South Dakota Vocational Rehabilitation Disability

What DRS Vocational Rehabilitation Covers

The South Dakota Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) provides vocational rehabilitation (VR) to individuals with disabilities who need assistance preparing for, securing, or maintaining competitive integrated employment. VR services are federally funded under the Rehabilitation Act and available at no cost to eligible participants.

DRS operates as a division within the South Dakota Department of Human Services. Their state office can be reached at 605-773-3195 or [email protected].

The range of services is broad:

• Vocational counseling and guidance — a VR counselor works with you to identify employment goals, assess skills, and develop an Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE)
• Job placement assistance — matching your skills and interests to available positions
• On-the-job training and supported employment — coaching and support in the workplace during the initial employment period
• Assistive technology — equipment, software, or workplace modifications that remove barriers to employment
• Transportation assistance — support getting to and from work or training sites
• Post-secondary education or training — tuition assistance for community college, vocational programs, or certificate courses when education is part of the employment plan

Eligibility

VR eligibility requires three things:

1. A documented physical or mental disability (the existing disability determination from SSI, school evaluations, or physician records typically satisfies this)
2. The disability must create a barrier to employment
3. The individual must need VR services to prepare for, get, or keep a job

There's no means test — family income doesn't affect eligibility. The process starts with a referral to a DRS VR counselor, who conducts an intake assessment and determines eligibility, usually within 60 days.

For transition-age students (age 16 and up), the IEP team should coordinate directly with DRS to initiate the VR referral. South Dakota's Department of Education collaborates with DRS specifically to link transition students to VR services before they leave school.

Pre-Employment Transition Services and the Student Pipeline

DRS provides Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) to students with disabilities starting at age 16, even before they apply for full VR services. Pre-ETS includes:

• Job exploration counseling
• Work-based learning experiences
• Counseling on post-secondary education opportunities
• Workplace readiness training
• Self-advocacy instruction

Pre-ETS serves as the entry point for many students who later transition into full VR services after high school. If your child has an IEP or 504 plan, they're potentially eligible for Pre-ETS through DRS.

Project Skills

Project Skills is a South Dakota-specific paid work experience program coordinated between DRS and local school districts. Students with disabilities are placed in real community jobs — typically 10 to 20 hours per week — with job coaching support from DRS-funded staff.

The program runs during the school year and summer, giving students direct exposure to competitive employment environments while they're still enrolled in school. Participating students earn real wages and develop work history that strengthens their employment trajectory after graduation.

Project Skills placements span a range of industries: food service, retail, healthcare support, office work, grounds maintenance, and manufacturing. The specific placements depend on the student's interests, the local labor market, and available employer partners.

Project SEARCH

Project SEARCH is a national program implemented in South Dakota through partnerships between DRS, local school districts, and host businesses. It's designed for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities in their final year of high school eligibility.

The program operates as a full-year workplace immersion: students spend most of each day at the host business site, rotating through three different internship placements over the school year. Each rotation lasts roughly 10 to 12 weeks, building skills in different job functions.

The goal is competitive integrated employment at the host site or a similar employer by program completion. Project SEARCH consistently produces higher employment outcomes than traditional classroom-based transition programs because students develop real work skills in real environments with real employer expectations.

Host sites in South Dakota have included hospitals, hotels, and large employers in Sioux Falls and other population centers.

After School: Adult VR Services

VR services don't end at graduation. Adults with disabilities can apply for or continue VR services at any point in their working life. If your adult child was receiving VR services through the school transition pipeline, they can maintain their relationship with their DRS counselor and continue working toward their IPE goals after school ends.

For adults who weren't connected to DRS during school, the referral process is the same: contact DRS directly, complete an intake assessment, and work with a counselor to develop an employment plan.

Our South Dakota SSI at 18 & Adult Disability Benefits Guide coordinates VR services with SSI work incentives, ABLE account strategies, and waiver employment supports so your family has a complete employment and benefits framework for the transition to adulthood.

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