The Vocational Rehabilitation Council
Mission and Vision
Developed November 15, 2005
The Vocational Rehabilitation Council Mission Statement
Mission statements describe what we do and provide that no other organization does and provides, what we are all about, the purpose of the organization and why it exists.
The Montana Vocational Rehabilitation Council advises and works with the Vocational Rehabilitation Program to improve policies, programs, delivery of services to consumers, and methods for reaching potential consumers and employers.
VR Council Vision Statements
Vision statements are a number of statements that describe the changes we want to make in the lives of the people we serve, the differences in Montana we want to be responsible for, the ideal outcomes of our collective work and efforts. They are intended to be a reach, difficult to accomplish, and presented and worded as if they are already in place.
- The federal criteria for funding is met each year. State matching funds are provided each biennium.
- The hourly wage paid to VR placements is deemed to be a fair wage by the workers.
- The order of selection is a thing of the past.
- Consumer satisfaction with the VR program grows each year – and all VR clients are aware of and accessing the Client Assistance Program.
- The Transition program and services are considered state-of-the art, and the best possible. Many people do what the Florida gentleman did, and call us with stories about their life-long success that they attribute to a great experience with VR services.
- Services for VR consumers are exactly what they need to be. If clients need software, that is what they receive. As inflation affects the costs of services, the services – such as gasoline allotments – are adjusted upwards.
- Counselors are well versed in individual disabilities, technology and career choices. They are consistently know for their great compassion for our constituents.
- The consumer/counselor relationship is based on trust and empowerment. All choices are provided to the client, with the education necessary for the choices the consumer makes to be truly theirs.
- The issue of losing benefits when you become employed is no longer the case.
- Public awareness of VR issues and the availability of trained people with disabilities is well known.
- All Montana Tribes have active and successful 121 programs, and do a good job of supporting each other across the state.
- People with disabilities are fully integrated into our society and
- seeing people with significant disabilities in our community is common
- place. They are welcomed everywhere.
- Employers are well aware of the opportunity to hire VR clients. Our connections to the business community are strong and there are more
- employment opportunities than we need. Our VR clients experience long-term work commitments.
- Schools, doctors' offices, physical therapists, hospitals, Job Service, and other likely sites all actively help spread the word about the availability of VR services and provide people with our brochures and contact information. They even recommend our services and can speak to the success of people who have utilized them.
- Rural Montana has the VR services they need and want.
Our role and responsibilities as Council members are:
As individual members, be publicly supportive of the Program. We can do outreach to consumers, help them make connections to services, speak positively, help change stereotypes, and bring feedback about VR services to the staff. We are allies and supporters of the counselors, and they trust us.
Specific activities:
Report to the Governor;
Develop the State Plan, help look at long-range needs;
Review the Consumer Satisfaction Survey;
Advise the staff on policy regarding ways to improve services using all our backgrounds and expertise.
What are we NOT responsible for? What is outside of our job description?
We don't have the authority to speak on behalf of the Council, without permission of the Council.
We are not the managers of the Program. For instance, we don't hire and fire counselors.
We are not the counselors.
We are not the money managers.
Page last updated 07/26/2006
