Rehabilitative Services Incentive Fund

Providing grants to address unmet needs and develop community programs for people with physical and/or sensory disabilities

Before and after photos of home accessibility project funded through RSIF

What is the Rehabilitative Services Incentive Fund (RSIF)?
In 1994, Virginia's General Assembly approved the creation of Rehabilitative Services Incentive Fund (RSIF) to address unmet or underserved needs identified in local Disability Services Board (DSB) needs assessments and develop community programs for people with physical and/or sensory disabilities. For the 2008 funding cycle Single year reimbursement grants from the Fund are available to public, for-profit and non-profit organizations through local DSBs when localities chose to match state appropriations. Grants may be used to increase service capacity through expanding existing services or creating new services, but more importantly to stimulate model programs, coordinated service systems and program innovations.

Competitive Application Packet

• RSIF Compet Application FY 2009 (Word)
• RSIF Compet Application FY 2009: Sub-Grantee (Word)
• RSIF Guidelines Competitive Cycle 2009 (Word)

Projects Funded

• FY07 RSIF Grant Awards Matrix (Word)
• RSIF Impact Summary FY 2006 (Word)
• 2006 RSIF Grants Awarded (Word)

Needs Assessment

• 2006 Needs Assessment Summary
  One of the main products of the Boards is their needs assessment identifying local needs, services gaps, priority populations, and services for people with physical and/or sensory disabilities. State law requires that these needs assessments be updated every three years (Code of Virginia § 51.5-48). The needs assessment is the planning document for the Disability Services Boards in which the Rehabilitative Services Incentive Fund Grants are awarded. DRS staff develops a summary report of DSB needs assessments findings. Needs assessment findings are reviewed by the Disability Services Council and distributed to the appropriate state agencies to be incorporated into the agencies’ programmatic and fiscal planning for services.

The Purposes of the Needs Assessment:

• To identify areas for DSB’s to address locally through education, developing partnerships, identifying resources, etc.;
• To inform state agencies of the needs of persons with physical and sensory disabilities for their programmatic and fiscal planning;
• To enhance awareness of the service needs of persons with physical and sensory disabilities at the state and local level;
• To function as a framework for identifying program coordination and innovative programs which can potentially be supported by rehabilitative incentive funds;
• To facilitate communication among the boards regarding services and best practices in service delivery;
• To facilitate communication among consumers and public and private entities regarding development of the consumer centered service system and continuum of options envisioned in the Disability Commission Report.

Information Which Can Be Included in the Assessment:

• Needs of persons with physical and sensory disabilities and their families
• Existing services within the community
• Utilization of existing services
• Capacity of the service provider
• Profiles of persons served (age, type of disability, gender, etc.)
• Accessibility to services in local areas
• Identification of trends
• Gaps in services within the community
• Demographics and service needs of persons not served or under-served
• Service options emphasizing consumer choice, self-sufficiency, and independence for individuals
• Incentives for achieving service coordination and desired outcomes.

How to obtain the information for the Assessment Questionnaires:

• Focus groups in the community
• Service Providers

For more information, please contact Mary-Margaret Cash or call 1-800-552-5019 (voice) or 1-800-464-9950 (TTY)