The Department of Human Services (DHS) Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) is the state's lead agency serving individuals with disabilities.  

DRS helps individuals with disabilities achieve their identified goals by providing funding for education/training programs or assisting with finding and maintaining employment.

Secondary Transition Experience Program (STEP), is a DRS-funded program offered through some high school and transition programs. This program provides in-school and community work training experiences. Students in STEP work with a DRS/Transition Specialist and their school transition team to receive the following services:

• Post-secondary counseling and guidance 
• Job exploration opportunities, to include job shadowing
• Work-based learning experiences
• Workplace readiness training
• Instruction in self-advocacy. 

Post high school/transition services offered through the adult DRS system includes:

• Post-secondary counseling and guidance 
• Job readiness skills
• Placement assistance
• Job coaching
• Support services
• Funding for community college, 4 year college/university or a training program
• Tools and equipment
• Accommodations
• Assistive technology / Prosthesis

DRS works with individuals who have a wide range of disabilities, including learning disability, emotional disability, diabetes, hearing loss, cognitive impairments, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, vision loss, muscular dystrophy, kidney disease, brain injury, paraplegia, quadriplegia, substance abuse, and many others. 

A student is referred to the STEP program through the high school or transition services case manager, transition specialist, or vocational coordinator, ideally during the student’s sophomore or junior year. 

A student with a disability who is within six months of exiting from a high school or transition program may complete an online referral. Also, referrals may be made by family members, school staff, mental health professionals, social workers, and other community agencies.

DHS: Rehabilitation Services: Apply Online (illinois.gov)

Individuals with disabilities work with high school/transition staff or an adult DRS counselor address the following steps:

• Identify an employment goal that matches the individual’s aptitudes and interests
• Develop a plan for employment that identifies the services that will be needed in order to reach the identified goal. 
• Follow the plan, which includes monitoring progress and identifying who will deliver services to achieve goals and arranging for services that will be delivered as the student transitions out of school services

DRS collaborates with many partners and agencies to offer a wide range of coordinated services that are designed to help individuals find quality employment aligned with their goals, interests and needs.

For more information on the Flow of Adult Services and collaboration between DDD and DRS, please see the attached memorandum.

Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS)-funded contracts for vocational services

Milestone:

Assists individuals in obtaining and maintaining community-based competitive integrated employment. These services support individuals for 90 days of employment.

Supported Employment: 

Competitive employment obtained and maintained with more extensive assistance of an Employment Specialist/Job Coach. The purpose of the Employment Specialist/Job Coach is to help the individual obtain and maintain successful employment and provide follow-up for an extended period of time (usually up to 18 months maximum). The Employment Specialist/Job Coach would work intensively in the initial job start-up by providing supervision, feedback, and simple job accommodations for the new employee. It is the expectation of SEP that the individual will be able to successfully maintain employment with minimum job coach intervention after 18 months. If extended coaching is needed, families may seek out the support of a personal support worker funded through the Home-Based Waiver Program. 

Customized Employment: 

A specific strategy that is based on identifying an individual's strengths, needs and interests and is designed to meet the specific abilities of the individual and the business needs of the employer. The job tasks and environment may be tailored to the specific needs of the individual.

Some agencies may offer customized employment in which opportunities for employment are customized or "carved" out within a competitive employment setting. Customized employment is based on individual skill level and interest. Job coaching services may be provided for an extended period of time (usually up to 18 months maximum).

Four essential components of Customized Employment: 

1. Discovery: Gathering information from the job seeker and the CE support team (a group of multiple partners, including the employment specialist who all jointly take some responsibility for the job seeker’s needs; however, the job seeker is the ultimate decision-maker) to determine the job seeker’s interests, skills, and preferences related to potential employment.
2. Job Search Planning: Using the information learned about an individual job seeker in Discovery to develop a plan toward a meaningful employment, determine a list of potential employers, and conduct an analysis of benefits.
3. Job Development and Negotiation: Working collaboratively with the individual and the employer to negotiate a customized job; the provision of support, and the terms of employment that will match the individual’s interests, skills, conditions necessary for success, and specific contributions, and will fill the unmet needs of an employer.
4. Post-Employment Support: Setting up on-going post-employment supports and monitoring the employment relationship to ensure satisfaction of both the individual and the employer.

JOB COACHING

Families need to consider options for long-term job coaching support should their young adult need it. Options for long-term job coaching support include:

• DRS can help support short-term job coaching, however a plan to fade the support is in place immediately.
• Using Home-Based Waiver funding or SSI to pay a support worker who can be contracted through an agency or someone hired by the family.
• Private pay for a support worker either through an agency or hired by the family. Resources to locate private pay support workers include:
  • Care.com (or similar websites)
  • Contacting local community colleges and posting within various departments such as Education or Nursing
  • Contacting local schools for after-school and weekend support

Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) funded services

Individual SEP Job Coaching:

Individuals who are funded through the Adults with Developmental Disabilities HCBS Waiver, and who achieve a successful outcome through DRS VR, are eligible for individualized Division of Developmental Disabilities Supported Employment Program (DDD SEP) funding for services and supports which serve to sustain community integrated employment. This funding is pulled from the monthly HCBS funding. Ideally, one starts with a DRS contract and moves into DDD with the same agency.

This service must be specifically requested, included in one’s personal plan through the ISC Case Manager and provides a maximum of 300 hours/year. 

Group SEP Job Coaching:

HCBS Waiver-funded individuals who are interested  in working and need more support than Customized Employment may choose to participate in Group SEP. One may request activation without DRS involvement. A successful DRS closure is not required. Group SEP services have an annual maximum of 1200 hours (two funding codes: 1-3 or 4-6). Individuals are paid a competitive wage and work in an integrated business, with individuals without disabilities. The ISC writes the plan which is sent to and implemented by the CRP.

Information on these services:

https://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=138046

List of DDD Supported Employment Program providers that also provide employment services funded by the Division of Rehabilitation Services (Supported Employment, Milestone & Customized Employment). 

https://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=129596

If one is living in a CILA, one works with the ISC to incorporate this into their personal plan.

Individuals who qualify for DRS are eligible to apply for funding for community college, a 4-year college/university or a technical or trade school.

Requirements/documents to submit for funding:

• High school Grade Point Average of at least 2.0.
• Provide Student Aid Report (SAR) after applying for FAFSA (For community college, family income is not considered, but is required) 
• Acceptance letter for college/training program 
• Proof of academic proficiency (ACT, SAT, community college placement tests)
• Copy of high school transcript
• Answers to the following questions:
  • Describe your current level of education and previous college training
  • Describe your performance in high school and any special honors or scholarships you received.
  • Describe your extracurricular activities which show that you are a mature and responsible student (jobs, clubs, sports, volunteering, religious activities, etc.)
  • Describe how you are prepared to enter and manage college
  • Describe the type of job you expect to obtain upon completion of your college training. 
  • Reference and summarize employment outlook information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook (search your career here)
  • Attach the program narrative for your major from your college website

Tips for Maintaining Government Benefits While Working

Considerations for students obtaining paid employment - COMING SOON

Best Buddies

500 N. Dearborn, Suite 730
Chicago, IL 60654
(708) 804-4400

Center for Enriched Living

280 Saunders Rd
Riverwoods, IL 60015
(847) 948-7001

Clearbrook

1815 W. Central Road
Arlington Heights, IL 60005
(847) 385-5328

Jewish Vocational Services

255 Revere Dr, Suite 200
Northbrook, IL 60062
(847) 412-4300

Little City

1760 W Algonquin Road
Palatine, IL 60074
(847) 358-5510

Orchard Village

7660 Gross Point Rd
Skokie, IL 60077
(847) 967-1801

SEARCH, Inc
1925 N Clybourn, Suite 200
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 305-5000

TotalLink2 Community
1200 Shermer Rd, Suite 109
Northbrook, IL 60062
(224) 412-4718

The goal of the WIPA program is to enable individuals with disabilities who are receiving goverment benefits to make informed choices about work. Each WIPA project has Community Work Incentives Coordinators who will:

• provide in-depth counseling about benefits and the effect of work on those benefits
• conduct outreach efforts to beneficiaries of SSI and SSDI (and their families) who are potentially eligible to participate in Federal or State work incentives programs; and work in cooperation with Federal, State, and private agencies and nonprofit organizations that serve disabled SSI and SSDI beneficiary

WIPA Counseling

• Volunteers of America at 312-896-3220 (Cook County)
• Ticket to Work: 866-968-7842 or 866-833-2967 (TTY) (Lake County)
• Illinois Assistive Technology Program

217-522-7985 (V/TTY) or 800-852-5110

• Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities 

312-746-5743 or 312-744-7833

Service Area Includes: City of Chicago 

• Department of Human Services, Division of Mental Health

866-390-6771 or 312-814-5050

Families need to consider options for long-term job coaching support should their young adult need it. Options for long-term job coaching support include:

• DRS can help support short-term job coaching, however a plan to fade the support is in place immediately.
• Using Home-Based Waiver funding or SSI to pay a support worker who can be contracted through an agency or someone hired by the family.
• Private pay for a support worker either through an agency or hired by the family. Resources to locate private pay support workers include:

1. Care.com (or similar websites)
2. Contacting local community colleges and posting within various departments such as Education or Nursing
3. Contacting local schools for after-school and weekend support

Day Training is offered within a facility that offers vocational services for individuals with moderate to severe disabilities who are not ready or able to sustain competitive employment. These facilities usually have subcontracted work with area businesses to complete basic work tasks that are routine in nature. Clients are paid an hourly wage on a piece-rate basis. (The more work completed, the higher the hourly rate). Most workshops offer habilitation or developmental training with a focus on increasing independence in daily living skills or community involvement (such activities would include instruction in self-care, budgeting, community volunteer work, crafts, etc.) Families can pay for programs through SSI/Medicaid benefits, including home-based support services.

Avenues to Independence

444 Mercantile Ct.
Wheeling, IL 60090
(847) 541-5250

Clearbrook

1835 W Central Rd. 
Arlington Hts, IL 60005
(847) 385-5328

Douglas Center

3445 Howard St.
Skokie, IL 60076
(847) 674-1921

Glenkirk

3504 Commercial Ave.
Northbrook, IL 60062
(847) 272-5111

Misericordia

6300 N Ridge 
Chicago, IL 60660
(773) 973-6300

Riverside

960 Corporate Woods Pkwy
Vernon Hills, IL 60061
(847) 793-0010

Shore Services

8350 Laramie Ave.
Skokie, IL 60077
(847) 982-2030

Some agencies may offer customized employment in which opportunities for employment are customized or "carved" out within a competitive employment setting. Customized employment is based on individual skill level and interest. Job coaching services may be provided for an extended period of time (usually up to 18 months maximum).

This is competitive employment that is obtained and maintained with the more extensive assistance of a job coach. The purpose of the job coach is to help the individual obtain and maintain successful employment and provide follow-up for an extended period of time (usually up to 18 months maximum).

The job coach would work intensively in the initial job start-up by providing supervision, feedback, and simple job accommodations for the new employee. It is the expectation of SEP that the individual will be able to successfully maintain employment with minimum job coach intervention after 18 months. If extended coaching is needed, families may seek out the support of a personal support worker funded through the Home-Based Waiver Program. 

Assists individuals with various disabilities in obtaining and maintaining community-based competitive integrated employment. 

Other services included in this process include assessment, skills training, career development,  job development and placement, and up to 90 days of job coaching.