Bill > H1359

This bill mandates that the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), a state agency that helps individuals with disabilities prepare for and find employment, must create and implement a performance improvement plan by October 1, 2016, with specific goals aimed at enhancing its services. These goals include reducing wait times for individuals seeking services, increasing the percentage of participants who find and maintain unsubsidized employment after exiting the program, improving the number of participants earning industry certifications, and boosting median earnings for those employed. The bill also emphasizes increasing the number of youth receiving pre-employment transition services and improving the division's effectiveness in serving employers, as outlined by federal law, specifically the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Furthermore, the DVR is required to submit an annual performance report to the Governor and the Legislature by December 1st, detailing caseloads, service usage, financial data, and employment outcomes over the past five fiscal years.