Racial disparities in VR use and job placement rates for adults with disabilities

Racial and ethnic disparities in access to vocational rehabilitation (VR) services and the efficacy of those services are a perennial concern of rehabilitation practitioners. This study used data from the Disability Supplement to the 1994 and 1995 National Health Interview Surveys (NHIS) to assess VR services utilization and employment outcomes among different racial and ethnic groups of working-age adults with disabilities. Racial disparities in the socioeconomic status of VR recipients were identified. Minorities received different types of VR services than did European Americans. European American VR recipients had the highest rates of competitive employment, whereas African American VR recipients were placed in noncompetitive employment more often than other racial groups. Policy and programming implications for VR professionals are discussed.