Initial Contact
Initial contact is the first contact with a customer and may be made in person, by phone, in writing, or by email. After making initial contact with a customer the VR staff member should?
Per TxROCS Case Review: Was the Diagnostic Interview completed within _______ (time) of the application?
2 weeks
B-311-1: Residency Requirement- What is the rule for Eligibility?
It is not required that a customer reside in Texas to be considered eligible for VR services; he or she must only be present in Texas. The customer must be able to participate with assessments and services in Texas to be eligible for VR services.
If a customer presents an unexpired identification or authorization for employment document with an out-of-state address, staff should ask the customer if he or she is receiving VR services from another state. If the answer is yes, VR staff must coordinate with the out-of-state VR agency to ensure that services are not duplicated.
Per TxROCS Case Review: Was C&G completed and entered in RHW within _____ days of the IPE being signed?
7 days
B-603: Successful Closures: To close a Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) case successfully, the VR counselor must ensure what requirements are met.
B-203-3: Closing an Initial Contact in RHW- An initial contact can be closed after VR staff have
Made a good faith effort to contact the customer. A good faith effort is defined as three or more attempts to contact the customer or contact listed in RHW. All attempts must be documented in RHW using the case note topic “Attempted to Contact.” Refer to E-300: Case Note Requirements
Per TxRocs Case Review: Were records to determine eligibility requested by VR within ________ of the completion of the customer's application for services, and was there _________ ?
Five business days; Was there documentation for the request(s).
How do you document Level of Significance?
Refer to VRSM Policy: E-300- Case Note Requirements Level of Significance –Document the level of significance of the case as a stand-alone case note or as part of a case note for eligibility. A case note that describes how the customer's disability affects his or her functional capacities and meets the other criteria for establishing the disability's level of significance; or · A completed VR1390, Checklist for Determining Significance of Disability. If the VR1390 is used, meet the documentation requirement by also completing a case note in RHW that the form was completed.
B-404-1: Customers Who Have a Work History
When a customer has a history of employment, the VR counselor and the customer consider the customer's?
B-605: Customer Notification: If the customer has completed an application for VR services and the VR counselor is unable to contact the customer directly for any reason, then written notification must be sent by letter or encrypted email at least ____?
10 business before closing the case, to allow time for the customer to contact the VR counselor if there are any concerns about closing the case. The VR counselor copies and pastes the email or letter notification that was sent in a case note with the topic "Attempt to Contact." For additional details, refer to VRSM E-300: Case Note Requirements.
If there is no response from the customer, then the case may be closed successfully or unsuccessfully.
After the closure has been processed in RHW, a closure letter is available in RHW. VR staff must email or mail the letter to the customer at the time of closure as well as offer or provide a copy of the brochure titled "Can We Talk?," which outlines the VR appeals procedure if the customer disagrees with the closure. The VR counselor must document in RHW the date and method used to provide the notification.
Following Closure of an Initial Contact in RHW, what 2 steps are needed?
1. Customer must be informed that he or she can reapply for VR services at any time in the future and 2. Provided / offered a copy of the "Can We Talk" appeals procedure brochure. See B-605: Customer Notification for notification requirements when closing a case.
An option called "fast track" is available to complete the RHW application for returning customers when:
Fast track will copy some of the customer's application information from the previous case to the new case. VR staff must verify all information including any wages and monthly financial information to ensure that the copied information is still accurate.
B-312-1: Closing a Case without Determining Eligibility. What general closure procedure must VR Counselors apply when a case is closed before determining eligibility?
The VR counselor must apply the following general closure procedure in all cases closed before determining eligibility:
The employment goal identified on the customer's IPE must be clearly supported by the information in the _______________ and consistent with what?
Comprehensive assessment and consistent with the customer's informed choice.
B-600 Closure- A case note or series of case notes that describes what?
· the reason the case was closed;
· the circumstances that led to the decision to close the case;
· how the case meets the criteria required for closure; and
· the date and method the customer was offered/provided: 1) the “Can We Talk?” brochure, and 2) the information to make informed choices.
Was the customer scheduled for an application appointment at the earliest possible date, but no later than _____ days after the date of the initial contact.
30 Days
B-402: Gathering Information for the Comprehensive Assessment: When does the process begin and finish up?
The comprehensive assessment process begins when the customer applies for services, and it continues until the IPE is developed and signed.
Throughout the comprehensive assessment process, the specific details that are gathered and evaluated by the VR counselor can be entered as "Assessment and Planning" case notes.
When all the assessment information has been gathered and reviewed, the VR counselor enters a case note with the title "Comprehensive Assessment" in ReHabWorks (RHW). The comprehensive assessment case note can be amended as additional information is obtained throughout the life of the case.
If the customer reports a criminal history, the VR counselor explains that he or she may be barred from certain jobs requiring a license or other credential. If the customer wants to pursue employment requiring a license or credential, WHEN does the VR counselor obtains a criminal background check?
Before committing to services on an IPE. -404-3
When the customer selects an employment goal that requires a specific license or credential, the VR counselor must check for information about which criminal convictions may prevent the customer from obtaining a specific license.
Counseling & Guidance: A case note or series of case notes entered by the VR counselor that reflects the skillful application of counseling strategies and interventions. These case notes must include:
· topic addressed through C&G that are related to the impediments to employment, IPE, and/or participation in VR services;
· strategies for resolution of the issue to include description of decision-making processes involved;
· customer’s participation in the resolution;
· customer’s reaction; and
· actions required of the customer or counselor.
B-603-3: Verifying Employment for Closure: Supporting documentation that verifies the customer’s employment must be in the customer’s case file before the case closure in RHW and must include the method used to verify the customer's employment. Documentation must be as current as possible, but no older than?
14 calendar days.
Example: If requesting the Work Number, the “current as of” date must be within 14 days of the date of closure and the “current as of date” must reflect 90 days of employment after the hire date or substantial services completed date (90-day clock), whichever is later.
If the VR counselor is unable to determine if a customer can benefit from VR services because of the severity of his or her disability, the customer must be provided?
Trial Work Services.
B-310: The decision to proceed with trial work services should be made before determining that a customer is eligible for services. While providing trial work services, the VR counselor and the customer explore the customer's abilities, capabilities, and capacity to perform in realistic work situations until there is enough information to decide about whether the customer is eligible for VR services.
B-308: Assessments: Policy on Records and Assessments for determination of eligibility.
To the maximum extent possible, the VR counselor must:
Only when existing records are unavailable or insufficient, the VR counselor can authorize the purchase of additional diagnostics to address basic eligibility questions. VR counselor must document the justification for all assessments in a case note in RHW. For more information see B-304-1: Establishing the Presence of an Impairment.
B-303: Eligibility Criteria for VR Services?
C-1007: Job Placement Services: What premiums are available for Non-Bundled Job Placement.
B-603-1: Verifying Start Date for Closure
Supporting documentation that verifies the customer's start date of employment must be in the customer’s case file before the case closure and must include the method used to verify the customer’s start date. What type of documentation can you obtain to verify?