Eligibility for supported employment service:
Individual is determined by the Office of Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities (VESID) or the Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped (CBVH) to be eligible for vocational rehabilitation service following an assessment of rehabilitation needs and has (a) the ability to engage in a vocational program leading to supported employment (b) a need for ongoing support services in order to perform and sustain competitive work (c) the ability to work in a supported employment setting (d) extended service funding is available; and (1) has a most significant disability (2) for whom, because of the disability, competitive employment has not occurred or has been interrupted or intermittent (3) for whom VESID/CBVH has issued a written authorization for the provision of Supported Employment service.
Required Features for Supported Employment Programs:
- Program must be explicitly designed to serve individuals with most significant disabilities.
- Program must include assistance as necessary to maintain the person in employment with no time limit on the assistance.
- Programs must integrate workers with disabilities with non-disabled peers and co-workers.
- Programs must provide both intensive and extended services.
- Compensation must be in accordance with the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act and the NYS DOL Minimum Wage Order Guidelines for rehabilitation programs. Competitive wage (or to be working toward competitive wage) is a Federal requirement.
- Hourly Minimum Employment Goal - (should be the maximum number of hours possible), must be established based upon the consumer’s unique circumstances and informed choice.
Conditions Requiring a Waiver:
- Working less than 20 hours but otherwise ready to transition to extended service
- Off-site intervention when a minimum of twice monthly on-site interventions are not provided
- Consumer will require more than 18 months of intensive training services
Intervention Guidelines:
Services are to be provided through a consumer-centered decision-making process that leads to coordinated and comprehensive service planning. Participants should include the consumer and his/her family, VRC*, other state agency representatives, other service providers, and other support service representatives. Decisions regarding entry into an SE program, the employment goal, and service delivery require coordination with and approval by the State VR agency. Intervention strategies will vary with the needs of the individual, the impediments to employment, and the expectations of the employer. Intervention strategies focus on issues related to fitting into the workforce and maintaining a job. Examples: work behaviors, work skills, or issues such as grooming, socializing, managing a paycheck, etc. In addition to job-site interventions, related services away from the job site may include assisting the trainee to make changes in lifestyle to support the job and may include advocacy and benefits advisement.
(As used in this document the term VRC refers to the Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor as employed by VESID or CBVH.)
Referral Process:
Referrals to an SE Program must address the reasons why the individual needs SE services. The VRC uses the CaMS referral form; an SE Provider or other source may refer a potential candidate using the VES-415 referral form or may complete a document that includes: VESID ID number (if known); consumer’s name, address, telephone, date of birth; VESID District Office; VRC’s name and contact information; provider’s name and contract number; consumer’s disability(ies); significance of disability and functional limitations that are significant to employment; educational and vocational history; current vocational interest; suggested vocational goal; health information; attitudinal, behavioral, environmental factors; assistive devices/transportation/ADL needs; medical/psychological, and other relevant documentation; and other concurrent services or treatment. (Note: significance of disability is determined by the state agency Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor.)
Upon receipt of a referral, the SE provider needs to confirm that the individual has a disability they are contracted to serve, lives within a county they are contracted to serve for that disability, whether there is capacity remaining in the contract, whether and with what funding source the individual qualifies for extended funding, and whether sufficient extended funds remain to accept the individual into extended. If any of these conditions are not satisfied the provider should contact the VRC. Receipt of an SE referral does not authorize the provider to meet with the consumer. A written authorization is required before billable services can start.
Service Delivery and Reporting:
- Individual assessment – after the VR counselor has made the determination that an individual is eligible for SE, any further assessment is part of SE services and must be community-based (situational) rather than facility-based (simulated). In a situational assessment the person’s skills in relation to specific job duties and work behaviors are assessed in conjunction with the person’s ability to function in the community.
- Intensive service plan – should summarize relevant information, outline consumer’s goals, and describe what intensive services will be provided to accomplish the goals. It should articulate how the job coach and other staff will assist the consumer to meet his/her goals. If the job goal is not individual/integrated placement in the community the plan must provide justification. The plan should be consistent with the documented VR goal. Goal changes need to be discussed with, and approved by, the VRC.
- Job Development/Placement – a job analysis should be completed that matches employer needs to consumer skills and abilities and factors such as transportation, social skills, financial considerations, etc. Job Placement refers to completing all arrangements necessary to enable a worker to start a particular job. This may include: arranging interviews and transportation, negotiating training options, etc.
- Intensive training reports – a VES-416 Report is required monthly. It should include: summary of progress, job information, including average hours worked and hourly wage, job task description, level of satisfaction of the consumer and employer, state directly what services were provided and the number of hours of service provision, note the number of hours remaining on the current authorization, narrative section should address need for additional assistance from VR agency such as adaptive equipment, etc., indicate when stabilization has been achieved and the basis for that determination.
- Monthly Supported Employment Status Reports – list new referrals received during the month, consumers on a waiting list, active consumers, and consumers who left intensive service the previous month, stabilization and transition date, provider and funding source for extended service, and date of achievement of satisfactory employment for 90 days following transition.
Extended Supported Employment Service:
- Extended services are the ongoing support services furnished by the provider once the individual has stabilized in employment. They assist the individual to maintain or regain employment.
- Extended Service Plan – includes: name of individual receiving services, type of job placement (individual or group), employer, job title, wages and hours, date of transition to extended, and intervention needs both on and off the job site. The plan must describe what services are planned, who will be providing them, how they are funded, whom (and how) to contact if problems arise.
- Funding for Extended Services – is most often provided through the resources of other agencies (OMRDD, OMH). Providers must work directly with the source of extended service funding to obtain such resources. No time limits are permitted for extended services.
- VESID Extended Services Fund – is intended to provide for ongoing support services to individuals who meet the criteria to be eligible for SE but who are ineligible for extended service from any other exiting long-term funding source.
Continuity of Interventions:
- It is the purpose of extended service to provide interventions to maintain the individual in the job, restore stability, and replace an individual in a new job when a job is lost or for career improvement.
- Fluctuations in the amount of interventions is expected.
- When job stability is lost, services necessary to restore stability in the current job or to place and stabilize in a new job should be provided under extended services. Post-employment or intensive services should only be sought if it becomes evident (documented in case record) that the time needed will be beyond a reasonable period of time (longer than 12 weeks or more than 60 hours).
Seasonal Employment:
- May be considered as a supported employment outcome if: 1) it is based on the informed choice of the consumer; 2) a reasonable expectation exists that the individual will be offered a similar position during the next employment season; 3) expectation that the individual will work at least 90 days after transition so as to be considered rehabilitated during the work season.
On-the-Job Training:
- On-the-Job trainings are not appropriate for supported employment
consumers except under special circumstances. For example, need for a specific
technical skills that must be taught by the employer.