Need Advice: Voc Rehab

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I made my first visit to the voc rehab after I left my last job. Part of it was that the job wasn't a good fit (I think) and part of it was the social aspects of work. I went to the V.R. out of desperation. I thought they would have some resources that I didn't know about. So I made an appointment. They honestly didn't know what to do with me. They saw that I graduated from college and that I had a few jobs in the past (that didn't last that long). They didn't know how to "evaluate" me. They seemed to not even know what to do. They asked "do you think we should do this and that evaluation?". I said, "I'm not sure, I guess we could" (I thought they were the experts). Well I did the "evaluation" and it more or less a self-reported personality test (not helpful) and what work environments I would thrive in (already know). I went to several pointless visits that had no value to me. I found one gov job announcement that I met the requirements. I brought it up to my original caseworker and she said "Ok....". But she really didn't act like she had the experience to tell me how to apply for a fed gov job. She said this other lady in the office knew more about it and was good about "drawing out peoples strengths etc.". Well, I met with that lady and she has provided no value to me. I went several visits with my rough draft resume and she just made some general statements about it but nothing concrete to help me. I envisioned her sitting next to me for the duration of the appt (1 hour) and with a pen going over it with me and marking it up. Nope! So out of desperation I hired a fed resume writer (expensive) and on my next visit she was like "well we are going to start writing your resume". I told her I hired someone. I had too many "were gonna start" this and that and nothing happening. I don't know what "expertise" she has. We have the same degree and she she is working on her masters and just started working there...she honestly has offered me no help. I have been very polite and showed up for my appts (noted in the report they generated about me). I get a sense that she doesn't like me or doesn't want to help me. I think it's more than a feeling because it's more her actions. She acted like I wasn't qualified to do the fed job. I am....I met the requirements and it wasn't like I was picking something outrageous (100K+ job). It was a job that paid around 38K and just asked for people that have taken x amount of credits in this and that (AKA a "starter job"). I believe the job is short term but at least lasts least two years and I thought I would get my "foot in the door".

I found one temp job that I can do from home. Provided I pass the test (I passed the first part). I am very confident I will pass the second part. I heard from people that the contract has extended past 6 months so it's possible....I feel like shutting down the whole VR thing. They want me to attend this job class thing. It sounds like a waste of time to me "how to dress for an interview, mock interviews etc." (things I don't need help with). To me, this experience has been that they are "pretending" to help. My mom said not to totally shut it down in case I need them. She said if I tell them I have this temp thing that they will stop helping me. My point is ....they are not helping me anyways. It's a total waste of time. I will know by Friday noon if I got the job. I am tempted to e-mail them and tell them to forget everything if I get the job. I will still apply for the gov job but probably won't get it but at least I will have something. The ladies there said I would qualify under a schedule A disability. I haven't really researched what that means.

Can I still apply to gov jobs under this "schedule A" WITHOUT going through this voc rehab?

Thanks for reading this long post. I usually don't write this much...

Should I shut down this VR thing?

Sadly Voc Rehab is just another government program, staffed by government workers who really tend to have no idea on how to do their jobs.

It sounds like this is a program intended for people really starting out at the bottom with no clue how to get a job and no experience. More like you are so "overqualified" for this program that they see you as more of an equal (which might be why they ask you what to do for you) and less as someone who needs a hand up.

I'm sure they could get you trained to be a janitor or something like that, if you had no skills. But they may even be wondering what you're doing there with the skills and education you already have.

I think, and this is just what I would probably do in your situation, you might as well go for the job if you can get it. Don't tell the program people until you are solidly in the job, but then let them free up your space for someone who can actually benefit from it. It might also be good to look into some kind of "job coach" person who could help you fine tune yourself, similar to the resume person.

No matter what state you live in, Vocational Rehabilitation is one of the worst governmental agencies to have to deal with and is largely staffed with "idiots' qualified to do nothing.

Have you utilized your college placement office where you graduated? By all accounts, you are better off on your own than dealing with Vocational Rehab Services. Visit your state employment office in your area...the job counselors are being paid by
taxpayer monies and they are there to help you FOR FREE.

Apply for Federal government jobs on your own. There is a website specifically to help you to find a Federal job anywhere in the
USA. I cannot remember the specific web address...

There are thousands of people out of work at this present time, so don't get discouraged. And stay away from Vocational Rehabilitation Services. In the years, I have known this agency, I have never seen anything positive or "good" come out of this
government agency. Nor have I ever seen anyone gain meaningful employment in a truly, satisfying job.

I no longer live in the state I graduated.

voc rehab has helped a fair amount of recovering addicts that I have known. It doesn't surprise me, however, that they aren't equipped to help with something like autism. Good luck with your search. My instinct is don't burn your bridges, but you have to do what you think is best in the end.

My local Voc Rehab did a short intake, then handed me off to a local nonprofit corporation called Pride Industries, then washed their hands of me. Pride is one of those places that employs severely MR people to assemble boxes and such, and they had no clue what to do with me. So they handed me a couple websites and told me to find my own job. So I was back where I started. Voc Rehab is only set up to deal with severely MR type people, who they can slot into Pride's (or a similar company's) make work job system, then pat each other on the back.

Yeah, voc rehab is a joke. I told the woman that I would not attend the class because I didn't need help with the basic skills. She didn't e-mail me back. Oh well.

usajobs.gov

I'm trying to get help from voc rehab myself, and it's a joke. There is ONE person, one count 'em ONE, for people with disabilities. Ha! I was hoping to get referred into this program to help people get self-employed, but there's just ... nothing there.

The one good thing, I hope, is that they sent me for an in-house psych assessment and classified me "Category I: People with the Most Severe Disabilities". That's good because it's another branch of the same agency that does the "disability determination" for SSDI, so I'm hoping it will make it easier to get approved for SSDI.

Jaydog1212 wrote:
Yeah, voc rehab is a joke. I told the woman that I would not attend the class because I didn't need help with the basic skills. She didn't e-mail me back. Oh well. Rolling Eyes


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ill tell you what is a bigger [removed by lau] joke - the Americans with Disabilities Act(ADA) - i am also epileptic as well as an aspie - and under the ADA employers are NOT allowed to discriminate against a person no matter how they are disabled - only glitch in the program is that the laws are NOT enforced - likely because they will be a royal pain in the states ass to enforce them - as well as members of the house and senate getting their palms greased by the employer and liability insurance lobbies. plus, the liability insurance companies TELL the employers who they CAN and CANNOT hire and what disabiling conditions they can and cannot hire - they tell employers NOT to hire epileptics because epileptics are too high of a risk(do to the possibility of having seizures on the job).

===============

reginaterrae wrote:
Zsazsa wrote:
There is a website specifically to help you to find a Federal job anywhere in the
USA. I cannot remember the specific web address...


usajobs.gov

I'm trying to get help from voc rehab myself, and it's a joke. There is ONE person, one count 'em ONE, for people with disabilities. Ha! I was hoping to get referred into this program to help people get self-employed, but there's just ... nothing there.

The one good thing, I hope, is that they sent me for an in-house psych assessment and classified me "Category I: People with the Most Severe Disabilities". That's good because it's another branch of the same agency that does the "disability determination" for SSDI, so I'm hoping it will make it easier to get approved for SSDI.


==================

i got approved for ssi + ssdi back in 1990, but it took at least 2 years for them to process the paper work and approve it. most cases get denied the first 2 times, but sometimes you get after 2 or 3 appeals. i got it on the basis of epilepsy, learning and emotional problems.

=====================

Jaydog1212 wrote:

I made my first visit to the voc rehab after I left my last job. Part of it was that the job wasn't a good fit (I think) and part of it was the social aspects of work. I went to the V.R. out of desperation. I thought they would have some resources that I didn't know about. So I made an appointment. They honestly didn't know what to do with me. They saw that I graduated from college and that I had a few jobs in the past (that didn't last that long). They didn't know how to "evaluate" me. They seemed to not even know what to do. They asked "do you think we should do this and that evaluation?". I said, "I'm not sure, I guess we could" (I thought they were the experts). Well I did the "evaluation" and it more or less a self-reported personality test (not helpful) and what work environments I would thrive in (already know). I went to several pointless visits that had no value to me. I found one gov job announcement that I met the requirements. I brought it up to my original caseworker and she said "Ok....". But she really didn't act like she had the experience to tell me how to apply for a fed gov job. She said this other lady in the office knew more about it and was good about "drawing out peoples strengths etc.". Well, I met with that lady and she has provided no value to me. I went several visits with my rough draft resume and she just made some general statements about it but nothing concrete to help me. I envisioned her sitting next to me for the duration of the appt (1 hour) and with a pen going over it with me and marking it up. Nope! So out of desperation I hired a fed resume writer (expensive) and on my next visit she was like "well we are going to start writing your resume". I told her I hired someone. I had too many "were gonna start" this and that and nothing happening. I don't know what "expertise" she has. We have the same degree and she she is working on her masters and just started working there...she honestly has offered me no help. I have been very polite and showed up for my appts (noted in the report they generated about me). I get a sense that she doesn't like me or doesn't want to help me. I think it's more than a feeling because it's more her actions. She acted like I wasn't qualified to do the fed job. I am....I met the requirements and it wasn't like I was picking something outrageous (100K+ job). It was a job that paid around 38K and just asked for people that have taken x amount of credits in this and that (AKA a "starter job"). I believe the job is short term but at least lasts least two years and I thought I would get my "foot in the door".

I found one temp job that I can do from home. Provided I pass the test (I passed the first part). I am very confident I will pass the second part. I heard from people that the contract has extended past 6 months so it's possible....I feel like shutting down the whole VR thing. They want me to attend this job class thing. It sounds like a waste of time to me "how to dress for an interview, mock interviews etc." (things I don't need help with). To me, this experience has been that they are "pretending" to help. My mom said not to totally shut it down in case I need them. She said if I tell them I have this temp thing that they will stop helping me. My point is ....they are not helping me anyways. It's a total waste of time. I will know by Friday noon if I got the job. I am tempted to e-mail them and tell them to forget everything if I get the job. I will still apply for the gov job but probably won't get it but at least I will have something. The ladies there said I would qualify under a schedule A disability. I haven't really researched what that means.

Can I still apply to gov jobs under this "schedule A" WITHOUT going through this voc rehab?

Thanks for reading this long post. I usually don't write this much...

Should I shut down this VR thing? Rolling Eyes


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please do NOT shut it down - if you shut it down then we will have no place [removed by lau] the system, its stupidity and being illogical, and how it [removed by lau]. like you, [removed by lau]. i have cooking skills, and instead of placing me in a job where i can use them - the tn voc rehab people place me in a college i-9 contract job washing dishes - and im like ''[removed by lau]- i can cook[removed by lau] - just put me where i can use my skills.'' - and like many aspies and auties - i am very good with computers - i can tear them down, build them, repair them, upgrade them - but can they place me where i can use that skill? --[removed by lau] - most they can do is place me in an office where i can do filing, word processing, [removed by lau]. if i was to have an office job where i am in a cubical - i like many other aspies, auties (and NTs for that matter) would feel like this - ''i know my job discription and i know what i am supposted to do - so [removed by lau]''.

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Polgara wrote:
It sounds like this is a program intended for people really starting out at the bottom with no clue how to get a job and no experience. More like you are so "overqualified" for this program that they see you as more of an equal (which might be why they ask you what to do for you) and less as someone who needs a hand up.

I'm sure they could get you trained to be a janitor or something like that, if you had no skills. But they may even be wondering what you're doing there with the skills and education you already have.

I think, and this is just what I would probably do in your situation, you might as well go for the job if you can get it. Don't tell the program people until you are solidly in the job, but then let them free up your space for someone who can actually benefit from it. It might also be good to look into some kind of "job coach" person who could help you fine tune yourself, similar to the resume person.

==========


i would NOT want a job coach - why would i want a person who will tell me [removed by lau]and who would be in my way all the time as well as interfere with the job and my duties related to it?????

I tried Voc Rehab I did like the way they helped me. I would have to bug the counselor for every little thing. She was not supportive of my goals and what I needed. The only thing she helped me with was getting a computer and some school supplies only because she was forced to do it.
They put limits on what you can and cannot do for work. Have you waste time doing a whole bunch of paper work and they still do not help. When you do find a job through them the employer knows you went through Voc Rehab it is best just to leave it alone.