Model State Plan
for Vocational Rehabilitation Services for Deaf People

The CSAVR Model State Plan (MSP) serves as a foundational resource for the field. 

 

Employment and career outcomes for deaf, hard of hearing, late-deafened, and deafblind adults (collectively, deaf in this document) are far below their hearing peers. Longstanding systemic barriers continue to require proactive, comprehensive approaches to improving access for deaf clients. This MSP gives essential guidance to state vocational rehabilitation (VR) programs in the structure, services, and supports needed to close the employment gap. 

 

This MSP provides:

 

• High level summary of critical issues and action items for VR leadership

• Content for training and professional development for VR professionals

 

This guide was developed with the assumption that the audience is largely familiar with the core tenets of VR, the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). It is a deep dive into how to provide meaningful services for deaf people and to improve employment outcomes for this population. States are encouraged to adapt and adopt state-specific information for their own state plans, as needed. 

 

>>> Definition: This document uses the umbrella term “deaf” to refer to deaf, hard of hearing, late-deafened, deafdisabled, and deafblind categories within RSA (page 26). Further information from the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) on the history of and considerations in different usages.