[10] The grant programs under the RSA's purview are in various areas such as technical assistance centers, demonstration projects, training, client advocacy, and underserved populations.
As the Director of the U.S. Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, Mary Switzer released funds for more than 100 university-based rehabilitation-related programs and was a strong advocate for improving quality of life for people with disabilities.
[18] President Nixon eventually signed the bill, called the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and sponsored by Representative John Brademas, into law on September 26, 1973.
One of the key pieces in the law is Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act that says “no otherwise qualified handicapped individual in the United States shall solely on the basis of his handicap, be excluded from the participation, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.” [19] This means that any organization or program that receives federal funding cannot discriminate against disabled individuals.
The RSA is the main agency responsible for carrying out Titles I (Vocational Rehabilitation Services), III (Professional Development and Special Projects and Demonstrations ), VI (Employment Opportunities for Individuals with Disabilities) and VII (Independent Living Services and Centers for Independent Living), as well as specified portions of Title V (Rights and Advocacy) of the Rehabilitation Act.
[19] The Rehabilitation Act continued to evolve; in 1986, Public Law 99-506[20] helped it to refine and focus services offered to those with the most severe disabilities.
In 1998, the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) impacted programs like the RSA, and according to RSA's website, was intended to strengthen and improve the nation's public workforce development system and help Americans with significant barriers to employment, including individuals with disabilities, into high quality jobs and careers and help employers hire and retain skilled workers.