(b) Process for
developing the individualized plan for employment.
(1) The plan shall be developed by the
individual with the assistance of a vocational rehabilitation counselor to the
extent the individual determines. The plan shall be a written document using
forms provided by the agency and must be agreed to and signed by the individual
or, if appropriate, the individual's representative. It must also be approved
and signed by a qualified vocational rehabilitation counselor employed by the
agency. A copy of the plan and any amendments or revisions thereto shall be
provided to the individual or, as appropriate, the individual's parent,
guardian or other representative in the language or mode of communication
appropriate.
(2) The plan shall be
developed promptly after an individual is determined to be eligible for
vocational rehabilitation services. To the extent possible, the employment
outcome and the nature and scope of rehabilitation services must be determined
based on the data used for the assessment of eligibility.
(3) If additional data are necessary, the
agency shall conduct a comprehensive assessment of the unique strengths,
resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests, and needs,
including the need for supported employment services, of an eligible
individual, in the most integrated setting possible, consistent with the
informed choice of the individual. The comprehensive assessment must be limited
to information that is necessary to identify the rehabilitation needs of the
individual and develop the individualized plan for employment and may, to the
extent needed, include:
(i) an analysis of
the pertinent medical, psychiatric, psychological, neuropsychological, and
other pertinent vocational, educational, cultural, social, recreational, and
environmental factors that affect the employment and rehabilitation needs of
the individual;
(ii) an analysis of
the individual's personality, career interests, interpersonal skills,
intelligence and related functional capacities, educational achievements, work
experience, vocational aptitudes, personal and social adjustments, and
employment opportunities of the individual, and the medical, psychiatric,
psychological, and other pertinent vocational, educational, cultural, social,
recreational and environmental factors that affect the employment and
rehabilitation needs of the individual;
(iii) an appraisal of the individual's
patterns of work behavior and services needed to acquire occupational skills
and to develop work attitudes, work habits, work tolerance, and social and
behavior patterns suitable for successful job performance including the use of
work in real job situations to assess and develop the capacities of the
individual to perform adequately in a work environment;
(iv) a referral for the provision of
rehabilitation technology services, to assess and develop the individual's
capacities to perform in a work environment; and
(v) an exploration of the individual's
abilities, capabilities, and capacity to perform in work situations, which
shall be assessed periodically during trial work experiences, including
experiences in which the individual is provided appropriate supports and
training.
(4) The
program shall be designed to achieve an employment outcome that is consistent
with the individual's unique strengths, priorities, concerns, abilities,
capabilities, career interests and informed choice.
(5) The program for a student with a
disability who is receiving special education services, shall consider the
student's individualized education program and be coordinated with it in terms
of the goals, objectives, and services identified.