Referral may be from another agency or person or a self-referral and may be oral or written. The referral must provide the person's name and a method of contact.
A written application must be submitted by each person requesting vocational rehabilitation services. The application may be on an application form supplied by SSB, by letter, or by other written means such as a common intake form in a workforce center requesting vocational rehabilitation services. The application must be signed and dated by the applicant or applicant's designated representative.
A vocational rehabilitation counselor shall personally interview each person referred to or who applied to SSB for vocational rehabilitation services within 30 days unless exceptional and unforeseen circumstances beyond SSB's control make it impossible to do so or unless otherwise agreed upon by the individual and the vocational rehabilitation counselor. As part of the interview, the vocational rehabilitation counselor shall:
As part of the interview, SSB shall provide each individual with a written summary of the information referenced in items A to C and E.
SSB direct service staff shall assume that all referrals to SSB are for the purpose of vocational rehabilitation unless the referral expressly and unequivocally states the referral does not want to pursue an employment outcome. In that case, SSB shall provide the individual with information about other SSB programs.
No applicant who is present in Minnesota may be denied rehabilitation services on the basis of residency.
Access to the contents of an applicant's or eligible individual's record of services or to any other information maintained by SSB that pertains to an applicant or eligible individual must be administered by SSB in accordance with the Minnesota Data Practices Act, Minnesota Statutes, chapter 13, and all other applicable laws and regulations.
All written communication with an individual must be supplemented as necessary by other appropriate modes of communication consistent with the informed choice of the individual.
Minn. R. agency 139, ch. 3325, VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION PROGRAM, pt. 3325.0120
Statutory Authority: MS s 248.07