy.
You will exercise your informed choice on which institution to attend based on all the information you receive.

“

Providing the foundation for success. ”

Heyab Berhan

Cost of Services

You will need to complete a Financial Needs Assessment to determine your individual contribution. Depending on your ability to pay, you may have to participate in the cost of some services or equipment.
You and your VR specialist will work together to identify any comparable benefits. This means you are required to access services that are publicly available or available through your health insurance first. (For example, Medicaid, health insurance, FAFSA, Pell Grant, VA Benefits, etc.)
After your individual contribution and comparable benefits, RSA will assist with the remaining costs of services if they are necessary to help you reach the employment goal outlined in your IPE.

Next - Step 4 - Prepare for Employment