Clients may contact CAP at: Client Assistance Program 60-B Weston Street Hartford, CT 06120 *(860)*297-4300 or 1-800-842-7303 [Policy] All clients must be informed of services available from CAP at each of the following stages in the *Vocational Rehabilitation* [VR] process: *a)* [-] Application/Initial Interview *b) When assigned to an Order of Selection (OOS) Category if the Vocational Rehabilitation Program is operating under an Order Of Selection.* *c)*[-] IPE Development *d)* [-] Closure *e) Whenever vocational rehabilitation services for an individual are reduced, suspended, or terminated.* [Procedures 1. The VR Counselor will distribute information describing the CAP to all new clients along with information pertaining to the timely review of Rehabilitation Counselor determinations concerning the furnishing or denial of services. 2. Upon completion of the IPE, the VR Counselor will review information in the IPE concerning the CAP with all clients who enter Status 12. 3.Whenever a client's case is closed from the Vocational Rehabilitation Program, the VR Counselor will send information concerning the CAP to the client along with the closure letter.]
as an essential rehabilitation service, and have been determined to be suitably employed for a minimum of 90 days after the completion of substantial services. Status 28 - Closed Other Reasons After Individualized Plan for Employment Initiated Cases closed in this category must have been declared eligible, have received appropriate diagnostic and related services and have had a program for vocational rehabilitation services formulated, but have not completed the program and/or have not been provided with counseling, and/or have not been determined to be suitably employed for a minimum of 90 days. Status 30 - Closed - Other Reasons Before Individualized Plan for Employment Initiated Cases closed in this category are those cases which although accepted for rehabilitation services, did not progress to the point that rehabilitation services were actually initiated under a rehabilitation plan. Status 32 - Post-employment Services Cases in this category are those cases which, although closed subsequent to the achievement of an employment outcome, require additional services to maintain, regain or advance in employment, consistent with the individual's strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, and interests. b) Operational Requirements, by Status, for VR Counselors There are eighteen status classifications under the caseload status coding structure beginning with Status 00 and ending with Status 34. The following is a synopsis of the various case functions that the Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor
evidence regarding the applicant's citizen/alien status on a routine basis. Where there is reason to question the alien status of an applicant, he/she should be requested to present proper credentials or clarify said status with the Immigration and Naturalization Service. The purpose of the clarification is to determine whether the individual will be able to properly complete an Individualized Plan for Employment, which includes an employment outcome for a minimum of 90 days after the completion of substantial services. If the applicant cannot complete a rehabilitation program because of his or her alien status, they will not be considered eligible for VR services. The results of any clarification of alien status are to be recorded in the contact record. The following are brief descriptions of three common alien classifications and some guidance with respect to each: d) Guidelines for Immigrant Aliens Admitted for the purpose of permanent residence; required to register prior to arrival; must submit an address card to Immigration and Naturalization Service at least annually (during the month of January) reflecting a current address; and required to carry a registration card at all times. Failure to comply may jeopardize immigrant status and may subject the individual to deportation action. Since the immigrant alien is admitted for permanent residency, the Counselor's primary concern might be the individual's duly executed registration. In instances where registration has not been maintained, the Counselor could request that the individual clarify his or her status to remove this potential barrier to the completion of VR services. e) Guidelines for non-immigrant Aliens
*n* [g]) Periodic Review of the IPE Each Individualized Plan for Employment shall be reviewed at least annually, at which time the individual (or in appropriate cases, the parents or guardians of the individual) will be afforded an opportunity to review the program and jointly redevelop and agree to its terms. Any substantive revisions or amendments to the program resulting from such review shall be incorporated into an IPE Amendment and shall become effective when signed by the individual (or parent, family member, guardian, advocate, authorized representative), the *Vocational Rehabilitation* Counselor, and the designated supervisory staff of the vocational rehabilitation program *(if the amendment was developed by a Vocational Rehabilitation Assistant Counselor or the amendment includes graduate school as a service)*. Each IPE may also be revised as needed. It should be noted that minor changes to the IPE to include additional services to support the implementation of a previously agreed to career goal do not require a formal written amendment. In these circumstances, a verbal agreement between the *Vocational Rehabilitation* Counselor and the client to add the additional service(s), followed up with a letter from the *Vocational Rehabilitation* Counselor to the client summarizing the agreement will be sufficient. *o* [h]) Subsequent Determinations of Ineligibility In the event that after an individual has been found eligible for vocational rehabilitation services, any future and subsequent determination of ineligibility shall reflect the inability of the individual to benefit from vocational rehabilitation services in terms of an employment outcome. There must be documentation in the case folder as to how
An individual with a most significant disability, whose supported employment in an integrated setting does not satisfy the criteria of competitive integrated employment is considered to be working on a short-term basis toward competitive integrated employment so long as the individual can reasonably anticipate achieving competitive integrated employment within six months of achieving a supported employment outcome, or in limited circumstances, within a period not to exceed 12 months from the achievement of the supported employment outcome, if a longer period is necessary based on the needs of the individual, and the individual has demonstrated progress toward competitive earnings based on information contained in the service record. The six-month short-term basis period, and the additional six months that may be available in limited circumstances, begins after an individual has completed up to 24 months of supported employment services (unless a longer period of time is necessary based upon the individual’s needs) and the individual has achieved a supported employment outcome, meaning that the individual is stable in the supported employment placement for a minimum period of 90 days following the transition to extended services. At this point, the individual has achieved a supported employment outcome. Supported employment services refers to ongoing support services, including customized employment, and other appropriate services needed to support and maintain an individual with a most significant disability that includes visual impairment or legal blindness, including a youth with a most significant disability, in supported employment that are organized and made available, singly or in combination, in such a way as to assist an eligible individual to achieve competitive integrated employment, and:
ensure that duplicate requests for visual aids are not processed. It is important to provide the new low vision provider with information related to aids and magnifiers previously provided to the client through other practitioners. As a guideline, low vision evaluations should not be necessary more than once every two years. In situations where a client is requesting this service more frequently, the BESB consulting low vision eye doctor should be consulted to review the nature of the eye condition and assist the Counselor in reaching a determination as to the potential of benefit from additional evaluations.] (5) Maintenance [Policy] Maintenance means monetary support provided to *an individual for expenses, such as food, shelter, and clothing, that are in excess of the normal expenses of the individual and that are necessitated by the individual's participation in an assessment for determining eligibility and vocational rehabilitation needs or the individual's receipt of vocational rehabilitation services under an Individualized Plan for Employment* [an eligible individual or an individual participating in a trial work or extended evaluation period for those basic living expenses such as food, shelter, clothing, health maintenance, and other subsistence expenses that are in excess of the normal living expenses of the individual, and that are necessitated by the individual's participation in a program of vocational rehabilitation services]. *Maintenance includes, but is not limited to, services and items such as the cost of a uniform or other suitable clothing that is required for an individual's job placement or activities, the cost of short-term shelter that is
may continue, even while the student is assigned to a closed order of selection priority category. For students who have not begun receiving Pre-Employment Transition Services and are determined eligible for vocational rehabilitation services and placed into a closed order of selection priority category, the Bureau may provide general transition services that benefit a group of students with disabilities to ensure the continuation of beneficial services, but may not begin Pre-Employment Transition Services. (D) Pre-Employment Transition Services Authorized Activities If funds reserved for the provision of Pre-Employment Transition Services remain after all necessary “required” activities have been provided, the Bureau may provide other “authorized” activities that improve the transition of students with disabilities from school to post-secondary education or an employment outcome, and that support the arrangement or provision of the “required” activities. The Bureau must first determine whether the funds reserved for the provision of “required” Pre-Employment Transition Services are sufficient to meet the Pre-Employment Transition needs for all students in need of such activities, prior to utilizing reserved funds for “authorized” activities. Authorized Pre-Employment Activities include: (i) Implementing effective strategies to increase the likelihood of independent living and inclusion in communities and competitive integrated employment.