Money invested in the Public Vocational Rehabilitation Program (VR) is money invested in America. Throughout the decades, Public VR has more than paid for itself by helping persons with disabilities increase their earning capacity. The money appropriated to the VR program helps to fill the federal and state treasuries. In a given year, VR graduates in the working world pay up to $2 billion in taxes of various kinds.

Public VR, originally created by federal law in 1920, is recognized as the cornerstone of our nation's commitment toward helping people with disabilities become economically independent. VR encourages individuals to support themselves and become productive members of their communities.

Last year, the Public VR Program helped 235,000 people with disabilities across America go to work. These individuals became self sufficient citizens who bought goods and services, purchased homes, cars and now save for their future. This means they are less reliant on government assistance, saving taxpayers millions of dollars.

Return on Investment

Investing in Americans with disabilities offers a high-yield return. The 235,000 Americans with disabilities who went to work last year earned a combined $3.1 billion in their first year of employment while they received only $2.9 billion in services from the Public VR Program nationwide.

These individuals who received help from the VR Program and went to work will:

• Pay back the cost of their rehabilitation services, through taxes, in 2-4 years;
• Benefit the combined federal and state tax treasuries by $2-4 in revenues for every VR dollar spent over subsequent years of work;
• Benefit themselves with $10 in earnings for every VR dollar spent over their subsequent years of work;
• Save the Federal Treasury or the Social Security Trust Fund $5 for every dollar spent, totaling $575 million savings in Federal FY 2000.

As wage earners, in their first year of work, new workers with disabilities paid:

• $290 million in federal taxes
• $530 million in Social Security and Medicare taxes (self and employer)
• $85 million in state income taxes
  
  

Quality and Effectiveness of Public VR

The Public VR Program has a long history of being responsive to consumers. In 1992, the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) authorized a study of performance of state vocational rehabilitation agencies throughout the country to determine the quality and effectiveness of the Public VR Program.

The Longitudinal Study of the VR Program was a national evaluation by the Research Triangle Institute that studied the effects of public VR services on economic and other outcomes for Americans with disabilities.

In 1998, the results showed that:

• 75% of all consumers rated VR services "excellent or good."
• 76% of all consumers felt they were given enough information to make informed choices.
• Nearly 80% of all consumers were "very satisfied or satisfied" with the counselor's efforts to help them work toward employment.
• 75% of all consumers were satisfied with the speed with which the counselor arranged for their services.

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with suggestions or comments about this site. Page last updated September 17, 2003