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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Tremendous news! <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div style='border:none;border-left:solid blue 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 4.0pt'><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b>From:</b> NFBP-Talk <nfbp-talk-bounces@nfbnet.org> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Joseph Drenth via NFBP-Talk<br><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, July 1, 2021 10:33 AM<br><b>To:</b> nfbp-talk@nfbnet.org; pacapitalchapter@nfbnet.org; 'Greater Philly Email' <greaterphilly@nfbnet.org>; Keystone Chapter List of the NFB of PA <keystonechapter@nfbnet.org>; pabs@nfbnet.org; 'NFB of Pennsylvania Erie Chapter List' <nfbp-erie@nfbnet.org>; nfbp-brandywine@nfbnet.org<br><b>Cc:</b> Joseph Drenth <joe.drenth@gmail.com><br><b>Subject:</b> [NFBP-Talk] PA Office of Vocational Rehabilitation Reopening the Order of Selection -- No More Waiting List!<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Hello everyone,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>There is good news from Harrisburg: Effective today, the Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation is doing away with the waiting list to receive services. If you are seeking vocational rehabilitation services to pursue your educational or career goals, you will no longer be placed on a waiting list. The press release is attached as a PDF file, and the primary contents of the PDF are provided below for your benefit:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Pennsylvania DEPARTMENT OF LABOR & INDUSTRY<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>OFFICE OF VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) is announcing the reopening of the Order of Selection (OOS) for Pennsylvanians who are Most Significantly Disabled (MSD), effective July 1, 2021.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Due to this reopening, the waiting list will be discontinued for MSD applicants.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The Order of Selection was temporarily closed on July 1, 2019, after OVR's state board approved the closure.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The U.S. Department of Education's Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) subsequently approved and supported OVR's request to close the order and create a waiting list for new customers.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Since the closure of the order, OVR has authorized 17,162 individuals to be released from the wait list.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>For a customer to be determined MSD, they will need to meet the following eligibility criteria.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Those who are determined Significantly Disabled (SD) and/or Non-Significantly Disabled (NSD) will be served based on the availability of funds.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>MSD Criteria<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>• The physical, mental or sensory impairment(s) must seriously limit three or more of the individual's functional capacities;<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>and<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>• The individual must be expected to require two or more vocational rehabilitation services that are expected to last six months from the date of the Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) or be needed on an ongoing basis to reduce an impediment to employment.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>OVR looks forward to continuing their mission to assist Pennsylvanians with disabilities in achieving their independent living and employment goals.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>If you are interested in applying for OVR services, please contact your local OVR office or apply for OVR services online.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>OVR's Mission: To assist Pennsylvanians with disabilities to secure and maintain employment and independence.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Joseph Drenth <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>First Vice-President, National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Pennsylvania State Board of Vocational Rehabilitation<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Senior R&D Software Engineer, JBT Corporation, Automated Systems Division<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Cell: 215-827-7787<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Email: <a href="mailto:joe.drenth@gmail.com">joe.drenth@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></div></body></html>