New Jersey Division of Vocational Rehabilitation

What DVRS Does

The New Jersey Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services (DVRS) is the state agency responsible for helping individuals with disabilities prepare for, find, and maintain employment. For families navigating the transition from school to adult life, DVRS is one of the first outside agencies that should be part of your child's IEP transition planning — often years before they turn 18.

DVRS provides individualized employment services including career assessment, job coaching, supported employment placement, assistive technology, workplace accommodations, and job training. These services are free to eligible individuals and funded through a combination of federal (Rehabilitation Act) and state dollars.

Pre-Employment Transition Services Start at 14

Under IDEA and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), DVRS offers Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) to students with disabilities beginning at age 14. These early services are designed to expose students to career possibilities before they leave school:

• Job exploration counseling — career interest assessments, workplace visits, informational interviews
• Work-based learning experiences — internships, job shadowing, volunteer experiences
• Counseling on postsecondary education — exploring vocational programs, community college, and certificate programs
• Workplace readiness training — soft skills, punctuality, professional communication, workplace safety
• Self-advocacy instruction — understanding disability rights, requesting accommodations, communicating needs to employers

Pre-ETS don't require a formal DVRS application. Students receive these services through their school district's partnership with DVRS, typically coordinated through the Child Study Team during IEP transition planning meetings.

The IEP Connection

By age 16, New Jersey requires the IEP to include specific, measurable postsecondary goals covering education, training, employment, and (where relevant) independent living. The Child Study Team is required to facilitate consultation with outside transition agencies — and DVRS is the primary employment-focused agency they should be coordinating with.

If your child's IEP transition plan doesn't reference DVRS and your child has employment as a postsecondary goal, ask the Child Study Team to invite a DVRS counselor to the next IEP meeting. DVRS participation in transition planning is not optional when employment services are part of the student's projected needs — it's required under IDEA.

Applying for DVRS Services

While Pre-ETS are available without a formal application, full DVRS services — including job placement, supported employment, and long-term job coaching — require an eligibility determination. The application process involves:

1. Referral — can come from the school district, a parent, or the individual themselves
2. Intake interview — DVRS counselor reviews the individual's disability, functional limitations, and employment goals
3. Eligibility determination — DVRS evaluates whether the individual has a disability that creates a substantial barrier to employment and can benefit from vocational rehabilitation services
4. Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) — if eligible, DVRS and the individual develop a formal plan outlining specific employment goals and the services needed to achieve them

Most individuals with developmental disabilities who are receiving special education services will qualify for DVRS. The key is applying early — ideally at age 16 or 17, when the student is still in school and the IEP transition team can coordinate with the DVRS counselor.

After Age 18: The Consent Question

Once your child turns 18, they must provide their own consent for DVRS services. DVRS will communicate directly with the adult individual, not the parent — unless the individual has signed a release authorizing parental involvement, or the parent holds guardianship or a power of attorney covering vocational decisions.

This is one of several reasons the turning-18 legal transition matters for employment planning. If your child needs parental support to navigate the DVRS process but cannot independently manage the administrative requirements, having the right legal documents in place (an educational delegation, a durable POA, or a limited guardianship) ensures you can continue participating.

DVRS and DDD: Different Agencies, Different Functions

Families sometimes confuse DVRS with the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD). They're separate:

• DVRS focuses on employment — getting people into competitive, integrated jobs. Services are time-limited and goal-oriented. Once the individual is stably employed, DVRS services typically conclude.
• DDD funds ongoing community-based supports — day programs, residential services, support coordination, and employment maintenance beyond what DVRS provides. DDD services continue as long as the individual remains eligible.

For many young adults with developmental disabilities, the trajectory is: DVRS helps secure the initial job placement and provides intensive job coaching, then DDD-funded ongoing employment supports (through the Supports Program) maintain the placement long-term.

The handoff between these two agencies is one of the administrative coordination points that families need to manage. DVRS and DDD don't automatically coordinate — you (or your child's support coordinator) need to ensure both agencies are communicating.

Supported Employment

For individuals who need ongoing workplace support to maintain employment, DVRS can arrange supported employment services. This includes:

• A job coach who works alongside the individual at their job site, gradually reducing support as the person becomes more independent
• Customized employment — jobs tailored to the individual's specific abilities, sometimes negotiated directly with employers
• Self-employment support — for individuals whose skills and interests align with entrepreneurial options

Supported employment through DVRS aims for competitive, integrated employment — meaning the individual works alongside non-disabled coworkers, earns at least minimum wage, and holds a real position (not a sheltered workshop placement).

Making DVRS Work Within the Transition Timeline

The most effective approach coordinates DVRS involvement with the broader turning-18 transition:

• Age 14-16: Pre-ETS through the school district's DVRS partnership
• Age 16-17: Formal DVRS application and IPE development, coordinated with IEP transition goals
• Age 17-18: Legal transition documents (POA, healthcare proxy, educational delegation) to ensure continued parental participation in DVRS coordination after 18
• Age 18-21: Active DVRS job placement services running parallel to continued special education
• Age 21+: DVRS job coaching transitions to DDD-funded employment supports through the Supports Program

The New Jersey Adult Guardianship & Alternatives Guide maps DVRS coordination into the full turning-18 transition timeline alongside SSI applications, DDD eligibility, guardianship filing, and educational rights transfer.

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