A state-specific examination of ethnic minorities with disabilities acceptance rates, service delivery, and rehabilitation outcomes within the Iowa Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services

The purpose of the present investigation was to examine vocational rehabilitation consumer variables prior to and after the implementation of Section 21 of the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1992 which established consumer and rehabilitation professional diversity as a priority in the state-federal vocational rehabilitation program. More specifically, this research investigated the following research questions: (1) Is there a trend toward improved acceptance rates of vocational rehabilitation services for ethnic minority and majority consumers with disabilities between fiscal years 1992 through 1997? (2) Is there a trend toward improvement with regards to service delivery for ethnic minority and majority rehabilitation consumers between fiscal years 1992 through 1997? (3) Is there a trend towards enhanced successful vocational outcomes for ethnic minority and majority rehabilitation consumers between fiscal years 1992 through 1997? (4) What differences exist among a matched sample of majority and minority consumers with regards to acceptance rates, service delivery, rehabilitation outcomes for fiscal year 1997? (5) What variables are associated with successful vocational outcomes for both majority and minority consumers for fiscal year 1996?;A number of significant differences across the study's major variables of interest were revealed. Findings of this investigation contradict previous research which contends that minorities in comparison to majority consumers have lower levels of success within the vocational rehabilitation system. Instead, findings of this study revealed that minorities with disabilities have higher percentages for acceptance rates and successful rehabilitation outcomes than majority rehabilitation consumers, while both groups demonstrated a decrease in the number of services provided. Counseling, cost of case services, and job finding were related to successful outcomes for both groups.;Recommendations and implications for future research regarding ways to improve service delivery to ethnic minorities with disabilities are provided.