Arizona Department of Economic Security—Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program—Department should enhance its processes for managing rehabilitation service costs and clients’ progress

The Arizona Department of Economic Security (Department) operates the State’s Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program (Program), which is primarily funded by federal grant monies. The Program is responsible for assisting clients with a significant physical or mental impairment to prepare for and find work on a full- or part-time basis. However, the Department had a higher average rehabilitation cost and a lower rehabilitation rate than comparable agencies in other states. This high cost limits the number of eligible clients that the Department can serve. In addition, because the Program’s goal is to help eligible clients obtain or retain competitive employment, it is also important for the Department to work toward increasing its rehabilitation rate. Therefore, the Department should enhance its program oversight, staff guidance, and supervisory and staff training to effectively manage program costs and clients’ progress.