Hearing Impaired Vocational Programs Washington DC

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) programs are run by each state with the stated goal of assisting people to secure and maintain employment. Rules vary in the various states, but VR services generally include the provision of  hearing aids if they are necessary to secure or maintain employment.

July 2002 - Innovative Rehabilitation Interventions Regarding Employment

April 2005 - It looks like the current Vocational Rehabilitation system is in for a shakeup, as the Federal government may soon be dismantling important parts of the existing system. Here's a press release from the National Association of the Deaf; it urges people to fight the pending changes.

May 2005 - Here's an interesting article about a Canadian approach to Vocational Rehabilitation.

April 2010 - Does Vocational Rehabilitation Work For People with Hearing Loss?

NAD Acts on VR Bill

Editor: Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) is a public program that is largely untapped by members of the oral hearing loss (OHL) community. While people with other disabilities (including large numbers of Deaf people) regularly take advantages of VR services, many hard of hearing and late-deafened folks are unaware of these services (which can include providing hearing aids!)

So I guess it's little wonder that pending changes to VR law have caused little concern among the OHL community. Our Deaf cousins are much more aware and much more concerned, as this NAD press release demonstrates.

If you have ANY employment issues (unemployed, underemployed, can't afford new hearing aids that will help you retain employment, etc.), I urge you to visit your local VR office while it's still there!

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Silver Spring, MD - The NAD is urging members to contact their Congressional representatives and ask for a vote against a bill that would weaken the Vocational Rehabilitation system. The NAD has closely monitored activity in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate on reauthorization of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The failure of Congress to act in a timely manner during the 108th Congress distressed the NAD. What has happened thus far this year, in the 109th Congress, is nearly as disturbing.

In addition, the NAD has tracked administrative actions in the U.S. Department of Education. Proposals have been made this spring that would further degrade the nation's capacity to provide rehabilitation and independent living services to Americans with disabilities.

"While far from perfect, the Rehabilitation Act has provided much-needed employment training services for deaf and hard of hearing Americans for many years," said NAD Chief Executive Officer Nancy J. Bloch. "The current bill is a step backwards and should be voted down. As it stands, the proposed bill will make it much harder for deaf and hard of hearing individuals to obtain specialized employment training and services."

The U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate are ...