RICHMOND, VA - Business Connections, a supported employment service-providing program under the Virginia Commonwealth University Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (VCU-RRTC), recently earned a three-year accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), an international, independent, nonprofit accreditor of health and human services.
Business Connections at VCU-RRTC provides supported employment services for individuals in the Metro Richmond and surrounding areas, as well as Newport News and Petersburg, assisting individuals with disabilities with finding employment and providing ongoing support to clients who obtain employment. The program receives referrals from the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services.
The accreditation process is a complete review of the program’s services, effectiveness, and functionality. CARF reviewers examine areas including leadership, governance, strategic planning, legal requirements, financial planning and management, health and safety, workforce development, technology, rights of persons served, accessibility, performance measurement, program service structure, employment services, and community services. Each of these categories contains subcategories that the reviewers also inspect.
Program Director Jenn McDonough explains the importance of this accreditation, saying, “Dr. Paul Wehman started this center in 1983 to help find employment for people with disabilities because he, and our entire team, believe that individuals with disabilities add great value to every workplace and community. It is important to our center to continue providing high-quality services to those individuals seeking employment, as well as those who are currently employed. CARF ensures that we are doing our best and provides guidance and suggestions for areas of improvement.”
VCU-RRTC has provided these community employment services since 1983. Business Connections’ employment outcomes in 2024 and 2025 report that 75 percent of their clients who obtained employment held their jobs for a continuous year or longer, with all employees being paid a competitive wage of minimum wage or higher. Clients acquired employment in industries such as healthcare, food service, retail, academia, government, manufacturing, hospitality, and entertainment.
Mallary McEvoy, a program lead counselor who joined the team in 2021, describes the impact she’s seen the service have on individuals with disabilities and their families: “Nothing is more exciting than hearing a hiring manager tell a job seeker that they’ve got the job, and then to continue to support both a business and the individual in finding success. It’s truly a privilege to be in the room when someone gets hired. When our job seekers get hired, there is a ripple effect; the employee and the business are now more diversified, and communities see more representation for individuals with disabilities. Families see the individual accomplishing new goals. The individual is included in their community, a part of something that historically was only seen as accessible for those who were ‘able’.”
In CARF’s review of the program, they state, “On balance, Virginia Commonwealth University - Business Connections demonstrated substantial conformance to the standards. [The program] has earned a solid reputation for high-quality support throughout the Richmond, Virginia area. Staff and leadership members share a consistent person-centered approach to helping consumers served identify and secure meaningful employment. The organization's strong relationships with local employers enable it to secure placements across a wide range of industries and business sizes. VCU provides valuable and impactful services, and the consumers served appear to benefit from their involvement with the organization.”
McDonough credits the entire Business Connections team, as well as RRTC leadership, Finance, and HR, with this accomplishment, stating, “The RRTC is truly a family. When we have a goal, we lose our titles and do what it takes to be successful. We are very blessed to have amazing employment specialists as well as leaders and contributors who work well together to see one another be successful. We are excited about the next three years and all of the great accomplishments our job seekers with disabilities will achieve!”