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YOUTH, PARENTS, TEACHERS, AND COUNSELORS |
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Understanding American Indian (Tribal) VR
The American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Program is designed to assist eligible Native Americans with disabilities in becoming employed.
In Oklahoma, the program provides culturally appropriate services to individuals through a cooperative agreement between the state of Oklahoma and federal and tribal service providers.
Each Oklahoma tribal vocational rehabilitation program has a working partnership with the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services (DRS). VR clients have the option to work with both programs during the rehabilitation progress.
Examples of available services include vocational, medical and psychological evaluations, vocational counseling and guidance, physical and mental restoration, training, rehabilitation equipment and devices, and job placement.
In counties served by participating nations or tribes, individuals may be eligible for services if they:
- have proof of citizenship from a state or federally recognized tribe,
- reside within an area served by a participating nation or tribe,
- have physical or mental disabilities which are barriers to employment,
- can benefit from vocational rehabilitation services to obtain an employment outcome, and
- require VR services to get, keep or return to work.
A tribal liaison from DRS provides technical assistance to the program which is funded through the U. S. Department of Education Grant Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services.
Important Note: Ten Oklahoma tribes have a formal VR program that they use for delivering assistance to tribal citizens with disabilities. Of the ten Oklahoma tribes that do have a formal VR program, not all have their own transition department for students with disabilities.
Whether they have their own transition department or not, the tribe can still connect (refer) students with disabilities to DRS. After the student is determined eligible for services by DRS, the tribe and DRS can work together to help students with disabilities get connected with appropriate transition services and resources in as timely a manner as possible.
Below is a list of the Oklahoma tribes that have a formal VR program.
Apache Tribe of Oklahoma Vocational Rehabilitation Program
Counties Served: Caddo, Comanche, Cotton, Jackson, Kiowa, and Tillman
Phone: (405) 247-7494
Email: apachendnvr1@yahoo.com
Visit the Apache Tribe of Oklahoma VR Program website
Cherokee Nation Vocational Rehabilitation Program
Counties Served: Adair, Cherokee, Craig, Nowata, Sequoyah, Washington, Delaware, Mayes, McIntosh, Muskogee, Ottawa, Rogers, Tulsa, and Wagoner
Phone: (918) 207-3874
Email: james-ballard@cherokee.org
Visit the Cherokee Nation VR Program website
Cheyenne and Arapaho Vocational Rehabilitation Program
Counties Served: Beckham, Blaine, Canadian, Custer, Dewey, Ellis, Kingfisher, Major, Roger Mills, Washita, and Woodward
Phone: (405) 422-7613
Email: tyeahquo@c-a-tribes.org
Visit the Cheyenne and Arapaho VR Program website
Chickasaw Nation Vocational Rehabilitation Program
Counties Served: Bryan, Carter, Coal, Garvin, Grady, Jefferson, Johnston, Love, Marshall, McClain, Murray, Pontotoc, and Stephens
Phone: (580) 559-0815
Email: jason.burns@chickasaw.net
Visit the Chickasaw Nation VR Program website
Choctaw Nation Vocational Rehabilitation Program
Counties Served: Atoka, Bryan, Choctaw, Coal, Haskell, Latimer, LeFlore, McCurtain, Pittsburg, Pushmataha, and Hughes
Phone: (580) 326-8304
Email: ddavenport@choctawnation.com
Visit the Choctaw Nation VR Program website
Comanche Nation Vocational Rehabilitation Program (Has Transition dept./staff)
Counties Served: Caddo, Comanche, Cotton, Grady, Jackson, Jefferson, Kiowa, Stephens, and Tillman
Phone: (580) 492-3606
Email: VOC-REHAB@comanchenation.com
Visit the Comanche Nation VR Program website
Delaware Nation Vocational Rehabilitation Program (Has Transition dept./staff)
Counties Served: Blaine, Caddo, Cleveland, Grady, Kiowa, Logan, McClain, and Oklahoma
Phone: (405) 632-3749
Email: rallen@delawarenation-nsn.gov
Visit the Delaware Nation VR Program website
Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma Vocational Rehabilitation Program (Has Transition dept./staff)
Counties Served: Kay, Lincoln, Logan, Noble, Pawnee, Payne, and Pottawatomie
Phone: (405) 547-2402
Email: rbaker@iowanation.org
Visit the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma VR Program website
Muscogee Creek Nation Vocational Rehabilitation Program
Counties Served: Creek, Hughes, Mayes, McIntosh, Muskogee, Okfuskee, Okmulgee, Rogers, Tulsa, and Wagoner
Phone: (918) 623-1197
Email: edelacruz@mcn-nsn.gov
Visit the Muscogee Creek Nation VR website
Wichita and Affiliated Tribes Rehabilitation Program (Has Transition dept./staff)
Counties Served: Blaine, Caddo, Canadian, Grady, Kiowa and Washita
Phone: (405) 247-2425 Ext. 148
Email: adrian.smith@wichitatribe.com
Additional general questions can be sent to JRinglero@okdrs.gov
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BEST STEP 2025 Application Now Open!
Applications for BEST STEP 2025 are officially open! Our flagship summer program, BEST STEP, is an opportunity for transition age youth to learn job skills while having fun. There is even an option for many participants to work a part time summer internship and get paid!
Specific sites and dates for each location are still being finalized. The application and location information for BEST STEP 2025 can be found online using the link below. Applications due by March 1, 2025.
Click here for BEST STEP 2025 application and location information
Click here to download BEST STEP 2025 flyer
For questions about the application process, please email TransitionTeam@okdrs.gov
February 2025: Project SEARCH (Francis Tuttle) Information Night
 Join the Francis Tuttle Project SEARCH program on Thursday, February 13 from 6:00 p.m. through 7:30 p.m. for a Project SEARCH information night. Attendees will learn about Project SEARCH, a unique hands-on training program that helps people with disabilities gain valuable job skills.
There will be a presentation, a question and answer session, and an opportunity to speak with instructors and meet current students.
Location:
Francis Tuttle Technology Center, Rockwell Campus
12777 Rockwell Blvd. Oklahoma City, OK 73142
RSVP by selecting THIS LINK
February 2025: Oklahoma School for the Blind Future Shock Resource Fair
 Join the Future Shock Resource Fair at the Oklahoma School for the Blind in Muskogee. The goal is to help prepare students for their future by eliminating the "shock" that can exist for those transitioning into early adulthood.
Date and Time:
Thursday, February 20, 2025 from 9:00 a.m. through 3:00 p.m.
Location:
Oklahoma School for the Blind
3300 Gibson St. Muskogee, OK 74403
Sponsors include Oklahoma School for the Blind, Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services, and the University of Oklahoma's National Center for Disability Education and Training.
This resource fair is for high school students, parents, and teachers who want to learn more about special education and other transition resources.
Teachers, be advised that you are invited to bring student groups throughout the day. Please RSVP your group using the link below.
Select here to RSVP a student group
Parents and students, be advised that you are all welcome throughout the day. You are asked to RSVP if attending by using the link below.
Select here to RSVP as an Attendee
If you have any questions about the Future Shock Resource Fair, please send an email to Tracy.Keeley@okdrs.gov.
March 2025: People with Disabilities Awareness Day 2025 at the Oklahoma History Center
Oklahoma’s People with Disabilities Awareness Day, which brings hundreds of people with disabilities, their families and their supporters together, will be held on March 11.
PWDAD celebrates the commitment and hard work of Oklahomans with disabilities to lead independent lives and pursue work. Also, it connects vendors who can provide critical services to Oklahomans.
The 2025 event will be held from noon to 4:00 p.m. at the Oklahoma History Center, 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive, Oklahoma City. PWDAD is open to the public and people are encouraged to wear green to show support.
Volunteers are critical to the success of PWDAD, and if you are willing to help, please go ahead and register for the event.
Select here to register for PWDAD.
If you mention the event on social media before or on the day of the event, use the hashtag #PWDAD2025 so we can build a community around this event.
If you have any questions or need help registering, please call us at (405) 951-3478 or email, cmartin@okdrs.gov.
March 2025: Inclusive Community Resource Fair
 Join the Inclusive Community Resource Fair! This event will take place in Oklahoma City on March 13, 2025 at MetroTech's campus located at 1900 Springlake Drive. There will be a resource fair and light snacks. Families will have access to resource tables dedicated to supporting individuals with disabilities - including complimentary food.
Featured seminars include a seminar on Alternate Diploma, and Guardianship and Alternatives to Guardianship.
There will be an Embark tour where participants will have the opportunity to explore the Embark bus and discover how to effectively navigate the bus system.
There will be a smart home demo where participants will learn about different adaptive equipment and technology to make their homes accessible and easy to navigate.
If you would like to attend, volunteer, or become a vendor, sign up today using the QR code on the flyer above or using the link below.
Select here to sign up to attend, volunteer, or become a vendor
March 2025: PartnerSHIPS: Charting the Course
 Join Oklahoma Family Network (OFN) at one of the six locations for a family and professional conference as they navigate PartnerSHIPS and Charting the Course together. Register today to secure your spot. At the conference, you will hear from incredible speakers, learn about partnership opportunities, and network with others in your community. The conference will take place on March, 28, 2025.
Onsite locations include Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Enid, Duncan, Okmulgee, and Poteau. Details will be available upon Registration.
Select here to register as an attendee or a vendor
For more information, visit the Oklahoma Family Network website at https://oklahomafamilynetwork.org
Order Transition Folders
Transition Folders include recommended resources, services, and activities for students with disabilities as they prepare for life after high school. Grade levels include high school, middle school, and elementary school. It's never too early to plan a child's future.
How to get your folders -
Send email to TransitionFolders@okdrs.gov. Please include the requested quantity of each grade level, shipping address, phone number, and reason they are needed.
Tulsa Area and Oklahoma City Area Transition Fairs
 NEW resource! Anyone can learn about transition (resource) fairs happening in both the Greater Tulsa and the Greater Oklahoma City areas. The calendars can be accessed from a computer through the following links:
Click here for Tulsa area transition fairs
Click here for Oklahoma City area transition fairs
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Serving and inspiring Oklahoma's students with disabilities is our passion; our purpose. Each month, we hope to highlight a student whose story encourages others.
We have learned that one of the best ways to hear about our most amazing students is from those that spend time with them everyday. So, we encourage family members, education professionals and transition professionals to tell us about students who are doing amazing things.
This month, we shine the spotlight on Kaden, a [school or Chisolm high school graduate. He and Tracy Keely talked about hobbies, plans for the future, and what he would do if he could change the world with fifty thousand dollars. Here is how the conversation went.
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Meet Kaden
Where did you go to High School?
I graduated from Chisholm High School in May 2024
What are your interests and hobbies?
My hobby is woodworking.
What activity do you enjoy the most during the winter?
I like to stay inside when it is cold outside.
What is your preferred winter drink?
My favorite drink in the winter is Hot Chocolate with marshmallows.
If I were to provide you with $50,000 to create a positive impact in your community, how would you use it to bring about meaningful change?
I would buy new phones for everyone.
Have you ever had any prior work experiences or volunteer opportunities?
Yes, I have worked at a business that makes gourmet dog bones.
Could you share your experience with the Project Search program?
In the Project Search program, I have mainly worked in the boiler room tightens pipes and screws.
What is something you learned from the Project Search program?
I have learned to take better care of my phone or to just not bring it to work.
What are your plans after you complete Project Search?I would love to work at PetSmart.
What is your dream career?
My dream job would be to own a woodcrafts store.
What advice or tips would you like to share with other youth?
My advice to other youth is to keep your phone in the classroom.
What is the most significant goal or dream you wish to achieve in your lifetime?
My dream is to go to college.
What would you like the world to know about you?
I would like the world to know that I am kind, hardworking, and like to help others.
Is there anyone specific you’d like to give a shoutout to?
No.
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How to nominate a Student:
If you know a current or former student who has participated in Transition events or who has found success through Transition services, please let us know by submitting this nomination form.
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 Transition Resources
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Project SEARCH
Project SEARCH™ is a business-led, collaborative model that provides employment and education opportunities for high school seniors or post-secondary technology center students with disabilities through a combination of classroom employability skills instruction, career exploration, and on-the-job training and support. The program is a year long.
Program partners include a host business, Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services (DRS), a host school (high school or career technology Center), The University of Oklahoma National Center for Disability and Education Training, and a Community rehabilitation provider. Program participants must be DRS clients and have a real desire to obtain competitive employment at the conclusion of the program.
For information on establishing a Project SEARCH, please contact:
Brandi Hurley
bhurley@ou.edu
405-482-0829
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Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS)
Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) assist students with a documented disability, ages 14-21 and enrolled in an Oklahoma school system, to explore, discover, increase awareness, and prepare for post-secondary training/education and/or employment. Pre-ETS activities focus on job exploration, work-based learning, workplace readiness, self-advocacy and post-secondary education counseling.
Depending on which part of the state a student is in, Pre-ETS will be provided by either Kiamichi Technology Center, Central Technology Center, or the University of Oklahoma.
Jesse Renteria at DRS can help direct those who are interested to the appropriate Pre-ETS team member.
For more information or to get connected, please contact DRS team member Jesse at:
JRenteria@okdrs.govor by phone at 405-951-3463
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Here are some exciting grant opportunities to be aware of:
Oklahoma Department of Career Technology Education (ODCTE) Perkins Innovative Grants
- Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education (ODCTE) supports the implementation of quality CTE programs. The purpose of this grant is to provide startup funding for new CTE programs. This would include any program approved within the past three years. Applicants can only receive one grant within the three-year period. This grant will help overcome the cost barrier of implementing CTE programs by providing schools with funding to purchase necessary equipment and resources to increase enrollments and opportunities for students statewide. (Up to $25,000. One year grant)
- Applications must be submitted through the CareerTech Information Management System’s grant module. The online system is located at the link below:
- https://ctims.okcareertech.org/CTBDSWeb/
- Video tutorials on how to utilize the system are in the help section of the Information Management system. You can also find them here.
- For help with CTIMS, contact the Information Management Division (IMD) at 405-743-5134 or by email at CTIMSSupport@careertech.ok.gov.
- Please direct questions to Jordan Duck, Innovative Grant Coordinator, Jordan.duck@careertech.ok.gov, 405.743.5401.
- Application deadline is May 7, 2025.
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Oklahoma Department of Career Technology Education (ODCTE) Technology Implementation/Upgrades for K-12 Schools
- The Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education requests proposals for funding to implement and/or upgrade instructional and training technology for the purpose of (1) innovative “cutting edge” hardware and software, (2) curriculum materials, (3) machinery and equipment for new technologies, and/or (4) instructor training.
- Schools may be awarded up to $15,000. The grant period is July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026.
- Proposals must be received no later than March 5, 2025.
- Send the Letter of Commitment signed by the Superintendent, proposal and budget to cslotterygrants@careertech.ok.gov. Grant applicants will receive a confirmation during the work week by email within 24 hours. If you don’t receive a confirmation email, please contact Kim Downey at 405-743-6831 or kim.downey@careertech.ok.gov .
- For more information, please visit https://oklahoma.gov/careertech/educators/funding-and-grants.html
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Brittani Ham is a vocational rehabilitation (VR) counselor in the Durant office. She joined the DRS team two moths ago and is thriving in her role with the agency. Brittani earned a bachelor of art in human services counseling - Rehabilitation Concentration and will be pursing her master’s degree in the fall. She is a native of Kiowa, and now lives in Atoka.
She learned from a friend about DRS and how we go about serving people with disabilities and knew immediately that this was the place for her to pursue a career. Her passion for helping others is clear to all who are fortunate enough to get to spend time with her.
Brittani is a motivated, smart and caring VR professional. We are lucky to have her on the team.
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 Brittani Ham
Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist
Vocational Rehabilitation
ph. 580-924-2677
brittani.ham@okdrs.gov
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What is Transition?
The Transition program provides services to prepare students with disabilities for employment and life after high school. Services may include career counseling, vocational evaluation, work adjustment training, on-the-job training, work-study, and job development and placement. The Vocational Rehabilitation and Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired divisions jointly run the Transition program so the youth can easily move into adult services when it is time.
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We can help create the blueprint for your youth’s success |
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