Vocational Rehabilitation 101

Start Your New Career

VR 101 provides information for employment staff just starting their careers. It is a free course that you can complete online at your own pace and is customized for Indiana VR employment providers.

Learn More About VR 101

VR 101 is a free course for new employment specialists or supervisors. Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation sponsors the course and offers it to employment specialists and their organizations at no cost.

You can complete VR 101 online at your own pace. Modules take about 2 hours to complete.

The course covers the basic skills and information that new employment service professionals need to know. You’ll learn about things like:

• The Employment Services Model

• VR documentation and processes

• The role employment specialists play in VR cases

People who sign up for VR 101 also get access to other supports that help with training, like office hours, coaching, and VR 101-specific resources.

Lunch & Learn

Cognitive Distortions: Unhelpful Thinking Patterns and Their Effects on Employment Part 1 

January 19th, 2024 

Cognitive distortions are irrational or unhelpful thinking patterns. Everyone has unhelpful thinking patterns. However, with some mental health conditions they can be especially prevalent and affect a person’s daily life – such as black-and-white thinking and borderline personality disorder. In this webinar, we will discuss five of the most common cognitive distortions including overgeneralizing, catastrophizing, and personalization. These unhelpful thinking patterns can affect how we work towards our goals, the quality of our relationships, and our quality of life. Join us for this webinar to hear about: 

• What cognitive distortions and mental health conditions commonly overlap 

• Examples of how negative thinking patterns can develop and affect people with disabilities 

• Developing a growth mindset and practices to use at work 

Lunch & Learn Schedule

Cognitive Distortions:

Unhelpful Thinking Patterns and Their Effects on Employment Part 2 

February 16th, 2024

Dissociation: How It Can Look and Be Managed 

March 15th, 2024

Addiction's Impact on Employment and Coping Skills 

April 19th, 2024

Mental Health, Employment, and Executive Dysfunction Part 1:

Memory, Flexibility, and Control 

May 17th, 2024

Mental Health, Employment, and Executive Dysfunction Part 2:

Planning, Reasoning, and Problem Solving 

June 21st, 2024 

Monthly Supervisor Circle

Supervisor Circle Guest Speaker

Thursday, January 25th from 10-11 AM ET via Zoom

Join the January Supervisor Circle featuring guest speaker, Steve Upchurch, Training Director for Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation to learn and discuss Career Pathways.

Steve Upchurch has served as the Training Director for Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) since November 2016. Prior to his current role, he served in both counselor and supervisory roles. Steve earned a Master of Arts degree in Education and Human Development from George Washington University and is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor. He serves on the board of Indiana APSE – the Association of People Supporting Employment First, is a member of the Advisory Council for the Center for Innovative Training in VR and is a part of the CSAVR DEI&A Professional Network. Steve lives in Indianapolis, Indiana with his wife, son, and their two dogs, and enjoys public speaking and travel.

Resource of the Week

VR 101 Resources

Here are a number of resources that can be useful as you begin to provide employment services.

• VR Employment Initiatives Webinar

The Division of Disability and Rehabilitative Services and the Bureau of Rehabilitation Services will host a webinar to provide updates on several initiatives aimed at system transformation, to better support individuals with disabilities in achieving their desired outcomes. DDRS will provide updates on several initiatives, including new performance incentive payment opportunities for VR employment service providers.

• Examples of completed Monthly Progress Summaries:

  • Amy Monthly Progress Summary   

  • Angie Monthly Progress Summary September

  • Angie Monthly Progress Summary November

  • Don Monthly Progress Summary

• Examples of completed Discovery Profiles:

  • Amy Discovery Profile

  • Don Discovery Profile

  • Angie Discovery Profile

• Examples of completed Job Development and Placement Plan:

  • Amy Job Development and Placement Plan

  • Don Job Development and Placement Plan