About Us

The Office of Rehabilitation Services administers the following programs

The Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Program   

A public state and federally-funded program that assists individuals with disabilities to choose, prepare for, obtain, advance in, and maintain competitive integrated employment. Employment being the successful outcome of services provided through the public vocational rehabilitation program. It is expected that individuals with disabilities who apply for  services are interested in becoming employed and understand that this is the focus of the VR program.

For more information on the VR Program 

Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired (SBVI):   

Offers a wide array of services to eligible individuals who are blind or visually impaired through its Vocational Rehabilitation Unit, Business Enterprises Program, and Social Services Program. The various services offered by these programs are designed to help individuals of all ages achieve independence at home, in the community, and in the workplace.

For more information on the Services for the Blind & Visually Impaired Program

Adaptive Telephone Equipment Loan Program (ATEL):   

Provides landline/home telephones and wireless devices on loan to qualified individuals who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, have a speech disability, or have neuromuscular damage or disease that hinders them from using a standard telephone.  You must be a RI Resident, have one of the above-mentioned disabilities, and meet one of the income qualifier criteria described on the application. The ATEL Program now offers a Hearing and Speech Lab which will offer iPad/iPhone training and have the following devices available for FREE demonstrations, as well as, many devices available for short term loans.

For more information on the ATEL Program

Assistive Technology Access Partnership (ATAP):   

A statewide partnership of organizations, each with a targeted assistive technology focus, working together to improve access to and acquisition of assistive technology for individuals with disabilities.  ATAP's main initiatives include: Device Demonstration, Device Loan, Device Re-Use, and Training, Public Awareness, Collaboration, Information & Referral.  ATAP Partners include Adaptive Telephone Equipment Loan Program (ATEL), East Bay Educational Collaborative (EBEC), Ocean State Center for Independent Living (OSCIL), and TechACCESS of RI.

For more information on the ATAP Program

The Rhode Island Disability Determination Services (RI DDS):   

A unit within the Office of Rehabilitation Services, which operates under a “state-federal” partnership.  The function of the RI DDS is to make determinations as to the medical eligibility of adults and children with physical and/or mental impairments who have applied for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and/or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. The RI DDS is assigned a budgeted workload under a regulatory agreement with the Social Security Administration (SSA).  The RI DDS is 100 percent financed by SSA to adjudicate initial disability applications, appeals of cases initially denied, and continuing disability reviews. The RI DDS also performs disability hearings on cases in which benefits have been terminated. 

For more information on the Disability Determination Services unit