https://doi.org/10.1177/0034355220967109 Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin 1–5 © Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2020 Article reuse guidelines: sagepub.com/journals-permissions DOI: 10.1177/0034355220967109 rcb.sagepub.com Article Traumatic brain injury (TBI) represents one of the largest categories of disability in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2019) estimated in 2014 that almost three million TBIs occurred in the United States, with approximately 228,000 hospitalizations result- ing in a TBI diagnosis. As the brain controls all areas of human activity, TBI is a disability that can limit areas of physical, cognitive, and emotional function. Beyond the functional consequences of TBI, persons with TBI and their family caregivers are challenged by a long-term care sys- tem in the United States that is insufficiently funded (e.g., Friedman & VanPuymbrouck, 2018), lacks well-trained professionals (e.g., Degeneffe & Bursnall, 2015), and lacks a coordinated system of support from acute to long-term care (Degeneffe, 2019). Reflective of the public’s recognition of the growing prevalence and functional consequences of TBI, it was added as a qualifying disability for special education ser- vices in the Individuals with Education Act (IDEA) in 1990 (University of Kansas, 2019). Also, TBI is now considered as a qualifying disability for developmental disability ser- vices in several states, provided the onset and functional impairments of TBI meet Federal developmental disability criteria (Vaughn, 2015). With the passage of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) on July 22, 2014 (U.S. Department of Labor, n.d.), State VR agencies are tasked with providing targeted and enhanced employment supports to transition-aged youth with TBI and other cate- gories of disability (East & Wooderson, 2015). Purpose of the Present Study A focus on TBI is warranted given the commonality of this disability among children, adolescents, and young adults in the United States. In 2014, more than 837,000 of the approximate 2.87 million TBI-related emergency room visits involved children (CDC, 2019). Also, about 812,000 967109RCB XX X 10.1177/0034355220967109Rehabilitation Counseling BulletinDegenefe et al. research-article 2020 1 San Diego State University, CA, USA 2 Mississippi State University, Starkville, USA Corresponding Author: Charles Edmund Degeneffe, Rehabilitation Counseling Program, San Diego State University, Department of Administration, Rehabilitation, and Postsecondary Education College of Education, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA 92182-1154, USA. Email: cdegenef@sdsu.edu Brief Report: Participation Among Transition-Aged Youth With Traumatic Brain Injury in the State/Federal Vocational Rehabilitation System Charles Edmund Degeneffe, PhD, MSSW, CRC 1 , Mark Steven Tucker, PhD, CRC 1 , and Zaccheus James Ahonle, PhD, CRC 2 Abstract This study aimed to understand the level of participation among transition-aged youth with traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the State/Federal Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) System in the context of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Case closures, case duration, and case expenditures in Federal fiscal years (FYs) 2014, 2015, and 2016 were examined among transition-aged youth (i.e., State VR clients under the age of 22 years at application) with TBI, autism spectrum order (ASD), and intellectual disability (ID), using a nonexperimental and descriptive design. A disproportionate number of transition-aged youth with ASD and ID had closed State VR cases compared with transition-aged youth with TBI. Alternatively, there were greater State VR case duration levels and case service expenditures for persons with TBI compared with those with ASD or ID. The disproportionate participation with State VR was consistent among these three groups via eligibility for services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. This article highlights areas of attention concerning transition-aged youth with TBI and will hopefully stimulate future dialogue, research, and policy development concerning participation with State VR for this population. Keywords adolescents, transition, brain injury