When should my child sign up for Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) services?

If your child has a disability, they become eligible for Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) services starting at age 16. You might wonder if you should wait to help your child sign up for services until they are ready to work.

Transition Specialist Nicole Morris advises that you start services with the DOR as soon as your child is old enough to qualify. The track record for what has been provided by DOR is important in receiving Customized Support down the road, which is a process designed to find the best possible work environment for an individual.

Once a child is in high school, they should have at least one vocational goal in their IEP to help guide their team in planning for the transition to adulthood. Although you may not feel that your child is able to work, Morris reminds parents not to dismiss household or classroom chores as employable skills or as building employable skills.