Introduction

Vocational Rehabilitation offers services to help individuals with handicaps gain employment. We provide employment opportunities, offer help gaining job skills, and provide quality of life services for those people who have a physical or mental disability that is a barrier to getting or keeping a job. The purpose of Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation Projects is to provide vocational rehabilitation services in a manner that is sensitive to the cultural practices of American Indians on Reservations.

The Spirit Lake Vocational Rehabilitation Project (referred to as SLVR throughout this document) was founded on October 1, 1997, the main intent to provide a unique program, which meets the needs of the members of the Spirit Lake Tribe, and members of other Tribes in the Spirit Lake Reservation.

VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION MISSION

The Spirit Lake Vocational Rehabilitation Project is designed to meet the needs for rehabilitation services on the Spirit Lake Reservation. This is accomplished by providing services to project consumers, developing and maintaining programs to support service delivery, and maintaining and improving agency support operations.  The ultimate goal is to demonstrate how one can make decisions and take control over his/her life.

PROJECT ACTIVITIES

The Spirit Lake Vocational Rehabilitation Project is designed to meet the needs for rehabilitation services on the Spirit Lake Reservation. This is accomplished by providing services to project consumers, developing and maintaining programs to support service delivery, and maintaining and improving agency support operations.  The ultimate goal is to demonstrate how one can make decisions and take control over his/her life.

1.  Guidance Counseling (with an emphasis on allowing for cultural differences)

  • Provides consumers with an ability to see themselves  being successful in finding and keeping a job
  • Aids consumers in maximizing their abilities.
  • Assists consumers with personal and vocational relationships.
  • Keeps a focus on financial and social independence, while maintaining cultural identity

2.   Job Placement and Development

  • Placement in a reasonable entry-level position, related to a career compatible with consumer’s interests and abilities
  • Placements such as homemaking, unpaid family worker, sheltered employment, and supported employment are acceptable if there is a socioeconomic  benefit and the objective is met

3.   Case Management

  • Utilizing of services compatible to program

4.   Public Relations and Education

  • An emphasis on networking, public awareness, community support, and information dissemination
  • Enhance the process towards independence for people with disabilities

5.   Independent  Living Guidance

  • Assists participants in maximizing independence through development of skills and resources for budgeting, use of public transportation, driving, ambulation, food preparation, personal hygiene and other activities of daily living.
  • Assistive Technology,  dependent on consumer needs, may be anything from laptop computers for vocational use,  to simple mechanical devices to assist in opening cabinet doors

7.  Assistance in acquiring skills and material resources for self-employment

8. Assistive technology

  • Assisting consumers in understanding available technologies
  • Providing equipment loan on a tribal basis
  • Using technology that best suits one’s needs

8.  Referral for appropriate evaluation or other services

CONSUMER ADVISORY COUNCIL

As required in 34 CFR 371.21(f), all AIVR programs are required to provide the opportunity for American Indians with disabilities to participate in matters of general policy development and implementation affecting VR service delivery on the reservation. 

The Spirit Lake VR consumer advisory council is a ten-member advisory board that participates in policy development, implementation and service delivery. The board consists of consumers, a state representative and local businesses. All board members are Native Americans and consumers with disabilities, one member representing each of the four districts. Five additional board members represent the major employers and state VR.  

The Consumer Advisory Council meets quarterly. An agenda is prepared in advance by the Project Director and submitted to the board members three business days prior to the meeting. Any board member can add items to the agenda by submitting to the Project Director in writing a minimum of five business days before the meeting.

Spirit Lake VR staff may consult individual members of the council for their expertise on issues  related to VR policies and services.