420.00 Youth in School – Referral to VESID Policy

1. the school, student and/or parents jointly recognize that the student's disability will interfere with the student's ability to work in the community and that VESID services are necessary to help the student successfully achieve employment; and
2. the vocational rehabilitation services they need are not among the continuum of mandated school district programs.

Schools should also have the following in place:

1. For students with disabilities who have Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), the student is or will be receiving transition services as indicated in the IEP;
2. For students with disabilities who are not receiving special education services, VESID staff should work with school guidance counselors or nursing staff for appropriate referrals;

1. The building principal or his/her designee will serve as the liaison to VESID to ensure a consistent point of contact within the school;
2. The referral is the result of an assessment and planning process (e.g., CSE annual review or annual guidance review) that recommends VESID services are necessary to assist the student with a disability to successfully achieve employment.
3. The necessary consent for release of information has been obtained by the school from the parent, legal guardian or from the student, if the student is 18 or older and a legal guardian has not been designated.
4. The CSE, guidance counselor or other school official transmits, through the designated liaison, complete referral information including a referral transmittal sheet or letter that explains the purpose for the referral and selected documents that describe the student's disability, needs, preferences, interests, and skills (e.g., interpersonal, work, academic, independent living) which are relevant to vocational rehabilitation and achieving employment. Preferred documentation includes descriptions of the student's current abilities, work-related limitations and service needs in functional terms.

Examples of preferred documentation include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. the most current IEP or guidance plan with information about transition planning and services;
2. language proficiency reports;
3. student medical and health screening reports including the most current psychological, psychiatric, or other specialist's disability assessment, if available and relevant;
4. reports from related services providers (e.g., occupational therapy, speech therapy, physical therapy, social work);
5. reports indicating special equipment or other accommodations and/or behavioral supports needed;
6. indicators of academic achievement, such as transcripts, grades, academic achievement testing and/or
7. career assessment information, including: Level I, II, or III vocational assessment reports, work experience or work study progress reports, career assessment portfolios, mentor or work supervisor evaluations, and occupational education assessment reports.

1. CSE Reports -- VESID will use disability evaluation reports developed for CSEs when the reports are provided in a timely manner and provide sufficient evidence for determining the presence of a disability. VESID counselors will determine if the reports are sufficient to determine the existence of a physical or mental impairment and if the impairment is substantial enough to impede the person's employability. Counselors should be aware that not all students determined by practitioners for the CSEs to have an educational disability will be eligible for VESID services, since not all persons with educational disabilities have disabilities that result in a substantial impediment to employment or require vocational rehabilitation services.
2. School Health Assessment -- Student health records will be used as evidence of a disability when they provide information that assists in identifying a disability that is a substantial impediment to employment. Health records may assist in planning for services and employment when they demonstrate functional abilities, limitations or needs for accommodations.
3. Other assessments -- Reports from qualified practitioners, such as a family doctor or other recognized assessment sources may also be used in disability determinations.

Eligibility Determination

1. Students must meet the same eligibility criteria as other VESID consumers. These criteria are: the presence of a disability that is a substantial impediment to employment; the ability to benefit from services; and the need for VESID services to enable the person to achieve an appropriate employment outcome.
2. To the maximum degree possible, information from school records will be used to determine whether the student's circumstances meet all the eligibility criteria when the records are received in a timely manner. This includes using information from career and vocational assessments and district-based planning processes in which the student already participates. In addition, information from transition planning meetings that include the student and family will be used.
   1. Ability to Benefit from Services- Information from schools could include reports from teachers that highlight how the individual does in classroom situations, highlighting issues and abilities.
   2. Requiring Services - Reports from the CSE, health and other assessments as well as information received from teachers and other school and community personnel should be reviewed to determine if the person requires VESID services to enter employment. The need for supported employment may be determined from this information.