Support Programs
Supported Employment (SE)
Specialized vocational training for people with severe disabilities. After training, these individuals are then placed in a job and monitored until the job placement is stabilized.
contact David McDonald, Supervisor, at
david.mcdonald@arkansas.gov, or
26 Corporate Hill Drive
Little Rock, AR 72205
501-324-9521
Searcy One-Stop
The Searcy One-Stop Center houses several state agency offices whose missions compliment each other, including ARS, Employment Services Division (ESD), Green Thumb, and Arkansas Workforce Services. If one agency’s resources are not appropriate to help a customer, perhaps another of the agencies housed here can provide a more apt service.
The ARS office at the Searcy One-Stop includes a counselor who serves White County, a RIDAC psychological examiner who travels extensively to serve the needs of District II customers, a medical services liaison who also travels throughout the district to negotiate medical fees with hospitals and doctors, and a secretary who serves all those in the ARS office.
contact Christie Barttelt, District II Manager, at
Christie.Barttelt@arkansas.gov, or
Searcy One-Stop
501 West Arch
Searcy, AR 72143
(501) 268-6650
University of Arkansas Research and Training Center for Persons who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (R&T)
The Research and Training Center (RTC) conducts research, disseminates publications and products, and provides technical assistance to states, agencies, and programs that provide education and rehabilitation services to persons who are deaf or hard of hearing, including those with additional disabilities. Key services provided include needs assessment, consumer outcome satisfaction, program evaluation, intervention development, and staff development. Funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), the R & T Center serves a national audience of professionals, researchers, policy-makers, and consumer advocates. The primary mission of the Center is to contribute to enhancing the rehabilitation and employment of persons who are deaf or hard of hearing by implementing activities such as those listed above. The RTC is a programmatic unit within the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville College of Education and Health Professions and a collaborating partner with Arkansas Rehabilitation Services.
Contact information:
Dr. Douglas Watson, Director
Dwatson@uark.edu, or
26 Corporate Hill Drive
Little Rock, AR 72205
(501) 686-9691 (V/VP)
Community Rehabilitation Program
Arkansas Rehabilitation Services contracts with twenty-seven Community Rehabilitation Programs (CRPs) located throughout the state to provide assessment/evaluation, work adjustment and extended services training for Arkansas Rehabilitation Services-referred consumers in a realistic, vocationally relevant work-oriented environment. In conjunction with the individual consumer’s program plan of services, CRPs provide basic employability/job readiness skills training, independent living skills training, transportation services, supervised off-site mobile work crews, work enclaves, target specific vocational training, and direct job placement assistance. In addition, some CRP’s provide a vast array of associated services such as assistance with locating accessible housing, referral services, and some limited direct mental health/psychiatric counseling on site for eligible consumers.
CRP’s are located throughout Arkansas and most of its 75 counties are included in the service delivery areas of a Community Rehabilitation Program.
Contact information:
Dale Turrentine, Rehabilitation Program & Planning Director
dale.turrentine@arkansas.gov
(501) 296-1649
1616 Brookwood
Little Rock, AR 72202
Ticket to Work
Ticket to Work is an incentive program of the Social Security Administration that encourages SSI/SSDI Claimants to find ways to return to work, if possible. As the primary point of contact for the Division of Rehabilitation Services' Ticket to Work matters, The DRS TTW Center works directly with DRS Field Counselors/Rehabilitation Assistants to facilitate assignment of the Consumer's Ticket to the Agency.
Consumers (SSI/SSDI Claimants) often call the center after receiving a TTW for advice and information regarding how to appropriately use their ticket. The TTW Center encourages them to contact the DRS Counselor in their area to explore possible return-to-work strategy, and may refer them to other agencies for specialized assistance. The TTW Center has a direct and positive working relationship with Maximus, the contract agency for SSA/TTW.
contact Willard Crain, Administrator, at
mailto:willard.crain@arkansas.gov, or
501 West Arch
Searcy, AR 72143
(501) 268-4542
fax (501) 279-1521
Small Business Program Consultant
The Small Business Program exists to allow clients with entrepreneurial pursuits to seek self –employment as a realistic employment goal. Thorough evaluation of eligible individuals is necessary to assure the feasibility of this employment objective.
Contact Bob Rubenstein, Small Business Consultant
Robert.Rubenstein@arkansas.gov, or
2920 McClellan Drive
Jonesboro, AR 72401
(870) 972-0025
Fax (870) 972-1129
TDD (870) 972-1204
US Department of Health and Human Services Office on Disability (OD)
Visit the following link to the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disability's Federal-State Interactive website program:
(www.hhs.gov/od)
