At the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, we work together with our many partners and Colorado employers to make a positive difference each and every day in the lives of Coloradoans with disabilities. Take a moment to read our stories - and see how their success, your success, and our success all go hand-in-hand.

Employee Profile

Sandy LaCasse

Occupation: Student / Studying to be Dental Assistant
Rehabilitation Counselor: Ruth Keller

Trying to put a life back together after a traumatic brain injury is never an easy task. From dealing with memory loss to rebuilding relationships with loved ones, many who have experienced TBI say the recovery process is just like starting over.

Sandy LaCasse knows all about starting over. After being thrown from a pickup truck, she sustained a traumatic brain injury as well as damage to her neck and back. At the time, she was a successful metal artist with works featured in galleries throughout the area. However, after the accident she couldn’t remember how to perform simple tasks and had a difficult time remembering people close to her.

“I really couldn’t remember much of anything,” said LaCasse. “I knew people but didn’t know my relationship with them.”

As she started her recovery, she realized that she could no longer meet the physical demands of being a metal artist. Someone referred her to DVR, but when she walked in the door, her confidence was at an all-time low and she had little hope that her counselor, Ruth Keller out of the Colorado Springs office, would help her to get her life back.

“When Sandy first walked in, I’m not sure how much faith she had in DVR,” said Keller. “We did some interest testing to give her a better idea of what she would like to do.”

Sandy showed an interest in becoming a dental assistant but the thought of going back to school when she was still struggling with her memory was pretty intimidating. That’s when Keller stepped in, giving LaCasse the encouragement she needed to enroll in classes.

“I really didn’t know if I was going to make it, but Ruth was my great cheerleader,” said LaCasse.

LaCasse not only enrolled in school to become a dental assistant, but was named “Student of the Month,” after her first month of classes. She eventually got her degree and is now working happily as an orthodontic assistant.

“My life has come full circle,” said LaCasse. “I am in a great place now and feel so accomplished. I feel I have grown leaps.”

Success Stories