The U.S. Departments of Education (ED) and Labor (DOL) (or, collectively, Departments) will publish final regulations to implement changes made by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), signed into law on July 22, 2014. ED will publish two sets of final regulations implementing changes to programs authorized under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Act), as amended by title IV of WIOA, as well as implementing new provisions added to the Act by WIOA.

The Departments have developed a comprehensive plan that includes in-person and virtual technical assistance on both jointly-administered and program-specific requirements. As part of this plan, ED's Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) has scheduled three regional meetings to provide technical assistance on the final regulations implementing program-specific changes made to the State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Services program and the State Supported Employment Services program, as well as those implementing Limitations on the Use of Subminimum Wage in new section 511 of the Act. In the regional meetings, RSA will provide technical assistance on the following areas: competitive integrated employment, employment outcome, and limitations on the use of subminimum wage (section 511); transition services, including pre-employment transition services; supported employment; and fiscal requirements.

For more detail see http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/rsa/wioa-meetings-on-final-regs.html

(June 6, 2016)

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Aligning with the Rehabilitation Services Administration’s (RSA’s) mission to provide leadership and resources to grantees and stakeholders, RSA created a series of training and technical assistance centers (TACs) and demonstration projects to assist state vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies and their partners in providing VR and other services to individuals with disabilities. Each TAC focuses its efforts on a specific set of topics designed to provide universal, targeted, and intensive technical assistance (TA) for the purpose of improving services to individuals with disabilities to maximize their employment, independence and integration into the community and the competitive labor market.

(February 3, 2016)

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A new resource guide (“Recruiting, Hiring, Retaining, and Promoting People with Disabilities—A Resource Guide for Employers”) has been posted. It is a product of the Curb Cuts to the Middle Class Initiative, a federal cross-agency effort working to increase equal employment opportunities and financial independence for individuals with disabilities. The Curb Cuts to the Middle Class Initiative includes participation by agencies across the federal government, including the Department of Education, Department of Labor, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Justice, Department of Veterans Affairs, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, National Council on Disability, Office of Personnel Management, and the Social Security Administration. This resource guide identifies relevant federal and federally funded resources for employers looking to recruit, hire, retain, and promote people with disabilities.

(May 20, 2015)

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The President has signed the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.

(July 22, 2014)

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The Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) oversees grant programs that help individuals with physical or mental disabilities to obtain employment and live more independently through the provision of such supports as counseling, medical and psychological services, job training and other individualized services.

RSA's major Title I formula grant program provides funds to state vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies to provide employment-related services for individuals with disabilities, giving priority to individuals who are significantly disabled.

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