The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Services Division, in collaboration with the Rehabilitation Council of Texas, is conducting the Federal Fiscal Year 2026 Comprehensive Statewide Needs Assessment (CSNA) as required under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The purpose of this project is to assess the vocational rehabilitation service needs of individuals with disabilities across Texas and to inform strategic planning, priorities, and service delivery improvements for the state VR program.

This project is a large-scale, descriptive needs assessment. It collects feedback from VR customers, staff, and stakeholders/providers regarding service delivery, unmet needs, and barriers to employment. The findings will be used by TWC to meet federal reporting requirements and to guide policy and programmatic decisions that enhance employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities.

The Public Policy Research Institute (PPRI) at Texas A&M University serves as a contracted research partner responsible for survey programming, data collection, analysis, and reporting. Data is collected through an accessible online survey administered to approximately 8,000-8,600 participants statewide, with results reported in aggregate to ensure confidentiality. The research team conducts data cleaning, coding of qualitative responses, and statistical analyses, including exploratory factor analysis.