RIS – Rehabilitation Instructional Services
Service goal: To work with individuals with severe disabilities to achieve increased independence through the provision of individually planned rehabilitation services. These services may be provided in either an individual or a group setting.
Orientation and Adjustment to Disability Services
Services include:
Addressing various aspects of the client’s disability and the impact of the disability on independent living and work
Development of adequate social functioning in clients who are experiencing personal and interpersonal problems, whether pertaining to temporary situational stress or a disabling condition
Assistance in developing self-help skills through the client’s own self-directed adjustment to and acceptance of their disability(ies), increase self-confidence, increased independence and independent problem solving, etc.
Instruction in personal habits, responsibility, and decision making
Referral to and instruction in using of disability-related services available in the community (for example, Arizona Long Term Care, Arizona Health Care Containment Cost System, Arizona Department of Behavioral Health Services, etc.)
Orientation and Mobility Training Services
Services include:
Safe transfer and travel/navigation techniques
Instruction in how to follow directions to reach a specific location
Communication skills and strategies for contact with the public
Use of the telephone for information and emergency procedures
Independent Living Skills Development Services
Services include:
Personal appearance, hygiene, and grooming
Learning to organize and dress for school or work
Personal safety
Personal management of medications
Use of simple (low-technology) adaptive aids and devices
Appropriate use of personal care attendants
Financial planning, money management, and budgeting, etc.
Meal planning and nutrition, etc.
NOTE: These services are not intended to serve the following clients:
RSA clients who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, visually impaired, or those who have combined vision and hearing loss are served under a separate RSA contract.
NOTE: These services are not intended to:
Provide job development and placement assistance
Assess the client’s vocational skills or conduct a situational assessment
Teach specific vocational skills
Provide therapeutic or other counseling intervention to address significant behavioral or psychological issues.
Manual Adaptive Communication Training
Manual Adaptive Communication Training services is focused instruction in American Sign Language (ASL) to assist VR Clients with hearing loss in acquiring vocabulary skills necessary to participate in Vocational Rehabilitation services. Manual Adaptive Communication Training may include, but not limited to, instruction in:
Minimal sign language vocabulary, including signs as required for assessment and employment purposes;
How signs are formed including handshape, position, orientation, and movement production characteristics of signs, and
Grammatical elements important to sign language communication (e.g. use of sign space, sign verb agreement, facial expressions/non-manual behaviors and number incorporation.