Virginia Law

Once it is determined that an individual is eligible for DBVI vocational rehabilitation services, to the extent additional data are necessary to make a determination of the employment outcomes and the nature and scope of vocational rehabilitation services to be included in the individualized plan for employment of an eligible individual, a comprehensive assessment shall be conducted to determine the unique strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests, and informed choice, including the need for supported employment, of the individual. This comprehensive assessment:

1. Shall be limited to information that is necessary to identify the rehabilitation needs of the individual and to develop the individualized plan of employment of the eligible individual.

2. Shall be used as a primary source of information to the maximum extent possible, as appropriate, and in accordance with confidentiality requirements may include:

a. Existing information obtained for the purposes of determining the eligibility of the individual and assigning priority for an order of selection for the individual; and

b. Information that can be provided by the individual and, if appropriate, by the family of the individual.

3. May include, to the degree needed to make such a determination, an assessment of the personality, interests, interpersonal skills, intelligence and related functional capacities, educational achievements, work experience, vocational aptitude, personal and social adjustments, and employment opportunities of the individual and the medical, psychiatric, psychological, and other pertinent vocational, educational, cultural, social, recreational, and environmental factors that affect the employment and rehabilitation needs of the individual.

4. May include, to the degree needed, an appraisal of the patterns of work behavior of the individual and vocational rehabilitation services needed for the individual to acquire occupational skills and to develop work attitudes, work habits, work tolerance, and social and behavior patterns necessary for successful job performance, including the use of work in a real job situation to assess and develop the capacities of the individual to perform adequately in a work environment.

5. May include referral for the provision of rehabilitation technology services to the individual to assess and develop the capacities of the individual to perform in a work environment.

6. May include an exploration of the individual's abilities, capabilities, and capacity to perform in work situations, which must be assessed periodically during trial work experiences, including experiences in which the individual is provided appropriate supports and training.