Vocational Rehab

Every state offers vocational rehabilitation services for disabled individuals. These programs were initially developed for people who are visually impaired or deaf, have a prosthetic and/or are war veterans, but services have been expanded to include a more comprehensive group. Although the structure and location of the program varies from state to state, the fundamental purpose and goals of the programs are the same: to provide comprehensive employment services to people with disabilities.

A cancer diagnosis alone is not necessarily a disability. To qualify for services, you must document that you have a current disabling condition that poses functional limitations. In other words, you must establish that your disability whether it is physical, emotional, or mental interferes with obtaining or maintaining employment.

Applications are accepted at any age. Vocational rehabilitation employees may not be aware of late effects of childhood cancer (especially those related to learning disabilities), so you may need to provide documentation from your healthcare team or educational testing regarding late effects. If you are found ineligible for services, you can re-apply if a new late effect appears.

If you qualify for vocational rehabilitation, you'll first meet with a trained counselor for a comprehensive work evaluation. The counselor will serve as both an advocate and job coach and will help you develop a written, individualized rehabilitation plan. The plan may include work evaluation, work adjustment, training, college tuition, on-the-job training, job-coaching and a variety of other services leading to eventual employment.

The employment goal must be shared by the rehabilitation counselor and the survivor. When the goal is not being achieved, the law requires an independent advocate for the survivor from the Client Assistance Program. Information on using vocational rehabilitation for secondary education is included in the education section of this guide.

To contact your state's vocational rehabilitation services, check the government (blue) pages of your phone book or see your state's Web site (www.your state's abbreviation.gov). Some states may call their vocational rehabilitation offices by a different name, such as "Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment" or "Office of Vocational Rehabilitation."