Informed choice, considered to be a cornerstone of the 1998 Amendments
to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, is both a philosophy and a practice
in Michigan Rehabilitation Services (MRS).
The goal of informed
choice within the vocational rehabilitation (VR) system is to support
self-determination in the achievement of employment. MRS believes its
customers have the right to make choices about:
- The rehabilitation
technology they need to fully access vocational rehabilitation
services
- The types of
assessments they will need to determine their job goal
- A job goal that will
allow them to reach their chosen level of independence
- The services needed
to reach their goal
- The professional or
non-professional providers who can best meet their service needs
- How the services
will be arranged
- Satisfaction with
the services they have received
The philosophy behind
informed choice is that people with disabilities should have control
over the processes and services that affect their lives---and that
those who have control over their own vocational rehabilitation
planning will experience greater job satisfaction than those who do
not.
Informed choice is
practiced when rehabilitation counselors give customers (1) tools to learn
how to make choices, and (2) the information they need to make
their own choices.
Individuals need enough
information to identify questions and issues before they can make
informed choices. Options and techniques for choice-making are being
integrated into MRS's regular service delivery system. Practice and
real-life experiences are essential to effective choice-making.
MRS's introduction of
informed choice in its offices throughout the state is consistent with
the federal legislative trend toward expanding informed choice options
and self-determination for people with disabilities. |
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