Rhode Island Office of Rehabilitation Services (ORS)

What Rhode Island Office of Rehabilitation Services (ORS) does

The Rhode Island Office of Rehabilitation Services (ORS) is a state government agency operating under the Rhode Island Department of Human Services (DHS). Its stated mission is to empower individuals with disabilities to choose, prepare for, obtain, advance in, and maintain employment, economic self-sufficiency, independence, and integration into society. ORS administers a portfolio of programs including the Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Program, Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired (SBVI), Disability Determination Services (DDS), the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program, Supported Employment, Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS), the Assistive Technology Access Partnership (ATAP), and the Adaptive Telephone Equipment Loan Program (ATEL). The agency also operates sub-programs such as the Business Enterprises Program and Independent Living and Social Services for blind and visually impaired individuals. DDS acts as the state unit that determines medical eligibility of Rhode Island residents for cash benefits under SSA-administered disability programs.

ORS services are publicly funded through state and federal appropriations tied to the Rehabilitation Act and WIOA, and delivered to eligible individuals at no direct cost. The underlying technology stack is centered on assistive technology access rather than a commercial product platform: ATEL provides landline and wireless devices on loan to individuals who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or have speech or neuromuscular disabilities; ATAP coordinates device acquisition, training, and public awareness across partner organizations (TechACCESS, OSCIL, West Bay Educational Collaborative, with Apple Accessibility involvement); TTY relay services support text-based telephone communication; and 3D printing is used by a partner for adaptive equipment fabrication. ORS does not disclose any proprietary software product, API, or AI/ML system.

Service delivery is executed through ORS counselors and supported employment liaisons working alongside a vendor network of 40+ authorized organizations (Goodwill Industries, Perspectives Corporation, Gateway Healthcare, Easter Seals of RI, Accesspoint RI, Work Inc., Spurwink, Seven Hills, Anchor Recovery, Blackstone Valley Arc, Sargent Rehabilitation Center, and others). Distribution spans a Providence headquarters at 40 Fountain Street with orientation sessions held at Providence, West Warwick, and Woonsocket American Job Centers, in-school Pre-ETS delivery through partner districts (Providence, Cranston, Central Falls, Ponaganset), and MOU-based coordination with the Department of Veterans Affairs, the RI Department of Education, RI institutes of higher education, the Governor's Workforce Board, the Workforce Partnership of Greater Rhode Island, and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation. Customer segments served include individuals with disabilities seeking employment, students with disabilities aged 14-21, Deaf/Hard of Hearing individuals, blind and visually impaired individuals, older adults with visual impairments (55+), and Rhode Island employers seeking inclusive hiring support.

Name

Rhode Island Office of Rehabilitation Services (ORS)

Legal name

Rhode Island Office of Rehabilitation Services

Website

https://ors.ri.gov

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Rhode Island Office of Rehabilitation Services is a state agency within DHS that administers publicly funded vocational rehabilitation, assistive technology, disability determination, and transition programs for Rhode Island residents with disabilities, delivered via direct counseling and a 40+ authorized vendor network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Providence

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Federal-State Vocational Rehabilitation Funding: Publicly funded state agency. The Vocational Rehabilitation Program is a public state and federally funded program. Services are provided to eligible individuals with disabilities at no direct cost to the client.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ORS is Rhode Island's designated state vocational rehabilitation agency, providing individualized services to residents with disabilities to prepare for, obtain, maintain, or regain employment. Core offerings include eligibility determination, vocational evaluation and counseling, training, assistive technology (devices, loan library, and reuse program), job placement, supported employment, independent living services, and Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) for students. Services are delivered directly through ORS offices, partner schools, American Job Centers, employer networks, and an assistive technology vendor/loan network.

Product overview

ORS operates as a unified suite of rehabilitation programs administered by the Rhode Island Department of Human Services. The core programs include the Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Program, Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired (SBVI), Disability Determination Services (DDS), and the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program. Supporting these are the Assistive Technology Access Partnership (ATAP), Adaptive Telephone Equipment Loan Program (ATEL), Supported Employment, and Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS). Sub-programs include the Business Enterprises Program and Independent Living and Social Services. Together, these programs provide comprehensive support for individuals with disabilities across employment, assistive technology access, independent living, and disability determination services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ATAP (Assistive Technology Access Partnership): Statewide partnership of organizations working together to improve access to and acquisition of assistive technology for individuals with disabilities
• ATEL (Adaptive Telephone Equipment Loan Program)
• SBVI (Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired)
• VR Program (Vocational Rehabilitation Program)
• DDS (Disability Determination Services)

Products and services

• Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 11 out of 13 students secured competitive employment prior to exiting high school (Providence Transition Academy 2021)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

33 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• TechACCESS of Rhode IslandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerATAP partner organization dedicated to enhancing lives of people with disabilities through assistive technology. Hosts annual Assistive Technology Conference of New England since 1988.
• Ocean State Center for Independent Living (OSCIL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerATAP partner - independent living organization providing services to help people with disabilities live independently in the community.
• West Bay Educational CollaborativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerATAP partner - educational collaborative providing assistive technology services and support, particularly for students with disabilities.
• Apple Accessibility TeamcoreTechnology or IntegrationApple partnered with ATAP to host accessibility events for local leaders and organizations to educate on Apple's accessibility features across Vision, Mobility, Speech and Cognition.
• Department of Veterans AffairsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMOU/cooperative agreement for vocational rehabilitation services coordination for veterans.
• Rhode Island Department of EducationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMOU for collaboration on transition services and Pre-ETS for students with disabilities.
• Workforce Partnership of Greater Rhode IslandmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMOU for workforce development coordination and career center partnerships.
• Providence/Cranston Workforce DevelopmentmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMOU for workforce development services and American Job Center partnerships.
• Rhode Island Institutes of Higher EducationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMOU for post-secondary transition and college planning services for students with disabilities.
• Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation Vocational RehabilitationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMOU for vocational rehabilitation services coordination for tribal members.
• Perspectives CorporationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized supported employment vendor providing services to individuals with disabilities. Home of 2024 Assistive Technology Champion Arianna Bordeleau.
• Goodwill IndustriescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized supported employment vendor providing job development and placement services.
• Gateway HealthcarecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized supported employment vendor with multiple locations across Rhode Island.
• Easter Seals of RIcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized supported employment vendor providing services to individuals with disabilities.
• Accesspoint RIcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized supported employment vendor providing employment services.
• Work, Inc.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized supported employment vendor providing employment services.
• SpurwinkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized supported employment vendor providing services to individuals with disabilities.
• The Providence CentercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized supported employment vendor providing mental health and employment services.
• Groden CentercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized supported employment vendor providing services to individuals with disabilities.
• Seven HillscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized supported employment vendor providing services to individuals with disabilities.
• Looking UpwardscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized supported employment vendor providing services to individuals with disabilities.
• Life, Inc.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized supported employment vendor providing services to individuals with disabilities.
• Anchor RecoverycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized supported employment vendor with multiple locations (Cranston/Warwick, East Bay, Providence).
• Blackstone Valley ArccoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized supported employment vendor providing services to individuals with disabilities.
• Work Opportunities UnlimitedcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized supported employment vendor providing employment services.
• Community Living R.I.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized supported employment vendor providing community-based services.
• Sargent Rehabilitation CentercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized supported employment vendor serving transition-age youth.
• Governor's Workforce BoardmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of 2024 Disability Hiring Resource Symposium and workforce development initiatives.
• Skills for Rhode Island's FuturemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerExhibitor at 2024 Disability Hiring Resource Symposium - workforce development organization.
• National Federation of the Blind (NFB)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerExhibitor at 2024 Disability Hiring Resource Symposium - advocacy organization for blind individuals.
• Paul V. Sherlock Center on DisabilitiesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExhibitor at 2024 Disability Hiring Resource Symposium - university center for disabilities at Rhode Island College.
• RI Commission on the Deaf and Hard of HearingmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExhibitor at 2024 Disability Hiring Resource Symposium - state commission supporting deaf and hard of hearing individuals.
• Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerExhibitor at 2024 Disability Hiring Resource Symposium - organization promoting employment first philosophy.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Easterseals: National nonprofit delivering disability and rehabilitative services including employment supports; Easter Seals of Rhode Island is an ORS authorized vendor. Comparable as a broad disability-services incumbent operating across multiple states and service lines.
• Goodwill Industries International: National nonprofit providing employment, training, and disability services through a large affiliate network — Goodwill of Rhode Island is itself an ORS authorized vendor. Comparable in mission and supported-employment delivery but operates across many states and revenue streams.

Direct peers

• Texas Workforce Commission - Vocational Rehabilitation: Texas's state VR program, embedded within the state's workforce development agency. Similar WIOA-aligned mandate but integrated with broader workforce services, providing a model ORS could compare against for employer-engagement approaches.
• Florida Division of Vocational Rehabilitation: Florida's state VR agency within the Department of Education. Comparable in administering VR, supported employment, and Pre-ETS services with a similar vendor and school-partnership model.
• Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission: Massachusetts' state vocational rehabilitation agency, administering VR, independent living, and disability determination services under the same federal-state VR framework as ORS. Most directly comparable peer given geographic proximity and shared New England labor market dynamics.
• California Department of Rehabilitation: California's state VR agency and one of the largest in the country. Comparable in mandate (VR, independent living, DDS-adjacent services) and federal funding alignment; differs primarily in scale and state-specific policy overlay.
• Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation: Pennsylvania's state VR agency under the Department of Labor & Industry. Direct functional peer administering VR and supported employment services under WIOA across a multi-county service-delivery structure.
• Connecticut Bureau of Rehabilitation Services: Connecticut's state VR agency providing vocational rehabilitation and employment services for individuals with disabilities. Functions under the same federal WIOA/Rehab Act framework and serves an adjacent Northeastern state population.
• New York State ACCES-VR: Adult Career and Continuing Education Services - Vocational Rehabilitation, New York's state VR program. Operates under the same federal mandate but at much larger scale, providing a useful benchmark for service-delivery models and program breadth.

Others

• APSE - Association of People Supporting Employment First: National membership organization advancing the Employment First philosophy that frames ORS's supported employment work. Not a direct service peer but an influential ecosystem participant that shapes VR policy and best-practice standards affecting ORS.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/RIOfficeofRehab
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rhode-island-office-of-rehabilitation-services-ors

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rhode Island Office of Rehabilitation Services (ORS)