The Department of Programs and Services works with individuals with disabilities in many different capacities in the community.  The programs and services that are offered center around preparing individuals through a rehabilitative process to become trained, prepared, and productive in the working world.

Services We Offer:

• Community Employment Services (CES)
  • The program provides one-on-one work skills assessments, job-search support, job placement, on-the-job training, job coaching and follow-up services in community workplaces. This program serves individuals who want to pursue competitive, integrated community employment. Job coach involvement gradually fades as the individual learns the position and both the employer and individual are satisfied with job performance.
  • The goals of this program include assessing an individual’s employment ambitions, skills and abilities. Our person-centered employment plans are heavily weighed on strength and desire rather than weaknesses. Additional goals include placing individuals in competitive integrated jobs, provide support to ensure each job is maintained and the placement is successful, offer on-the-job training to employees and employers as needed.
  • Supported Employment is a service that is provided to those individuals with more significant disabilities.  During the process, an Employment Specialist/Job Coach will be more involved on the day-to-day process of an individual providing job coaching that lasts longer than the normal community employment.
  • A vocational evaluation is a service that is designed to assist in the exploration of an individual’s career interests, determine aptitudes and skills, and ultimately develop a path for career plans. A vocational Evaluation is an individualized, systematic process by which a person seeking employment learns to develop and identify employment goals.
    • Goals of Vocational Evaluations:
      • Identifying areas of employment and/or training for which an individual is best suited.
      • Identifying any need for additional support services and locate specific providers.
      • Developing realistic vocational goals and options for reaching those goals.
      • Determining areas of vocational strength and areas that are in need of improvement.
    • Evaluation Methods:
      • Standardized Testing
      • Vocational Interest Screening
      • Situational Assessment
    • Criteria for Entry:
      • You must have a vocational disability that limits your employment opportunity.
      • You must be capable of self-care or be accompanied by an attendant.
      • You must be unemployed or underemployed.
      • You must voluntarily agree to participate.
• Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS)
  • Due to the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), federal funds must be set aside by vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies to provide pre-employment transition services to students with disabilities who are eligible or potentially eligible for VR services.
  • The Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services (ADRS) partners with Wiregrass Rehabilitation Center to work with the various schools throughout 11 counties to provide the Pre-ETS services to students.
• Work Based Learning (WBL) 
  • This strategy integrates classroom experience with real world experiences in the community through work.  Individuals can do paid or unpaid work at an employment setting in the community in which they live.  An employment specialist will assist a student in gaining placement for a period of 3 months to work.  This experience allows students to learn what the world of work is like and allow them to explore potential vocational interests.
• Driver’s Education: Permit Training
  • An instructional based service where students can learn the rules of the road that are required for individuals to successfully pass the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) exam to obtain a learner’s permit. Instructional methods are tailored to all levels of functioning and can be done in group settings. 
• Workplace Tours
  • Events that occur throughout the school year.  Touring a workplace allows students to learn about different industries and jobs located in their community. The value of a workplace tour is significant because it allows students to explore vocational interests through firsthand experience.  Tours are done through a group setting.  
• Job Experience Training (JET) 
  • A work-based learning service that is available to 11^th and 12^th grade students during the summer. This program allows students to choose a job or industry that they have interest in and work. WRC works with many companies throughout several counties to provide positions for students during the summer. Students are paid for their work and can work up to 9 weeks.
• Workplace Readiness and Self-Advocacy Training
  • WRC uses “SkillUp,” a curriculum specifically designed for students with disabilities that focuses on a wide variety of topics including vocational interests, understanding soft-skills, personality types, labor market information, disclosure, rights and responsibilities, disability etiquette, goal setting, overcoming barriers, interviewing, and resume writing.