Florida Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
Florida — Statewide State Agency
Full Description
The Florida Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) is a division of the Florida Department of Education that helps Floridians of any age who have a disability, including blindness or visual impairment, prepare for, find, and keep a job. Each customer works with a VR counselor who helps build an individualized plan based on the customer’s own skills, interests, and support needs.
Programs and Services
VR provides a range of services to help customers move toward employment, including:
- Career counseling and guidance
- Vocational, medical, and psychological evaluations
- Assistive and rehabilitation technology, including devices and equipment for people who are blind or visually impaired
- Job placement help, including resume writing and interview preparation
- On-the-job and vocational skills training
- Interpreter services for individuals who are Deaf, hard of hearing, or need a foreign language interpreter
- Transportation assistance to and from services
- Personal assistance services for daily living and work-related tasks
- Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) for students with disabilities beginning at age 14
Who the Agency Serves
Floridians of any age with a physical, sensory, intellectual, or mental health disability, including blindness and visual impairment, who need support preparing for, finding, or keeping employment.
Eligibility Information
To qualify for VR services, an applicant must have a disability that creates a barrier to employment and must be expected to benefit from VR services in reaching a job goal. Anyone already receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) automatically meets the disability requirement. A VR counselor typically issues an eligibility decision within 60 days of application. Because VR sometimes has more eligible applicants than it can serve right away, customers may be placed into one of three priority categories based on the severity of their disability.
Geographic Area Served
Statewide Florida, through seven regional VR Areas made up of local units that together cover every Florida county.
How to Apply
Anyone can refer a person to VR, including the individual, a family member, teacher, doctor, or other professional. After a referral, VR schedules an orientation and helps the applicant complete an application. A VR counselor then works with the applicant on an eligibility decision and, once eligible, an Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) that outlines the job goal and the services needed to reach it.
Contact Information
Telephone: (850) 245-3399 (headquarters) | (800) 451-4327 (toll-free)
VR Ombudsman: (866) 515-3692 (for concerns about services)
Email: [email protected]
Main Office: VR does not publish a single statewide office address; customers are served through the regional Area offices listed below.
Local and Regional Office Information
VR organizes services into seven regional Areas, each covering multiple counties: Area 1 (850-494-7152) covers the Panhandle from Escambia to Wakulla County. Area 2 (352-955-3200) covers North Central and Northeast Florida, including Duval and Alachua counties. Area 3 (407-897-2700) covers Central Florida, including Orange, Seminole, and Brevard counties. Area 4 (813-233-3600) covers the Tampa Bay area, including Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. Area 5 (239-260-6307) covers Southwest Florida, including Lee, Collier, and Sarasota counties. Area 6 (305-459-9161) covers Miami-Dade and Monroe counties. Area 7 (954-453-0680) covers Broward and Palm Beach counties. Contact the Area office nearest you to reach a local VR counselor.
Additional Notes
Students with disabilities can connect with VR as early as age 14 for Pre-Employment Transition Services, which offer career exploration and preparation for adult life. Businesses that want to become approved VR vendors can reach the vendor line at (850) 245-3401 or (866) 580-7438.
Why We Recommend This Resource
For Floridians who are blind or visually impaired and need help with job training, workplace accommodations, or finding employment, VR’s statewide network of counselors and specialists can be a valuable complement to the services offered by the Florida Division of Blind Services.