Located in:
- Program-Specific Requirements for Vocational Rehabilitation (Blind)
The Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Services Portion of the Unified or Combined State Plan [13] must include the following descriptions and estimates, as required by section 101(a) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by title IV of WIOA:
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[13] Sec. 102(b)(2)(D)(iii) of WIOA
- h. Interagency Cooperation
Describe how the designated State unit will collaborate with the State agency responsible for administering each of the following programs to develop opportunities for competitive integrated employment, to the greatest extent practicable:
- h. Interagency Cooperation
h. 1. The State Medicaid plan under title XIX of the Social Security Act;
Current Narrative:
The Missouri Department of Mental Health (DMH) is the state agency responsible for the provision of services to individuals with developmental disabilities and for providing mental health services. RSB collaborates with DMH to develop employment opportunities for community-based employment in integrated settings for eligible clients.
DMH currently administers five Medicaid Home and Community Based (HCB) Waiver programs delivering employment supports and services for individuals with intellectual or other developmental disabilities. The five waivers are the Comprehensive Waiver; Missouri Children with Developmental Disabilities Waiver (MOCDD or Sarah Jian Lopez Waiver); Support Waiver; Partnership for Hope; and Autism Waiver. The partnership with DMH has resulted in a referral process between agencies that maximizes the availability of services to individuals with the most significant disabilities. A description of services available under each waiver can be found at http://dmh.mo.gov/dd/progs/waiver/services.html.
Division of Developmental Disabilities has a statewide employment initiative, Employment First, for working age citizens with disabilities. Employment services include job preparation, job discovery, and community employment in a competitive integrated work setting that may include ongoing supports. The Division of Behavioral Health provides employment services to individuals with mental illnesses, histories of substance abuse, and/or criminal backgrounds. Clinical and vocational employment services are integrated through state-wide partnerships to help individuals who are interested in employment participate in the competitive labor market with the appropriate level of supports and services to be successful. RSB will continue to partner and collaborate with DMH programs in the delivery of employment services.
Mo HealthNet administers the Medicaid program in Missouri, and reports to the Department of Social Services along with Rehabilitation Services for the Blind. This organizational structure affords RSB access to Medicaid eligibility and services in the utilization of comparable services and benefits. Mo HealthNet coverage is automatically available to recipients of the Missouri Supplemental Aid to the Blind (SAB) and Blind Pension (BP) programs. RSB receives monthly referrals for all individuals who have applied and been found eligible for SAB or BP.