(a)
The Legislature finds and declares as follows:
(1)
Work is a valuable and important activity, both for individuals and society, and fulfills the need of an individual to be productive, promotes independence, enhances self-esteem, and allows for participation in the mainstream of life.
(2)
Disability is a natural part of human experience and in no way diminishes the capacity of individuals to live independently, enjoy self-determination, make choices, contribute to society, pursue meaningful careers, and enjoy inclusion and integration in the economic, political, social, cultural, and educational mainstream of society.
(3)
As a group, individuals with disabilities experience staggering levels of unemployment and poverty.
(4)
Increased employment of, and independent living for, individuals with disabilities can be achieved by providing individualized training, independent living services, educational and support services, and meaningful opportunities for employment in integrated work settings with reasonable accommodations.
(5)
Individuals with disabilities, including individuals with the most severe disabilities, have demonstrated their ability to achieve gainful employment in integrated settings if appropriate services and supports are provided.
(6)
The provision of vocational rehabilitation services can enable individuals with disabilities, including individuals with the most severe disabilities, to pursue meaningful careers by securing gainful employment commensurate with their abilities and capabilities.
(b)
The purpose of this division is to assist the Department of Rehabilitation in operating comprehensive, coordinated, effective, efficient, and accountable programs of vocational rehabilitation and independent living that are designed to assess, plan, develop, and provide services for individuals with disabilities, particularly individuals with the most severe disabilities, consistent with their strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, and capabilities, so that these individuals may prepare for and engage in gainful employment and live more independently.
(c)
The Department of Rehabilitation’s vocational rehabilitation and independent living programs shall be consistent with the national policy toward people with disabilities articulated in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-336) and the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998 (Public Law 105-220).
(d)
It shall be the goal of the Department of Rehabilitation to provide individuals with disabilities with the tools necessary to do all of the following:
(1)
Make informed choices and decisions.
(2)
Maximize employment, independence, and economic and social self-sufficiency in the mainstream of society.
(3)
Achieve equality of opportunity and inclusion and integration into all aspects of society.
(e)
The Department of Rehabilitation’s vocational rehabilitation and independent living programs, projects, and activities shall be carried out in a manner consistent with the following principles:
(1)
Respect for individual dignity, personal responsibility, self-determination, and pursuit of independent living and meaningful careers, based on informed choice of individuals with disabilities.
(2)
Respect for the privacy, rights, and equal access of individuals with disabilities, including, but not limited to, the use of accessible formats.
(3)
Individuals with disabilities, including individuals with the most severe disabilities, shall be generally presumed to be capable of engaging in gainful employment, and the provision of individualized vocational rehabilitation services can improve their ability to become gainfully employed.
(4)
Promotion of independence, inclusion, integration, and full participation of individuals with disabilities.
(5)
Individuals with disabilities shall be provided the opportunities to obtain competitive employment in integrated settings.
(6)
Individuals with disabilities shall be active participants in their own rehabilitation programs, including, but not limited to, making meaningful and informed choices about the selection of their vocational goals and objectives and the vocational rehabilitation services they receive.
(7)
Support for the involvement of a parent, a family member, a guardian, an advocate, or an authorized representative, if an individual with a disability requests, desires, or needs that support.
(8)
Individuals with disabilities and their advocates are full partners in the vocational rehabilitation and independent living programs and shall be involved on a regular basis and in a meaningful manner with respect to policy development and implementation.
(9)
Qualified vocational rehabilitation counselors, and other qualified personnel facilitate the accomplishment of the employment and independent living goals and objectives of an individual.
(10)
Accountability measures must facilitate and not impede the accomplishment of the goals and objectives of the department’s programs, including providing vocational rehabilitation and independent living services to, among others, individuals with the most severe disabilities.