Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission
Vocational Rehabilitation Programs

Year In Review
July 1, 2010 - June 30, 2011

3,413 citizens with disabilities have been successfully placed into employment based on their choices, interests, needs and skills.

The earnings of these rehabilitated employees in MA in the first year were $ 59.2 million.

Estimated public benefits savings from people rehabilitated in MA were $25.6 million.

Average Hourly Wage: $12.58

Average Work Hours Weekly: 26.5

*The returns to society based on increases in lifetime earnings range from $14 to $18 for each $1 invested in the MRC Vocational Rehabilitation program.

* $5 is returned to the government in the form of increased taxes and reduced public assistance payments for every $1 invested in the MRC Vocational Rehabilitation program.

* Based on 2004 Commonwealth Corporation Study.

Who Are Our Consumers?

Types of Disabling Conditions:
Psychiatric Disabilities 36.8%
Substance Abuse 10.0%
Orthopedic Disabilities 10.7%
Learning Disabilities 18.8%
Developmental Disabilities 2.7%
Deaf and Hard of Hearing 6.7%
Neurological Disabilities 2.7%
Traumatic Brain Injury 2.0%
Other Disabilities 9.6%

Average Age: 34
Female: 46.1%
Male: 53.9%
Asian/Pacific Islander: 3.4%
Black: 16.4%
Hispanic: 8.8%
Native American: .6%
White: 79.6%

FACTS AT A GLANCE

  • Consumers actively receiving services: 22,003
  • Consumers enrolled in training/education programs: 15,169
  • Consumers with significant disabilities employed: 100% of 3,413
  • Consumers employed with medical insurance: 94.4%
  • Consumers satisfied with services: 84%

What MRC Consumers Have To Say

  • "MRC helps people with disabilities to advocate for themselves and opens up doors for them."
  • "I felt MRC was extremely helpful in assisting me in whatever I wished to pursue. My counselor was very understanding and supportive to my specific needs in trying to personalize a plan that would best suit me. The MRC made me feel as if I had an endless supply of options available and helped me keep a hopeful and positive outlook."
  • "MRC was very helpful in making me believe being disabled was not the end of my life."
  • "The MRC counselor was competent, thorough, conscientious, and caring. I have had a disability for a long while and was discouraged about being able to re-enter the workforce with an appropriate and substantial position due to prolonged absence from the workforce. But with the help of my MRC counselor, I was able to fully transition back to the workforce in a very few short months."
  • "My counselor provided excellent service. He always thought of a plan and worked hard to get me a job and keep it."
  • "MRC gave me the ability to find a great job and an opportunity to excel in it."

Welcome to the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission

The Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission (MRC) promotes equality, empowerment and productive independence of individuals with disabilities. These goals are achieved through enhancing and encouraging personal choice and the right to fail in the pursuit of independence and employment in the community.

The MRC provides comprehensive services to people with disabilities that maximize their quality of life and economic self-sufficiency in the community.

Multiple programs in the MRC work together to help individuals with disabilities. These programs are:
• The Community Living Program;
• The Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program and;
• The Disability Determination Services Program.

Charles Carr, Commissioner

This information is provided by the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission.