Rehabilitation Needs Assessment for Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies. Volume 1: A Guide to Needs Assessment in Rehabilitation Agency Planning

摘要

The project began after completion of the 'Gender Study.' A series of project concepts was identified by Region V program evaluation staff at their Annual Meeting at Madison, Wisconsin, in October, 1987. Four concept papers were prepared and presented to the Region V Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation at their winter meeting. The 'needs assessment' issue was given highest priority as most state agencies were searching for methodologies with which to meet the expanded requirements in the 1986 amendments to the Vocational Rehabilitation Act that the state plan be based upon a 'comprehensive needs assessment.' The council anticipated that a guide, tool kit, or state-of-the-art document that was developed from current legislative requirements by and for agency personnel would be of greatest benefit to state agencies. The identified goal of the Study Group's project was to produce a document which would put needs assessment within the contexts of providing rehabilitation based on identified consumer needs, preparing the State Plan for Vocational Rehabilitation, and meeting state and federal requirements. The outcome of the project was to be a document that would both provide appropriate technical information for planning and conducting rehabilitation needs assessment and provide guidance on how to effectively perceive and apply rehabilitation needs assessment findings to rehabilitation planning and delivery.