New Hampshire Code of Administrative Rules
Ed - Board of Education
Chapter Ed 1000 - VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION PROGRAMS
Part Ed 1010 - COMPARABLE SERVICES AND BENEFITS
Section Ed 1010.01 - Comparable Services and Benefits
Current through Register No. 12, March 21, 2024
(a) NHVR shall comply with the provisions of 34 CFR 361.53 in the determination and use of comparable services and benefits.
(b) Comparable benefits and services shall be:
(c) NHVR shall determine whether comparable benefits and services are available to an individual prior to paying for all vocational rehabilitation services, excluding only those services and circumstances listed as exceptions in (g) below. NHVR staff and participants shall seek comparable benefits and services in order to maximize the vocational rehabilitation resources available to individuals with disabilities. If an individual refuses to apply for or accept available comparable benefits, NHVR funds shall not be used instead of, or to replace, comparable benefits.
(d) Prior to initiating comparable benefits and services, the NHVR staff shall determine the following:
(e) When comparable benefits or services are available, they shall be used prior to using NHVR funds or services.
(f) When comparable benefits or services are unavailable or if an individual is required to initiate a new application to another program, NHVR funds shall not be used in the interim except when in the judgment of NHVR staff in consultation with the individual, waiting for benefits would prevent the individual from achieving the intermediate objectives of the IPE.
(g) Comparable benefits shall not be required for the following exempt services:
(h) If an individual is in default of a student loan, financial aid, including a Pell grant, shall not be available to the individual. NHVR shall be prohibited from paying for any training or related services at a post-secondary program eligible for a Pell grant, including, but not limited to, colleges and business and trade schools, for an individual who owes a refund on a Pell Grant or is in default of a student loan, unless the individual makes maximum effort to resolve the default. Maximum effort shall mean that the individual has a repayment plan, or documented correspondence attempting to set up a repayment plan, with the lending institution or grantor.
(i) When making a determination of whether to secure comparable benefits prior to using vocational rehabilitation funds, counselors shall:
(j) Individuals shall also exercise initiative in exploring the availability of and in securing the comparable benefits available to them, as appropriate to their disability by: