Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Factsheet: Examining The Equity Of Vocational Rehabilitation Services For Rural Americans, Catherine Ispen, Will Hoard, Rtc: Rural

Employment

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) programs are funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) to assist individuals with disabilities to obtain, advance, or retain employment. Employment is a valuable outcome because it can increase economic independence and community participation. To achieve employment, VR programs offer a range of services such as assessment, counseling, training, and job placement. We conducted two studies using RSA-911 case-services data to better understand
how VR agencies are serving diverse populations. RSA-911 data includes information about each consumer who enters the VR program, including sociodemographic characteristics and VR services received. In our first study, we used RSA-911 data …

America At A Glance: Occupational Injuries Among Rural Workers, Andrew Myers, Arin Leopold, Catherine Ipsen, Bryce Ward, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Employment

RTC:Rural researchers led by Andrew Myers review data from the 2019 American Community Survey to explore differences in occupations and workplace injuries across rural and urban areas.

Building The Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation Self-Employment Toolkit, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Employment

RTC:Rural researcher Dr. Catherine Ipsen details the collaborative work that went into designing a Vocational Rehabilitation toolkit specifically for Native American and Alaskan Native Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation Programs.

Increasing Consumer Opportunities For Self-Employment In Vocational Rehabilitation, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Employment

Self-employment is an important option for people with disabilities, especially for those living in rural communities where economic choice and opportunity may be more limited. Although people with disabilities are self-employed at higher rates than people without disabilities, few vocational rehabilitation (VR) consumers become self-employed partly due to lack of knowledge and barriers within VR systems. This research report explains some reasons for low rates of self-employment within the VR system, and presents the Vocational Rehabilitation Self-Employment Guide-an online resource providing guidance and tools to assist people with disabilities and VR counselors with the self-employment process. This guide was …

America At A Glance: Unemployment Among People With Disabilities During The Covid-19 Recession, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Employment

People with disabilities are often the first to experience economic disruptions, and among the last to recover. Unemployment among people with disabilities spiked to 18.9% in April 2020 and declined to 12.5% in September. Both the initial increase and recent decrease in unemployment was primarily driven by changes in temporary unemployment (unemployed workers who expect to go back to their same job within six months). While temporary unemployment has gone down, permanent unemployment has risen since the recession began, and may indicate that for some, temporary unemployment is becoming permanent. As the recession wears on and unemployment benefits begin to …

How Will The Covid-19 Recession Impact People With Disabilities In Rural America?, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Employment

This fact sheet discusses how people with disabilities, particularly those in rural areas, are especially vulnerable to the COVID-19 recession because they are less likely to have an emergency savings fund, have access to paid leave, or be able to work from home. It analyzes data from the 2015 and 2016 Survey of Household Economics and Decision-making (SHED) and the American Time Use Survey (ATUS) 2017-18 Leave and Job Flexibilities Module.

Employment Disparity Grows For Rural Americans With Disability, Rtc: Rural, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Employment

Employment rates have increased since the recession, but these gains haven’t reached all communities across the country, nor has everyone benefited from these gains. While overall employment rates have improved, employment for people with disabilities in rural areas has decreased. This fact sheet uses the recently released (December 2018) American Community Survey 5-year estimates to explore changes in employment rates for people with and without disabilities across the nine divisions of the United States, and for metropolitan, micropolitan, and non-core counties. This marks the first time longitudinal trends in ACS data can be explored across the rural-urban continuum using comparable …

Use Of Online Career Development Tools By Vocational Rehabilitation Professionals, Rebecca Goe, Catherine Ipsen, University Of Montana Rural Institute Rural Institute

Employment

Online career development refers to using online resources such as social media and job boards for finding employment and advancing careers. Social networking sites like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter allow users to connect with potential employers and advertise their strengths to a diverse audience. Online job boards connect employers and job seekers based on specific interests, skills and locations. Unfortunately, the same online tools that can help people find employment and advance their careers can also limit opportunities if the job seeker’s online presence is unprofessional or absent (Brown & Vaughn, 2011).

Exploring Exit From The Vocational Rehabilitation System, Rebecca Goe, Catherine Ipsen, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Employment

In the U.S. labor force, the unemployment rate is more than twice as high for people with disabilities (17.9%) than it is for people without disabilities (7.7%; U.S. Census Bureau, 2013). In actuality, this disparity is much higher because many people with disabilities have stopped actively seeking employment. Although unemployment rates are influenced by many intersecting factors, premature exit from Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services likely contributes to the stubbornly high unemployment rates for people with disabilities.

Rapid Literature Review Of Self-Employment Research, Nancy Arnold, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Employment

Business ownership is an important employment option for people with disabilities, particularly for those who live in rural areas of the U.S. with fewer employment opportunities (Arnold, Ravesloot, & Seekins, 1995; Arnold & Seekins, 1994). Researchers at RTC:Rural began conducting research on the use of self-employment by VR agencies in 1990. Since then RTC:Rural researchers developed model self-employment policies and procedures for Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies, which several state agencies have adopted in whole or in part (Arnold & Ipsen, 2005); developed self-employment training for VR counselors (Arnold, Seekins, et. al., 1998, 1999, 2001, 2004) in both in-person and web-based …

A Rapid Review Of Self-Employment Literature: Implications For The Vocational Rehabilitation Program, Nancy Arnold, Catherine Ipsen, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Employment

Business ownership is an important employment option for people with disabilities, particularly those living in rural areas with few employment opportunities (Arnold, Ravesloot, & Seekins, 1995; Arnold & Seekins, 1994). Researchers at RTC:Rural began conducting research on the use of self-employment by VR agencies in 1990. Since then RTC:Rural researchers have: developed model self-employment policies and procedures for Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies (Arnold & Ipsen, 2005); developed self-employment training for VR counselors in both in-person and web-based formats (Arnold, Seekins, et. al., 1998, 1999, 2001, 2004); and explored cross-agency collaborations to support self-employment ventures (Ipsen, Arnold & Colling, 2003, 2005). …

Rural And Urban Differences In Vr Caseloads And Delivery Practices, Catherine Ipsen, Grant Swicegood, Kyle Colling, Bethany Rigles, Charles Asp, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Employment

Each year, Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies provide case level data to the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA). This compiled data, named RSA 911, includes consumer characteristics, services provided, and employment outcomes of all case closures in the past year. Researchers and program evaluators use the RSA 911 data system to examine productivity across agencies, demographic and disability groups, and other service factors. The RSA 911 does not include information about where the consumer was served, such as county or zip code. This limits outcome evaluation for various geographies. For instance, while VR programs can be evaluated or compared across states, more …

Health Plans For Employment: Nutrition, Catherine Ipsen, Bethany Rigles, Casey Nicole Ruggiero, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Employment

We all know that we should eat “healthy.” But what does that mean? A healthy diet includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, proteins, and healthy fats. Eating these foods gives you energy for the day and can help manage fatigue, anxiety or stress. They also can help protect you against many diseases. Eating the right types of food is important but so is watching how much we eat.

This fact sheet on nutrition provides guidelines on how to do both. This fact sheet also provides tips on how to eat healthy on a tight budget. In addition to the English version …

Health Plans For Employment: Sleep, Catherine Ipsen, Bethany Rigles, Casey Nicole Ruggiero, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Employment

How often do you wish that you had gotten a better night’s sleep? Sleep issues have been linked to anxiety, pain, depressed mood, fatigue, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and weight problems. This fact sheet provides tips on developing good sleep habits and strategies to help you fall asleep.

In addition to the English version, it is also available in Spanish and Hmong.

This fact sheet was developed by RTC:Rural for Wisconsin Promise as part of the Health Plans for Employment series. Each of the four fact sheets in this series provides healthy living tips geared towards youth.

Data And Resources For A Whole Community Approach To Emergency Planning, Meg A. Traci Ph.D., University Of Montana Rural Institute

Employment

No abstract provided.

Health Plans For Employment: Stress Management, Catherine Ipsen, Bethany Rigles, Casey Nicole Ruggiero, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Employment

No matter how old we are, we all deal with stress. Although stress is a normal part of life, there are times when it may affect how well we can cope with life emotionally, socially, intellectually, or physically. This fact sheet highlights several stress management techniques.

In addition to the English version, it is also available in Spanish and Hmong.

This fact sheet was developed by RTC:Rural for Wisconsin Promise as part of the Health Plans for Employment series. Each of the four fact sheets in this series provides healthy living tips geared towards youth.

Health Plans For Employment: Physical Activity, Catherine Ipsen, Bethany Rigles, Casey Nicole Ruggiero, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Employment

From a young age, we are told that exercise and active movement are good for our heart and help us stay strong. But did you know that regular physical activity can also prevent injury, reduce pain, fatigue, depression, and anxiety, and improve your sleep? This fact sheet describes the different types of physical activity and the resources available from the National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability.

In addition to the English version, it is also available in Spanish and Hmong.

This fact sheet was developed by RTC:Rural for Wisconsin Promise as part of the Health Plans …

Inclusive Healthcare Facilities Access And Accommodations Resource Toolkit, Meg A. Traci Ph.D., University Of Montana Rural Institute

Employment

Contents: Includes information on webinars, access to care, dental care, women, communication, emergency preparedness, health reports, and contact information for Montana services.

Vocational Rehabilitation Transition Services In Rural Areas, Rebecca Goe, Catherine Ipsen, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Employment

The receipt of Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services as students transition out of high school may be an important predictor of post-graduation success (Harvey, 2002; National Council on Disability, 2008). In rural, limited job opportunities and limited access to counselors intersect to create a challenging VR service environment for transition youth. While 2008 and 2009 case services data indicate that a greater proportion of clients are transition aged in rural versus urban counties (RSA 911, 2009), rural transition students fall behind their urban counterparts in rates of employment and enrollment in postsecondary education following graduation (Harvey, 2002). This fact sheet reports …

Premature Exit From The Vocational Rehabilitation System, Catherine Ipsen, Rebecca Goe, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Employment

Data from the 2009 Rebahilitation Services Administration Case Services Report (RSA 911) indicate that approximately 50% of Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) consumers leave the system prematurely. Premature exits include case closures related to lost contact with the consumer due to inaccurate address, disconnected phone or consumer relocation (17.4% of cases); consumer refusal to continue services (17.2% of cases); or consumer failure to cooperate (15% of cases). Both the consumer and the VR system as a whole lose out when a consumer enrolls in services but drops out early. For the consumer, premature exit from VR services is correlated with worse economic …

Social Media Use Within State Vocational Rehabilitation Programs, Catherine Ipsen, Rebecca Goe, Kathy West-Evans, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Employment

Increasingly, employers use company websites, job boards, and social networking sites to recruit and evaluate potential employees. In 1997, newspaper ads and employee referrals accounted for almost half of new business hires. Yet by 2009, online career sites replaced newspaper ads as a major source for new recruits (CareerXroads, 2010). Likewise, 75% of U.S. recruiters reported that their companies required online research of candidates, and 70% reported they had rejected candidates based on information found online (Bontke & Lawler, 2012).

Vocational Rehabilitation (Vr) Approaches To Job Development, Catherine Ipsen, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Employment

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies provide a range of services to help people with disabilities become employed. How services are delivered, however, depends on several factors including client interests and abilities as well as economic opportunities within the local community. For better or worse, rural and urban clients face vastly different employment landscapes. For instance, USDA Economic Resource Service data indicate that rural people earn lower wages and experience lower employment rates (ERS, 2012). Rural counties also have fewer full-time jobs per capita, particularly in skilled labor sectors (ERS, 2012; Parker, 2003). Urban areas have higher employment rates in professional and …

Vocational Rehabilitation Service Delivery Using Telecommunication, Rebecca Goe, Catherine Ipsen, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Employment

Telecommunication offers a low cost solution to increasing client and counselor contact during the vocational rehabilitation (VR) process, particularly for clients at a distance from the VR office. Despite the advantage telecommunication provides, however, counselors report using email with fewer rural as compared to urban clients (Ipsen, Rigles, Arnold, & Seekins, 2012). In part, this may relate to counselor perceptions that rural clients have less Internet access than their urban counterparts (Ipsen et al., 2012). This disparity may be diminishing, however. Government incentives and public access in libraries and community centers are improving telecommunication infrastructure across the country, especially in …

Vocational Rehabilitation (Vr) Outreach To Rural Businesses, Rebecca Goe, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Employment

In the 1990s, new regulations within the Americans with Disabilitites Act (ADA) and concern over the changing labor market led rehabilitation experts to advocate for greater attention to employer needs within the job development process. (Gillbride & Stensrud, 1992). The resulting model is often called the dual customer approach becuase it positions both employers and people with disabilities as vocational rehabilitation (VR) customers. The goals of the dual customer approach were discribed in the 32nd Institute of Rehabilitation Issues (IRI) outlining the steps for developing a national VR business network (Anderson et al., 2006). These steps included delivering expertise and …

Contracted Job Development In Rural Communities: Vr Agency Perspectives, Catherine Ipsen, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Employment

Legislation guiding VR service delivery provides flexibility regarding how services are organized and implemented. As a result, state VR agencies provide services in the context on their own resource parameters (e.g. budget and agency size) and geography. This natural variation allows for a variety of service delivery models to emerge, each with associated benefits and drawback. To date, however, there is little comparative evidence for evaluating rural service delivery practices. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted 82 qualitative interviews with VR informants from 48 state VR agencies including 17 general agencies, 12 blind/low vision agencies, and 19 combined agencies. …

Transportation: A Barrier To Successful Employment Outcomes Among Rural Vr Clients, Catherine Ipsen, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Employment

In testimony to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Billy Altom, Executive Director of the Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL) stated, "the lack of available, affordable, and accessible transportation is one of the most significant and persistent problems faced by people with disabilities...This is especially true in rural America." Lack of transportation translates into barriers in employment, health care access, and community participation among rural people with disabilities (Iezzoni, Killeen, & O'Day, 2006; Crudden, Sansing, & Butler, 2005). Recently, this was confirmed by Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agency research participants, representing 48 VR agencies in 37 …

First National Study Of People With Disabilities Who Are Self-Employed, Nancy Arnold Ph.D., University Of Montana Rural Institute

Employment

In the last twelve years, interest has steadily grown in self-employment for people with disabilities. In part, this is due to research showing that people with disabilities report self-employment at a higher rate than the general population, and that 20-25 percent of participants in special “Choices” demonstration projects funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration were interested in starting businesses. In light of persistently high unemployment rates among people with disabilities, it appears that many have chosen to pursue self-employment. RTC: Rural researchers exploring self-employment as a rural employment option frequently field questions about business owners with disabilities: How many people …

Client Perspectives On The Use Of Telecommunications To Deliver Vr Services, Catherine Ipsen, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Employment

Evidence shows that rural clients receive fewer Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services than their urban counterparts (Ipsen, Rigles, Arnold, & Seekins, 2010; Johnstone, Price, Bounds, Schopp, Schootman, & Schumate, 2003). One explanation for this discrepancy is that travel to provide services to rural clients is costly and difficult to deliver on an as-needed basis. In fact, the costs associated with rural service delivery among 1,187 counselors amounted to $1.2 million in gas costs and represented 51,000 hours of staff time (Ipsen, et al., 2010). Increased use of telecommunications is one strategy to boost client and counselor contact during the VR process, …

A National Report On The Use Of Telecommunications To Deliver Vr Services, Catherine Ipsen, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Employment

It can be difficult for VR counselors to provide face-to-face services to rural clients. Large caseloads reduce counselors’ available travel time to travel to outlying rural communities, and rising fuel costs make such trips expensive (Metzel & Giordano, 2007; Riemer-Reiss, 2000). Telecommunications can increase counselor-client accessibility and provide flexibility to supplement face-to-face services. Telecommunications refers to a variety of information technology (IT) that allows people in different locations to engage with one another, while reducing boundaries of time, distance, and location. Access to telecommunication services, however, may be limited. For instance, people living in rural areas may lack access to …

Findings From A Study Of The Working Well With A Disability Program, Catherine Ipsen, Charles Asp, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Employment

People with disabilities are employed at a rate of 36.9%, compared to 79.7% for people without disabilities (Erickson & Lee, 2008). Lack of accessible transportation, social insurance disincentives, and negative attitudes by employers are cited reasons for this disparity. People with disabilities also describe secondary health conditions as a barrier to employment (Ipsen, Seekins, & Arnold, in press; Kaye, 2009). Secondary conditions are health issues that are intensified by primary disability, including conditions such as chronic pain, fatigue, pressure sores, weight problems, and depression. Because access to health promotion programs typically occurs at the worksite, it’s troublesome that secondary conditions …