Vocational Rehabilitation Services

Scope of Vocational Rehabilitation Services

Summary
The Scope of Intensive Services policy outlines the array of intensive services available to assist eligible individuals in an open priority category prepare for, secure, retain or regain employment that is consistent with the individual's strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests and informed choice.

Relevant Laws, Rules, or Policies
Assessment of Vocational Rehabilitation Needs and Employment Policy
Auxiliary Aids and Services for Effective Communication
Information and Referral
Maintenance
Personal Assistant Services
Physical and Mental Restoration
Post-Employment Services
Postsecondary Training
Qualifying For Services
Rehabilitation Technology
School-To-Work Transition Services
Small Business
Supported Employment
Transportation

Effective Date
3/1/2006

Last Updated
3/28/2024

Contact
Heather Farmer, heather.farmer@state.mn.us
Tel 612.414.9668
Fax 651.297.5159

Policy

Pre-Employment Transition Services

Vocational Rehabilitation Services, in collaboration with the local educational agencies involved, will provide or arrange for the provision of Pre-Employment Transition Services to all students with disabilities in need of such services, regardless of whether a student has applied for Vocational Rehabilitation services. Pre-Employment Transition Services must be available on a statewide basis.

“Student with a disability” means, in general, an individual with a disability in a secondary, postsecondary, or other recognized educational program who-

is eligible for, and receiving special education including compensatory services in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and/or Minnesota's Special Education Recovery Services and Supports law, or
is an individual with a disability, for purposes of section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and is
Age 14 until age 22

Note: A student receiving compensatory services in accordance with IDEA and/or Minnesota's Special Education Recovery Services and Supports law can receive Pre-Employment Transition Services at any age. Pre-Employment Transition Services must end when compensatory services end.

Pre-Employment Transition Services must include, as appropriate to the needs of the individual, the following required activities:

Job exploration counseling;
Work-based learning experiences, which may include in-school or after school opportunities, or experience outside the traditional school setting (including internships), that is provided in an integrated environment in the community to the maximum extent possible;
Counseling on opportunities for enrollment in comprehensive transition or postsecondary educational programs at institutions of higher education;
Workplace readiness training to develop social skills and independent living; and
Instruction in self-advocacy (including instruction in person centered planning) which may include peer mentoring (including peer mentoring from individuals with disabilities working in competitive integrated employment)

Pre-employment transition coordination

Vocational Rehabilitation Services must carry out the following coordination responsibilities:

Attend individualized education program (IEP) meetings for students with disabilities when invited;
Work with local workforce development boards, MN CareerForce locations, and employers to develop work opportunities for students with disabilities, including internships, summer employment and other employment opportunities available throughout the school year, and apprenticeships;
Work with local education agencies to coordinate and ensure the provision of Pre-Employment Transition Services

When invited, attend person centered planning meetings for individuals receiving Medicaid waivered services. As appropriate to the vocational rehabilitation needs of each individual and consistent with each individual's informed choice, the Vocational Rehabilitation Services program will ensure that the following vocational rehabilitation services are available to assist the eligible person in an open priority category in preparing for, securing, retaining, advancing in or regaining an employment outcome that is consistent with the individual's strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests, and informed choice:

Assessment for determining eligibility and priority for services by a qualified Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, including, if appropriate, an assessment by personnel skilled in rehabilitation technology. (See Qualifying For Services)
Assessment for determining vocational rehabilitation needs by a qualified Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, including, if appropriate, an assessment by personnel skilled in rehabilitation technology. (See Assessment of Vocational Rehabilitation Needs and Employment Plan)
Vocational rehabilitation counseling and guidance, including information and support services to assist an individual in exercising informed choice.
Referral and other services necessary to assist applicants and eligible individuals to secure needed services from other agencies, including other components of the statewide CareerForce system, and to advise those individuals about the Client Assistance Project. (See Information and Referral)
Physical and mental restoration services, to the extent that financial support is not readily available from a source other than the Vocational Rehabilitation Services program (such as through health insurance or other comparable service or benefit). (See Physical and Mental Restoration)
Vocational and other training services, including personal and vocational adjustment training, advanced training in, but not limited to, a field of science, technology, engineering, mathematics (including computer science), medicine, law, or business; books, tools, and other training materials, except that no training or training services in an institution of higher education may be paid unless maximum efforts have been made by Vocational Rehabilitation Services and the individual to secure grant assistance in whole or in part from other sources to pay for that training. (See Postsecondary Training)
Maintenance for added costs associated with an approved plan for competitive integrated employment. (See Maintenance)
Transportation in connection with the provision of required vocational rehabilitation services. (See Transportation)
Vocational rehabilitation services to family members of an applicant or eligible individual if necessary to enable the applicant or eligible individual to achieve an employment outcome.
Interpreter services, including sign language and oral interpreter services, for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing by qualified personnel. (See Auxiliary Aids and Services for Effective Communication)
Job-related services, including job search and placement assistance, job retention services, follow-up services, and follow-along services.
Supported employment services. (See Supported Employment)
Personal assistance services when needed to support other required vocational rehabilitation services, including training in the management of these services. (See Personal Assistant Services)
Post-employment services which are limited in scope and duration and are needed to maintain, regain, or advance in employment after an employment outcome has been achieved but before the individual has exited the VR program.
Occupational licenses, tools, equipment, initial stocks, and supplies.
Rehabilitation technology, including vehicle modification, telecommunications, sensory, and other technological aids and devices and training in the management of these services. (See Rehabilitation Technology)
Transition services for students and youth with disabilities, that facilitate the transition from school to postsecondary life, such as achievement of an employment outcome in competitive integrated employment, or pre-employment transition services for students. (See School-To-Work Transition Services)
Technical assistance and other consultation services to conduct market analyses, develop business plans, and otherwise provide resources, to the extent those resources are authorized to be provided through the statewide CareerForce system, to eligible individuals who are pursuing self-employment or telecommuting or establishing a small business operation as an employment outcome. (See Small Business)
Customized Employment
Other goods and services determined necessary to assist an individual achieve an employment outcome.

The above mentioned services must be provided in the most integrated setting possible. Integrated setting, with respect to the provision of services, is defined as a setting typically found in the community in which the person interacts with non-disabled individuals, other than non-disabled individuals who are providing services.

As appropriate, the above mentioned services can be obtained from either an in-state or out-of-state provider. If a person chooses an out-of-state provider at a higher cost than an in-state provider, if either provider would meet the individual’s rehabilitation needs, Vocational Rehabilitation Services is not responsible for those costs in excess of the cost of the in-state service.

Through appropriate modes of communication, each applicant and recipient of VR services must be given the information necessary to make informed choices. Individuals who need assistance in exercising informed choice must be made aware that support services are available.

Alternate formats such as Braille, audio-visual and large print are available upon request.