Evaluation Services
Helping individuals explore their vocational potential.
- Vocational Evaluation Services
- Community Living Services
- Customized Services
- Housing and Meals
- How to Make a Referral
- Staff
- Contact Us
What is Vocational Evaluation?
Vocational evaluation is a process during which participants try out work tasks and take tests to learn about their vocational strengths, weaknesses, and interests. Participants receive career counseling on realistic job goals and determine steps to achieve these goals. SVRI can evaluate any individual seeking assistance in determining vocational goals and specializes in working with people with barriers to employment such as disabilities and criminal histories.
SVRI’s evaluations are usually five days long and include the following components:
- An orientation session
- A comprehensive interview during which the evaluator gathers background information from the client and the client learns what to expect from the evaluation
- Interest testing
- Achievement testing – reading, spelling, math
- Aptitude testing – tests which predict future ability for tasks, such as clerical perception or dexterity
- Work samples – simulated work tasks that the evaluator observes the participant completing to determine work behaviors and performance, in some cases compared to normative data
- Career exploration – learning about different jobs that exist
- A staffing at the end of the week during which the evaluator, client, referral source, and anyone else invited by the client discuss the findings from the week
- A comprehensive final report describing the individual’s background and evaluation results
Participants leave the evaluation with a better understanding of what they are capable of, usually as a result of trying activities related to jobs that interest them. Comprehensive recommendations include employment options developed in collaboration with the participant and services necessary to achieve vocational goals. Examples of services sometimes recommended include skill building or postsecondary education, job shadows, assistive technology, work experience, independent living skills assessment, or benefits consultation.
Each week a group of approximately 2-10 participants start the evaluation together on Monday. They may complete some group activities for the first couple of days, but each person has a different experience at their evaluation. Although the basic process is similar for people, we have numerous work samples that people will try out depending on their skills and interests. Some participants may spend most of their time doing work samples, while others may spend more time exploring different careers. Vocational evaluation is an individualized process.
Vocational Evaluation Services
SVRI has three different types of evaluations for people with varying needs. Some people need minimal assistance in the vocational evaluation process while others need much more attention and time to accurately assess their skills and determine vocational options. If you have questions about cost or which type of evaluation would be most appropriate, contact the evaluation services manager.
Standard Vocational Evaluation
In this evaluation, one evaluator assesses three clients over five days. Each participant receives approximately 8 hours of 1-1 time from the evaluator. Therefore, appropriate clients for a standard vocational evaluation need to be able to work independently on tasks and interact appropriately in a group as the evaluators need to spread their time out among three clients. The ability to read, write (physically and cognitively), and communicate are necessary for participants to be appropriate for this evaluation.
One-on-One Vocational Evaluation
This evaluation was developed because some participants required more assistance and time than evaluators were able to provide in a standard vocational evaluation. Having one evaluator work with one client for five days allows the evaluator to spend more time with the participant and provide more accurate and detailed information.
Participants appropriate for one-on-one evaluations will likely have more significant needs than those appropriate for a standard vocational evaluation. They may have difficulty reading or writing (physically or cognitively), behaving appropriately in a work setting, staying on task, working independently, communicating, or comprehending information or instructions. One hour of assistive technology consultation is available for participants with technology needs.
Intensive Evaluation
In the intensive evaluation, the staff to client ratio is increased to provide even more comprehensive services to individuals with significant barriers to employment. One assistive technologist and one vocational evaluator work together on an evaluation of one participant for five days. Goals of the intensive evaluation are to address performance enhancement, independence, and quality of life to increase overall success. The infusion of assistive technology often allows the participant to explore options that were previously not considered. All possible technology needs of the participant are considered including activities of daily living, mobility, adaptive transportation, computer access, worksite accommodations, and environmental controls. For more information on the intensive evaluation: Intensive Flyer.
The participants often have some of the same qualifications as those who attend a one-on-one evaluation such as difficulty reading or writing, behaving appropriately, staying on task, working independently, communicating, or comprehending information or instructions. However, participants who do not have any of these qualifications can still benefit from an intensive evaluation if they have significant assistive technology needs or they would benefit from the brainstorming and additional depth provided by two professionals working together on the evaluation.
Community Living Services
Community living assessments help participants and their families determine the best living situation for a participant and independent living areas to continue building skills in. Recommendations address a variety of issues that may include housing options, community resources, transition planning, and remedial skill development.
SVRI has an apartment specifically for community living assessments that has a fully functional kitchen, living room, bedroom, bathroom, and laundry area for participants to demonstrate their community living skills. The assessment involves hands-on activities of daily living such as cooking, cleaning, meal planning, and shopping. Participants plan meals for the week and shop for the ingredients. Participants will also discuss various aspects of community living such as housing, community resources, safety, and budgeting to determine their current knowledge of these areas.
SVRI offers three different arrangements for community living services:
Standard Community Living Assessment.
Similar to the standard vocational evaluation, one evaluator works with three participants for four days. Participants need to be able to work semi-independently and as part of a group as they will work together more intensely than in the standard vocational evaluation. Three participants need to be scheduled the same week to offer this service.
One-on-One Community Living Assessment
Similar to the one-on-one vocational evaluation, this arrangement allows the evaluator to devote more time and attention to one participant with one evaluator working with one participant. Participants appropriate for this service are those who may have difficulty reading or writing, behaving appropriately, staying on task, working independently or in a group, communicating, or comprehending information or instructions. One hour of assistive technology consultation is available for participants with technology needs.
Combination Vocational and Community Living Evaluation
Certain participants may be eligible for an evaluation that combines both vocational and community living aspects. In this situation, one evaluator would work with one participant for five days to determine community living skills and vocational options. However, due to the short timeframe for this evaluation, it is not right for everyone and results will not be as comprehensive. Some participants would benefit from having the two assessments over two different weeks, which may be consecutive depending on scheduling availability. Contact the evaluation services manager if you are interested in this service.
Customized Services
SVRI will customize services according to the needs of participants, referral sources, or employers. Examples of previous customized services include job analysis, transferable skills assessment, psychometric testing, career counseling, arranging job shadows, and community-based assessment. Contact the evaluation services manager to discuss scheduling services and hourly fees.
Housing and Meals
On-campus housing is available for participants in SVRI’s dorm, McCalmont Hall for a fee in addition to the evaluation cost. McCalmont Hall is conveniently located across the street from the vocational evaluation lab. Dorm staff are available to provide varying levels of assistance to participants. For an additional fee, personal care and nursing assistance are available if scheduled early. Rooms are accessible. The level of support that can be provided in SVRI’s dorm often makes parent or personal care worker accompaniment unnecessary, allowing participants to experience independence that they may have not had before. Sometimes staying in the dorm is an important part of the evaluation experience, especially for younger participants and their families to see how they manage their time and interact in a new environment. On-campus activities such as bowling, swimming, sports, and live music are sometimes available.
When the college is in session, a variety of meals are available at the student center, which is less than a block away from McCalmont hall and the vocational evaluation lab. During the summer, there are fewer options at the student center but there are also restaurants with blocks of the campus and delivery is available. Refrigerators and microwaves can be requested for dorm rooms.
How to Make a Referral
Many of the participants for SVRI’s evaluations are referred by the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) which sometimes has funding available to pay for evaluations. However, SVRI accepts referrals from any interested individuals who are able to provide funding such as schools, insurance companies, parents, and many others. Please contact the evaluation services manager for information on costs.
When you make a referral, it is helpful if you have basic information about the participant. To facilitate this process, you can access our referral form in a Word document which you can save to your computer and email as an attachment to Luanne Reckin at reckinl@uwstout.edu. You will be contacted to schedule the evaluation. If you prefer to call, please preview the referral form and gather the necessary information.
Staff
SVRI evaluators are all Certified Vocational Evaluators (CVEs) who have Master of Science degrees in vocational rehabilitation with vocational evaluation concentrations. Since SVRI is located at UW-Stout, sometimes graduate student interns work under the supervision of evaluators, providing an even more comprehensive evaluation for participants.
Contact Us
Evaluation Services Manager
Kara James, MS, CRC, CVE
Evaluation Services Manager
Stout Vocational Rehabilitation Institute
University of Wisconsin - Stout
221 10th Avenue, Room 201P
Menomonie, WI 54751
715-232-2115 (voice)
715-232-5008 (fax)
jameskar@uwstout.edu
To Schedule an Evaluation:
Contact Luanne Reckin
(715) 232-2513
reckinl@uwstout.edu