111—10.5(216B) Services.

1. 10.5(1)  Vocational rehabilitation services are any services described in an individualized plan for employment necessary to assist an individual in preparing for, securing, retaining, or regaining an employment outcome that is consistent with the strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests, and informed choice of the individual.

   Services may include the following: assessment for determining eligibility and priority for services; assessment for determining vocational rehabilitation needs; vocational rehabilitation counseling and guidance; referral and other services necessary to secure needed services from other agencies and to advise individuals about the client assistance program; physical and mental restoration; vocational and other training services, including personal and vocational adjustment training; maintenance; transportation; vocational rehabilitation services to family members; interpreter services for individuals who are deaf-blind; reader services; rehabilitation teaching services; orientation and mobility services; job-related services, including job search and placement assistance, job retention services, follow-up services and follow-along services; supported employment services; personal assistance services; postemployment services; occupational licenses, tools, equipment, initial stocks and supplies; rehabilitation technology; transition services; technical assistance and other consultation services to eligible individuals who are pursuing self-employment or telecommuting or establishing a small business operation as an employment outcome; and provision of other goods and services determined necessary to achieve an employment outcome.

2. 10.5(2)  Services for groups of individuals who are blind. The department may also provide for the following vocational rehabilitation services for the benefit of groups of individuals who are blind: (1) The establishment, development or improvement of a public or other nonprofit community rehabilitation program that is used to provide vocational rehabilitation services that promote integration and competitive employment including, under special circumstances, the construction of a facility. (2) Telecommunication systems that have the potential for substantially improving vocational rehabilitation service delivery methods and developing appropriate programming to meet the particular needs of individuals who are blind, including telephone, television, video description services, satellite, tactile-vibratory devices, and similar systems, as appropriate. (3) Special services to provide nonvisual access to information for individuals who are blind, including the use of telecommunications, braille, sound recordings, or other appropriate media; tactile materials for individuals who are deaf-blind; and other special services that provide information through tactile, vibratory, auditory, and visual media. (4) Technical assistance and support services to businesses that are not subject to Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and that are seeking to employ individuals who disabilities. (5) In the case of any small business enterprise operated by individuals with significant disabilities under the supervision of the department, including enterprises established under the Randolph-Sheppard program, management services and supervision provided by the department along with the acquisition by the department of vending facilities or other equipment, initial stocks and supplies, and initial operating expenses. (6) Other services that promise to contribute substantially to the rehabilitation of a group of individuals but that are not related directly to the individualized plan for employment of any one individual. (7) Consultative and technical assistance services to assist educational agencies in planning for the transition of students with disabilities from school to postschool activities, including employment.
3. 10.5(3)  Joint planning between an eligible individual and staff will be employed in the development of the individual plan for employment in order to determine which specific services may be needed and to ensure that the individual has the opportunity to make an informed choice regarding employment goals and objectives. The following factors may be taken into account in arriving at a decision as to what services will be provided: the individual’s strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests, and informed choice.