Vocational and Education Services for Individuals with Disabilities (Vesid)

VESID is short form of Vocational and Educational Service for Individual with Disability. VESID is an organ of the New York State Education Department, serving needy disabled in all possible practicable manners. VESID has adequate qualified personnel to handle the education, training and rehabilitation requirements.

VESID’s mission is to promote education equity and excellence for students with disabilities while ensuring that they receive the rights and protections to which they are entitled; assure appropriate continuity between the child and adult services systems; and provide the highest quality vocational rehabilitation and independent living services to all eligible persons as quickly as those services are require to enable them to work and to live independent self-directed lives.

Among other services, it provides to needy disabled child or person -

-          Special education service for up to age of 21.

-          Vocational rehabilitation service for elderly disabled that is above age of 16 years.

-          Independent living service for disabled adults.

-          Transition services from children to secondary level and secondary level to adult requiring vocational training.

That is to say VESID covers all age of disabled person to provide education, training, job and opportunity of living independent life. VESID promotes education equity and ensures that the disabled receive the right protection as they should.

VESID provide services to emotional or physical disabled. TO receive VESID services one has to be proven eligible to receive the service. He has to submit documentation proving that -

-          The disabled has been medically diagnosed as mental or physical handicapped.

-          The condition of significantly affects his normal working ability.

-          There is reasonable indication that VESID service will improve the person’s ability to work and make employable.

-          VESID does not handle the organ disabled like blind, deaf etc.

VESID assists vocational trained disabled to have competitive employment and lead independent life. For most severely disabled, who are otherwise not suitable for competitive employment VESID may consider paid competitive employment known as supportive employment for rehabilitation.

VESID doe the home work for employable disabled for the employers. Employers can get tax rebate employing disabled persons. VESID unlike other employment services does not charge to employers for their trained employees and can provide employee from entry level to managerial level.

VESID administers 39 Independent Living Centers (ILCS) and 15 Early Childhood Direction Centers (ECDCs) across the State and operates the New York State School for the Blind and the New York State School for the Deaf. VESID also oversees statewide networks responsible for providing training and information to parents, educators and others involved in educating preschool and school-age students with disabilities.