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Chapter 3: Employment

Section 1: Employment and Training Resources

Experience Works

888-926-1739 Voice

www.experienceworks.org/site/PageServer?pagename=State_Oklahoma_Home

Experience Works has a very strong partnership in the Oklahoma Workforce Investment system. Their field operations coordinators are members of the local Investment Boards. Most of the staff has an office located in the local Workforce Centers. We provide general and community specialized training to seniors that meet eligibility requirements. Click here to view a map where Experience Works offices are located or call the phone number above.

Federal Jobs Network

Disabled Hiring Programs
Bookhaven Press LLC
249 Field Club Cir.
McKees Rocks, PA 15136

412-494-6926 Voice
412-494-5749 Fax

Bookhaven@aol.com
federaljobs.net/disabled.htm

This website section explains the various hiring options for people with disabilities. Individuals seeking appointments with the federal government must be proactive and begin networking with local agencies, contacting listed resources, and aggressively seeking out all available federal employment opportunities. Agencies have direct hire authority for Schedule A appointments presented in this section.

Lighthouse Transitional Center, Inc.

14625 N.E. 23rd St.
Choctaw, OK 73020

405-390-6223 Voice
405-737-8871 Fax

lhsetc@aol.com
lighthousetc.org/lh_master.htm

Transitional services for young adults with autism and other developmental disabilities. Emphasis on development of skills in adaptive behavior, independent living, social-emotional behavior and verbal and non-verbal communication. Provides training and practice for participation in the community and achieving each individual's potential for self-sufficiency. Individual assessments are provided and transition plans developed. Day and after school programs available.

Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services (DRS)

State Office
3535 N.W. 58th St., Ste. 500
Oklahoma City, OK 73112-4824

800-845-8476 Toll Free V/TTY
405-951-3400 Voice/TTY

www.okrehab.org/about-drs.html

The Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) expands opportunities for employment, independent life and economic self-sufficiency by helping Oklahomans with disabilities bridge barriers to success in the workplace, school and at home.

To connect to the DRS office in your area call 800-487-4042.

Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR): Employment services for people with any disability, except blindness.
Division of Visual Services (DVS): Employment and independent living services for people who are blind or visually impaired.
Disability Determination Division: Determines medical eligibility for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
Oklahoma School for the Deaf: Educational programs for children who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Oklahoma School for the Blind: Educational programs for children who are blind or visually impaired.

Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) - Transition School-to-Work Program

2401 N.W. 23rd St., Ste. 59
Oklahoma City, OK 73107

580-436-2430 Visual Services Statewide
405-522-6525 Vocational Rehab OKC Area

www.okrehab.org/students.html#3

The Transition School-to-Work Program helps students with disabilities who are eligible for vocational rehabilitation services to prepare for employment and life after high school. Services available through Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and Division of Visual Services counselors assigned to each high school include:

Vocational counseling and guidance assists teachers, parents and students in developing appropriate career goals.
Vocational assessment and evaluation helps determine students' employment-related strengths.
Work study provides job readiness skills, work experience and high school credits.
Work site learning, arranged through "cooperative agreements" with schools, provides minimum-wage work in the community or at school, job readiness skills, work experience and high school credits.
Work adjustment training is purchased from community-based facilities.
On-the-job training is arranged in the community for students in the second semester of their senior year with permanent employment as a goal.
Supported employment helps students in the second semester of their senior year transition into permanent employment.
Job development and placement specialists help students make job searches more successful.

Vocational Rehabilitation Services in the Oklahoma City area email ljgameson@drs.state.ok.us, Tulsa area email mbaker@drs.state.ok.us and other state offices email reames@drs.state.ok.us. Visual Services statewide email sghawkins@drs.state.ok.us

Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) - Visual Services, Business Enterprise Program

8 N.W. 8th St.
Oklahoma City, OK 73102

405-231-1060 Voice / TTY
405-231-1070 Fax

pbryant@drs.state.ok.us.
www.okrehab.org/jobseekers.html#15vr

This program trains and licenses legally blind individuals to manage food service facilities in government buildings and other public or private facilities around the state. Visual Services secures and equips locations and provides ongoing technical support for facility managers. Persons interested in pursuing this self-employment option should contact the nearest Visual Services office.

Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) - Visual Services, Instructional Services

Shepherd Mall
2401 N.W. 23rd St., Ste. 91
Oklahoma City, OK 73107

405-522-3382 Voice / TTY
405-522-3332 Fax

reboykin@drs.state.ok.us
www.okrehab.org/others.html#9ils

Rehabilitation Teachers of the Blind provide instruction and counseling services through a home visitation program which helps individuals adjust to the loss of sight. Contact local Visual Services offices for Instructional Services, which may include:

Adjustment counseling;
Communications skills instruction including (as needed) braille, keyboarding skills, low vision technology and adaptive techniques and devices;
Personal and home management skills instruction;
Daily living skills instruction for functioning independently at home;
Travel techniques (orientation and mobility);
Skills for participating in recreation and leisure activities;
Information on community resources; and
Information on adaptive devices and how to obtain them.

Contact the nearest DRS office for more information by calling 800-487-4042 or follow this link to a list of DRS offices statewide.

Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) - Visual Services, Rehabilitation Technology Lab for Blindness and Low Vision

Shepherd Mall
2401 N.W. 23rd. St., Ste. 91
Oklahoma City, OK 73107-2412

800-523-0288 Toll Free
405-522-3333 Voice

ahilliard@drs.state.ok.us
www.okrehab.org

Individual assistive technology evaluations;
Recommendations for assistive technology to meet individual needs;
Demonstration of adaptive computer technology;
Employer consultation on technology for employment situations; and
Information on assistive tech options for blindness and low vision.

Direct link: www.okrehab.org/services_vsservices.html.

Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) - Vocational Rehabilitation

3535 N.W. 58th St., Ste. 500
Oklahoma City OK 73112

800-845-8476 Toll Free
405-951-3400 Voice / TTY

lsantin@drs.state.ok.us
www.okrehab.org

The primary vocational rehabilitation services are counseling and guidance with job placement. However, other services may also be provided as needed for an individual to compensate for, correct or prevent disability-based barriers to employment. These services can include, but are not limited to:

Physical or mental restoration;
Vocational, college or other training;
Assistive technology evaluations, equipment and training;
Information on disability resources;
Personal assistance services while receiving VR services;
Transportation in connection with VR services being provided;
Supported employment;
Self-employment assistance;
Transition school-to-work services for youth with disabilities; and
Other services based on individual needs.

The services a person receives are determined by the person's Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE). This plan outlines a person's employment goal and the services that are needed to enable the person to achieve that goal. The IPE can be written by a VR client and counselor working together, or it can be written by the client according to guidelines the counselor will explain.

Eligibility: A person may be eligible for vocational rehabilitation services if he or she has a physical or mental disability that is a barrier to employment and if the person can benefit in terms of employment by receiving VR services.

Cost: Some services, such as medical examinations to determine if a person is eligible for vocational rehabilitation, counseling and job placement, are provided at no charge to the client. For some other services, a client may have to share in the cost, depending on his/her income and resources.

Applying for Vocational Rehabilitation services: Contact the nearest DRS office at 800-487-4042 or follow this link to a list of DRS offices statewide.

Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) - Vocational Rehabilitation, Services to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing - Oklahoma City

Shepherd Mall
2401 N.W. 23rd. St., Ste. 65
Oklahoma City OK 73107-2431

800-833-8973 Toll Free
405-522-7930 Voice /TDD

www.okrehab.org

Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing:
Transition Oklahoma City: Hope Crumley, 405-522-7935 Voice / TTY
West Oklahoma City: Karen Goforth, 405-522-6927 Voice / TTY
East Oklahoma City: Toni Foster, 405-522-7934 Voice / TTY

Services include:

Vocational Rehabilitation for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing provides services to help consumers get a job, keep a job, and/or get a better job, if under-employed. Counselors act as a consultant with consumers that have severe hearing loss and as a consultant with other agencies and organizations regarding resources or responsibilities. Counselors assist consumers in finding resources in the community available for people that are deaf or hard of hearing. Sign language interpreters are provided for vocational rehabilitation consumers for vocational rehabilitation services.
Employment Training Center can provide pre-vocational and independent living skills training for those needing assistance such as job readiness training, resume writing, job seeking and application assistance, self-advocacy training, job club and community resources. For more information email knutt@drs.state.ok.usor jrobertson@drs.state.ok.us or call 405-635-2781 or 405-635-2758.
The Oklahoma Quality Assurance Screening Test (QAST) is the method used by the Department of Rehabilitation Services to test and evaluate the proficiency of individuals requesting Oklahoma certification as interpreters for the deaf. If you would like to complete the application for certification, it is available for download in Microsoft Word format drsQASTapp07.doc (158 KB).

A list of all certified Oklahoma interpreters, is available for download in Microsoft Word format at oklacertint1.doc The Oklahoma Department of Education maintains an independent list of interpreters, which can be accessed from their website, at http://se.sde.state.ok.us/eir/publicReports/InterpreterRegistry.aspx.

Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) - Vocational Rehabilitation, Services to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing - Tulsa

8740 E. 11th St., Ste. F
Tulsa, OK 74112-7957

800-833-8973 Toll Free V/TTY
918-836-7105 TTY

lberglund@drs.state.ok.us
www.okrehab.org

Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing:
Ada: Alisa Proctor, 580-332-2785
Tulsa: Christina Reininger, 918-836-5556 V/TTY
Tulsa: Sandy Keesee, 918-836-5556 V/TTY

Services include:

Vocational Rehabilitation for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing provides services to help consumers get a job, keep a job, and/or get a better job, if under-employed. Counselors act as a consultant with consumers that have severe hearing loss and as a consultant with other agencies and organizations regarding resources or responsibilities. Counselors assist consumers in finding resources in the community available for people that are deaf or hard of hearing. Sign language interpreters are provided for vocational rehabilitation consumers for vocational rehabilitation services.
The Oklahoma Quality Assurance Screening Test (QAST) is the method used by the Department of Rehabilitation Services to test and evaluate the proficiency of individuals requesting Oklahoma certification as interpreters for the deaf. If you would like to complete the application for certification, it is available for download in Microsoft Word format drsQASTapp07.doc (158 KB).

Oklahoma Office of Disability Concerns (ODC)

2401 NW 23rd, Ste 90
Oklahoma City, OK 73107-2423

800-522-8224 Toll Free
405-521-3756 Voice
405-522-6706 TDD
405-522-6695 Fax

www.odc.ok.gov

The Office of Disability Concerns (ODC) is an independent State agency whose purpose is to help State government develop policies and services that meet the needs of Oklahomans with disabilities.

The Road to Employment: A manual for job seekers with disabilities. The publication is a project of the Oklahoma City Mayor's Committee on Disability Concerns. It provides self-assessment tolls, training resource information, strategies for marketing your qualifications, tips on writing resumes and cover letters, job search resources, information on job accommodations and employment rights of persons with disabilities, and post-hire considerations. Copies available from the Office of Disability Concerns.

U.S. Department of Labor

200 Constitution Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20210

866-633-7365 Toll Free
877-889-5627 Toll Free TTY
202-693-7888 Fax

www.disabilityinfo.gov

DisabilityInfo.gov is the federal government's one-stop Web site for people with disabilities, their families, employers, veterans and service members, workforce professionals and many others. A collaborative effort among twenty-two federal agencies, DisabilityInfo.gov connects people with disabilities to the information and resources they need to actively participate in the workforce and in their communities.

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07/09/2008