Code of Maine Rules › 12 - DEPARTMENT OF LABOR › 150 - BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED DIVISION › Chapter 101 - RULES GOVERNING VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED › Section 150-101-9 - VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION SERVICES

Current through 2024-29, July 17, 2024
DBVI VR will provide, as appropriate to the vocational
				  rehabilitation needs of each eligible individual and consistent with each
				  individual's informed choice, any goods or services determined necessary for
				  the individual to achieve an employment outcome. Services that are of
				  sufficient quality will be provided as cost effectively as possible to meet the
				  individual's needs. Services include, but are not limited to:
1. An assessment for determining eligibility,
				priority for services and for determining vocational rehabilitation
				needs.
2. Vocational rehabilitation
				counseling, guidance, and job-related services, including job search and
				placement assistance, customized employment, job coaching, job retention
				services, follow-up services and follow-along services.
3. Referral and other services necessary to
				help applicants and eligible individuals secure needed services from other
				agencies and to advise those individuals about the Client Assistance
				Program.
4. Physical and mental
				restoration services necessary to correct or to substantially modify a physical
				or mental condition of an individual that is stable or slowly
				progressive.
5.
Post-Secondary, Vocational and Occupational Training Services
A.
Degree-granting programs
;
				Post-secondary training is that training offered by accredited institutions
				which qualify for federal financial student aid and is provided only when
				necessary to achieve an employment outcome consistent with an individual's
				strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capacities and informed
				choice, and must be documented in the IPE.
(1)
Financial Consideration
(a) DBVI contribution toward post-secondary
				training shall not be provided unless maximum efforts have been made to secure
				assistance in whole, or in part from the Federal Financial Aid Program and
				other sources. An individual must make a reasonable effort and provide evidence
				of this effort to resolve grant awards and student loans in default prior to
				obligation of DBVI funds. When an individual owes a refund on a previous grant
				award or has a student loan in default, has limited or no financial resources,
				has made a reasonable repayment effort, and still fails to reach an agreement
				with lender/grantor, it may be reasonable to conclude that maximum effort has
				been made to secure grant assistance.
(b) DBVI contribution will be based upon the
				degree granting institution's Financial Aid Office (FA0) needs analysis
				including completion of the FAFSA and determination of individual financial
				aid, and the Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor's examination of actual costs
				and visual impairment related expenses and will not exceed the current rate for
				tuition, fees and on-campus room and board at the University of Maine. (See
				exceptions in Section 9.5. A.(1)(a)).
(c) DBVI funding may not exceed the maximum
				determined "contribution plus visual impairment related expenses". Visual
				impairment related expenses are defined as specific assistive technology or
				other visual impairment related services that are required to accommodate the
				individual with visual impairment while in attendance at, living on campus,
				and/or commuting to the post-secondary institution.
(d) DBVI's contribution cannot replace the
				Family contribution, except when the student is a recipient of Social Security
				benefits under Titles II or XVI (SSI/SSDI) of the Social Security Act.
				Recipients SSI/SSDI due to a disability are not subject to a financial means
				test.
When appropriate, Maine DBVI shall encourage individuals with
				  disabilities to participate in the cost of attendance through the use of
				  scholarships, college work study and/or student loans. However, individual DBVI
				  clients will not be required to apply for scholarships or accept student loan
				  and/or college work study. If the student is awarded scholarships and/or
				  accepts a student loan, DBVI will consider actual costs and unmet need when
				  determining DBVI contributions towards the cost of post-secondary
				  training.
(e) Students are
				encouraged to make their own choice of educational institutions that have both
				the academic programs and visual impairment related supports needed to help
				them reach the vocational goal in their IPE, whether they are public or
				private, in-state or out-of-state institutions. However, the maximum DBVI
				contribution is limited to an amount defined in Section 9.5. A.(1)(b); except
(i) when the individual's vocational goal can
				be met ONLY by a more costly post-secondary training opportunity;
(ii) when no existing in-state program will
				meet the unique needs of the individual and when the employment outcome goal is
				unlikely to be met without participation in this post-secondary
				program;
(iii) when specialized
				instructional methods or other reasonable accommodations cannot be met by a
				qualified public in-state institution.