Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation for Disability: GVRA Services from Age 14 to Adulthood

What GVRA Does

The Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency helps individuals with disabilities prepare for, find, and maintain competitive employment. For transition-age youth — students between 14 and 22 — GVRA is often the first adult service agency a family interacts with, because its Pre-Employment Transition Services begin years before the rest of the adult system kicks in.

GVRA operates separately from DBHDD (which handles waiver services) and from SSA (which handles cash benefits). Its specific role is employment: connecting individuals with disabilities to job training, workplace accommodations, post-secondary education funding, and supported employment placements.

Pre-Employment Transition Services: Ages 14 to 22

Pre-ETS are available to any student with a disability between ages 14 and 22 who is enrolled in school — high school, home school, college, or a vocational training program. The services are free and do not require a formal VR application.

GVRA's Pre-ETS cover five core areas:

Job exploration counseling — helping the student identify career interests, understand job requirements, and explore industries that match their strengths.

Work-based learning experiences — internships, job shadowing, and on-the-job training with local employers. These placements give the student practical experience and help identify the types of workplace supports they may need.

Counseling on post-secondary opportunities — guidance on college programs, vocational-technical schools, and Georgia's Inclusive Post-Secondary Education programs for students with intellectual disabilities.

Workplace readiness training — soft skills like communication, time management, professional conduct, and self-advocacy in a work environment.

Self-advocacy instruction — teaching the student how to communicate their needs, request accommodations, and navigate workplace relationships independently.

To access Pre-ETS, a parent or the student's school submits a referral through the GVRA online portal at referral.gvs.ga.gov. For a minor, a signed parental permission form and a copy of the current IEP or 504 plan are required. Enrollment is typically completed within 30 to 45 days of the referral.

Transitioning to a Formal VR Case

Pre-ETS services are designed to run alongside the student's education. When the student graduates, exits high school, or is ready for more intensive employment support, the next step is opening a formal VR case with GVRA.

A formal VR case includes a thorough assessment of the individual's skills, limitations, and employment goals, followed by the development of an Individualized Plan for Employment. The IPE is a written agreement between the individual and their VR counselor that specifies the employment objective, the services GVRA will provide, and the timeline.

GVRA services available through a formal VR case include:

• Comprehensive vocational assessment
• Job coaching and supported employment placement
• Assistive technology evaluation and procurement
• Post-secondary education tuition (for programs that lead directly to the employment goal)
• Transportation assistance
• Workplace accommodations and modifications
• On-the-job training with wage subsidies for employers

Eligibility for a formal VR case requires documentation of a physical or mental impairment that creates a substantial barrier to employment, and a determination that VR services are needed to prepare for, secure, or retain employment. Eligibility decisions are made within 60 days of application. IPE development takes up to an additional 90 days.

Inclusive Post-Secondary Education Programs

Georgia has several IPSE programs — college-based programs specifically designed for students with intellectual disabilities who want a campus experience alongside career preparation. GVRA can fund tuition and support services for students accepted into a certified IPSE program.

These programs are not traditional degree tracks. They focus on career exploration, independent living skills, and social integration on a college campus, typically lasting two to four years. Students attend classes, participate in campus activities, and complete internships, often alongside peers without disabilities.

For families whose adult child is interested in a structured post-secondary path that combines career preparation with continued skill development, IPSE programs offer an alternative to immediate workforce entry or sitting on the DBHDD Planning List without structured daily activity.

How GVRA Fits Into the Broader Transition

GVRA operates in parallel with the other transition milestones — it does not replace SSI, Medicaid, or waiver services. The timeline looks like this:

• Age 14: Submit a Pre-ETS referral to GVRA through the school or directly online
• Ages 14 to 22: Participate in Pre-ETS services alongside school-based transition planning
• Age 18: File the adult SSI application, open a STABLE account, and submit the DBHDD waiver application — all separate from GVRA
• Ages 18 to 22: Transition from Pre-ETS to a formal VR case as the student approaches graduation
• Post-graduation: GVRA continues supporting the individual through job placement and supported employment

The employment track through GVRA runs alongside the benefits track through SSA and DFCS. When the individual starts working, the SSI work incentives — including the Student Earned Income Exclusion and Section 1619(b) Medicaid protection — govern how earnings affect benefits. GVRA can connect families with a Certified Work Incentives Coordinator to model the specific numbers.

Contact GVRA at 1-844-367-4872 or [email protected] to start a referral. The Georgia SSI at 18 & Adult Disability Benefits Guide covers the complete coordination sequence across all agencies — SSA, DFCS, DBHDD, and GVRA — from age 14 through adulthood.

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