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Introduction

The last step in the application process is determining whether the applicant is eligible for vocational rehabilitation (VR) services. The counselor must make a determination regarding eligibility within 60 calendar days of the date the application was completed. If unavoidable circumstances prevent this from happening, the counselor must obtain a signed statement from the applicant waiving the 60-day time frame. (Refer to Section 102. Eligibility and Individualized Plan for Employment of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended for information regarding eligibility determination and presumption of eligibility.) 

Eligibility Options.

Certifying Eligibility.

Support staff are responsible for ensuring eligibility data is entered into eFORCE and for filing the documentation into the client’s paper case file.

Entering Eligibility Data into eFORCE and Filing Eligibility Paperwork.

Eligibility Options

The applicant’s next official status of record will depend on the determination of eligibility (Status 10, Status 08, or Status 06). Review the application and information gathered to determine eligibility. Then, decide on a course of action among these three options:

Option 1: Determine the applicant eligible for VR services.

To be eligible for VR services, an applicant must meet the following six criteria:

1. He must have a visual disability.

• Is legally blind according to the standard definition (20/200 in the best eye with correction or visual fields of 20 degrees or less).
  Or
• Has a progressive eye condition which can reasonably be expected to result in blindness.
  Or
• Has substantial reductions in acuity and/or visual fields or in his ability to use his vision - the effect of which is substantially the same as legal blindness.
  Or
• Has a visual impairment which both Vocational Rehabilitation Services and the Department believe could be best addressed by the Department.
  Or
• Is eligible for Social Security benefits (either Title II or Title XVI) on the basis of blindness or a visual impairment.

Note: If applicant has a disability other than one relating to vision, refer the applicant to Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services (IVRS).

      Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services
      510 East 12th Street
      Des Moines, I A 50319-0240

      515-281-4211 V/TTY
      515-281-7645 Fax
      www.ivrs.iowa.gov
 

2. He must require VR services to prepare for, secure, retain, or regain employment. (We generally presume that the applicant has applied for our services because he needs them.)

3. He must have an employment goal consistent with his unique strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests, and informed choices. If the applicant doesn’t plan to go to work, but needs services, help him / her find other ways to obtain the services.

4. He must be able to benefit from VR services in terms of an employment outcome. This condition is presumed to be true unless you can prove otherwise with thorough assessment and documentation.

5. He must be present in Iowa and legally able to work in the United States. That is, he must be either a United States citizen, or a legal alien with a valid and current work permit.

6. He must not be receiving VR services from any other state VR agency.

Refer to the Department’s policy on Presumed Eligibility for additional information.

Next Steps: If applicant is eligible for VR services, go to certifying eligibility.

 

Option 2: Determine the applicant is ineligible for VR services (Status 08).

The following reasons provide valid justification for determining the applicant ineligible for services:

• Impairments do not result in a substantial impediment to employment (i.e.).
   
• Vocational rehabilitation services will not benefit the individual in terms of an employment outcome. All applicants who are blind are presumed to be able to benefit from VR services. If you believe that an applicant’s disabilities are so severe that he could never get a job of any kind, you will have to provide clear and convincing evidence of your assessment before you can declare the applicant ineligible for services on the basis that his disabilities are too severe to benefit from vocational rehabilitation. To gather this clear and convincing evidence, you will arrange for trial work experiences.
   
• The individual does not require vocational rehabilitation services to obtain/retain gainful employment.
   
• An extended evaluation of rehabilitation potential has determined that additional vocational rehabilitation services cannot be expected to benefit this individual in terms of an employment outcome.
   

Ineligibility Prior Determination. Occasionally, an applicant’s case will need to be closed for a reason other than ineligibility for services. These reasons include: unable to locate individual after completion of application, applicant refused further services, applicant failed to cooperate, or applicant died. In these circumstances, the applicant’s case will move to status 08 as well.

Next Steps: If you determine that the applicant is not eligible or whose case should be closed, go to chapter Status 08 - Closed Prior to Eligibility.

 

Option 3: Determine that further assessment is needed before a decision can be made.

If the applicant does not appear to meet the eligibility criteria, determine whether the client should undergo a trial work experience (Status 06) or whether you require more time to determine eligibility.

Trial Work Experiences

If, after you have assessed the available information, you are unable to justify ineligibility or you need more information to determine whether the applicant can benefit from services, arrange for trial work experiences.

For more information, go to chapter Status 06 - Trial Work Experiences.

Extending Eligibility Determination

If exceptional and unforeseen circumstances beyond your control arise which prevent you from making an eligibility determination within 60 days of the date of the application, you and the applicant must agree to a specific extension of time. (For example, a person is new to the state and you are seeking records from an out of state agency.) You must complete and sign a Waiver Extending Eligibility. For more information go to chapter Extending Eligibility Determination.

Certifying Eligibility

The counselor is responsible for ensuring that the applicant’s eligibility is documented properly. (Support staff are responsible for ensuring eligibility information is entered into eFORCE and filed in the paper case file.) You may provide the eligibility information by:

1. Dictating all eligibility and case note information for support staff to enter into eFORCE.

2. Providing eligibility and case note information in an e-mail or other electronic document for support staff to enter into eFORCE.

If you choose option 1 or 2, complete a log sheet providing the following information: date, client’s first and last name, and “Eligibility” under the Entry column.

3. Entering all eligibility information into eFORCE yourself. (For instructions, go to the Entering Eligibility Data into eFORCE section in this chapter.)

No matter which option you chose, provide the following information:

1. Specify the criteria used to determine that the individual is eligible for services.

You may use one of these four criteria:

• Presumed Eligible as individual is receiving SSI/SSDI on the basis of blindness. A current written SSA verification statement is in the case file, or
   
• Existing medical reports were used in lieu of SSI/SSDI benefit verification in order to expedite eligibility determination, or
   
• New medical reports were used in lieu of SSI/SSDI benefit verification to expedite eligibility determination, or
   
• New or existing medical reports were used to determine eligibility because the individual was not an SSI/SSDI beneficiary.

2. Provide information about the visual impairment that qualifies the individual for services.

Indicate the individual has a qualifying visual impairment and provide the following information:

• Best Corrected Acuity
• Primary Impairment Type and Cause
• Secondary Impairment Type and Cause
• Impediments to employment as a result of visual impairment.

Note: You may use the primary and secondary impairment information on the application, if it is accurate.

3. Identify which of the following areas the individual’s disability seriously limits.

Select any of these areas:

• Mobility Communications
• Self Care
• Self Direction
• Work Tolerance
• Work Skills
• Interpersonal Skills

You should indicate “Yes” to the following question: “Is the Individual significantly disabled and expected to require multiple vocational rehabilitation services over an extended period of time?” If the answer to this question is No, then the client is not eligible for services. (Go to chapter Status 08 - Closed Prior to Eligibility.)

4. Specify the vocational rehabilitation services the individual will require to prepare for, secure, retain or regain employment.

Example: Vocational Services include Counseling and Guidance, Rehab Teaching, Training Tools, Rehab Technology, Occupational Tools / Supplies, Job Retention / Follow up.

5. Provide an analysis of the individual’s medical, psychological, vocational, educational, social/recreational, and / or other information relevant to eligibility and vocational planning.

Important! If individual is not legally blind, begin this section by stating: “Functional blindness” and state why eligible for services. If individual is legally blind, begin this section by stating: “Legally Blind”.

6. Provide the date you determined the individual eligible for services.

7. If not previously provided or an update is required, indicate the appropriate Blind Code: Blind, Visually Impaired, or Presumed Blind.

Refer to Blind Journal policy for more information.

8. Complete the eligibility case note. The case note should include:

• A statement justifying your determination regarding the applicant’s eligibility for services.
• A description of the individual’s situation. (Give some “humanness” to this individual’s situation - who is this person, how is blindness impacting his / her life, work, family, etc.)
• A summary of the medical documentation received and functional limitations identified above.
• New medical information received since application, if any.
• Description of new authorizations you have issued since application, if any.
• A statement indicating the case moves into Status 10 - IPE Development.

Important! By moving the case to status 10, you are certifying that the individual intends to achieve an employment outcome consistent with his/her unique strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests, and informed choice. It is presumed that the individual can achieve an employment outcome with the provision of rehabilitation services.

 

Next Steps

Once you have determined the individual eligible for services and have recorded the eligibility information, begin working with the client on developing an Individualized Plan for Employment (Status 10). Go to the chapter on Status 10 - Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) Development.

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Entering Eligibility Data into eFORCE and Filing Eligibility Paperwork

All eligibility information must be entered into eFORCE and a signed eligibility document must be placed in the client’s paper case file. Support staff are responsible for ensuring eligibility information is entered into eFORCE and for filing documents into the client’s paper case file. The following table details the process.

Step 1

Review the eligibility information submitted by counselor. Eligibility information may be provided by:

• Dictation.
• E-mail or electronic document.
• Log sheet note indicating counselor has entered the eligibility data into eFORCE.

Step 2

Review or enter all eligibility data into eFORCE. (For instructions, choose the Entering Eligibility Data into eFORCE link.)

Step 3

Enter information from handwritten log sheet into counselor’s log file which appears under their folder in the FieldOp folder. Print portion of log that pertains to the case.

Step 4

Compile eligibility documentation, case note, and log sheet.

Give all eligibility documentation to counselor. Counselor signs printed eligibility page and places the documents into Bonnie’s mail slot.

Note: If counselor is not readily available, sign the counselor’s name and indicate with your initials. Then, place the documents into Bonnie’s mail slot. Bonnie will review and return to support staff for filing when finished.