Slide 1: Referral and Application

February 1, 2021

Slide 2: Training Objectives

• Review current referral and application practices.

• Understand requirements for application

Slide 3: Case Status Flow

• Referral

• Application

• Eligibility

• Plan

• Service provision

• Job Ready

• Employment

• Closure

• Post-employment

Slide 4: Referral Discussion

• Where are we getting new referrals?

Slide 5: Referral Sources

• Most referrals begin with a phone call to our Intake Specialist

• Staff are assigned to specific referred individuals

• By providing your sources with IDB information, knowledge about IDB services is available in the community

• Maintaining a relationship helps ensure you get the documentation you need to expedite the Application and Eligibility process

• Referrals can also be submitted on-line using the on-line referral at http://www.idbonline.org/form/referral. These are then automatically submitted to the office via email.

Slide 6: Referral Process

Within fourteen (14) working days of receipt of a referral, intake specialist or counselor shall contact the individual and provide:

• General overview of IDB services

• Application procedures

• Additional information and resources as appropriate

• Assistance with completing an application for VR services

• Mail out initial application materials.

• Review: Vocational Rehabilitation Referral and Initial Application Process

Slide 7: Referral Discussion Questions

• What happens when you get a referral and it does not move to application?

• What about when it does move to application?

• What services are planned at this point?

• How do you market VR services and develop referral sources?

• What tools do we need or use at the time of referral or following up with a referral?

Slide 8: Key Points: Referrals

• Case must be in referral before an Application can be taken in most cases.

• Referral, Application, Eligibility and Plan may be done on the same day.

Slide 9: Case Status Flow (2)

• Referral

• Application

• Eligibility

• Plan

• Service provision

• Job Ready

• Employment

• Closure

• Post-employment

Slide 10: Intake

Application and Interview

• Purpose:

  • Become familiar with the client and be able to respond to his or her needs.

  • Explain the VR purpose and process

  • Analyze barriers to employment

  • Begin discussions related to employment goals

Slide 11: Application Expectations

• Staff will review and discuss the purpose of Vocational Rehabilitation services to help clients obtain and maintain employment.

• Counselors and staff should understand what the identity of IDB is and how to convey our purpose to new applicants.

Slide 12: Preparing for an Application

• Setting up meetings — phone calls, emails, letters; timeframes

• Brochures used:

  • IDB;

  • Rights and Responsibilities;

  • CAP;

• Importance of integrating the discussion of brochures into the initial meeting.

Slide 13: Application Documents

Basic information contained in client intake such as medical, psychological, employment, education, social and family history.

• Application Release for Services / Signatures

• Release of information forms

• Health Assessment Questionnaire

• Work History Form

• Voter Registration form

• Case note

• Social Security

• Eligibility Aid

• Additional information requested (scholarships, directory assistance, housing, library application)

Slide 14: Application Process

• An applicant is assigned to a VR counselor once support staff receive the application materials.

• Within 14 working days, a VR counselor will contact the individual to schedule an initial interview and to complete the application process.

• The VR counselor will make every effort to meet individually with the Client within 30 days of the date of application at a location and time mutually agreed to, whether or not such an individual meeting is preceded by group intake/orientation.

Slide 15: The Initial Interview

• Need to first establish a counseling relationship, to include:

  • Rapport and Trust

  • Positive Regard

  • Belief in the individual

• Observe and assess possible supports needed for the individual to be successful in reaching their employment goals

• Career Counseling

  • Individual goals and expectations

  • “Informed Choice” and individualized coordination of services

• During the initial interview, the counselor will provide:

  • Emphasis on employment throughout the rehabilitation process

  • Encouragement, support and assistance with problem solving and clarification of values

  • Information and referral to community resources

Slide 16: The Initial Interview Discussion

Points to discuss during the initial interview

• Description of VR Program, Rehab Process and Available Services

• Eligibility

• Financial Participation/Comparable Benefits

• Need for Information (documentation of disability, financial information, benefits documentation)

• Rights and Responsibilities

  • Confidentiality

  • Informed Choice

  • Non-Discrimination

• Medical, career and assistive technology assessments possibly needed for eligibility decision-making, and vocational planning

• Next Steps for the counselor and the client

Slide 17: Initial Interview Assessments

• Preliminary Assessment during Initial Interview

  • Counselor’s professional judgment matters! Share assessment with client as judgement should be objective

  • Practical considerations related to employment, counselors need to be aware of their own biases and value judgments, and remain objective in their observations:

    • Limited English Proficiency

    • Homelessness

    • Lack of Transportation

    • Substance Abuse Issues

    • Criminal History

• Presume the individual employable and will benefit from services until otherwise demonstrated by clear and convincing evidence

Slide 18: Preliminary Assessment in Application Status

• Begins at the first meeting with the applicant as we learn about their work history, education, disability, interests, etc.

• Use of existing information

• Assessments we may use:

  • Medical reports

  • IEP’s and other educational data

  • Job Shadowing

  • Career Exploration

  • Worksite assessments in the community

  • Eligibility Aid

  • Others?

Slide 19: Eligibility Aid

• What are the seven impediments to employment?

Slide 20: Behavioral Observations During Initial Interview

• Social interaction skills

• Involvement in the interview

• Family input

• Adjustment to Blindness

• Ability to respond to questions asked

• Ability to complete the application independently

• Presenting problem is not always the main issue

  • Client may not know how to communicate what they need

  • Counselor needs to determine what the true need is

Slide 21: Application Medical/Psychological

• Obtaining Medical/Psychological Information from the client

• Confirmation of Social Security benefits due to disability

• Obtaining Medical/Psychological Information from the provider:

  • Release of Information

  • Purchase of assessments

Slide 22: Additional Assessments and Evaluations

• Other assessments to document disability and determine eligibility

  • Medical

  • Psychological

  • Assistive Technology

  • IEP or ICP

• Career Counseling to focus on career exploration activities

  • Research job possibilities through local resources

  • Use of online career resources, such as those available under ONET or the I Have a Plan Iowa Website

Slide 23: Use of the computer during the initial interview

• If client provides a signed, hard copy of the application, the counselor can choose to complete the other application pages after the client leaves

• Completing the personal information page of the application in eFORCE is necessary to complete other forms frequently used during the initial interview through eFORCE

• Do not allow the computer to rule your Initial Interview session – get to know your client before you turn to the computer. Take time to start with a conversation.

Slide: 24: Application Expectations

• Does client understand the purpose of vocational rehabilitation?

• Key information gathered:

  • Household income — current and needed

  • Does client receive SSI or SSDI?

  • Does the information contained in a case note give a complete picture of the person?

  • What do the functional limitations appear to be? Did I use the eligibility aid?

  • Were there any unusual characteristics?

  • What were the client’s expectations of VR?

  • What are the next steps? Does the client know these?

  • Did I review client rights and responsibilities?

Slide 25: Application — Key questions/considerations

• What does timely case management look like for cases in status 02?

• Delegating work and providing oversight

• Meeting deadlines (60 days to determine eligibility for services)

• Adequate information to establish or deny the existence of a disability which constitutes a substantial impediment to employment

• Can I explain the impediments to employment in functional terms?

• Does the client understand the process in determining eligibility?

• What can the client expect from the counselor during this process?

Slide 26: Application Next Steps

• Returning to the office

  • Enter any missing information into eFORCE.

  • Turn in all paperwork to support staff for filing and sending out ROI’s to medical providers and partners.

  • Enter a case note documenting the initial interview meeting.

  • On the Client Data Screen — enter initial interview date (if not already completed)

• Follow up with medical providers and partners if no medical information has been gathered within 30 days or 2 weeks prior to eligibility deadline (60 days from application date).

Slide 27: Common Questions

• Q: Can Application and Eligibility be completed on the same day?

  • A: Yes. For example, in cases of presumed eligibility for SSI/SSDI, or if you already have all of the diagnostic information you need at the Initial Interview.

• Q: What do I do if a Client applies who does not have or cannot secure a work permit?

  • A: You still take an Application - not having a work permit is not reason to deny taking an application but it should be part of the discussion that you have with the Client.

• Q: What do I do when a Client does not check “U.S. Citizen” on the application?

  • A: You will need to request that the Client provide documentation that they can work in the U.S.

• Q: Does the eFORCE application have to be signed?

  • A: An Application Release for Services needs to be signed and placed in the hard copy file. It does not need to be the eFORCE application, as long as the necessary application information is included in the electronic file.

• Q: Should I get a career assessment to determine eligibility?

  • A: No. This is not part of the preliminary assessment done at application, but could be part of the comprehensive assessment that follows eligibility determination.

Slide 28: Questions?

• Next Training: March 1, 2021 — Eligibility Determination