Update from Oregon Vocational Rehabilitation: Update on VR services in the midst of COVID-19

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April 27, 2020

To:  Vocational Rehabilitation Stakeholders

From:  Keith Ozols, Director, VR

I am writing to update you on how Vocational Rehabilitation continues to practice social/physical distancing while providing services to help people get, keep and advance in employment.

Virtual services

We are committed to protecting the health and well-being of our staff and the people we serve. It’s central to our mission. On March 20, we moved our services from in-person to virtual. We appreciate the staff’s willingness to embrace new approaches and learn new technology, and the understanding of our clients and other stakeholders in adapting to the changes.

While we continued to conduct business, we had to put a hold on orientations and intakes due to federal requirements for face-to-face meetings and signatures. Along with VR agencies in other states, we worked with the federal Rehabilitation Services Administration to identify methods to continue with orientations and intakes.

Virtual orientations and intakes begin in May

We are pleased to announce that in May, VR offices will begin holding virtual orientation and intake appointments. First up will be the appointments that were cancelled in March.

Holding orientations and intakes virtually is a significant change from our long-standing process of in-person appointments. These appointments are complex and there will likely be challenges as we adjust.

Our staff are eager to get new applicants into services, especially during the current economic environment. We ask for your support as we move forward.

New online resource

We recently published a VR COVID-19 web page. It includes employment and benefits-related information, as well as information specific to VR services. We are working on a questions and answers document. If you don’t find what you’re looking for on that page, please use the link at the bottom of the page to let us know what you’d like to see.

A new communication tool is coming

While you are on the VR COVID-19 web page, you can ​subscribe​ to receive email updates from Vocational Rehabilitation. We will soon move our COVID-19 stakeholder messages to that platform. You can get a head start by signing up now.

The benefit to you? You can sign up or unsubscribe at will. You can also share the subscription information with others. That can be especially helpful to people who need to share information with their co-workers.

 

The adage, “It takes a village,” is true in the world of VR. Our clients and their employers are successful, in part, because of the work our staff accomplish with and through your organizations. We remain committed to being available to you through email and telephone to maintain continuity of VR services.

Sincerely,

 

Keith Ozols
Director
Vocational Rehabilitation

You can get this document in other languages, large print, braille or a format you prefer. Contact Oregon Vocational Rehabilitation at 503-945-5880 or by email at VR.DirectorsOffice@dhsoha.state.or.us. We accept all relay calls, or you can dial 711.