Vocational Rehabilitation SErvices

As a Community Rehabilitation Provider (CRP) contracted through the Kentucky Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR), AOK Employment focuses on individual supports that utilize the interest, skills and contributions of job seekers to match the needs of local businesses.  AOK aims to promote opportunities for job-seekers in their local communities.

Supported Employment has been successfully used for decades as a personalized model for supporting people with significant disabilities to secure and retain paid employment. This model uses a partnership strategy to enable job-seekers to achieve sustainable long-term employment and businesses to employ valuable workers. 

Supported employment is designed to promote personalized employment opportunities for job-seekers when they need support to: 

• Discover personal interests and contributions —
• Find or negotiate a job that fits things they like to do and do well —
• Become established as valued employees —
• Pursue job advancements  

Additional Information about Supported Employment:

• Regardless of other services received, people must become a client of Kentucky’s Office of Vocational Rehabilitation in order to begin Supported Employment.
• The eligibility process for Supported Employment Services will be determined by the OVR Counselor. AOK can assist you in getting started with this process.
• Supported Employment has shown, time and again, that people with disabilities CAN be successful in Good Jobs.

Referrals:

• For job-seekers on the SCL or Michelle P Waiver, Case Managers should send referrals to kaitlyn.paschall@aoky.org. Please include Participant Summary, Psychological Evaluation/IEP, and BOTH release of information forms located at the bottom of this page.
• For job-seekers not on a medicaid waiver, individuals and/or their guardian should send an email to kaitlyn.paschall@aoky.org, Please include documentation of disability such as Psychological Evaluation/IEP and BOTH release of information forms located at the bottom of this page.

Pre-ETS services help prepare youth ages 14-21 in learning the skills they will needs to make a more successful and seamless transition into adulthood.

Potentially Eligible and Eligible Student will be taught in a 1:1 or no more than 1:3 ratio by the Pre-ETS Specialist using 5 core competencies. Students will learn skills based on their interests and strengths. 

1. Job Exploration Counseling, such as career counseling, learning about jobs in the community, and job search assistance.
2. Work-Based Learning Experiences, including internships, job shadowing, job placement assistance, and on-the-job training.
3. Workplace Readiness Training, to develop social and independent living skills, such as the ‘soft skills’ that are important to any job. 
4. Post-Secondary Counseling, which may include exploring opportunities for enrollment in postsecondary educational programs at colleges and universities.
5. Instruction in Self-Advocacy, which may include teaching students to set their own life goals, benefits planning and financial readiness. 

How to sign up:

Fill out the Pre-ETS referral packet, located at the bottom of this page, along with documentation of the students disability to kaitlyn.paschall@aoky.org

Known as RETAIN Kentucky, the Kentucky extension of RETAIN is being led by the Kentucky Office of Vocational Rehabilitation together with the University of Kentucky Human Development Institute and committed project partners, including The Council of State Governments.

The aim of RETAIN is to help injured or ill workers remain in or return to their jobs by implementing and evaluating early intervention strategies. The unique intervention program works with employees, employers and healthcare providers, to address issues that can be factors in successful return to work.