(a) Supported
employment services means ongoing support services and other appropriate
services needed to support and maintain an individual with a most significant
disability in supported employment.
(1)
Supported employment means:
(A) Competitive
employment in an integrated setting, or employment in integrated work settings
in which individuals are working toward competitive employment, consistent with
their strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities,
interests, and informed choice with ongoing support services for those with the
most significant disabilities:
(i) For whom
competitive employment has not traditionally occurred or for whom competitive
employment has been interrupted or intermittent as a result of a significant
disability; and
(ii) Who, because
of the nature and severity of the disabilities, need intensive supported
employment services from the division and extended services after transition to
perform this work; or
(B) Transitional employment, as defined in
section 17-401.1-2, for individuals with the most significant disabilities due
to mental illness.
(2)
Ongoing support services as used in this section:
(A) Means services that are:
(i) Needed to support and maintain an
individual with a most significant disability in supported
employment;
(ii) Identified based
on a determination by the division of the individual's needs as specified in an
IPE; and
(iii) Furnished by the
division from the time of job placement until transition to extended services,
unless post-employment services are provided following transition, and
thereafter by one or more extended services providers through the individual's
term of employment in a particular job placement or multiple placements if
those placements are being provided under a program of transitional
employment.
(B) Must
include an assessment of employment stability and provision of specific
services or the coordination of services at or away from the worksite that are
needed to maintain stability based on:
(i) At
a minimum, twice monthly monitoring at the worksite of each individual in
supported employment; or
(ii) If
under special circumstances, especially at the request of the individual, the
IPE provides for off-site monitoring, twice-monthly meetings with the
individual.
(C) Consists
of:
(i) Any particularized assessment
supplementary to the comprehensive assessment of rehabilitation needs described
in section 17-401.1-10(b) (3);
(ii)
The provision of skilled job trainers who accompany the individual for
intensive job skill training at the worksite;
(iii) Job development and training;
(iv) Social skills training;
(v) Regular observation or supervision of the
individual;
(vi) Follow-up services
including regular contacts with the employers, the individuals, the parents,
family members, guardians, advocates or authorized representatives of the
individuals, and other suitable professional and informed advisors, in order to
reinforce and stabilize the job placement;
(vii) Facilitation of natural supports at the
worksite; and
(viii) Any other
service identified in the scope of VR services for individuals, described in
section 17-401.1-6; or
(ix) Any
services similar to the foregoing services.
(3) Extended services as used in this section
means ongoing support services and other appropriate services:
(A) That are needed to support and maintain
an individual with a most significant disability in supported employment;
and
(B) That are provided by a
state agency, a private nonprofit organization, employer, or any other
appropriate resource, from funds other than funds received under 34 C.F.R.
parts 361, 363, 376, or 380, after an individual with a most significant
disability has made the transition from support provided by the
division.
(4)
Competitive employment means work:
(A) In the
competitive labor market that is performed on a full-time or part-time basis in
an integrated setting; and
(B) For
which an individual is compensated at or above the minimum wage, but not less
than the customary wage and level of benefits paid by the employer for the same
or similar work performed by individuals who are not disabled.