Current through Register Vol. 24-06, March 15, 2024
(1) The individualized plan for employment is
a written agreement that documents important decisions made between the
participant and a vocational rehabilitation counselor concerning activities
towards achievement of the participant's competitive and integrated employment
goal including responsibilities agreed upon by the department and the
participant, and vocational rehabilitation services to be provided.
(2) The individualized plan for employment is
developed and implemented in a timely manner for each eligible individual, and
no later than ninety days after eligibility except:
(a) When the department is operating under an
order of selection, in accordance with WAC 67-25-193; or
(b) The eligible individual and VR counselor
agree to a delayed plan completion, with specific expected date of completion
documented.
(3) The
participant must be actively involved in developing the individualized plan for
employment including making meaningful and informed choices about the selection
of the employment outcome, objectives, vocational rehabilitation services,
service providers, and methods of procuring services.
(4) The competitive and integrated employment
outcome the participant chooses must be consistent with the information and
results of the assessment of the individual's vocational rehabilitation
needs.
(5) The department supports
participants to achieve a competitive and integrated employment outcome as
defined in WAC 67-25-009. If a participant chooses another type of employment
outcome, the department will, to the extent possible, refer the participant to
other programs or organizations that may offer the type of employment that the
participant desires.
(6) The
individualized plan for employment must be agreed upon and signed by the
participant, or as appropriate, the participant's representative, and a
vocational rehabilitation counselor.
(7) The individualized plan for employment
shall be designed to achieve the competitive and integrated employment outcome
of the participant consistent with the unique strengths, resources, priorities,
concerns, abilities, capabilities, and interests and informed choice of the
participant.
(8) The plan shall
include:
(a) The participant's long-term
competitive and integrated employment outcome, based on the assessment for
determining vocational rehabilitation needs and the career interests of the
individual in accordance with WAC 67-25-205 and 67-25-210;
(b) Specific and measurable rehabilitation
objectives to achieve the competitive and integrated employment outcome, based
on the assessment for determining vocational rehabilitation needs;
(c) Vocational rehabilitation services to be
provided to achieve the rehabilitation objectives;
(d) Projected initiation dates and the
anticipated duration of each service;
(e) Objective criteria, and an evaluation
procedure and schedule to determine whether goals and objectives are being
achieved;
(f) The views of the
participant in their own words or, as appropriate, in the words of the
individual's representative, describing how he or she was informed about and
involved in choosing among alternative goals, objectives, services, providers,
and methods used to procure or provide services;
(g) How, to the maximum extent possible,
information will be provided to the participant, or if appropriate, to the
participant's representative, in his or her native language if necessary, and
using appropriate modes of communication;
(h) Terms and conditions for the ongoing
provision of vocational rehabilitation services, including:
(i) Responsibilities the participant has
agreed to, including steps the participant will take to achieve the competitive
and integrated employment outcome, and services the participant agrees to apply
for and use that are available at no cost from another program;
(ii) Ongoing exploration for comparable
services and benefits, in accordance with WAC 67-25-283, that may be available
to the participant under any other program;
(iii) Participant's active involvement
through informed choice in selection of the entity or entities that will
provide services and the process to provide or procure services;
(iv) Information regarding the right to
appeal any decision made by the department on behalf of the participant
including the procedure for mediation, fair hearing, and judicial review, in
accordance with WAC 67-25-600;
(v)
A description of client assistance program services; and
(vi) The basis on which the participant is
determined to have achieved a competitive and integrated employment
outcome.
(9) An
individualized plan for employment that includes a supported employment
outcome, in accordance with WAC 67-25-430 must also document:
(a) The supported employment services to be
provided by the department;
(b)
Extended services or natural supports that are likely to be needed;
(c) The source of extended services or, to
the extent that it is not possible to identify the source of extended services
when the plan is developed, a description of the basis for concluding that
there is a reasonable expectation that those sources will become
available;
(d) A goal for the
number of hours per week the participant is expected to work and a plan to
monitor the participant's progress toward meeting that expectation;
(e) A description of how the services on the
individualized plan for employment are to be coordinated with other
individualized plans established under other federal or state
services;
(f) If job skills
training is provided, the individualized plan for employment must reflect that
the training is provided on the job site; and
(g) Placement in a competitive and integrated
setting for the maximum number of hours possible based on the strengths,
resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests, and
informed choice of the participant.
(10) Transition youth who are determined
eligible for vocational rehabilitation services must have an individualized
plan for employment developed within the same timelines and criteria as any
eligible individual. An individualized plan for employment for a transition
youth who is receiving special education or accommodation services should be
coordinated, to the extent possible, with the participant's school
individualized education plan or 504 Accommodation Plan in terms of identified
goals, objectives, and services.