The 2022* Model State Plan for Vocational Rehabilitation Services for Deaf People, a comprehensive guide for state vocational rehabilitation agencies to support deaf people in their employment and career pathways, has received a hyperlink update.
The asterisk after the “2022” denotes the newest version of the Model State Plan with hyperlink updates by Stephanie W. Cawthon, PhD, and her team, who verified over 500 links cited throughout the 111-page report and replaced the links that were broken after updates to government-funded websites.
No content changes were made to the Model State Plan in this update, because a major revision is planned for an upcoming 2024 edition of the Model State Plan.
About the Model State Plan
The 2022* Model State Plan advises vocational rehabilitation services that are reflective of current research, application, and best practices and are deaf-centered. It is geared towards thoughtful and proactive state-level implementation.
The Deaf Professionals Network at the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR) commissioned the revision of the Model State Plan as one of its first priorities since the last version of the Model State Plan was published in 2008.
Completed in 2021 and released in early 2022, the Model State Plan serves as a living resource for the community. It includes key topics such as:
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Historical context of vocational rehabilitation services for deaf people
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Systemic barriers to employment
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Importance of a deaf-centered approach
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Current issues in eligibility, service provision, and funding
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Partnerships, businesses, community resources, and stakeholder engagement
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Example service sequence from secondary grades through independent living
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Program improvement, personnel, and professional development
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New technology tools and evolving communication platforms
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Shift to deaf-centered perspectives to anchor vocational rehabilitation services
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Pending retirements of experienced professionals in the field
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Short and long-term impacts of COVID-19
Download an accessible PDF of the updated 2022* Model State Plan. Or, visit the CSAVR website.