Popular Name: Vocational Rehabilitation
Objectives: To provide all services and assistance necessary to enable service-disabled veterans and service persons hospitalized or receiving outpatient medical care services or treatment for a service- connected disability pending discharge to achieve maximum independence in daily living and, to the maximum extent feasible, to become employable and to obtain and maintain suitable employment.
64.116 ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
Applicant Eligibility: Veterans of World War II and later service with a service-connected disability or disabilities rated at least 20 percent compensable and certain service-disabled servicepersons pending discharge or release from service if VA determines the servicepersons will likely receive at least a 20% rating and they need vocational rehabilitation because of an employment handicap. Veterans with a 10% service-connected disability may be eligible if they first applied for vocational rehabilitation prior to November 1, 1990, and they have an employment handicap. In addition, veterans with compensable ratings of 10% may also be eligible if they are found to have a serious employment handicap.
Beneficiary Eligibility: Veterans of World War II and later service with a service-connected disability or disabilities rated at least 20% compensable and certain service-disabled servicepersons pending discharge or release from service if VA determines the servicepersons will likely receive at least a 20% rating and they need vocational rehabilitation because of an employment handicap. Veterans with compensable ratings of 10% may also be eligible if they are found to have a serious employment handicap.
Credentials/Documentation: None.
64.116 APPLICATION & AWARD PROCESS:
Preapplication Coordination: None. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.
Application Procedure: Obtain an application (VA Form 28-1900) from any VA office or regional office (see Appendix IV of the Catalog) and submit it to the nearest VA regional office.
Award Procedure: Awards are authorized at the regional office for direct distribution to the beneficiaries.
Deadlines: Generally, vocational rehabilitation must be accomplished within a basic 12-year period of eligibility. The 12-year period of eligibility begins with the date of discharge, notification of establishment of service-connected disability meeting the eligibility requirements, or change in character of discharge, whichever is later.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time: Average is 79 days.
Appeals: Available through special board. Average time to process an appeal is 715 days. In the event of a denial, claimants are advised of appeal rights and procedures at the time of notification.
Renewals: Under certain limited circumstances, a veteran's eligibility period can extend beyond 12 years and entitlement to training and subsistence can be longer than 48 months.
Criteria for Selecting Proposals: Direct payment for specified use; payments are made directly to the providers of goods or services for program participants; payments include tuition, fees, books, supplies, tutoring, professional services, and medical care if not available in a VA facility; advances are made to program participants to meet unexpected financial obligations which might hinder continued program progress.
Examples of Funded Projects: Not applicable.
Range & Average of Financial Assistance: Full cost of tuition, books, fees, supplies and rehabilitation services. Monthly full-time allowances range from $396.22 for a single veteran to $579.17 for a veteran with two dependents, plus $42.22 for each dependent in excess of two. Non-interest bearing loans of up to $792.44 and a work-study allowance not to exceed the higher of 25 times the Federal or State minimum hourly wage times the number of weeks in the veteran's period of enrollment.
64.116 RELATED PROGRAMS:
64.116 PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
In fiscal year 1995, 47,847 participants
received subsistence allowance payments; 4,426 of these received loans.
Estimates for subsequent periods are: fiscal year 1996, 54,459
participants and loans, and fiscal year 1997, 59,080 participants and
loans. During fiscal year 1995, 6,202 participants were rehabilitated.
64.116 FINANCIAL & ADMINISTRATIVE INFO:
Federal Agency:
VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF
VETERANS AFFAIRS
Type of Assistance:
Direct Payments with Unrestricted Use;
Direct Payments for Specified Use; Direct Loans; Advisory Services and
Counseling.
Obligations:
(Direct Payments) FY 95 $298,132,000; FY 96 est
$348,810,000; and FY 97 est $388,215,000. (Loan Advances) FY 95
$1,964,000; FY 96 est $1,964,000; and FY 97 est $2,822,000.
Budget Account Number:
36-0137-0-1-702; 36-4114-0-3-702;
36-4112-0-3-702.
Authorization:
Veterans' Rehabilitation and Education Amendments
of 1980, Public Laws 96-466, 101-237, 101-508, 102-16, 102-83, 102-568,
38 U.S.C. 3102.
Regulations, Guidelines, & Literature:
38 CFR 21.40-21.47;
"Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents," VA Pamphlet 80-96-1,
$3.25, available from Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing
Office, Washington, DC 20202-9325. "Vocational Rehabilitation - Your
Key to an Independent Future," VA Pamphlet 28-82-1, free, available
from any VA regional office.
Regional or Local Office:
See Appendix IV of the Catalog for
Veterans Benefits Administration field offices.
Headquarters Office:
Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans
Benefits Administration, Vocational Rehabilitation and Counseling
Service (28), Washington, DC 20420. Phone: (202) 273-7413.
64.116 ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:
Formula & Matching Requirements:
Not applicable.
Length & Time Phasing of Assistance:
Not applicable.
Uses & Use Restrictions:
The program provides for direct payment
to service providers for the entire cost of tuition, books, fees,
supplies, and other services. As part or all of a rehabilitation
program, individuals may receive services and training designed to help
them live with a reduced dependency on others in their homes and
communities. Counseling services are provided to the individual
throughout his or her participation in the program. In addition to
disability compensation, the veteran receives a monthly subsistence
allowance. Advances of up to $792.44 may be made to veterans to meet
unexpected financial difficulties. These advances do not bear interest
and are repaid out of future VA or Military benefit payments. Although
no set repayment period is established, the monthly rate of repayment
may not generally be less than 10%. In general, a new advance
may not be made until a previous advance has been fully repaid. Usually,
the training phase of the rehabilitation program may not exceed 4 years
nor may training be provided more than 12 years after the individual
becomes eligible to apply for the program. Following training, or
sometimes as the whole of a rehabilitation program, the veteran may also
receive up to 18 months of counseling, job placement and post-placement
services. The veteran may receive an employment adjustment allowance
equal to 2 months of subsistence during this period of services, but
only if employability was achieved as a result of services received in a
program which included a training phase. Veterans who meet certain
requirements may receive an initial supply of goods and commodities to
start a small business.
64.116 POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Reports:
The veteran's progress is monitored throughout the
rehabilitation program to assure that goals and objectives of the
veteran's rehabilitation plan are carried out. The plan extends
throughout the veteran's rehabilitation program to include, when
applicable, the securing of and adjusting to employment.
Audits:
None.
Records:
None.
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