PURPOSE: This rule establishes definitions for the State Board of Education through the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for the standards and procedures to provide vocational rehabilitation services for applicants and eligible individuals with disabilities pursuant to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended and the Code of Federal Regulations.

1. (1) Comparable Services. Services available under any other program (other than a program carried out under this title) which con- 5 CSR 90-4

tributes to the achievement of the individual’s rehabilitation goal.

1. (2) Statewide government agency for order of selection. A governmental agency/program which benefits individuals in terms of their rehabilitation goals and whose mission is compatible with the federal act and/or applicable regulations and is available to persons throughout the state; i.e., a person from any part of the state may be referred to and referred from the governmental agency/program. The governmental agency/program may not be locally operated for the benefit of only local residents.
2. (3) Disability related expenses. Medication, therapy, medical treatment, prosthetic appliances, repairs to equipment, etc., not covered by insurance, Medicare, Medicaid or other third party payees, which directly relates to an individual’s disability.
3. (4) Independent individual for financial needs purposes. Any individual who meets any one
4. (1) of the following criteria: is twenty-three
5. (23) years old; a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces; a ward of the court; both parents are deceased; has legal dependents other than spouse; married and not claimed as an income tax exemption during the current tax year; unmarried and not claimed as an income tax exemption during the past two (2) years and has not lived for more than twelve
6. (12) weeks in the home of the parent(s)/guardian during each of the past two (2) tax years.
7. (5) Dependent. An individual not meeting any of the criteria as an independent. When the client is a dependent, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation’s (DVR’s) Financial Application must be completed by the parent(s)/guardian and their income will determine the individual’s eligibility for services based on financial need.

AUTHORITY: sections 161.092, 178.600, 178.610 and 178.620, RSMo 1994.* Original rule filed Dec. 17, 1999, effective Aug. 30, 2000. *Original authority: 161.092, RSMo 1963, amended 1973; 178.600, RSMo 1963; 178.610, RSMo 1963; and 178.620, RSMo 1963.