01 DVR Overview
Revised: 09/02
01-04 Definitions
01-04-01 Applicant
An individual who has completed and signed an application for vocational rehabilitation services or has otherwise requested services from DVR.
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01-04-02 Application Status
Status within the vocational rehabilitation process in which the participating individual has applied for VR services and is awaiting eligibility determination.
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01-04-03 Appropriate Mode of Communication
Specialized aids and supports that enable an individual with a disability to comprehend and respond to information that is being communicated. Appropriate modes of communication include, but are not limited to, the use of interpreters, open and closed captioned videos, specialized telecommunications services and audio recordings, brailled and large print materials, materials in electronic formats, augmentative communication devices, graphic presentations and simple language materials.
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01-04-04 Clear and Convincing Evidence
Clear and convincing evidence means a high degree of certainty that an individual is incapable of benefiting from services in terms of an employment outcome. Clear means unequivocal; free from obscurity or ambiguity. Generally, existing information will not provide clear and convincing evidence that an employment outcome is not achievable. Clear and convincing evidence might include:
a description of assessments, including situational assessments and supported employment assessments, from service providers who have concluded that they would be unable to meet the individual's vocational needs due to the severity of the individual's disability. In addition, the involvement of the participant in "in-house" assessments - testing, homework assignments, participation in relevant group activities - may assist in making such a determination.
If appropriate, a functional assessment of skill development activities with any necessary supports (including assistive technology) in real life settings.
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01-04-05 Closed Other than Rehabilitated
Status within the vocational rehabilitation process in which the participant has either:
applied for VR services but the case was closed prior to an eligibility determination;
was determined eligible for VR services and the case was closed prior to development of an Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE);
received services through an approved IPE and their case was closed without achieving an employment outcome.
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01-04-06 Closed Successfully Rehabilitated
Status within the vocational rehabilitation process in which the participant received services through an approved IPE, reached his or her employment goal, achieved stability on the job and maintained employment for 90 days.
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01-04-07 Comparable Services and Benefits
Services and benefits that are provided or paid for, in whole or in part, by other Federal, State, or local public agencies, by health insurance, or by employee benefits that are available to the individual at the time needed to ensure the progress of achieving the employment outcome identified in the IPE and that is commensurate to the services that the individual would otherwise receive from DVR. Comparable benefits do not include awards and scholarships based on merit.
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01-04-08 Competitive Employment
Work that is in the competitive labor market that is performed on a full-time or part-time basis in an integrated setting; and 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.
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01-04-09 Eligible Status
Status within the vocational rehabilitation process in which the participant has been determined eligible for VR services by a qualified VR Counselor and is in the process of developing an Individualized Plan for Employment.
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01-04-10 Employed Status
Status within the vocational rehabilitation process in which the participant has reached an appropriate employment goal following receipt of VR services.
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01-04-11 Employment Outcomes
Full-time or part-time competitive employment in the integrated labor market, supported employment, or any other type of employment in an integrated setting, including self-employment, telecommuting, or business ownership, that is consistent with an individual's strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests and informed choice.
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01-04-12 Extended Employment
Work is a non-integrated or sheltered setting for a public or private nonprofit agency or organization that provides compensation in accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act and any needed support services to an individual with a disability to enable the individual with a disability to train or otherwise prepare for competitive employment, unless the individual through informed choice chooses to remain in extended employment.
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01-04-13 Extended Services
Ongoing support services and other appropriate services that are needed to support and maintain an individual with a most significant disability in employment and that are provided by a State agency, a private nonprofit organization, employer, or any other appropriate resource, from funds other than funds received by DVR after an individual has made the transition from support provided by DVR. Also referred to as long-term support services.
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01-04-14 Extreme Medical Risk
Probability of substantially increasing functional impairment or death if medical services, including mental health services, are not provided expeditiously.
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01-04-15 Fair Hearing
Formal procedure as part of the appeal process in which an impartial hearing officer is appointed to render a determination on disputed issues between the participant and DVR; based on agency and participant evidence.
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01-04-16 Family Member
For the purposes of receiving vocational rehabilitation services means an individual who either is a relative or guardian of an applicant or eligible participant, or lives in the same household or who has a substantial interest in the well-being of the participant and whose receipt of vocational rehabilitation services is necessary to enable the applicant or eligible individual to achieve an employment outcome.
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01-04-17 Functional Limitations
Limitations imposed by an impairment that impedes or limits an individual in one or more area of his or her physical or mental functioning.
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01-04-18 Individual Education Plan
Individualized plan developed by the public school systems for a special education student which identifies educational goals, objectives and services to be provided to the student. When a student reaches age 14, his or her IEP should also include a transition plan that addresses services and support focused towards post-school outcomes.
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01-04-19 Individualized Plan for Employment
Written instrument utilized to identify, coordinate and implement the participant's employment goal, services and vendors, responsibilities, time frames and costs.
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01-04-20 Individual with a Disability
An individual who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities; who has a record of such an impairment; or who is regarded as having such an impairment.
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01-04-21 Individual with a Most Significant Disability
An individual who has a severe physical or mental impairment that:
Impedes the individual's functional capacities in two or more areas (such as mobility, communication, self-care, self-direction, interpersonal skills, cognitive abilities, or work tolerance or attendant factors) in terms of an employment outcome, and
for whom competitive employment has not traditionally occurred or has been interrupted or intermittent; and
whose vocational rehabilitation can be expected to require multiple and intensive vocational rehabilitation services in order to result in an employment outcome.
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01-04-22 Individual with a Significant Disability
An individual who has a severe physical or mental impairment that:
seriously limits one or more functional capacities (such as mobility, communication, self-care, self-direction, interpersonal skills, work tolerance, or work skills) in terms of an employment outcome; and
whose vocational rehabilitation can be expected to require multiple vocational rehabilitation services over an extended period for time; and
who has one or more physical or mental disabilities resulting from amputation, arthritis, autism, blindness, burn injury, cancer, cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis, deafness, head injury, heart disease, hemiplegia, hemophilia, respiratory or pulmonary dysfunction, mental retardation, mental illness, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, musculo-skeletal disorder, neurological disorders (including stroke and epilepsy), spinal cord conditions (including paraplegia and quadriplegia), sickle cell anemia, specific learning disability, end-state renal disease, or another disability or combination of disabilities determined on the basis of an assessment for determining eligibility and vocational rehabilitation needs.
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01-04-23 Individual's Representative
Any representative chosen by an applicant or eligible individual, as appropriate, including a parent, guardian, other family member, or advocate, unless a representative has been appointed by a court to represent the individual, in which case the court-appointed representative is the individual's representative.
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01-04-24 Integrated Setting
With respect to the provision of services:
A setting typically found in the community in which applicants or eligible individuals interact with non-disabled individuals other than non-disabled individuals who are providing rehabilitation services.
With respect to an employment outcome:
A setting typically found in the community in which applicants or eligible individuals interact with non-disabled individuals who are providing services to those applicants or eligible individuals, to the same extent that non-disabled individuals in comparable positions interact with other persons.
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01-04-25 Maintenance
Monetary support provided to an individual for expenses such as food, and shelter, that are in excess of the normal expenses of the individual and that are necessitated by the individual's participation in an assessment for determining eligibility and vocational rehabilitation needs or the individual's receipt of vocational rehabilitation services under an IPE.
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01-04-26 Mediation
Process of using an independent third party to act as a mediator, intermediary, or conciliator to assist persons or parties in settling differences or disputes prior to pursuing formal administrative or other legal remedies.
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01-04-27 Personal Assistance Services
Range of services provided by one or more persons designed to assist an individual with a disability to perform daily living activities on or off the job that the individual would typically perform without assistance if the individual did not have a disability. The services must be designed to increase the individual's control in life and ability to perform everyday activities on or off the job. The services must be necessary to the achievement of an employment outcome and may be provided only while the individual is receiving other vocational rehabilitation services. The services may include training in managing, supervising and directing personal assistance services.
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01-04-28 Post-Employment Services
One or more vocational rehabilitation services that are provided subsequent to the achievement of an employment outcome and that are necessary for an individual to maintain, regain, or advance in employment, consistent with the individual's strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests, and informed choice.
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01-04-29 Post-Employment Status
Status within the vocational rehabilitation process in which a participant who was previously closed successfully rehabilitated accesses additional VR services aimed at maintaining, regaining or advancing within employment.
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01-04-30 Reasonable Accommodation
Modification or an adjustment to a job or the work environment that will enable a qualified applicant or employee with a disability to perform essential job functions. Reasonable accommodation also includes adjustments to assure that a qualified individual with a disability has rights and privileges in employment equal to those of non-disabled employees.
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01-04-31 Rehabilitation Engineering
Systematic application of engineering sciences to design, develop, adapt, test, evaluate, apply, and distribute technological solutions to problems confronted by individuals with disabilities in functional areas, such as mobility, communication, hearing, vision and cognition, and in activities associated with employment, independent living, education, and integration into the community.
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01-04-32 Rehabilitation Technology
Systematic application of technologies, engineering methodologies, or scientific principles to meet the needs of, and address the barriers confronted by, individuals with disabilities in areas that include education, rehabilitation, employment, transportation, independent living, and recreation. The term includes rehabilitation engineering, assistive technology devices, and assistive technology services.
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01-04-33 AWARE
Automated case management system: Rehabilitation Information System for Tracking, Reporting and Streamlining.
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01-04-34 Service Status
Status within the vocational rehabilitation process in which the participant has signed an approved Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) and is actively engaged in service(s) aimed at achieving the employment goal identified in the IPE.
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01-04-35 Substantial impediment to employment
A physical or mental impairment (in light of attendant medical, psychological, vocational, educational, communication, and other related factors) which hinders an individual from preparing for, entering into, engaging in, or retaining employment consistent with the individual's abilities and capabilities.
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01-04-36 Substantially Limits
In relation to the impairment, having a substantial consequence that is not temporary or easily ameliorated.
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01-04-37 Supported Employment
Competitive employment in an integrated setting, or employment in integrated work settings in which an individual is working toward competitive employment, consistent with their strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests, and informed choice; for individuals who are most significantly disabled for whom:
competitive employment has not traditionally occurred;
competitive employment has been interrupted or intermittent as a result of the disability; and
who, because of the nature and severity of their disability, need intensive supported employment services from NMDVR and extended services after transition to perform this work.
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01-04-38 Temporary or Easily Ameliorated
Of no permanent or chronic consequence; a condition which is expected to last for a limited time only or to be corrected, either partially or totally, by an identified treatment, with little or no residual effects on functioning; an impairment for which the only service needed is payment of medical services.
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01-04-39 Transferable Skills
Skills and abilities with multiple applications that have been acquired through past work or life experiences. Examples may include but are not limited to interpersonal skills, communication skills and self-management skills.
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01-04-40 Transitional Employment
Series of temporary job placements in competitive work in integrated settings with ongoing support services for individuals with the most significant disabilities due to mental illness. In transitional employment, the provision of ongoing support services must include continuing sequential job placements until job permanency is achieved.
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01-04-41 Transportation
Travel and related expenses which are necessary to enable an applicant or eligible individual to participate in a vocational rehabilitation service, including expenses for training in the use of public transportation vehicles and systems.
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