Mississippi Administrative Code › Title 32 - Rehabilitation And Disabilities › Part 22 - Office of Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind, Resource Guide › Section 32-22-3.4 - COMMUNITY REHABILITATION PROGRAMS › Section 32-22-3.4.1 - Public › Section 32-22-3.4.1.3 - AbilityWorks, Inc › Section 32-22-3.4.1.3.1 - AbilityWorks Referral Process

Current through June 25, 2024
The VR counselor will make a referral to an AbilityWorks branch by creating a service authorization and selecting the specific services requested of the AbilityWorks staff If the VR Counselor chooses to do so, he/she may authorize for vocational assessment and job readiness services at the same time on one service authorization. The VR counselor should add specific client issues to be addressed such as concentration, work tolerance, ability to accept supervision, etc.
An AbilityWorks designee will check for new service authorizations in AACE on a daily basis. The draft authorization (referral form) is printed and the case manager is assigned in AACE. Following the initial set up of the electronic case file and client file, the case manager reviews the referral information from the counselor. The records that cannot be printed from AACE must be forwarded as a hard copy to AbilityWorks. This includes the following:
* Relevant medical history, medical reports, psychiatric, and/or psychological reports
* Legible copies of documents suitable for employment identification (Government issued photo identification and Social Security card)
* School records for all Transition Students
* Copy of the clients application for VR Services
* Other available information such as relevant social information or information on previous direct services and supports
If all pertinent records are present, the case manager notifies the counselor within seven (7) calendar days by generating a referral receipt letter. If all pertinent information is not provided, the case manager uses the referral receipt letter to notify the counselor of the missing information. When all required information is received from the referring counselor, it is reviewed for adequacy and the admission date is scheduled for the participant. The counselor should be provided a copy of the admission letter.
Under most conditions, a client cannot be admitted to any AbilityWorks for job readiness services unless an appropriate vocational assessment has been attained on the client. The purpose of the assessment is to provide documentation of disability required by the Department of Labor in order for AbilityWorks to pay sub-minimum wages. (The exception would be clients that do not require facility involvement and would not receive remunerative wages such as clients only receiving classroom training, job development and placement services, etc.). An acceptable vocational assessment may be based on past work experience and/or previous rehabilitation center evaluation results. It should include the clients functional limitations, abilities, interests, aptitudes, and achievement levels. If, considering the client's disability, AbilityWorks needs more information than provided, AbilityWorks will bring the client in for further evaluation services prior to providing job readiness services. AbilityWorks will notify the counselor of any changes that will need to be made to the authorization.
If a client does not report on the scheduled admission date, the counselor will be notified to check the service management module for an Entry/Non-Entry form. If the counselor does not want to reschedule the client for entry, AbilityWorks will then destroy the referral information and ask the counselor to cancel the authorization. Otherwise, AbilityWorks will destroy the referral information 90 days after the original admission date, provided that at least two attempts are made to reschedule the client.
After admission, AbilityWorks staff will take all referral and intake information into consideration in developing an individual evaluation, and job readiness plan with the client. The plan will meet both the counselor's requests and any other needs of the client that can be addressed by AbilityWorks. The client will be assigned to an individual case manager (vocational evaluator) who will be responsible for ensuring the client receives the services he/she wants and needs.
A service review (staffing) will be held at least monthly to discuss the client's progress toward completing evaluation or meeting the goals on his/her job readiness plan. Counselors must participate in the service review (staffing) of their clients. The counselor is encouraged to attend the service review (staffing) in person; however, attending via telephone is recommended when travel is extreme or difficult to schedule. The case manager is to document progress in an AACE Service Note within seven (7) calendar days after the service review (staffing). Case managers at AbilityWorks are not required to submit a copy to the counselor but should notify them when the report is ready to be viewed. If the case is being closed from AbilityWorks, the case manager is to submit to the referring party a closing summary within fourteen (14) calendar days of the client's discharge date.