Rhode Island Code of Regulations › Title 218 - Department of Human Services › Chapter 50 - Rehabilitation Services › Subchapter 00 - N/A › Part 3 - Business Enterprises Program Regulations (218-RICR-50-00-3) › Section 218-RICR-50-00-3.5 - REFERRAL/APPLICATION

Current through June 14, 2024
A. Qualified applicants referred to the
				  Business Enterprises Program (BEP) by Vocational Rehabilitation must meet the
				  following additional requirements:
1. The VR
				  Counselor, in consultation with the VR Supervisor, must submit a referral to
				  the BEP Administrator providing pertinent information about the client and
				  requesting consultation/record review for the potential candidate. Electronic
				  Mail (e-mail referrals are acceptable.)
2. The referral must include such information
				  as the clients' VR status, IPE goal progress, brief education and employment
				  history overview, current evaluations or assessments which document the
				  applicants' visual acuity, U.S. citizenship, a current BCI (Criminal Background
				  Check) report, and a signed release of information to allow a case file review.
				  Referrals lacking a current BCI report and signed release of information form
				  will be automatically rejected.
3.
				  Following the file/client review, prospective BEP candidates will submit to an
				  interview with the BEP Administrator and VR Counselor in order to evaluate a
				  client's overall presentation, degree of interest and motivation, as well as
				  capacity and potential for success as a future vendor/Licensee. The interview
				  also serves as a means to provide the referral with a greater explanation of
				  the expectations and general outcomes of the BEP. Upon completion of the
				  interview process, the BEP Administrator will issue written notification of
				  denial or acceptance in the BEP training process.
4. Accepted candidates will participate in an
				  on-site evaluation at a designated vending facility. During this process,
				  applicants will be evaluated to ensure that they meet the additional
				  requirements listed in §
											3.5(B)   of
				  this Part. This will include an assessment of the need for adjustment training,
				  mobility orientation/instruction, rehabilitation teaching, assistive
				  technology, focused-task oriented training, outside training in specialized
				  areas, and/or other support services.
a.
				  Based upon the findings of the onsite evaluation, additional training and
				  education needs may be identified specific to the individual outcomes and
				  candidates' respective performance.
b. The Vocational Rehabilitation (VR)
				  Counselor must assure that the candidates will be provided with the appropriate
				  tools needed to assure independent and successful performance during the
				  evaluation and training process. Tools (other than those general to the
				  business environment) includes but is not limited to high-tech and low-tech
				  assistive technology for the identification of money, merchandise, for safe
				  food handling and physical mastery of the environment - such as mobility aides
				  and rehabilitative teaching.