Section 10-306-8a - Development of the individualized written rehabilitation program (IWRP)(a) Purpose. The Vocational Rehabilitation Services Division shall conduct an assessment to determine the vocational rehabilitation needs for each eligible individual or, if the agency is operating under an order of selection, for each eligible individual to whom the agency is able to provide services. The purpose of this assessment is to determine the long-term vocational goal, intermediate rehabilitation objectives, and the nature and scope of vocational rehabilitation services to be included in the IWRP, which 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.(b)Procedural Requirements.(1) The IWRP shall be developed jointly, agreed to, and signed by the vocational rehabilitation counselor and the individual or, as appropriate, the individual's representative within the framework of a counseling and guidance relationship.(2) The Vocational Rehabilitation Services Division shall establish and implement standards for the prompt development of IWRPs for individuals identified under subsection (a) of this section, including time lines that take into consideration the needs of the individual.(3) The Vocational Rehabilitation Services Division shall advise each individual or, as appropriate, the individual's representative of all procedures and requirements affecting the development and review of an IWRP, including the availability of appropriate modes of communication.(4) In the development of an IWRP for a student with a disability who is receiving special education services, the Vocational Rehabilitation Services Division shall consider a student's individualized education program.(5) The Vocational Rehabilitation Services Division shall review the IWRP with the individual or, as appropriate, the individual's representative as often as necessary, but at least once each year to assess the individual's progress in meeting the objectives identified in the IWRP.(6) The Vocational Rehabilitation Services Division shall incorporate into the IWRP any revisions that are necessary to reflect changes in the individual's vocational goal, intermediate objectives, or vocational rehabilitation services, and obtain the agreement and signature of the individual or, as appropriate, the agreement and signature of the individual's representative to the revisions.(7) The Vocational Rehabilitation Services Division shall promptly provide each individual or, as appropriate, the individual's representative, a copy of the IWRP and its amendments in the native language, or appropriate mode of communication, of the individual or, as appropriate, of the individual's representative.(c)Data for Preparing the IWRP.(1)Preparation without a Comprehensive Assessment. To the extent possible, the vocational goal, intermediate objectives, and the nature and scope of rehabilitation services to be included in the individual's IWRP shall be determined based on the data used for the assessment of eligibility and priority for services under Section 10-306-5a of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies.(2)Preparation Based on Comprehensive Assessment.(A) If additional data are necessary to prepare the IWRP, the Vocational Rehabilitation Services Division 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.(B) The comprehensive assessment shall be limited to information that is necessary to identify the rehabilitation needs of the individual and develop the IWRP and may, to the extent needed, include: (i) an analysis of pertinent medical, psychiatric, psychological, neuropsychological, and other pertinent vocational, educational, cultural, social, recreational, and environmental factors, and related functional limitations, 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;(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; and(iv) an assessment, through provision of rehabilitation technology services, of the individual's capacities to perform in a work environment, including in an integrated setting, to the maximum extent feasible and consistent with the individual's informed choice.(C) In the preparation of a comprehensive assessment, the Vocational Rehabilitation Services Division shall use, to the maximum extent possible and appropriate and in accordance with confidentiality requirements, existing information, including information that is provided by the individual, the family of the individual, and education agencies.Conn. Agencies Regs. § 10-306-8a
Adopted effective November 6, 1998