Vocational Rehabilitation Program (Combined or General)

CDOR Response: Cooperation with Agencies Not Carrying Out Activities Under the Statewide Workforce Development System. CDOR works cooperatively with the following state and local agencies that do not carry out activities under the statewide workforce investment system, through Cooperative Agreements, Memorandum of Understandings, Interagency Agreements, or grants: California Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators Memorandum of Understanding: Guidelines for Joint Financial Support — establishes guidelines for the joint financial support of CDOR student consumers to achieve their educational goals, eventually leading to employment. This Memorandum of Understanding supports students enrolled in the California post—secondary setting with a financial aid office on campus. California Commission on Disability Access Interagency Agreement: California Commission on Disability Access promotes disability access in California through dialogue and collaboration with stakeholders including, but not limited to, the disability and business community and all levels of government. CSU Memorandum of Understanding: Service Commitment for CSU Students who are CDOR Consumers — details the commitment of the CSU and CDOR to work cooperatively to provide services to eligible CSU students who are CDOR consumers with disabilities. CSU Sacramento Interagency Agreement: Supervisory Training — provides 80 hours of supervisory training to CDOR supervisors and managers and reflects the mission and goals of the California Health and Human Services Agency. California Department of General Services Statewide Contracts: CDOR Purchasing Agreements — The California Department of General Services oversees the statewide contracts for purchasing where agreements establish a pre—qualified list of vendors and simplify the purchasing process. Cooperative agreements are available to all State of California governmental entities, including CDOR, that expend public funds for the acquisition of both goods and services. The California Multiple Award Schedules offer a wide variety of commodities, non—information technology services and information technology products and services at prices which have been assessed to be fair, reasonable, and competitive. The Western States Contracting Alliance is used for cooperative purchasing agreements with other states for information technology hardware, software, and non—information technology products. Interagency Agreement 1: CDOR Applicant and Consumer Mediation Assistance — the California Department of General Services, Office of Administrative Hearings mediators assist applicants and consumers who request fair hearing or mediation to explore options for mutual resolution of a dispute in a timely, non—confrontational manner. Through mediation, applicants and consumers can better understand CDOR regulations and policies, and CDOR can better understand the individual’s needs. Interagency Agreement 2: Business Enterprise Program Fair Hearing Services — the California Department of General Services, Office of Administrative Hearings provides fair hearing services for CDOR Business Enterprise Program vendor appeals. Interagency Agreement 3: CDOR Applicant and Consumer Fair Hearing Services — the California Department of General Services, Office of Administrative Hearings provides fair hearing services to review determinations made by CDOR that affect VR services to individuals with disabilities and applicants and consumers. Interagency Agreement 4: Business Enterprise Program Insurance Management — the California Department of General Services, Office of Risk and Insurance Management provides management of the Business Enterprise Program statewide insurance program funded from food service vending machine locations. California Department of Health Care Services Information Exchange Interagency Agreement: Verification of CDOR Applicant’s Benefit Status — used by CDOR to verify an applicant’s Supplemental Security Income or Social Security Disability Insurance benefit status to assist in determining eligibility for CDOR services including application of the presumptive eligibility rules for Supplemental Security Income or Social Security Disability Insurance beneficiaries in accordance with Title I of the Rehabilitation Act. California Department of Developmental Services: Individuals Eligible for Home and Community Based Waiver Programs — CDOR has a formal agreement with the California Department of Developmental Services, California’s State agency responsible for administering the Home and Community Based Services waiver for the State Medicaid plan under Title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.). The California Department of Developmental Services has the primary responsibility to provide services and supports for individuals with intellectual disabilities and individuals with developmental disabilities, including extended services, or individuals with the most significant disabilities who have been determined to be eligible for home and community—based services under a Medicaid waiver, Medicaid State plan amendment, or other authority related to a State Medicaid program period. California Employment Development Department Interagency Agreement: Provides CDOR with confidential California Employment Development Department wage and employer information to verify CDOR consumers’ cases can be closed as employed and conducting federally required evaluation of the federal VR program. California Department of Technology Services Interagency Agreement: Data Processing — provides CDOR data processing services.

Independent Living Centers Statewide Grants: Administration and Oversight of Independent Living Services — Title VII Rehabilitation Act funds and state Social Security Reimbursement funds are used to administer CDOR’s Independent Living program and monitor 28 Independent Living Centers that provide federally required services, including Independent Living skills and assistive technology services to individuals with disabilities. Grant 1: Provision of Independent Living Services — Assembly Bill 204 grants that are issued to non—profit Independent Living Centers provide Independent Living services that assist individuals with disabilities in achieving social and economic independence. Core services provided include peer counseling, advocacy, attendant referral, housing assistance, and Independent Living skills training; and other services and referrals deemed necessary such as transportation, job development, equipment maintenance and evaluation, and mobility assistance and communication. In addition, grant provisions as of federal fiscal year 2016-17 have been updated to align with WIOA. This adds a new category of core services under transitions: the transition of consumers from nursing homes and other institutions to home and community-based residences; assistance to consumers who are at risk of entering institutions so that they may remain in the community; and facilitate the transition of youth with significant disabilities who have completed their secondary education or otherwise left school, to postsecondary life. Grant 2: Independent Living Transition Services — Title VII B grants funds used to assist independent living centers with the one-time costs associated with assisting people with disabilities of all ages to transition from institutional settings to community settings. Grant 3: Independent Living Youth Transition Grants — Title VII B grants funds used to design and implement Youth Transition Programs within California’s Independent Living Network for youth with disabilities, ages 14 to 24, which can serve as a model for service delivery at Independent Living Centers across the state.

Older Individuals who are Blind Grants: The Older Individuals who are Blind Program Administration and Services — Title VII, Chapter 2 Rehabilitation Act funds used to administer and monitor the delivery of local Older Individuals who are Blind program services to visually impaired individuals age 55 and older to assist them to live independently, including funding 18 organizations to provide training in low—vision assistance, adaptive equipment, orientation and mobility, communication, daily living skills, self—advocacy, adjustment counseling, and transportation skills services to eligible individuals. The Regents of the UC Memorandum of Understanding: Service Commitment for UC Students who are CDOR Consumers — details the commitment of the UC and CDOR to work cooperatively to provide services to eligible UC students who are CDOR consumers with disabilities. California State Controller’s Office Interagency Agreement 1: Claim Processing — expedites services to process claim schedules containing vendor invoices for goods and services provided to CDOR staff and consumers to ensure timely payment for continuance of services and compliance with the California Prompt Payment Act. Interagency Agreement 2: Employee Leave System — provides CDOR Human Resource staff access and use of the State Controller’s Office California Leave Accounting System for CDOR employees to perform a variety of functions necessary to accurately record and track leave system eligibility, balances, state service credits, and leave benefit activity. Interagency Agreement 3: Human Resource Reports — provides CDOR Human Resource staff access and use of the Management Information Retrieval System to generate pre—written reports or create ad hoc reports on CDOR employee employment history, payment history, employer—sponsored deductions, and position inventory.

State Independent Living Council Grants: State Independent Living Council Operation — Title VII B, Rehabilitation Act funds used to operate the State Independent Living Council and provide State Independent Living Council funds for various sub—grants and contracts necessary to carry out objectives of the State Plan for Independent Living by programs for people with disabilities. California State Personnel Board Interagency Agreement 1: Training Agreement — CDOR provides training on the Introduction to Fair Employment and Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act, Practical Solutions to Reasonable Accommodation, and Writing an Effective Duty Statement. Interagency Agreement 2: Exam Access — State Personnel Board’s Selection System provides CDOR computer access to conduct departmental civil service examinations, as well as process and maintain civil service eligible lists and certification lists. Ticket to Work and Self—Sufficiency Program The CDOR actively coordinates with the Ticket to Work and Self—Sufficiency Program. Ticket to Work is a voluntary work incentive program for Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income beneficiaries between the ages of 18 and 64 who are interested in going to work. The Ticket to Work Program provides beneficiaries with access to VR, training, and placement services, as well as other services and support. Beneficiaries can use their ticket to obtain employment services and support from CDOR or they can take their ticket to an approved service provider called an Employment Network. A ticket cannot be assigned to an Employment Network and in—use with CDOR at the same time. The CDOR’s Work Incentives Planners and VR Counselors have an active role in the Ticket to Work program. CDOR’s Work Incentives Planners verify ticket status, provide information as needed, and facilitate referrals to Employment Networks at case closure. VR counselors distribute CDOR’s Ticket to Work fact sheet at intake, verify the ticket status prior to approving the Individualized Plan for Employment, and facilitate sequential services. Coordination with the State Agency Responsible for Providing Mental Health Services In California, the State agency responsible for mental health services is the California Department of Health Care Services. CDOR has developed a Memorandum of Understanding with Department of Health Care Services to establish a framework for collaboration between CDOR and Department of Health Care Services to provide local technical assistance and support in order to strengthen existing CDOR Mental Health Cooperative Programs or to develop new patterns of vocational rehabilitation services available to individuals living with severe mental illness, with the ultimate goal of ensuring that consumers have access to a comprehensive, coordinated, and quality service delivery system.