Vocational Rehabilitation

RESOURCES FOR VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION PROFESSIONALS

The goal of this project is to assist and enhance community based rehabilitation providers build capacity to better serve the vocational needs of individuals with traumatic brain injury. Our mission is to build a coalition of statewide experts who specialize in serving the unique needs of individuals with TBI. Click on the links below to download pdf versions of our curriculums and manuals free of charge.

The Brain Injury Handbook
An Introductory Guide to Understanding Brain Injury For Vocational Rehabilitation Professionals

Promising Practices
Community Capacity Building and Vocational Models of Service Delivery for Individuals with Traumatic Brain Injury
Brain Injury Association of Florida, Inc. partnered with community-based organizations throughout the State of Florida and offered them competitive grants to build capacity to better serve the vocational and community integration needs of individuals with TBI. BIAF facilitated community capacity-building efforts in eight regions in the State of Florida. This was achieved through the guidance and implementation of vocational models of service delivery pilot projects. Each of these projects was tailored to the unique vocational needs of individuals with TBI during the years 2006, 2007, and 2008. Curriculums created by various community-based organizations have been included and discussed in a “Promising Practices” manual.

The purpose of the “Promising Practices” manual is to assist others build capacity to serve the diverse vocational needs of individuals with TBI and to serve as a guide to facilitate successful community integration for persons with TBI.

Tailored Supported Employment Curriculums (Products for Individuals with TBI) 2007-2008: The purpose of these pilot grant projects is to assist organizations to build their capacity to better serve the diverse and unique vocational needs of their clients with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). The objective of this capacity-building effort is to enhance and tailor current supported employment programs within each of the awarded organizations. Grant awards were made possible in part by the State of Florida Department of Health Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Program.

One of the objectives of this project was to produce a product/curriculum that reflects the capacity-building efforts and methods of providing tailored supported employment services for individuals with TBI.

2007-2008 Vocational Model of Service Delivery for Individuals with TBI, Community Capacity Building Project: Supporting Providers of Supported Employment
Executive Summary and Final Report.

2007-2008 Supported Employment: In order to build capacity for organizations to create and implement a model of supported employment services that are tailored to meet the unique employment support needs of individuals with TBI, BIAF, Inc. has offered grant funds for one year through a competitive selection process. Eight regional awards have been issued throughout the State of Florida. These grant funds are being used to assist each funded organization to enhance their capacity to provide unique and tailored supported employment services that facilitate successful return to work for individuals with TBI.  Each funded organization is creating a unique product/curriculum that compliments each organizations current supported employment strategies and practice.  

Vocational Guidance Counseling and Disability Adjustment Counseling 2006-2007:
The purpose of these pilot grant projects was to assist these eight organizations to build their capacity to provide vocational guidance counseling and disability adjustment counseling for individuals with Traumatic Brain In jury (TBI). Grant awards were made possible in part by the State of Florida Department of Health Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Program.

Vocational grant contractors who received grant funds were responsible for developing methods/curriculum specific to vocational guidance and disability adjustment counseling for individuals with TBI.

2006-2007 Vocational Model of Service Delivery for Individuals with TBI: Community Capacity Building Project: Vocational Guidance Counseling and Disability Adjustment Counseling   Executive Summary and Final Report.

2007 Conference
Vocational Model of Service Delivery for Individuals with Traumatic Brain Injury: “Supporting Employment on the Forefront”, March 28th and 29th, 2007, Embassy Suites USF/Busch Gardens.

The goal of this conference was to educate and provide vocational rehabilitation professionals who provide direct vocational services to individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) with skills and techniques that will facilitate successful vocational outcomes for individuals with TBI in the State of Florida. Over 60 vocational service rehabilitation providers through out the State of Florida attended this conference.

2005-2006 - Disability Adjustment and Vocational Guidance Counseling:
In order to build the capacity for organizations to provide appropriate vocational guidance and counseling and adjustment counseling for individuals with a traumatic brain injury, BIAF offered grant funds for one year through a competitive selection process. Up to eight regional awards were issued. These grant funds were used to assist the funded organization to enhance their capacity to provide these essential, specialized, and intensive services needed for successful employment outcomes. A total of 81 individuals throughout the State of Florida received vocational guidance counseling and disability adjustment counseling services through this pilot project. Please email tdillahunt@biaf.org to request an Executive Summary.