DVR Updates

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​DSPN remains in regular communication with the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) to discuss pressing matters that affect your programs and clients. Thank you to all that participated in our member Town Hall on December 4th. 

 

Should you have additional questions or concerns, please let us know: support@dspn.org​​


DVR Order of Selection

Wisconsin’s Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) recently announced the implementation of an Order of Selection, which essentially creates a waitlist for accessing its services due to insufficient funding.

 

DVR receives 78.7% of its funding from the U.S. Department of Education, which requires a 21.3% match from the State of Wisconsin's General-Purpose Revenues.

 

Governor Evers proposed sufficient funding in his executive budget for the 2025-27 biennium to ensure that all job seekers with disabilities have access to vocational rehabilitation services through DVR. However, the Joint Finance Committee opted for a lower funding amount than the governor proposed, despite the Legislative Fiscal Bureau indicating that this decision could require additional funding to provide vocational rehabilitation services to all Wisconsinites in need of support.

 

The final state budget appropriated $21.3 million in state funds for the fiscal year 2026. This amount is $2.4 million less than what was spent in fiscal year 2025 and falls $4.6 million short of the projected need for this year.

 

Over the past four years, there has been a 20% increase in the number of individuals served by DVR, leading to the highest caseload in a decade. In 2025, DVR served more than 33,000 people and collaborated with over 3,200 employers to address labor force needs.

 

In the federal fiscal year 2024, consumers of DVR whose cases were successfully closed earned an estimated $74.2 million through employment. This contribution has positively impacted the state's communities, economy, and workforce. This amount exceeded the total cost of all DVR consumer services—including staff wages—during the same period, which was $65.7 million.

 

A waitlist would immediately impact approximately 2,000 individuals (consumers) with an additional 1,000 consumers affected each month until sufficient funding is allocated. Over the biennium, approximately 21,000 individuals may lack access to or experience significant delays in obtaining employment resources. 

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What Can You Do

 

Contact the members of the Legislature's Joint Committee on Finance, and your state Senator and state Representative. Tell them that this situation contradicts the legislature's intention to support competitive integrated employment for people with disabilities and hinders Wisconsin employers' ability to recruit and retain skilled employees with disabilities.

 

Members of the Legislature's Joint Committee on Finance and their contact information can be found here. DSPN also developed list of Order of Selection Talking Points to help with your advocacy efforts.

 

Please contact us at support@dspn.org if you have questions!