Connecticut Administrative Code › Title 10 - Education and Culture › 306 - Vocational Rehabilitation Services › Section 10-306-12a - Training in institutions of higher education

Current through July 10, 2024
(a) Financial
			 participation by the Vocational Rehabilitation Services Division in providing
			 training and training services in institutions of higher education shall be
			 made in accordance with an appropriately completed Individualized Written
			 Rehabilitation Program (IWRP) and under the following conditions:
(1) No training in institutions of higher
			 education shall be paid for by the Vocational Rehabilitation Services Division
			 unless maximum efforts have been made to secure comparable benefits or grant
			 assistance, in whole or in part, from other sources to pay for such training.
			 Grant assistance, for purposes of this policy, refers to basic grant
			 entitlement under student financial aid programs.
(2) In pursuing a determination of available
			 comparable benefits, the client shall make application to the training
			 institution's financial aid office (FAO) and shall cooperate in the provision
			 of all information required by the FAO in its calculation of the client's
			 eligibility for financial assistance.
(3) The client shall give written
			 authorization to the Vocational Rehabilitation Services Division and the FAO to
			 exchange information relevant to the determination of eligibility for financial
			 assistance in accordance with the State Personal Data Act and regulations
			 thereunder.
(4) Application by the
			 client to the FAO shall be made in sufficient time to permit a decision to be
			 rendered by the FAO prior to the starting date of training.
(5) A client shall not be required to apply
			 for funds available to him through student loans to meet the costs of
			 training.
(6) Financial
			 participation by the Vocational Rehabilitation Services Division in the
			 provision of such training shall be limited to the amount of the client's unmet
			 need as determined by the FAO. Client work study or summer earnings shall be
			 included as part of the calculation of client financial need only when the
			 client is realistically able to participate in a work study program or has
			 summer earnings.
(7) The Vocational
			 Rehabilitation Services Division shall not substitute its vocational
			 rehabilitation funds for the family contribution portion as determined by the
			 FAO. If the Vocational Rehabilitation Services Division determines that
			 computation by the FAO is clearly erroneous and time or other circumstances
			 make it impossible or impractical for the client to have the computation by the
			 FAO corrected, Vocational Rehabilitation Services Division Director may
			 substitute funds from vocational rehabilitation for the family contribution in
			 an amount not to exceed the amount by which the computation by the FAO is
			 determined to be in error. This policy shall not apply to expenses that shall
			 be incurred by a client which result from his disability.
(8) For all students with Individualized
			 Written Rehabilitation Programs (IWRP) or Amendments that are developed after
			 February 1, 1996, which initiate training services in institutions of higher
			 education (such as colleges, universities and post-secondary vocational or
			 technical training programs), the cost of tuition, room and board, training
			 materials or supplies, and any other costs attributable to the course of study
			 shall be based upon such costs at Central Connecticut State University. The
			 costs of such services for students who had an IWRP or Amendment in effect for
			 services provided by institutions of higher education prior to February 1,
			 1996, may be based on costs for these training services at the University of
			 Connecticut. The level of funding from these services shall be considered for
			 each category, such as tuition, room and board, etc., and the cost for each
			 category shall not exceed the cost for each category at Central Connecticut
			 State University or the University of Connecticut, as applicable. For programs
			 of study that are not available at Central Connecticut State University, the
			 University of Connecticut costs shall apply. If the program of study is not
			 available at either school, then the Vocational Rehabilitation Services
			 Division may pay such costs as are reasonable for the client to attend the
			 program. Special support services, provided to enable a client to participate
			 in training, shall be paid above and beyond the cost of attending the college
			 or university. All clients who participate in training at institutions of
			 higher education shall be required to maintain an overall grade point average
			 of 2.0 or higher. Any client who falls below this level for two consecutive
			 semesters shall be subject to withholding of Vocational Rehabilitation Services
			 Division funds for subsequent semesters until such time as the client can
			 achieve the minimum grade point standard. All clients shall submit grades to
			 their rehabilitation counselors at the end of each semester. Funding for all
			 subsequent semesters shall be contingent upon submittal of satisfactory
			 grades.