AIVRTTAC Weekly

Update

AIVRTTAC Updates and Announcements

New Smoke Signals Practice Guide: Traditional Healing Services

It's Not Just About the Job: Unpacking SDOH and Long COVID (Sept. 16)

Registration Open for TVR Institute Fall Quarter (Sept. 19)

Building Self-Employment Capacity in AIVRS Programs - TVR Institute Course Description (Sept. 19)

ARCA Job Retention Support for People with Disabilities Using AI (Sept. 18)

Samish Indian Nation Job Opening: Career Development & Job Placement Counselors I, II, III

Shoshone-Paiute Tribes Job Opening: Vocational Rehabilitation Program Director

New Smoke Signals Practice Guide: Traditional Healing Services

AIVRTTAC is pleased to announce the release of a new Smoke Signals practice guide. This issue focuses on integrating traditional

healing services into American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Services (AIVRS) practice to help participants address barriers to employment and achieve meaningful vocational outcomes.

It's Not Just About the Job: Unpacking SDOH and Long COVID

Sharing with you from our friends at the Mississippi State University Career Horizons Project:

Employment success is about more than finding the right job. For individuals living with Long COVID, factors such as transportation, access to healthcare, family support, financial stability, and the unique challenges of rural communities can all play a significant role in their ability to obtain and maintain employment. Join the Mississippi State University Career Horizons Project on Wednesday, September 16th for an engaging webinar that explores how social determinants of health (SDOH) along with family and social contexts shape employment outcomes.

Webinar Details

Date: Wednesday, September 16, 2026

Start: 12:00 PM CT / 1:00 PM ET / 11:00 AM MT /10:00 AM PT

End: 1:00 PM CT / 2:00 PM ET / 12:00 PM MT / 11:00 AM PT

Location: Online via Microsoft Teams

Credits: 1 CRC credit available.

Cost: Free to Attend. Registration is required.

Deadline to Register: Tuesday, September 15, 2026 by 5PM CT

What You Will Learn

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Identify social determinants of health (SDOH) and family/social context factors that shape Long COVID employment outcomes.
• Evaluate what is transferable from Mississippi's rural, statewide CHP model to their own state's SDOH-related employment support strategies.

Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation Institute at Northwest Indian College

Fall 2026 Courses

Quarter Dates: September 21 - December 4, 2026

Register by September 19

TVRS 301: Tricia Robertson (T/Th 11AM–12PM PDT)

TVRS 302: TBD (T/Th 3–4PM PDT)

TVRS 304: Orinda Goddard (T/Th 12–1PM PDT)

TVRS 307: Donna Adamson (T/Th 1–2PM PDT)

TVRS 308: Kasey Byrd (T/Th 3:30–4:30PM PDT)

TVRS 309: Jamie Emanuel (T/Th 10–11AM PDT)

TVRS 314: TVR Self-Employment Training

Holland/Ipsen (W 9–11AM PDT)

Classes can be taken for credit or CEUs

Please visit the TVR Institute website for all registration materials, instructions, and course information.

Please send enrollment forms to tvr@nwic.edu.

Questions?

Contact Pasquilita at pmartinez@nwic.edu or 360-392-4317.

Building Self-Employment Capacity

in AIVRS Programs

TVR Institute Course: TVRS 314 / Fall Quarter 2026

💡 Don't wait until a regional training for this crucial information!

Get practical, hands-on self-employment strategies now by registering for this

10-week interactive course.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

• Assessing Readiness & Feasibility: Practical tools to evaluate business ideas and consumer readiness.
• Writing Self-Employment IPEs: Key required components and clear milestone planning.
• Business Plans & Operations: Guide participants through marketing, operational, and financial planning.
• Subsistence Activities: Tailor guidance to traditional and cultural self-employment models.
• Practical Toolkit: Gain direct experience using the online Tribal VR Self-Employment Toolkit and worksheets.

COURSE DETAILS

📅 Quarter Dates: Sept 21 – Dec 4, 2026 (10 Weeks)

⏰ Class Time: Wednesdays, 9:00 – 11:00 AM PDT

💻 Format: Online via Zoom & Canvas

🎓 Credit / CEUs: 3 Credits or CEUs (Pass/No-Pass)

👩‍🏫 Instructors: Rebecca Holland & Catherine Ipsen

🌟 Complete a real-world, place-based project directly applicable

to your own Tribal VR agency!

Ready to Enhance Your Self-Employment Services?



Registration Deadline: September 19, 2026

Send enrollment forms to: tvr@nwic.edu

Visit the TVR Institute Website for registration materials.

Questions? Contact Pasquilita Martinez at pmartinez@nwic.edu or (360) 392-4317

Class can be taken for academic credit or Continuing Education Units (CEUs).

Samish Indian Nation Job Opening:

Career Development & Job Placement Counselors I, II, III 

Department: Career Development

Salary: $23.52 - $37.43, FLSA Non-Exempt

Hours: 40 hours per week, Monday-Friday with some weekend and evening work

Status: Reviewing Applications

Published: Jul 6, 2026

Closing Date: Jul 20, 2026

Duration: Based on available funding, full-time regular at completion of six month probationary period

Description: The Career Development & Job Placement Counselor provides career development, job readiness, employment placement, and retention services to eligible participants under the P.L. 102‑477 Career & Education Pathways Program. This position is integral to the P.L. 102‑477 Career & Education Pathways framework, supporting seamless coordination between education, training, and employment services to help participants progress along defined career pathways toward sustainable employment and economic self‑sufficiency. This position reports to the Career Development & Job Placement Director and works closely with the Career & Education Pathways Support Specialist and Education Pathways staff.

Shoshone-Paiute Tribes Job Opening: Vocational Rehabilitation Program Director

POSITION: Vocational Rehabilitation Program Director

PROGRAM: Vocational Rehabilitation Program

SUPERVISOR: Tribal Human Services Administrator

SALARY: $62,774.40 Annually (Grade 25, Step 01)

CLASSIFICATION: EXEMPT

LOCATION: Owyhee, Nevada

CLOSES: Open Until Filled

Links to recent editions of the AIVRTTAC Weekly Update are now available

on the AIVRTTAC.org website.

The contents of this newsletter were developed under a grant from the Department of Education (PR/Award #H250Z150002). However, the contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1221e-3 and 3474)