How should we measure the value of Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services? A new factsheet, A Rationale for Social Return on Investment, explains why the answer depends on what we count as a benefit.
Traditional Taxpayer Return on Investment (ROI) focuses largely on changes in tax revenue and government spending. But this narrow approach can miss important benefits of VR services, including increased employment and earnings for people with disabilities. Social ROI takes a broader view by considering whether the overall economic benefits of a program exceed its costs.
The factsheet highlights research showing that VR services can lead to meaningful gains in employment and income even when those gains do not result in large increases in tax revenue. For this reason, the economics literature recognizes Social ROI as the more appropriate measure of program value.
Explore the factsheet to learn more about the difference between Social ROI and Taxpayer ROI and why the distinction matters when evaluating VR programs.
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