Located in:
- Program-Specific Requirements for Vocational Rehabilitation (Combined or General)
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
m. 1. A. The order to be followed in selecting eligible individuals to be provided VR services
Current Narrative:
ARS does not currently follow an Order of Selection. However, in the event that available vocational rehabilitation funding cannot support the full range of services for all eligible individuals, the ARS Commissioner will initiate a structured process to move to an Order of Selection. This process will include public participation and comment, notification to the Rehabilitation Services Administration, and input from the State Rehabilitation Council.
An Order of Selection requires that priority be given to individuals with the most significant disabilities in the provision of vocational rehabilitation services. Therefore, after determining eligibility, ARS counselors will determine the client’s priority for services based on the significance of the client’s disability using the categories defined below. Where indicated, these categories will be modified according to RSA’s comments in the Federal Fiscal Year 2021 Report on the Review of the VR and Supported Employment Programs administered by ARS.
Priority Category I – Most Significantly Disabled
An individual with a most significant disability is defined as one who has a physical or mental impairment that seriously limits at least four functional capacity areas (mobility, communication, self-direction, self-care, interpersonal skills, work tolerance, or work skills) in terms of an employment outcome, and whose vocational rehabilitation is expected to require multiple services over an extended period of time.
Priority Category II – Significantly Disabled
An individual with a significant disability is defined as one who has a physical or mental impairment that seriously limits three functional capacity areas (mobility, communication, self-direction, self-care, interpersonal skills, work tolerance, or work skills) in terms of an employment outcome and whose vocational rehabilitation is expected to require multiple services over an extended period of time.
ARS will pursue policy changes to reflect the requirement from 34 C.F.R. § 361.5(c)(30), which defines individual with a significant disability as an individual with a severe physical or mental impairment that seriously limits one or more functional capacities in terms of an employment outcome.
Priority Category III – Non-Significantly Disabled
An individual with a non-significant disability is defined as one who has a physical or mental impairment that seriously limits one or two functional capacity areas (mobility, communication, self-direction, self-care, interpersonal skills, work tolerance, or work skills) in terms of an employment outcome and whose vocation rehabilitation is expected to require multiple services over an extended period of time.
ARS will pursue policy changes to reflect the requirement from 34 C.F.R. § 361.5(c)(27), which defines individual with a disability as an individual:
(i) Who has a physical or mental impairment;
(ii) Whose impairment constitutes or results in a substantial impediment to employment; and
(iii) Who can benefit in terms of an employment outcome from the provision of vocational rehabilitation services.
If an Order of Selection becomes necessary, ARS anticipates that individuals who are receiving services under Individualized Plans for Employment at the time the Order is implemented will continue to receive services through closure of their cases.