This Executive Directive orders various cabinet secretaries and their respective executive branch agencies and councils to continue completing and updating a comprehensive, cross-governmental strategic plan designed to ensure continued community integration of Virginians with disabilities.
This bill requires various agencies to enter into a memorandum of understanding supporting the Virginia Workforce Data Trust, a workforce database designed to (among other things) improve coordination, outcomes and efficiency across public workforce programs and partner organizations. These agencies include:
• Virginia Employment Commission;
• Community College System;
• Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services;
• Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired;
• Department of Education;
• Department of Labor and Industry;
• Department of Social Services;
• Department of Juvenile Justice; and
• State Council of Higher Education.
This bill requires the Department of Education to provide training and guidance documents to local school divisions on the development of IEPs for children with disabilities that incorporate specific examples of high-quality level of performance descriptions, annual goals and postsecondary transition sections. It further requires the Department to develop and maintain a statewide plan for improving its ongoing oversight, technical assistance and guidance related to postsecondary transition planning and services for children with disabilities.
This bill directs the Secretary of Administration to convene a work group to examine and make recommendations regarding state procurement policies and procedures to incent the competitive integrated employment of individuals with significant disabilities.
Topic(s): Career Prep & Work-Based Learning
This program enables eligible individuals with disabilities to save money in a tax-exempt account that may be used for qualified disability expenses while keeping their eligibility for federally-funded, means-tested public benefits. Eligible expenses include education, employment training and support, and assistive technology.
Operating Entity: Virginia529 / Virginia College Savings Plan
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
Topic(s): Connecting Activities
This program helps farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural workers with disabilities attain gainful employment in production agriculture or a related occupation, access appropriate assistive technology needed for work and daily living activities, and more.
Operating Entity: --
Entity Type: Multi-Stakeholder Project
This program enables individuals with disabilities, service providers and others to learn about, access, and acquire assistive technology needed for education, employment, and community living. Services include device demonstrations, reutilization, loans, and financing.
Operating Entity: Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS), Virginia Assistive Technology System (VATS)
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
Topic(s): Connecting Activities
This program provides consultation and information for those receiving disability benefits, who need help understanding eligibility and the impact work may have on their benefits.
Operating Entity: ServiceSource Virginia
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
Topic(s): Connecting Activities
This Center helps people with disabilities become leaders in their communities, by providing information and trainings, including around finding a job.
Operating Entity: Virginia Commonwealth University, Partnership for People with Disabilities
Entity Type: College / University
Topic(s): Youth Development & Leadership
CTI conducts research and demonstration projects to advance employment outcomes for youth with disabilities and to support the Virginia Department of Education in its efforts. One specific initiative is Start on Success, which has nine sites in the state and is a model transition program that provides selected students with high incidence disabilities with a community-based work experience.
Operating Entity: Virginia Commonwealth University, Partnership for People with Disabilities
Entity Type: College / University
This program provides personalized college support for students with learning and social challenges. This includes providing high school students with an introduction to college, and college students with ongoing support. The program consists of an Individualized College Plan, peer mentorship, pre-employment training, self-advocacy training, and more. It is a collaboration between College Steps, high schools, colleges, families, and agencies.
Operating Entity: --
Entity Type: Multi-Stakeholder Project
This program assists individuals with severe physical and sensory disabilities in building a life of their choosing through self-direction, support, and community resources. Services focus on assistive technology, education, independent living, job training, and more.
Operating Entity: Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS), Division for Community Living
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
EDSN serves as an employment agency that helps people with disabilities obtain integrated, competitive employment with a wide range of private sector employers.
Operating Entity: Easterseals DC MD VA
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
Topic(s): Career Prep & Work-Based Learning
This program provides a range of independent living services to people with disabilities at Centers for Independent Living across the state. Services include help connecting to local services, assistance with job searches, local transit skills training, assistive technology help, peer mentoring support, assistance with school-to-career transitions, self-advocacy help, and more.
Operating Entity: --
Entity Type: Multi-Stakeholder Project
This program is offered to middle school-age youth who live in Fairfax County to help promote personal development. It covers topics such as making decisions, communicating effectively, and being assertive.
Operating Entity: Formed Families Forward
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
Topic(s): Youth Development & Leadership
This program supports Parent Training and Information Centers and Community Parent Resource Centers in 12 southern states. Services include one-to-one consultations, trainings and webinars, peer-to-peer mentoring, site visits, non-profit management tools, and more.
Operating Entity: Parent to Parent of Georgia
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
PERT is a school-to-work transition initiative that includes various assessments, as well as a Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) Career Day, a Transition Academy, and a Manufacturing Academy.
Operating Entity: Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS), Wilson Workforce and Rehabilitation Center (WWRC)
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
Topic(s): Career Prep & Work-Based Learning
The Division of Rehabilitation Services works with students, youth, families, schools and community agencies and organizations to provide services that promote successful transitions from school to work and adult life. Services are delivered in collaboration with the Department of Education and Local Educational Agencies (LEAs).
Operating Entity: Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS), Division of Rehabilitation Services
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
Pre-ETS assist students with disabilities in identifying career interests and developing skills to be successful in the workplace. This includes five required activities: job exploration counseling, work-based learning experiences, workplace readiness training, counseling on comprehensive transition or postsecondary educational programs, and instruction in self-advocacy.
Operating Entity: --
Entity Type: Multi-Stakeholder Project
This project is a model demonstration grant designed to support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to live independent, healthy, and fulfilling lives. It uses evidence-based practices to increase knowledge and skills of people with IDD and their families, including around career discovery.
Operating Entity: Virginia Commonwealth University, Partnership for People with Disabilities
Entity Type: College / University
Topic(s): Family Engagement, Youth Development & Leadership
This program protects individuals with disabilities by empowering them and advocating on their behalf. This includes providing information and referrals, providing training and technical assistance to service providers, and conducting self-advocacy training.
Operating Entity: disAbility Law Center of Virginia (dLCV)
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
This program helps individuals with disabilities become self-employed, including by helping them develop business plans, cash flow projections, and personal budgets.
Operating Entity: Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS), Division of Rehabilitation Services
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
Topic(s): Career Prep & Work-Based Learning
This group plans statewide trainings to discuss transition and vocational services available to students with disabilities and federal and state regulations related to transition services. It includes representatives from the Virginia Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services, the Department of Education, and the Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired (DBVI).
Operating Entity: --
Entity Type: Multi-Stakeholder Project
This program provides training and technical assistance to Employment Service Organizations related to Customized Employment services for individuals with the most significant disabilities. The Virginia Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) collaborates with the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) and Griffin and Hammis, LLC to provide this support.
Operating Entity: Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS)
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
This network was formed by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) and NAMI Virginia, to help families with children and youth with mental health needs support one another. Specific programs include trainings on mental health conditions, family support groups, parent leadership training, and parent leadership retreats.
Operating Entity: --
Entity Type: Multi-Stakeholder Project
Topic(s): Family Engagement
The Council works to promote successful transition outcomes for youth and young adults with disabilities by providing leadership and innovation in employment, education, training, independent living, community participation, and community support systems. Members of the Council include state and local agencies and organizations, parents, and youth.
Operating Entity: --
Entity Type: Multi-Stakeholder Project
Topic(s): Systems Coordination
This program help out-of-school and in-school youth with one or more barriers to employment (including having a disability) prepare for and secure employment and postsecondary education opportunities. Services include tutoring; work experiences; occupational skills training; leadership development opportunities; and postsecondary education and training preparation activities.
Operating Entity: --
Entity Type: Multi-Stakeholder Project
This program helps individuals with disabilities who are receiving Social Security Disability benefits make informed choices about work and make a successful transition to self-sufficiency.
Operating Entity: --
Entity Type: Multi-Stakeholder Project
Topic(s): Connecting Activities
YLA is a summer program, set on a university campus, which seeks to empower young people with developmental and other disabilities to further develop their leadership skills. Students participate in a range of activities and learning experiences.
Operating Entity: Virginia Board for People with Disabilities
Entity Type: Other
Topic(s): Youth Development & Leadership
This program helps youth and young adults with mental health conditions develop self-empowerment and self-advocacy skills. Programs include youth groups, youth leadership trainings, and young adult leadership retreats. The program is a collaboration between the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) and NAMI Virginia.
Operating Entity: --
Entity Type: Multi-Stakeholder Project
Topic(s): Youth Development & Leadership
The Virginia Department of Education provides a resource about Long-COVID under Section 504 and the Individuals with Disabilities Act: A Resource to Support Children, Students, Educators, Schools, Service Providers and Families. The resource originates from the U.S. Department of Education.
Operating Entity: Virginia Department of Education
Topic(s): Long-COVID
This web page provides resources to help parents and students with disabilities continue advancing transition goals during COVID. It includes publications, online courses, and links to other resources, and covers topics such as increasing Independent Living skills, getting ready for college, and promoting internet safety for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Operating Entity: Virginia Commonwealth University's Center on Transition Innovations
Topic(s): Assistive Technology, Distance Learning, Family Engagement, Transition
This repository of resources was compiled to help school divisions meet the continuing learning needs of their students with disabilities during COVID-19 school closures. It includes sections with instructional resources on assistive technology and social-emotional learning, and includes a link to a Transitions resource.
Operating Entity: Virginia Department of Education
Topic(s): Assistive Technology, Distance Learning, Transition
This document provides guidance, technical support, best practices, and alternate solutions to school districts and educators on serving students amid COVID. The document emphasizes the importance of focusing on vulnerable students, including those with disabilities, and includes a section relating specifically to students with disabilities.
Operating Entity: Virginia Department of Education
Topic(s): Distance Learning
This document provides guidance and links to resources to help professionals working with students with disabilities support the social-emotional needs of their students. While this guide is not specific to COVID-19, it has been linked on the COVID-19 webpage.
Operating Entity: Virginia Department of Education
Topic(s): Mental Health
This webpage answers a variety of questions regarding the continuation of special education services during distance learning. Specifically, it focuses on different special education considerations for virtual or hybrid learning, virtual learning resources for students with disabilities and their families, IEP team virtual meeting requirements, and potential compensatory services that schools may provide to assist students with disabilities.
Operating Entity: Virginia Department of Education
Topic(s): Distance Learning
This document highlights information related to compliance, documentation and progress monitoring, and IEP Team considerations that are necessary in order to make decisions about and address requests for COVID recovery services for students with disabilities.
Operating Entity: Virginia Department of Education
Topic(s): Distance Learning, IEP
The report presents Long-COVID's background, outcomes and ongoing related research.
Operating Entity: Virginia Department of Health
Topic(s): Long-COVID
This one-pager outlines nine tips and considerations for families of students with disabilities, to help them navigate school closures and interactions with their child's IEP team.
Operating Entity: Virginia Department of Education
Topic(s): Family Engagement, IEP