West Virginia Division of Rehabilitation Services

What West Virginia Division of Rehabilitation Services does

The West Virginia Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) is a state government agency that delivers vocational rehabilitation services to West Virginians with disabilities ages 14 and up. Established in 1920 through Governor John Jacob Cornwell's acceptance of the federal Smith-Fess Act and formally created by the state legislature on April 14, 1921, DRS has operated continuously for over 100 years, currently as a division within the West Virginia Department of Commerce. The agency is the designated federal-state Vocational Rehabilitation provider under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and serves as a WIOA core partner alongside WorkForce West Virginia and WV Adult Education.

DRS delivers services through six district offices (Charleston, Clarksburg, Wheeling, Beckley, Huntington, Martinsburg) and supporting branch offices that collectively cover all 55 West Virginia counties. Service delivery is human-counselor-driven: vocational rehabilitation counselors work one-on-one with consumers to develop Individualized Plans for Employment (IPE), conduct assessments, provide career exploration, coordinate vocational training and college financial assistance, supply assistive technology and rehabilitation engineering services, and place and retain consumers in employment. The portfolio is structured around three audiences: students (ages 14-21) receiving Pre-Employment Transition Services; adults with disabilities seeking employment preparation, placement, and retention support; and West Virginia employers needing recruitment, on-the-job training funding, disability awareness education, and accommodation consultation. Specialized service lines address visual impairment, hearing impairment and deaf culture, rehabilitation technology, and assistive technology financing through a revolving loan fund. The agency also administers Disability Determination Services for the Social Security Administration, making eligibility determinations for SSDI and SSI. The only digital product is a web-based referral intake form; there is no proprietary technology platform, no mobile application, and no public or partner-facing API.

DRS does not operate as a commercial enterprise. Services are provided at no charge to eligible consumers, though consumers may be required to financially participate in IPE-defined services and to leverage any insurance or benefit programs for which they qualify. The agency's funding flows from federal Vocational Rehabilitation grants under the Rehabilitation Act/WIOA matched by state appropriations, supplemented by Social Security Administration reimbursements for Disability Determination Services. Employer customers are diverse across retail, food service, automotive, grocery, healthcare, utilities, and aviation, with no apparent concentration in a single employer or industry.

Name

West Virginia Division of Rehabilitation Services

Legal name

West Virginia Division of Rehabilitation Services

Website

https://wvdrs.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1921

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The West Virginia Division of Rehabilitation Services is a state government agency that provides free vocational rehabilitation services to West Virginians with disabilities ages 14 and up, operating across all 55 counties under the federal-state Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Rehabilitation Services

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (62431)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Interagency Coordination & Case Management (VR, DD, Medicaid Waivers) (EDAKANAM)

Keywords

• Vocational rehabilitation services
• Disability employment services
• Workforce development programs
• Assistive technology services
• Employer disability recruitment

Headquarters

HQ city

Charleston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Federal-State Vocational Rehabilitation Funding: DRS operates as a federal-state partnership funded through appropriations under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). The agency receives federal funds matched by state appropriations to provide free vocational rehabilitation services to eligible individuals with disabilities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The West Virginia Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) is a state agency that provides vocational rehabilitation services to youth and adults with disabilities (ages 14 and up). Services include career counseling, vocational assessment, individualized employment planning, training and education support, assistive technology, job placement, and workplace accommodation services delivered through district and branch offices across all 55 West Virginia counties.

Product overview

The West Virginia Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) provides a comprehensive suite of vocational rehabilitation services as a state government agency. The core offerings include student services for individuals ages 14 and up with disabilities, adult employment services, and employer partnership programs. DRS offers specialized services for visual and hearing impairments, rehabilitation technology, and Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS). The organization also provides an online referral system for individuals seeking services. DRS operates as a single integrated service program rather than a modular product platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Student Services Vocational rehabilitation services for students with disabilities beginning at age 14, including career exploration, vocational training, college financial assistance, and employment preparation.
• Adult Services Vocational rehabilitation services for adults with disabilities to prepare for, obtain, maintain, or advance in employment, including training, educational support, and job placement assistance.
• Specialized Services for Visual Impairment Rehabilitation services for West Virginians with significant vision impairments, including mobility training and assistive technologies.
• Specialized Services for Hearing Impairment Specialized programs and services for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, with counselors who understand deaf culture.
• Rehabilitation Technology Services Services including job accommodations, custom-designed assistive devices, product fabrication, and environmental modifications provided by engineers and specialists.
• West Virginia Technology-Related Assistance Revolving Loan Fund Statewide loan program for qualified West Virginia residents with disabilities to purchase assistive technology devices or services.
• Employer Staffing Services Recruitment, placement, and retention services to help employers include individuals with disabilities in their workforce, including on-the-job training funding and job try-out programs.
• Employer Education Services Training opportunities and resources for employers on disability awareness, etiquette, and sensitivity training at no cost.
• Financial Incentives for Employers Information on tax credits including Work Opportunity Tax Credit, Disabled Access Tax Credit, and Barrier Removal Deduction for employers hiring individuals with disabilities.
• Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) WIOA-mandated services for students with disabilities ages 14-21, including job exploration counseling, work-based learning experiences, postsecondary education counseling, workplace readiness training, and self-advocacy instruction.
• Disability Determination Services Determines eligibility for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for the Social Security Administration.
• DRS Online Referral System Online form for making referrals to DRS services, collecting information about the individual seeking services including demographics, disability information, and employment status.

Quantifiable outcome

• Eligibility determined within 60 days of completed application
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, core and minor.

• HQ Aero ManagementstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 August 2025Aviation staffing company partnering with DRS to create career pathways in aviation for individuals with disabilities. Actively shares job openings and conducts interviews with DRS consumers, resulting in job placements.
• WorkForce West VirginiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkForce West Virginia is a WIOA core partner providing one-stop center resources including job opportunities, unemployment compensation, training, tax incentives, and labor market information. Serves adults, dislocated workers, youth, and veterans through coordinated services with DRS.
• West Virginia Adult EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWIOA core partner providing programs that build skills for success by offering adults opportunities to acquire and improve functional skills necessary for employment, citizenship, and personal growth.
• West Virginia Community and Technical College SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordinates community and technical colleges statewide, partnering with businesses to meet workforce needs. DRS refers consumers for career technical education and college assistance.
• West Virginia Department of Health and Human ResourcescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWIOA partner providing TANF (WV WORKS), SNAP, and other social services. Coordinates with DRS to provide comprehensive support for individuals with disabilities.
• West Virginia Bureau of Senior ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMandated WIOA partner providing Senior Community Service Employment Program that offers paid training to low-income seniors to re-enter the workforce.
• West Virginia Community Advancement and Development OfficeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdministers Community Service Block Grant through 16 Community Action Agencies to reduce poverty, revitalize communities, and provide economic opportunities for low-income families.
• Valley Health SystemsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare employer that hired DRS consumer John Prentice as a psychologist. Provides employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities who have completed relevant education and training.
• West Virginia Association of Rehabilitation Facilities (WVARF)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNon-profit organization handling service and commodity contracts for Community Rehabilitation Programs (CRPs) participating in the State Use Program. CRPs provide vocational evaluation, training, extended employment, job placement, supported employment and follow-up consultation.
• West Virginia Assistive Technology System (WVATS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides services and resources to help West Virginia residents of all ages and abilities make informed decisions about assistive technology.
• West Virginia Autism Training CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished in 1984, housed at Marshall University, provides services to families of West Virginians with autism spectrum disorder and their educators.
• West Virginia University Center for Excellence in DisabilitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerServes as a resource for education, research and service related to needs of people with disabilities. Provides programs to help individuals with disabilities be independent in their communities.
• West Virginia Parent Training and Information (WVPTI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit organization committed to improving lives and education of children with disabilities and special healthcare needs.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Easterseals: National nonprofit providing disability and rehabilitation services including vocational training, employment support, and assistive technology. Operates as a broader disability services organization that intersects with state VR agencies through partnership referrals and program delivery.
• Goodwill Industries International: National nonprofit providing vocational rehabilitation, job training, and employment placement services for individuals with disabilities and other barriers to employment. WV DRS's employer partner (Goodwill of KYOWVA) reflects Goodwill's role as a Community Rehabilitation Program provider that complements rather than competes with state VR agencies.

Regional players

• Kentucky Office of Vocational Rehabilitation: Kentucky's regional peer providing vocational rehabilitation services to Kentuckians with disabilities. While operating in a different state, it shares Appalachian regional economic and demographic characteristics with West Virginia that create similar service delivery challenges and employer markets.

Direct peers

• Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS): Virginia's designated state vocational rehabilitation agency under WIOA, providing nearly identical services to individuals with disabilities including vocational evaluation, training, employment placement, and disability determination. Operates with similar district office structure and federal-state funding model.
• Ohio Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation: Ohio's state vocational rehabilitation agency operating under Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities. Provides comprehensive VR services including transition services, supported employment, and business engagement programs mirroring WV DRS's service portfolio.
• Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR): Pennsylvania's WIOA-designated vocational rehabilitation agency providing employment services for individuals with disabilities. Operates district offices across the commonwealth with similar service offerings including Pre-ETS, supported employment, and employer partnership programs.
• Maryland Division of Rehabilitation Services (DORS): Maryland's state vocational rehabilitation agency providing employment services, disability determination, and supported employment for individuals with disabilities. Operates under WIOA with similar programmatic structure and serves as the closest mid-Atlantic parallel to WV DRS.

Others

• WorkForce West Virginia: West Virginia's workforce development agency and designated WIOA core partner alongside DRS. Provides unemployment compensation, job training, and labor market information that integrates with DRS's vocational rehabilitation services through co-located American Job Centers.
• Social Security Administration - Disability Determination Services: Federal agency that contracts with state VR agencies (including WV DRS) to perform disability determinations for SSDI and SSI eligibility. Represents a major federal partnership that provides revenue diversification and operational scale for state VR agencies.
• Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR): National membership organization representing state VR agency directors including WV DRS leadership. Provides policy advocacy, training, and federal coordination that supports the entire state VR system, making it a key ecosystem organization for understanding WV DRS's federal positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/teamwvdrs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rehabilitation-services-west-virginia-division-of

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about West Virginia Division of Rehabilitation Services