Administration Seeks Feedback on Vocational Rehabilitation

Vocational Rehabilitation programs play a role in helping individuals with disabilities transition to employment. As such, ANCOR will be monitoring a request for comment on changes to pre-transition employment policy by the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSER) within the Department of Education (DOE). The changes took effect on February 28, 2020. As announced by OSER:

“The U.S. Department of Education (Department) issues this interpretation to clarify current policy and announce a change in policy regarding the use of Federal vocational rehabilitation (VR) funds reserved for pre-employment transition services. […]

This policy is effective February 28, 2020. We must receive your comments on or before March 30, 2020. […]

In response to the many questions and comments about the allowable use of the reserved funds for auxiliary aids and services and other VR services listed in the Rehabilitation Act, the Department issues this notice of interpretation to:

(1) Clarify current policy regarding the use of Federal VR funds reserved for the provision of pre-employment transition services to pay for auxiliary aids and services needed by all students with disabilities in order to access or participate in required pre-employment transition services under section 113(b) of the Rehabilitation Act, and

(2) announce a change in policy with respect to additional VR services needed by eligible students with disabilities that may be paid for with Federal VR grant funds reserved for the provision of pre-employment transition services and the circumstances under which those funds may be used to pay for those additional VR services.”

The full text of the request for comment and access to the comment form is available here.