Students and youth with disabilities will have the opportunity to learn about Vocational Rehabilitation Services and receive information on and referral to other resources and programs that may be of assistance to them.
“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 (described below) at any age. Pre-Employment Transition Services must end when compensatory services end.
“Youth with a disability” means an individual with a disability who is not
- Younger than 14 years of age and
- Older than 24 years of age
Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS)
Vocational Rehabilitation Services, in collaboration with the local educational agencies involved, will provide or arrange for the provision of Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) 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 and a record of service must be established for each student receiving Pre-ETS.
When a student with a disability who solely received Pre-ETS and who had not applied or been determined eligible to receive other vocational rehabilitation services, the record of service must be closed when the student no longer meets the definition of a “student with a disability”. The student, or their authorized representative, if applicable, must also be notified of the record of service closure.
Required Activities
Pre-Employment Transition Services must include, as appropriate to the needs of the person, 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).
The Vocational Rehabilitation Services counselor must consult with and receive approval from a supervisor prior to arranging for any unpaid volunteer, work experience, internship or service learning or including these services on the Employment Plan. This consultation and approval must be documented by the supervisor in Workforce One case notes.
Supervisory consultation and approval is required to authorize work-based learning coaching services beyond 60 hours. This consultation and approval must be documented by the supervisor in Workforce One case notes.
Supervisory consultation and approval are required to authorize beyond the following Work Experience Services thresholds:
- 20 hours: for follow-up for a short-term work experience that has already been developed.
- 30 hours: for site development and follow-up for a short-term work experience.
- 40 hours: for site development and follow-up for an intermediate work experience.
Supervisory consultation and approval are required to authorize beyond the following Internship Service thresholds:
- 20 hours: for follow-up for an internship that has already been developed.
- 30 hours: for site development and follow-up for an internship.
The above consultation and approvals must be documented by the supervisor in Workforce One case notes.
Supervisory consultation and approval are required prior to authorizing for Work Experience Wages and Internship Wages at or above $20.00 per hour. This consultation and approval must be documented by the supervisor in Workforce One case notes.
Authorized Activities
Funds available and remaining after the provision of the required activities may be used to improve the transition of students with disabilities from school to postsecondary education or an employment outcome.
The nine authorized activities are:
- Implementing effective strategies to increase the likelihood of independent living and inclusion in communities and competitive integrated workplaces;
- Developing and improving strategies for individuals with intellectual disabilities and individuals with significant disabilities to live independently; participate in postsecondary education experiences; and obtain, advance in and retain competitive integrated employment;
- Providing instruction to vocational rehabilitation counselors, school transition personnel, and other persons supporting students with disabilities;
- Disseminating information about innovative, effective, and efficient approaches to achieve the goals of this section;
- Coordinating activities with transition services provided by local educational agencies under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act;
- Applying evidence-based findings to improve policy, procedure, practice, and the preparation of Vocational Rehabilitation Services personnel, in order to better achieve the goals of this section;
- Developing model transition demonstration projects;
- Establishing or supporting multistate or regional partnerships involving Vocational Rehabilitation Services, other state agencies, local educational agencies, developmental disability agencies, private businesses, or other participants to achieve the goals of this section;
- Disseminating information and strategies to improve the transition to postsecondary activities of individuals who are members of traditionally unserved and underserved populations.
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.
Vocational Rehabilitation Services Transition Services
Vocational Rehabilitation Services Transition Services (VRS Transition Services) will be provided to youth and students with disabilities who are eligible and in an open priority category. Services will be provided to assist eligible individuals plan for and make the transition from secondary school to competitive integrated employment.
VRS Transition Services means a coordinated set of activities for a student or youth with a disability—
- Designed within an outcome-oriented process that promotes movement from school to post-school activities, including postsecondary education, vocational training, competitive integrated employment, supported employment, continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living, or community participation;
- Based upon the individual student's or youth's needs, taking into account the student's or youth's preferences and interests;
- That includes instruction, community experiences, the development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives, and, if appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and functional vocational evaluation;
- That promotes or facilitates the achievement of the employment outcome identified in the student's or youth's employment plan; and
- That includes outreach to and engagement of the parents, or, as appropriate, the representative of such a student or youth with a disability.
The role of Vocational Rehabilitation Services while an individual is still in school is to:
- facilitate engage and discover meetings for those that are considering subminimum wage employment,
- provide Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS),
- assist the student to choose a post high school employment goal and the services needed to reach that goal, and
- develop and approve an Employment Plan as early as possible but no later than 90 days of the youth or student with a disability entering a planning status or by the time the individual leaves the school setting, whichever occurs first.
Vocational Rehabilitation Services will not assume any costs for goods and services which the school is responsible for providing under an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. The school maintains legal responsibility for providing a free and appropriate public education until the student leaves secondary school.
Employment Plans will show what Pre-Employment Transition Services and transition services Vocational Rehabilitation Services will be providing while the student is still in school.
Plans will consider the IEP and services provided undersection 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, as applicable, and will coordinate with those services and goals of the IEP or section 504 services that facilitates an employment outcome. Plans will be developed in accordance with the interagency agreement.
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 help in exercising informed choice must be made aware that support services are available.
As appropriate, 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.
Exceptions to the Transition Services policies may be requested from the Director of Vocational Rehabilitation Services or a designee when there are unique rehabilitation needs that cannot be met.