The counselor and consumer jointly determine the job the consumer is ultimately to be placed in and plan the services necessary to reach that job goal. The job goal, intermediate objectives, services, and service providers are specified in an Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE).
Provision of services: Services are provided in accordance with the IPE. The specific services provided may include:
- vocational counseling and guidance;
- medical treatment to correct or modify the physical or mental impairment;
- training (including vocational school, college or university, on-the-job, and other training;
- rehabilitation technology (assistive devices and services);
- placement assistance and follow-up (including supported employment) and
- other planned goods and services determined to be necessary to address an identified substantial impediment to employment and to be required to enable the individual to prepare for, enter, engage in, or retain an employment outcome.
Job placement: Placement of the consumer into employment that is consistent with the individual's abilities, capacities, career interests, and informed choice is the goal of the vocational rehabilitation services program. It is to this end that all prior services have been directed.
Case closure: A person is "rehabilitated," and the consumer's case is closed, when: (1) the vocational rehabilitation services provided under the IPE have contributed substantially to the achievement of the employment outcome; (2) the employment outcome is consistent with the individual's strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests, and informed choice; (3) the employment outcome is in the most integrated setting possible, consistent with the individual's informed choice; (4) the individual has maintained the job for a period of at least 90 days; and (5) the individual and the VRS counselor consider the employment outcome to be satisfactory and agree that the individual is performing well on the job.
Sometimes the entire vocational rehabilitation services process can be completed in four to six months when just a few services are required to achieve the client’s vocational goal. In other instances the process make take four to five years or more to complete when the client’s vocational goal requires a college degree.