Current Issues and New Directions in MS Vocational Rehabilitation.

This paper reviews information relevant to the first 90 vocational rehabilitation referrals to a demonstration project at the University of Washington MS Rehabilitation Research and Training Center. Key points include: 1. An occupational profile of the first 50 individuals engaging in vocational rehabilitation services through our project, with implications for the primary vocational rehabilitation needs of the population. 2. A description of the first 40 individuals dropping out of the project with review of causes of drop-out. 3. Presentation/discussion of the neuropsychological screening battery developed specifically for this project, and its utility for vocational planning. 4. Identification of key barriers for project enrollees to successfully engage in both the project and the state vocational rehabilitation system. Implications for effective service delivery within the US national/state vocational rehabilitation system will be discussed. 5. A review of our efforts and success in developing a home-based vocational option for persons with MS, and the range of placement approaches our project offers. 6. A review of placement outcomes over the first 18 months of the project, with the most successful placement approach and the most frequent accommodations highlighted. 7. Effective merging of Social Security subsidy and paid work alternatives as a placement option. 8. Identification of the best predictor variables of placement and successful job retention.