News

02/04/10
In the News

Improving Employment Opportunities

Rehabilitation Services Commission Requests Proposals Innovative projects to increase employment opportunities for Ohioans with disabilities are the top spending priority for up to $7.5 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds invested in the Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission (RSC). RSC is accepting proposals for investing federal stimulus money for the provision of vocational rehabilitation community services and programs. A copy of the request for proposals is available at www.rsc.ohio.gov.

RSC Administrator Michael Rench notes,
"Workers with disabilities have been shown to be gifted with many talents and are, generally, extremely reliable. We are looking for creative, outside-the-box proposals to increase entrepreneurship, access to transportation, and more quality job opportunities for Ohioans with disabilities."
The agency specifically is looking for creative proposals that will target:
Developing new and innovative entrepreneurial ventures (‘microenterprises') that will create employment opportunities for Ohioans with significant disabilities;
Developing affordable rural transportation resources to enable people with disabilities served by vocational rehabilitation programs to travel to obtain these services, and get to and from work;
Vocational rehabilitation services to individuals with disabilities who are ex-offenders -- particularly projects that develop collaborations with multiple agencies;
Vocational rehabilitation services for people with brain injuries, to include common co-occurring conditions such as substance abuse disorders, post-traumatic stress disorders, and other mental health conditions. Priority will be given to projects that build partnerships to implement services;
Specialized vocational rehabilitation services for Spanish-speaking individuals with disabilities;
Rehabilitation technology services for the visually impaired.
The preferred range of awards for regional projects is $100,000 to $500,000 and for statewide projects is $500,000 to $1 million.
Interested applicants must submit an ‘expression of interest proposal' at http://recovery.ohio.gov/opportunities/state.
Click on "submit your proposal" and choose the program category "Work, Opportunity, and Poverty" and the subprogram "Vocational Rehabilitation (VR)."
Expressions of interest are to be submitted by Feb. 12, 2010.
In addition, applications must be submitted by Feb. 19, 2010.
Only projects that have submitted to RSC both the expression of interest proposal at http://recovery.ohio.gov/opportunities/state by 5 p.m. on February 12, 2010, and the full proposal by 5 p.m. February 19, 2010, will be considered for funding. These federal stimulus funds were awarded to RSC through the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), a part of the U.S. Department of Education.
Contacts: Beth Ruth (614) 438-1417 beth.ruth@rsc.state.oh.us, Eileen Corson (614) 438-1476 eileen.corson@rsc.state.oh.us

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