About 20 percent of the people served by Goodwill each year are individuals with disabilities who are referred by a state vocational rehabilitation (VR) agency.

The Vocational Rehabilitation Act is the primary state/federal program that helps people with disabilities -- including those with severe disabilities -- secure jobs in the public or private sector. Because Goodwill works closely with state vocational rehabilitation agencies to fulfill its mission, Goodwill has a stake in seeing that the Rehabilitation Act is reauthorized in a way that best benefits people with disabilities.

As part of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), the Vocational Rehabilitation Act funds programs and offers support that cannot be replicated by the WIA one-stop system. Goodwill urges policymakers to ensure that the vocational rehabilitation program maintains a dedicated funding stream and that funding intended to meet the needs of people with disabilities is not diverted away from the program.

Goodwill believes that the vocational rehabilitation system warrants congressional attention to improve overall services. To that end, Goodwill also urges Congress to:

* Preserve the designation of and funding for Projects With Industry and Supported Employment State Grants.

* Create a dedicated funding stream to support the transition of young adults with disabilities from special education into adult life.

* Restore the full definition of "acceptable outcome" for employment.

Fact Sheet on the Vocational Rehabilitation Act (106.7 KB)

Fourteen years ago, a diving accident changed John's life forever, but he says Goodwill and the power of work gave him the confidence to believe in himself.
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