Individualized Plan for Employment Development for Individuals With Psychiatric Disabilities: Recommendations for State Vocational Rehabilitation Administrators

State Vocational rehabilitation (VR) Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) 911 data from fiscal year 2019 were used to evaluate the use of assessment services for eligibility determination and Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) development for participants with psychiatric disabilities served in State VR agencies. Participants who received the State VR assessment service from a provider outside of the State VR agency were significantly more likely to obtain employment than those who did not receive an assessment service or only received assessment services within the State VR agency, x2 (1, N = 49,527) = 29.98, p < .001. The effect size was small, d = .03. A binary logistic regression analysis was conducted with a smaller sample of cases in which participants were served by State VR agencies who used the Aware case management system for reporting data to RSA. Participants who received the State VR assessment service from an outside provider were significantly more likely to obtain employment compared to those who did not receive this service (OR= 1.55, 95% CI: 1.12, 2.14, p=.01). Rehabilitation professionals who are certified by the Commission on Rehabilitation Counseling Certification (CRCC) and have completed additional training in the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model are most qualified to provide the State VR assessment service to develop a State VR IPE with this population. State VR administrators should partner with these qualified professionals to help State VR participants with psychiatric disabilities develop an IPE that leads to competitive, integrated employment.