2017 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium

Vocational Rehabilitation

Section 10: Vocational Rehabilitation

This section presents statistics on Vocational Rehabilitation programs, administered by the Rehabilitation Services Administration in the United States. These data concern the number of individuals with disabilities who apply for services, receive services, and find employment (are successfully rehabilitated). Presented here categorically, vocational rehabilitation agencies often provide services through both state and private rehabilitation agencies (combined), broad state-based services for people (general), and specialized services to people with visual impairments (blind). The tables also address the expenditures associated with vocational rehabilitation, as well as whether vocational rehabilitation agencies are on order of selection. The principal source of this data is the Rehabilitation Services Administration’s Management Information System. Please note: The statistics presented in this section may vary from those provided by state agencies due to varying methods and analytic procedures.

Tables

Table 10.1: In the Federal Fiscal Year 2015 state vocational rehabilitation agencies processed 506,489 applicants.

Table 10.2: In the Federal Fiscal Year 2015, state vocational rehabilitation agencies closed 320,155 cases of individuals who either initiated or completed services.

Table 10.3: In the Federal Fiscal Year 2015, state vocational rehabilitation agencies closed 181,008 cases of individuals who either initiated or completed services in which the individuals entered successful employment.

Table 10.4: In the Federal Fiscal Year 2015, of 320,155 closed cases of individuals who either initiated or completed services, 56.5 percent achieved successful employment, i.e., a rehabilitation rate of 56.5 percent.

Table 10.5: In Federal Fiscal Year 2015, thirty-five agencies were on Order of Selection. Over the period from 2011 to 2015, nineteen states have never had any agency on Order of Selection. Over the period from 2011 to 2015, seventeen states have always had all of their agencies on Order of Selection.

Table 10.6: From 2014 to 2015, the number of Vocational Rehabilitation applicants in the U.S. changed by -2.4 percent.

Table 10.7: From 2014 to 2015, the rehabilitation rate in the U.S. changed by -0.3 percentage points.

Table 10.1 Vocational Rehabilitation—Applicants: Federal Fiscal Year 2015
State Agency Type Applicants   State Agency Type Applicants
U.S. - 506,489 MO General 13,657 
AL Combined  9,646  MT Combined  3,098 
AK Combined  1,749  NE General  5,413 
AZ Combined  5,969  NV Combined  2,980 
AR General  6,690  NH Combined  2,313 
CA Combined 36,326  NJ General 11,897 
CO Combined  5,597  NM General  3,395 
CT General  3,871  NY General 36,167 
DE General  2,860  NC General 20,141 
DC Combined  3,128  ND Combined  1,390 
FL General 24,273  OH Combined 19,753 
GA Combined 11,353  OK Combined  7,181 
HI Combined  1,215  OR General  1,872 
ID General  6,071  PA Combined 20,626 
IL Combined 14,722  RI Combined  2,459 
IN Combined 12,044  SC General 14,906 
IA General  6,067  SD General  2,151 
KS Combined  4,507  TN Combined  6,787 
KY General 12,673  TX General 37,750 
LA Combined  7,577  UT Combined  7,553 
ME General  4,115  VT General  3,978 
MD Combined  7,435  VA General  9,645 
MA General  9,612  WA General  9,459 
MI General 17,032  WV Combined  4,947 
MN General  7,349  WI Combined 13,927 
MS Combined  7,518  WY Combined  1,881 

Source: U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration, Management Information System, Ad Hoc Query of the ARR RSA-113 Cumulative Caseload Report; rsa.ed.gov. In some states there are separate agencies for the blind.
Table 10.2 Vocational Rehabilitation—Closures after Services Initiated or Completed: Federal Fiscal Year 2015
State Agency Type Closures   State Agency Type Closures
U.S. - 320,155 MO General  8,301 
AL Combined  6,986  MT Combined  1,945 
AK Combined   975   NE General  3,260 
AZ Combined  2,621  NV Combined  1,652 
AR General  4,250  NH Combined  2,545 
CA Combined 26,905  NJ General  6,094 
CO Combined  2,873  NM General  2,019 
CT General  2,341  NY General 18,997 
DE General  2,143  NC General 11,470 
DC Combined  2,311  ND Combined   744  
FL General 13,478  OH Combined 12,039 
GA Combined  4,420  OK Combined  4,644 
HI Combined   600   OR General  1,131 
ID General  3,863  PA Combined 15,076 
IL Combined 11,751  RI Combined   931  
IN Combined  7,003  SC General 11,123 
IA General  4,047  SD General  1,122 
KS Combined  3,142  TN Combined  4,369 
KY General  7,437  TX General 20,127 
LA Combined  3,667  UT Combined  5,951 
ME General  1,951  VT General  3,719 
MD Combined  4,290  VA General  7,034 
MA General  7,725  WA General  4,832 
MI General 11,482  WV Combined  3,605 
MN General  5,018  WI Combined  8,319 
MS Combined  7,537  WY Combined  1,128 

Source: U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration, Management Information System, Ad Hoc Query of the ARR RSA-113 Cumulative Caseload Report; rsa.ed.gov. In some states there are separate agencies for the blind.
Table 10.3 Vocational Rehabilitation—Closures with Successful Employment Outcomes: Federal Fiscal Year 2015
State Agency Type Successful Closures   State Agency Type Successful Closures
U.S. - 181,008 MO General  5,063 
AL Combined  4,602  MT Combined   729  
AK Combined   576   NE General  2,168 
AZ Combined  1,339  NV Combined   886  
AR General  3,077  NH Combined  1,042 
CA Combined 13,416  NJ General  3,822 
CO Combined  1,686  NM General   778  
CT General  1,460  NY General 11,284 
DE General  1,138  NC General  6,317 
DC Combined   670   ND Combined   531  
FL General  5,034  OH Combined  5,562 
GA Combined  2,926  OK Combined  2,300 
HI Combined   266   OR General   760  
ID General  2,186  PA Combined  8,778 
IL Combined  5,923  RI Combined   643  
IN Combined  4,103  SC General  6,706 
IA General  2,321  SD General   769  
KS Combined  1,345  TN Combined  2,358 
KY General  4,497  TX General 13,241 
LA Combined  2,347  UT Combined  3,502 
ME General  1,132  VT General  1,922 
MD Combined  2,559  VA General  4,032 
MA General  3,789  WA General  3,191 
MI General  6,653  WV Combined  2,090 
MN General  3,104  WI Combined  4,875 
MS Combined  4,607  WY Combined   663  

Source: U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration, Management Information System, Ad Hoc Query of the ARR RSA-113 Cumulative Caseload Report; rsa.ed.gov. In some states there are separate agencies for the blind.
Table 10.4 Vocational Rehabilitation—Rehabilitation Rate: Federal Fiscal Year 2015
State Agency Type Rehabilitation Rate [1]   State Agency Type Rehabilitation Rate [1]
U.S. - 56.5 MO General 61.0
AL Combined 65.9 MT Combined 37.5
AK Combined 59.1 NE General 66.5
AZ Combined 51.1 NV Combined 53.6
AR General 72.4 NH Combined 40.9
CA Combined 49.9 NJ General 62.7
CO Combined 58.7 NM General 38.5
CT General 62.4 NY General 59.4
DE General 53.1 NC General 55.1
DC Combined 29.0 ND Combined 71.4
FL General 37.3 OH Combined 46.2
GA Combined 66.2 OK Combined 49.5
HI Combined 44.3 OR General 67.2
ID General 56.6 PA Combined 58.2
IL Combined 50.4 RI Combined 69.1
IN Combined 58.6 SC General 60.3
IA General 57.4 SD General 68.5
KS Combined 42.8 TN Combined 54.0
KY General 60.5 TX General 65.8
LA Combined 64.0 UT Combined 58.8
ME General 58.0 VT General 51.7
MD Combined 59.7 VA General 57.3
MA General 49.0 WA General 66.0
MI General 57.9 WV Combined 58.0
MN General 61.9 WI Combined 58.6
MS Combined 61.1 WY Combined 58.8

Source: U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration, Management Information System, Ad Hoc Query of the ARR RSA-113 Cumulative Caseload Report; rsa.ed.gov. In some states there are separate agencies for the blind. The rehabilitation rate is the number of closures with successful employment outcomes divided by the number of closures after initiating or completing services.
[1] The number of closures with successful employment outcomes divided by the number of closures after initiating or completing services.
Table 10.5 Vocational Rehabilitation—State Agencies with Individuals on Order of Selection at Fiscal Year-End: 2011 through 2015
State Agency Type Federal Fiscal Year   State Agency Type Federal Fiscal Year
11 12 13 14 15 11 12 13 14 15
AL Combined No No No No No MT Combined No No No No No
AK Combined No No No No No NE Blind No No No No No
AZ Combined Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes NE General Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
AR Blind No No No No No NV Combined No No No No No
AR General Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes NH Combined No No No No No
CA Combined Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes NJ Blind No No No No No
CO Combined Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes NJ General Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
CT Blind No No No No No NM Blind No No No No No
CT General Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes NM General Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
DE Blind No No No No No NY Blind No No No No No
DE General Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes NY General No No No No No
DC Combined Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes NC Blind No No No No No
FL Blind No No No No No NC General No No No No No
FL General Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes ND Combined No No No No No
GA Combined Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes OH Combined Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
HI Combined Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes OK Combined Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
ID Blind No No No No No OR Blind Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
ID General No No No No No OR General Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
IL Combined Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes PA Combined Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
IN Combined No No No No No RI Combined Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
IA Blind No No No No No SC Blind No No No No No
IA General Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes SC General No No No No No
KS Combined Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes SD Blind No No No No No
KY Blind Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes SD General Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
KY General Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes TN Combined Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
LA Combined Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes TX Blind No No No No No
ME Blind No No No No No TX General No No No No No
ME General Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes UT Combined No No No No No
MD Combined Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes VT Blind No No No No No
MA Blind No No No No No VT General Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
MA General No No No No No VA Blind Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
MI Blind No No No No No VA General Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
MI General No No No No No WA Blind No No No No No
MN Blind No No No No No WA General No No No No No
MN General Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes WV Combined No No No No No
MS Combined No No No No No WI Combined Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
MO Blind No No No No No WY Combined No No No No No
MO General Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Source: U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration, Management Information System, Ad Hoc Query of the ARR RSA-113 Cumulative Caseload Report; rsa.ed.gov. In some states there are separate agencies for the blind.
Table 10.6 Vocational Rehabilitation—Change in the Number of Applicants: 2014 to 2015
State Agency Type Applicants % [1]   State Agency Type Applicants % [1]
2014 2015 2014 2015
U.S. - 506,489 506,489 -2.4  MO General 13,657  13,657   4.7 
AL Combined  9,646   9,646  -50.9 MT Combined  3,098   3,098  -4.6 
AK Combined  1,749   1,749   3.6  NE General  5,413   5,413  -2.6 
AZ Combined  5,969   5,969   3.9  NV Combined  2,980   2,980   1.6 
AR General  6,690   6,690   2.2  NH Combined  2,313   2,313  -14.9
CA Combined 36,326  36,326  -0.6  NJ General 11,897  11,897  -4.5 
CO Combined  5,597   5,597  15.1  NM General  3,395   3,395  -0.7 
CT General  3,871   3,871   6.7  NY General 36,167  36,167  10.2 
DE General  2,860   2,860   9.4  NC General 20,141  20,141  -2.8 
DC Combined  3,128   3,128  -6.8  ND Combined  1,390   1,390  19.3 
FL General 24,273  24,273  -5.1  OH Combined 19,753  19,753   2.9 
GA Combined 11,353  11,353  40.4  OK Combined  7,181   7,181   8.0 
HI Combined  1,215   1,215  18.5  OR General  1,872   1,872  -75.6
ID General  6,071   6,071   8.7  PA Combined 20,626  20,626  -3.0 
IL Combined 14,722  14,722  -6.3  RI Combined  2,459   2,459  -16.9
IN Combined 12,044  12,044  -1.6  SC General 14,906  14,906   6.8 
IA General  6,067   6,067   0.5  SD General  2,151   2,151  -2.8 
KS Combined  4,507   4,507  -12.4 TN Combined  6,787   6,787  -11.8
KY General 12,673  12,673   6.8  TX General 37,750  37,750   9.3 
LA Combined  7,577   7,577   2.6  UT Combined  7,553   7,553  -21.8
ME General  4,115   4,115  -0.3  VT General  3,978   3,978  -3.4 
MD Combined  7,435   7,435  -6.1  VA General  9,645   9,645  -9.9 
MA General  9,612   9,612  -0.5  WA General  9,459   9,459  -2.8 
MI General 17,032  17,032   0.7  WV Combined  4,947   4,947  -3.1 
MN General  7,349   7,349   0.4  WI Combined 13,927  13,927   7.7 
MS Combined  7,518   7,518  -8.5  WY Combined  1,881   1,881   3.5 

Source: U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration, Management Information System, Ad Hoc Query of the ARR RSA-113 Cumulative Caseload Report; rsa.ed.gov. In some states there are separate agencies for the blind. The rehabilitation rate is the number of closures with successful employment outcomes divided by the number of closures after initiating or completing services.
[1] Percent Change in Applicants.
Table 10.7 Vocational Rehabilitation—Change in the Rehabilitation Rate: 2014 to 2015
State Agency Type Rehabilitation Rate (%) Change (% pts) [1]   State Agency Type Rehabilitation Rate (%) Change (% pts) [1]
2014 2015 2014 2015
U.S. - 56.8 56.5 -0.3  MO General 61.7 61.0 -0.7 
AL Combined 69.1 65.9 -3.2  MT Combined 42.2 37.5 -4.7 
AK Combined 62.4 59.1 -3.3  NE General 66.3 66.5  0.2 
AZ Combined 49.3 51.1  1.8  NV Combined 56.2 53.6 -2.6 
AR General 65.8 72.4  6.6  NH Combined 57.8 40.9 -16.8
CA Combined 58.1 49.9 -8.3  NJ General 64.4 62.7 -1.7 
CO Combined 43.6 58.7 15.1  NM General 40.9 38.5 -2.4 
CT General 61.4 62.4  0.9  NY General 58.6 59.4  0.8 
DE General 65.5 53.1 -12.4 NC General 58.1 55.1 -3.0 
DC Combined 58.1 29.0 -29.1 ND Combined 62.9 71.4  8.4 
FL General 29.9 37.3  7.5  OH Combined 43.0 46.2  3.2 
GA Combined 64.7 66.2  1.5  OK Combined 54.8 49.5 -5.3 
HI Combined 30.0 44.3 14.4  OR General 62.4 67.2  4.8 
ID General 58.2 56.6 -1.6  PA Combined 56.1 58.2  2.1 
IL Combined 51.8 50.4 -1.4  RI Combined 59.6 69.1  9.5 
IN Combined 59.5 58.6 -0.9  SC General 56.1 60.3  4.2 
IA General 59.7 57.4 -2.3  SD General 70.6 68.5 -2.1 
KS Combined 40.6 42.8  2.2  TN Combined 58.1 54.0 -4.2 
KY General 53.8 60.5  6.7  TX General 66.3 65.8 -0.5 
LA Combined 65.5 64.0 -1.5  UT Combined 52.4 58.8  6.5 
ME General 56.4 58.0  1.6  VT General 57.9 51.7 -6.2 
MD Combined 59.1 59.7  0.6  VA General 61.8 57.3 -4.4 
MA General 59.8 49.0 -10.8 WA General 62.1 66.0  3.9 
MI General 56.0 57.9  1.9  WV Combined 68.1 58.0 -10.1
MN General 61.4 61.9  0.4  WI Combined 60.9 58.6 -2.3 
MS Combined 73.4 61.1 -12.3 WY Combined 60.1 58.8 -1.3 

Source: U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration, Management Information System, Ad Hoc Query of the ARR RSA-113 Cumulative Caseload Report; rsa.ed.gov. In some states there are separate agencies for the blind. The rehabilitation rate is the number of closures with successful employment outcomes divided by the number of closures after initiating or completing services.
[1] The difference in percentage points in the rehabilitation rate between 2015 and 2014.