Qualifying for Services

Once a person has applied for services, VRS has 60 calendar days to determine if the person qualifies for Vocational Rehabilitation (VR). VRS uses the following criteria to determine if an individual qualifies for VR: 

  1. Is the person eligible for VR?
  2. Which priority for service category is the person in?

Determining Eligibility

To determine eligibility, VRS will ask the person – and their parents or authorized representatives, if applicable –  about their disability and how it affects their ability to find and keep a job. Reports from a doctor, mental health provider, or school can assist VRS in documenting a disability. If a person does not have a report or other information to provide with their application, VRS staff can help obtain it for the person.

VRS also must decide if any other programs could better help the person reach their employment goals.

Determining Priority for Service Category

When VRS does not have sufficient resources to serve all people who are eligible for the VR program, VRS is mandated to serve those individuals whose disabilities impact them the most. To determine how severely a person’s disability impacts them, VRS considers which of the seven Serious Functional Limitations a person has and which Priority for Service Category they are in.

The Seven Serious Functional Limitations

VRS decides which of the following seven Serious Functional Limitations impact a person due to their disability:

  1. Mobility: Getting from one place to another
  2. Self-Direction: Making or carrying out plans
  3. Self-Care: Taking care of oneself
  4. Interpersonal Skills: Getting along with others
  5. Communication: Reading, writing, speaking, listening, giving and receiving information
  6. Work Tolerance: Having the stamina and endurance to meet the demands of work
  7. Work Skills: Having the skills to work

The Priority for Service Categories

  • Priority Category One: Persons who have the most significant disabilities, who have serious functional limitations in terms of employment in three or more areas, and who need multiple services over an extended period of time.
  • Priority Category Two: Persons who have a significant disability, who have serious functional limitations in terms of employment in two areas, and who need multiple services over an extended period of time.
  • Priority Category Three:  Persons who have a significant disability, who have serious functional limitations in terms of employment in one area, and who need multiple services over an extended period of time.
  • Priority Category Four: All other eligible persons. This includes people who have a physical or mental impairment that results in a substantial impediment to competitive integrated employment but who do not have significant disabilities that result in serious functional limitations in terms of competitive integrated employment or do not require multiple vocational rehabilitation services over an extended period of time.

The VRS counselor will let each person know which Priority for Service Category they are in and whether there is a waiting list to begin services.