The Dual Customer Approach in Vocational Rehabilitation
The vocational rehabilitation (VR) profession continues to evolve as it recognizes and implements a dual customer approach. Other workforce programs perform labor exchange for employers, which in its simplest form means identifying candidates to fill vacant positions. VR, however, has traditionally viewed the individual with a disability as its primary customer. It has only been in more recent years that VR has formally recognized the importance of considering business as a second customer.
This has been a challenge within the VR ranks, especially for VR counseling staff who must already possess a broad range of expertise related to disability issues. Add to that the need to understand labor market information and what employers are looking for, and it is understandable that VR has traditionally held a different view of serving businesses. Additionally, because of the profession’s emphasis on counseling, it is not uncommon for VR professionals to feel reluctant to engage in business- or employer-related activities such as job placement.
With the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), and later the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), the VR community began a more aggressive effort to offer services to businesses. This was partially in response to increased demand from employers for technical assistance related to ADA requirements, as well as creating greater diversity in the workplace. There has also been an expectation that VR would see an appreciable increase in the number of individuals successfully obtaining and maintaining employment.
The experience has been as varied as the number of VR agencies. Some agencies have taken a more sophisticated approach by creating business development units. Others have relied more heavily on VR counseling and support staff to provide placement and employer or business services. Most have implemented some combination of the two.
Recognizing that providing business services requires a different skill set than VR counseling, many agencies have created business relations positions. To support this, the Aware case management system includes an Employer module. This module enables agencies to track and manage business partnerships, perform job-matching functions for VR consumers, and create analytics for planning and evaluation purposes.
Agencies are also coordinating and promoting VR and business activities at the state and local levels. Examples include facilitating job fairs and educational activities, partnering with other placement entities, and engaging with organizations such as local Chambers of Commerce.
One of the opportunities under WIOA is the opportunity for workforce agencies to collaborate in creating a more robust system for serving businesses. With requirements for common measures, including measures related to business service delivery and for a unified or combined state plan, agencies and programs will have no choice but to collaborate.
VR can provide expertise related to the ADA and disability-related issues in the workplace, while other programs focused on labor exchange can provide job leads and a broader network of business relationships. The opportunity is ripe to redesign a service delivery system that benefits participants and businesses alike.
