1. United States
2. Wisc.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge immediate action on the Department of Workforce Development’s 13.10 request to provide additional funding for the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. The Joint Committee on Finance is the Legislature’s budget-writing committee and has the authority to act, even after the Assembly ends its session. However, once the Assembly and Senate are out of session, it becomes less likely that the committee will meet. The Senate is planning to end its session in March, making timely action critical. The state budget signed in July did not set aside enough funding to cover DVR’s actual costs. More people with disabilities want to work and are seeking DVR services. Because DVR does not have sufficient funding, it began placing applicants on a waitlist in December 2025. Wisconsin has not had a DVR waitlist since 2014. As of December, 3,000 people were immediately placed on the waitlist. Individuals may now wait up to a year for help with employment services. Without the requested $11 million in additional state funding, approximately 1,000 more individuals will be added to the waitlist each month. People facing the longest waits are those with less significant disabilities. The waitlist will continue to grow until adequate funding is provided. The longer funding is delayed, the longer current applicants will wait and the harder it will be to serve new individuals seeking employment assistance. DVR helps people with disabilities gain meaningful employment, increasing independence and strengthening the workforce. A growing waitlist undermines these goals and creates unnecessary barriers to work. I respectfully ask that you support prompt action by the Joint Committee on Finance to approve the 13.10 DVR funding request and eliminate the waitlist.