Division Policy 2.14

SUBJECT

Individualized Plan for Employment

EFFECTIVE DATE

July 11, 2003

REVISION DATE

April 29, 2025

EXPIRATION DATE

N/A

PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

The Division of Blind Services (DBS) must develop an Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) meeting the requirements prescribed in 34 C.F.R. § 361.45 for each individual eligible for vocational rehabilitation services or each individual DBS is able to provide services for if operating under an order of selection.

AUTHORITY

34 CFR §§ 361.45 and 361.46

POLICY

An Individualized Plan for Employment is a plan that identifies the employment outcome (as defined in § 361.5(c)(15)) and the vocational rehabilitation services that are necessary to assist the individual with a disability in preparing for, securing, retaining, advancing in or regaining an employment outcome that is consistent with the individual's unique strengths and employment goal and the requirements in 34 CFR § 361.45 and 34 CFR § 361.46. DBS will provide services in accordance with the provisions of the IPE.

The IPE must be developed as soon as possible, but within 60 working days of the Certification of Eligibility for vocational rehabilitation (VR) services as directed in 34 CFR 361.45. unless the counselor and the eligible individual agree to an extension due to insufficient information, additional assessment is needed, or other extenuating circumstances beyond the control of DBS. All IPEs must be reviewed and updated annually.

COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT

A comprehensive assessment as described in 34 CFR § 361.5(c)(5)(ii) is an individualized process to determine the unique strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests, and informed choice, including the need for supported employment. Comprehensive assessment is an ongoing process that occurs both before and after IPE development and implementation. The comprehensive assessment must be limited to information that is necessary to determine the job goal, identify the rehabilitation needs of the individual, and to plan for the services required to assist the individual to become employed in a competitive integrated environment. An IPE can be developed with or without a comprehensive assessment, depending on the circumstances of the individual. The comprehensive assessment should be conducted in the most integrated setting possible, consistent with the individual’s informed choice.

PREPARATION WITHOUT COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT

The consumer and VR Counselor can determine the employment outcome and the nature and scope of rehabilitation services to be included in the IPE based on the data used for the assessment of eligibility and priority for services under § 361.42.

PREPARATION BASED ON COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT

If additional information is necessary to identify the employment outcome and the nature and scope of rehabilitation services to be included in the IPE, DBS must conduct a comprehensive assessment using current information that meets the following criteria:    

• Available from other programs and providers, particularly information used by education officials and the Social Security Administration;
• Provided by the consumer and the consumer's family; and
• Obtained under the assessment for determining the consumer's eligibility and vocational rehabilitation needs.

REQUIRED INFORMATION

• DBS must provide options for the development of an IPE in writing to an individual or, as appropriate, the individual’s representative. These options include the following:
  1. Assistance from DBS in developing all or part of the IPE;
  2. Assistance from a qualified vocational rehabilitation counselor who is not employed with DBS;
  3. Assistance from a disability organization  (e.g., the Client Assistance Program) in developing all or part of the IPE based on the individual’s informed choice; or
  4. Independent development of all or part of the IPE by the individual.

Anyone who selects option two, three, or four must be provided with the DBS Guidelines for Development of an Individualized Plan for Employment packet in the language and appropriate mode of communication of the individual’s choice. The individual must submit the IPE to the counselor for approval if the individual chooses to develop all or part of the IPE independently or with assistance from another entity.

• Additional Information to assist the eligible individual or, as appropriate, the individual’s representative in developing the IPE includes:
• An explanation of DBS’ criteria associated with an eligible individual’s financial commitments concerning an IPE;
• Information on the availability of assistance in completing DBS forms required as part of the IPE process;
• Additional information the individual requests or DBS determines as necessary to develop the IPE;
• A description of the rights and remedies available to the consumer, including due process and mediation, availability of CAP, and how to contact CAP; and
• Information on additional support, including benefits counseling for individuals receiving SSI or SSDI.

MANDATORY PROCEDURES FOR DEVELOPING THE IPE INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

• The IPE is a written document prepared using DBS forms.
• The IPE is developed and implemented in a manner that gives the individual the opportunity to exercise informed choice in identifying the following:
  • The employment outcome, including employment setting;
  • The specific VR services needed to achieve the employment outcome, including settings in which the services will be provided;
  • The entity or entities that will provide the VR services; and
  • The methods available for procuring the services.
• A complete IPE must be:
  • Agreed to and signed by the eligible individual or, as appropriate, the individual's representative; and
  • Approved and signed by the DBS counselor.
• An IPE for a student with a disability is developed in consideration of the student’s Individualized Education Plan or 504 services, as applicable, and in accordance with the plans, policies, procedures, and terms of the interagency agreement.
• A copy of the IPE and any amendments to the plan shall be provided to the individual or, as appropriate, to the individual's representative, in writing, and, if appropriate, in the native language or mode of communication of the individual or, as appropriate, the individual's representative.

DBS must show how the IPE was developed by ensuring the case file reflects the information in this policy through case notes; the IPE; correspondence with the individual, partners (e.g., education), assessment results, etc.

Regardless of which option the individual selects to develop the IPE, each plan must:

1. Include a description of the employment outcome/goal, chosen by the eligible individual, and be consistent with the individual's unique strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, career interests, and informed choice. The IPE must also be consistent with the general goal of competitive integrated employment (except that in the case of an eligible individual who is a student or a youth with a disability, the description may be a description of the projected post-school employment outcome);
2. Include a description of:
   1. The rehabilitation services needed to achieve the employment outcome, including, as appropriate, the provision of assistive technology devices, assistive technology services, and personal assistance services, including training in the management of those services; and
   2. In the case of a plan for an eligible individual that is a student or youth with a disability, the specific transition services and supports needed to achieve the individual's employment outcome or projected post-school employment outcome.
3. Provide for services in the most integrated setting that is appropriate for the services             involved and is consistent with the informed choice of the eligible individual;
4. Include timelines for the achievement of the employment outcome and for the initiation of services;
5. Include a description of the entity or entities chosen by the eligible individual or, as appropriate, the individual's representative that will provide the vocational rehabilitation services and the methods used to procure those services;
6. Include a description of the criteria that will be used to evaluate progress toward achievement of the employment outcome; and
7. Include the terms and conditions of the individualized plan for employment, including, as appropriate, information describing:
   1. (i) The responsibilities of DBS;
   2. (ii) The responsibilities of the eligible individual, including:
      1. The responsibilities the individual will assume in relation to achieving the employment outcome;
      2. If applicable, the extent of the individual's participation in paying for the cost of services; 
      3. The responsibility of the individual to apply for and secure comparable services and benefits; and
   3. (iii) The responsibilities of other entities as the result of arrangements made pursuant to
             the comparable services or benefits requirements.

SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT SERVICES

Supported employment services are services provided to an individual with a most significant disability for whom an employment outcome in a supported employment setting has been determined most appropriate. 

An IPE for an individual with a most significant disability for whom an employment outcome
in a supported employment setting has been determined to be appropriate must: 

1. Specify the supported employment services DBS will provide after job placement.
2. Specify the expected extended services needed, which may include natural supports;
3. Identify the source of extended services or, to the extent that it is not possible to identify the source of extended services at the time the IPE is developed - include a description of the basis for concluding that there is a reasonable expectation that those sources will become available;
4. Provide for periodic monitoring to ensure the individual is making satisfactory progress toward meeting the weekly work requirement established in the IPE by the time of transition to extended services;
5. Provide for the coordination of services provided under an IPE with services provided under other individualized plans established under other federal or state programs;
6. To the extent that job skills training is provided, identify that the training will be provided on site; and
7. Include placement in an integrated setting for the maximum number of hours possible.

POST-EMPLOYMENT SERVICES

The IPE for each individual must include, as determined to be necessary:

• The expected need for post-employment services prior to closing the case of an individual who has achieved an employment outcome;
• A description of the terms and conditions for the provision of post-employment services; and
• If appropriate, a statement of how post-employment services will be provided or arranged through other entities as the result of arrangements made pursuant to the comparable services or benefits requirements.

               
COORDINATION FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

The individualized plan for employment for a student with a disability must be coordinated with the individualized education program or 504 services, as applicable, for that individual in terms of the goals, objectives, and services identified in the education program.

PLAN EXTENSIONS

It is the expectation that a IPE will be developed as soon as possible once all sufficient documentation is received. An extension is appropriate if the information is insufficient, additional assessment is needed, or for other extenuating circumstances beyond the control of DBS. If the initial development of an IPE or an IPE amendment must be delayed, the counselor and the individual must agree to the extension of that deadline with a specific date. The individual will select an option as described under the “Required Information” section and the counselor will use the IPE Extension Development Form in Aware to complete this process.

PLAN AMENDMENTS

The individualized plan for employment is amended, as necessary, by the individual or, as appropriate, the individual's representative, in collaboration with the counselor, if there are substantive changes in the employment outcome, the vocational rehabilitation services provided, or the providers of the services, or if there is a need for post-employment services that were not identified on the original IPE as outlined in Client Services Policy 2.09.

The counselor will develop amended plans no later than 5 working days after receipt of a new request for services verbally or in writing. The counselor must complete the amendment justification and document in the case file in Aware prior to amending the plan. The amendment justification should indicate the new service(s) being requested and how these services will benefit the individual’s vocational goal. The eligible individual or, as appropriate, the individual’s representative and counselor must sign the amended plan prior to the provision of services.

DBS will provide the individual with written or verbal notification (email, correspondence) within 5 working days of the status of the service(s) being approved. If the requested service(s) are not approved, the reason(s) the request(s) are being declined will be explained to the individual in writing along with a copy of the individual’s rights and mediation process.

PROCESS FOR CRP CASES 

1. The counselor prepares and prints the plan. 
2. Counselor enters case notes that plan has been prepared by DBS for requested services.
3. Plan is provided to client to sign by mail or in person. 
4. A plan is considered approved in AWARE when the client signs the plan. The date of client signature is the official plan start date.
5. DBS notifies CRP plan is signed and service can begin (via email). When monthly invoices are received from the CRP, the DA and/or Assistant DA will select 5 files to review. The DA and/or Assistant DA will physically pull files to determine the date that the client signed the plan. 
6. DA/Assistant DA will check CRP report (found either in the Case Notes or Actual Services Progress report) for date service(s) began. This date should be on or after the date the client signed the plan.
7. DA/Assistant DA will report the results of this monitoring review on the monthly QA report sent to the Program Consultant.
8. Program Consultant will collect this information and report it to the Bureau Chief monthly.

PROCESS FOR NON-CRP CASES

1. Perform steps 1-4 above.
2. When the participant returns the signed plan, the DA or Assistant DA will review for approval.
3. DA/Assistant DA will enter case note indicating plan has been approved and services can begin.
4. Approval/signature date will be entered in AWARE.
5. When performing the monthly case reviews on VR cases, the DA and/or Assistant DA will compare the AWARE signature date with the date services began to ensure services began after client signature and plan approval in AWARE, and enter a case note in AWARE as to findings.
6. DA will report findings in the monthly QA report to Program Consultant.
7. Program Consultant will collect this information and report it to the Bureau Chief monthly.

All services included in the IPE must be necessary for the individual to obtain their employment goal and should be provided prior to successful case closure. Plans should be amended as new services become necessary. If a service that is included in the IPE is not provided prior to a successful case closure, justification for not providing the service must be documented in a case note.

Original signed by Robert L. Doyle, III, Director on 12/16/2025.