Ahonle, Z.J.; Wei, T.; Rumrill, P.D., Jr; & Dillahunt-Aspillaga, C. (2025). Comparing competitive integrated employment outcomes in the state-federal vocational rehabilitation program among individuals with cognitive, physical, and sensory functional impairments. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 62 (2), 168-177.

Comparing competitive integrated employment outcomes in the state-federal vocational rehabilitation program among individuals with cognitive, physical, and sensory functional impairments

Ahonle, Z.J.; Wei, T.; Rumrill, P.D., Jr; & Dillahunt-Aspillaga, C.

2025

Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation

Sage Journals

https://doi.org/10.1177/10522263241310068

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/10522263241310068   

Yes

No

State-Federal vocational rehabilitation (VR) services are available for eligible individuals with disabilities (IWD) who are interested in pursuing, obtaining, and maintaining gainful employment. Despite availability of VR services, employment outcomes of IWD compared to those without disabilities continue to be limited.

To examine effects of receipt of VR services on the employment outcomes of individuals with cognitive impairments (CI) compared to people with other impairments (i.e., physical and sensory impairments) while accounting for individual characteristics and patterns of VR service use.

Secondary data analysis using Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) 911 data covering cases in 2019. Hypothesized covariates and predictors of employment outcomes were divided into four groups: demographic variables, environmental/social variables, disability related variables, and receipt of VR services. The target outcome variables from the RSA 911 database were competitive integrated employment (CIE) employment outcome, hourly wage at case closure, and hours worked in a week at case closure. A hierarchical logistic regression analysis was performed using CIE as the criterion.

Findings suggest that (a) the group including CI individuals was at a disadvantage in terms of CIE outcomes; (b) from the logistic regression, gender, education level, significance of disability, and receipt of some VR services were significantly associated with CIE outcomes (yes/no); and (c) when we examined the percentages of individuals receiving VR services, higher percentages of individuals with CI received varieties of VR services, but less assistive technology services.

Individuals with disabilities continue to experience disparate employment outcomes. The receipt of varieties of VR services facilitates IWDs to successfully obtain CIE. Receipt of VR services alone may not be the only factor that supports IWD in obtaining successful CIE. A critical investigation of the quality and type of these VR services, difference by impairment, and the economic impact of societal/environmental trends is warranted.

Vocational rehabilitation