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Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE)

WHAT IS AN IPE?

An IPE is a plan to help a person with a disability, who qualifies for services, find, get and keep a job. It describes what the person wants to do, how they will get there (step by step) and the services needed to reach the goal chosen to work on.

 

The Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) is developed to help individuals with disabilities achieve their work goal by providing the needed supports for success. IPE development is done after the work goal is determined.

 

The Office of Adult Career and Continuing Education Services-Vocational Rehabilitation (ACCES-VR) and the New York State Commission for the Blind (NYSCB) vocational rehabilitation counselors both use IPE’s as the agreement between the individual with disabilities and themselves that explains the work goal, services being provided, responsibilities and the plan to success.

WHAT IS A VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION COUNSELOR?

Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors (VRCs) help people with disabilities. VRCs help people:

  • learn what they are able to do

  • understand their limitations

  • discover what they are interested in

  • set goals for employment and independent living

  • find jobs and the training needed to get and keep them

  • develop and write their plan for employment

WHAT IS IN AN IPE?

The Individualized Plan for Employment must include the goal for work that the person with the disability has chosen that matches their interests, strengths, needs and abilities. The IPE contains the:

  • specific services needed to reach the work goal

  • expected timeline to begin and end services

  • provider of services

  • way progress toward the goal is measured

RESPONSIBILITIES

A description of everyone’s responsibilities will be included since an IPE is an agreement between the person, ACCES VR or the Commission for the Blind and the service agencies.

WHAT IS THE PROCESS?

Meet with the counselor to:

  • determine eligibility

  • start the conversation about the work goal

  • discuss any experiences, education, and work skills the individual already has

  • talk about the options and ideas of the best work goal.

Decide the work goals with the answers to questions like

  • “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

  • “What do you like to do?”

  • “What don’t you like to do?”

Talk about the challenges, strengths, supports and services that will be needed such as

  • education

  • training

Choose the agency that will provide the supports needed to achieve the work goals such as

  • job coach

  • job development

Create the IPE with the details and decisions

Sign the agreement

  • the individual

  • the counselor

  • legal guardian when appropriate

Start services

RESOURCES

New York State Education Department Adult Career and Continuing Ed Services A Guide for Developing Your Individualized Plan for Employment

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New York State Commission for the Blind (NYSCB) Vocational Rehabilitation Services Manual: 6.00 Individualized Plan for Employment

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