If the Department of Services for the Blind anticipates it will not have adequate dollars to serve every eligible individual who applies for services in the coming federal fiscal year, they may have to implement Order of Selection (OOS).
The Department of Services for the Blind implemented OOS in 2018 due to decreased budget brought on by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014, which effectively cut the vocational rehabilitation adult services budget to 85% of what it had been. This decreased budget - along with rising costs - prevented the agency from serving every eligible person who requested services in FFY 2019. In order to meet its obligations for all eligible individuals who are in planned services, the agency needed need to create a wait list for newly eligible individuals.
Since that time, DSB VR teams worked diligently to provide services to individuals already in the VR program and reached a point where we are able to open all categories and serve everyone who is found eligible, and yet still be under OOS.
Though the agency is technically under OOS, we are no longer actively using it as a tool. There is no wait list and all eligible individuals requesting service can start their VR plans immediately.
Learn more about DSB's Order of Selection: