Person-centered preemployment transition services: student and parent involvement

The implementation of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) in 2014, changed the way state operated vocational rehabilitation (VR) programs provide services to students with disabilities. WIOA did this with the introduction of the provision of preemployment transition services to students with a disability aged 14-22 and allowed for the provision of services to both potentially eligible students and eligible students with an IPE. This study explored the associations of preemployment transition services in relation to the number of days from eligibility to VR case closure with an exit reason of competitive integrated employment outcome. The quantitative results of the study demonstrated a decrease in the number of days from eligibility to VR case closure with an exit reason of competitive integrated employment for students who received preemployment transition services. Additionally, the qualitative embedded thematic analysis results of this research allowed for the identification of three themes. Discomfort in self-advocating, level of understanding and successful transition, and value of lived experiences are the three themes that emerged from the researcher’s embedded analysis of the student participants’ responses to the survey and interview open-ended questionnaires. The results of this study provide VR professionals and educators information about the importance of preemployment transition services, the student and parent desires to be involved in the selection of services, and student perspectives about preemployment transition services assisting them with life after high school.