​Chapter 8.04 Contents:

Chapter 8.04. - FAMILY

1. Services To Family Members

[REVISED: 9/15/22​]

  1. For purposes of this policy, family members means (per 2016 Federal Regulation 34 CFR § 361.5(c)(23)) an individual:

    1. Who is a relative (by blood or marriage) or guardian of the client, or (per agency mandate) who lives with the client, and

    2. Who has a substantial interest in the well-being of the client, and

    1. Whose receipt of vocational rehabilitation services is necessary to enable the client (including VR applicants) to achieve an employment outcome.


    Note 1: This definition is not the same one used by institutions of higher education for financial aid purposes. The financial aid program is subject to the definition in the Higher Education Act and its regulations.

    Note 2: This definition differs from the definition of family size that DRS uses in the consumer financial participation policy and Client Financial Statement RS-13 form (see Chapter 14.3, FINANCIAL, Policy 1).
     

  2. The counselor may provide these Vocational rehabilitation (VR) services to a client family member if necessary to enable the client to access a VR service from Application status through Employed status:

    1. transportation when approved to accompany the client to a VR service (for policy, see Chapter 8.20, TRANSPORTATION, Policy 1), 
       
    1. dependent care or child care when the client is the care giver (for policy, see Chapter 8.01, DEPENDENT, Policy 1),
       
    1. training on care for assistive technology devices (for policy, see Chapter 8.02, REHABILITATION TECH, Policy 1),
       
    1. driving instruction when approved to be the driver of the modified vehicle and training to maintain the modification if the vehicle owner (for policy, see Chapter 8.21, VEHICLE MOD, Policy 5)
       
    2. training on care of home modifications if the homeowner or living with the client (for policy, see Chapter 8.06, HOME MOD, Policy 1),
       
    3. room, board, and incidentals when approved to accompany the client to an out-of-town VR service (for policy, see Chapter 8.10, MAINTENANCE, Policy 1)



  3. VR services provided to family members are also subject to comparable benefits policy (see Chapter 14.2, COMPARABLE, Policy 1), consumer financial participation policy (see Chapter 14.3, FINANCIAL, Policy 1​), and DRS established purchasing policies and procedures (see Chapter 14.1, PURCHASING, Policy 1).  For S/I Code and fee schedule, See DARS Services Reference Manual, Other Services, "Services to Family Members" category.​

 

Links to the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) are currently unavailable while we await federal changes to the vocational rehabilitation program. Upon promulgation of the final regulations the links will be updated and activated.