Part 835. Arkansas Rehabilitation Services Policy and Procedure Manual

20 CAR § 835-608. Employment services (job finding/referral). (a)(1) A job-finding service is rendered when the individual is considered “job-ready” by the VR counselor. (2) A job-finding service is also rendered when Arkansas Rehabilitation Services directly refers or arranges f…

20 CAR § 835-609. Placement services. (a)(1) Placement services are organized and identifiable attempts to establish or improve the linkage of an individual and a work situation. (2) While employment placement is the VR program goal and usually occurs toward the end of the rehabi…

20 CAR § 835-610. Follow-up. (a)(1) The counselor and/or placement specialist will provide follow-up services to each individual placed in employment to determine if all planned for services have been provided and the VR objective achieved. (2) Follow-up services will include con…

20 CAR § 835-611. Assessment services. (a) Assessment services are those services required to determine: (1) An applicant’s eligibility for rehabilitation services and priority for services; and (2) The services needed to achieve an employment outcome. (b) Medical diagnostic serv…

20 CAR § 835-612. Restoration (physical/mental) services. (a)(1) Restoration services mean those medical and medically related services that are necessary to correct or substantially modify within a reasonable period of time, a stable or slowly progressive physical or mental cond…

20 CAR § 835-613. Physical restoration services purchased in-state. (a)(1) Arkansas Rehabilitation Services will pay for all physical restoration services that are properly authorized. (2) Payment will be made according to the vendor’s stated fee, up to but not to exceed, the max…

20 CAR § 835-614. Physical restoration services purchased out of state. (a)(1) If Arkansas Rehabilitation Services purchases physical restoration services out of state (in this instance Texarkana, Texas, is considered in the state), the rate paid will not exceed fees paid by the …

20 CAR § 835-615. Medical consultant. (a) In all cases involving medical and surgical treatment, hospitalization, drugs (except for acute medical care), and all medically directed therapies, a written consultation must be obtained from the medical consultant and attached to the E…

20 CAR § 835-616. Medical, surgical, and psychiatric treatment. (a) Medical treatment. (1) After the initial diagnostic medical evaluation, payments may be made to a physician (general practitioner or specialist), clinic, dispensary, or hospital for services provided to the indiv…

20 CAR § 835-617. Breast reduction information/guidelines. Listed below are guidelines for breast reduction surgery for Arkansas Rehabilitation Services: (1) There must be verification of back/neck pain for at least six (6) months by a medical physician (not just the cosmetic sur…

20 CAR § 835-618. Directed therapy for weight loss. (a)(1) Arkansas Rehabilitation Services may provide services for structured weight loss programs for twelve (12) months such as Weight Watchers, TOPS, etc., or other medically directed programs. (2) The counselor will maintain m…

20 CAR § 835-619. Supported counseling related to weight. (a) Progress should be monitored monthly. (b) After three (3) months in a weight loss program, at the counselor’s discretion and based on little or no success, the client’s program needs to be modified.

20 CAR § 835-620. Treatment for morbid obesity (morbid obesity surgery). (a) Individuals requesting assistance from Arkansas Rehabilitation Services for a surgical procedure as a method of treatment for morbid obesity are to be informed the procedure is a major operation with the…

20 CAR § 835-621. Cochlear implants. (a)(1) Individuals requesting assistance from Arkansas Rehabilitation Services for cochlear implant surgery as a method of treatment to provide a sense of sound to a person who is profoundly deaf or severely hard of hearing must meet the follo…

20 CAR § 835-622. Bone-anchored auditory implant (BAAI). (a)(1) Individuals requesting assistance from Arkansas Rehabilitation Services for a bone-anchored auditory implant (BAAI) as a method of treatment to provide a sense of sound to a person who is hard of hearing must meet th…

20 CAR § 835-623. Surgical and hospital insurance. (a) Insurance benefits must be used first in paying for surgical and medical services. (b) Arkansas Rehabilitation Services will pay a portion of the billed amount after comparable services, similar benefits, and insurance are ap…

20 CAR § 835-624. Consultation. (a) For diagnostic purposes, the attending physician may consult with another specialist. (b) The counselor must have a recommendation for consultation, and prior authorization is required.

20 CAR § 835-625. Post-operative reports. It is the counselor’s responsibility for cochlear implant and bone-anchored auditory implant procedures to obtain a post-operative report or letter prior to processing the final payment.

20 CAR § 835-626. Minor surgery by general practitioners. Arkansas Rehabilitation Services may pay general practicing physicians for minor surgery, such as the opening of a superficial abscess or removal of a superficial tumor or cyst.

20 CAR § 835-627. Medication. (a)(1) Medication can be provided throughout the program and ninety (90) days following placement. (2) The counselor must verify the need for ongoing medication with documentation from either the medical consultant or the individual’s personal care p…

20 CAR § 835-628. Speech and hearing therapeutic services. (a)(1) Individuals with organic or inorganic speech and hearing disorders may be scheduled for evaluation and therapy by an approved therapist. (2) The counselor will furnish the therapist with information needed to provi…

20 CAR § 835-629. Hospitalization, convalescent care, and nursing services. (a)(1) Arkansas Rehabilitation Services will pay for inpatient or outpatient hospitalization, including blood, in Arkansas hospitals according to current Medicaid fees or other fees established. (2) Arkan…

20 CAR § 835-630. Training. (a)(1) All training must be designed to achieve the specific employment outcome, which is chosen by the individual consistent with the individual’s: (A) Unique strengths; (B) Resources; (C) Priorities; (D) Concerns; (E) Abilities; (F) Capabilities; (G)…

20 CAR § 835-631. Financial aid. (a)(1) The role of Arkansas Rehabilitation Services is not to act as the primary funding source for training programs. (2) All clients pursuing training programs are required to explore, and when appropriate, apply for funding from sources other t…

20 CAR § 835-632. Colleges and universities. (a)(1) Arkansas Rehabilitation Services will assist individuals in pursuing two-year and four-year college and university training programs in only those colleges and universities: (A) Accredited by the appropriate accrediting agency; …

20 CAR § 835-633. Business schools or colleges. (a)(1) Arkansas Rehabilitation Services may purchase training for qualified clients in any business school or college capable of providing the training necessary for the client to attain the vocational objective. (2) Satisfactory pe…

20 CAR § 835-634. Vocational school. (a)(1) Arkansas Rehabilitation Services may purchase training for qualified individuals in any vocational, trade, or technical school capable of providing the training necessary for the individual to attain the vocational objective. (2) If tra…

20 CAR § 835-635. Cosmetology/barber school. (a)(1) Arkansas Rehabilitation Services may purchase training for qualified individuals in cosmetology/barber schools capable of providing training necessary for the individual to attain the vocational objective. (2) Cosmetology/barber…

20 CAR § 835-636. On-the-job training. (a)(1) Vendors used for on-the-job training must be reputable, established firms that can supply the individual training in the selected job. (2) The counselor must choose only those training sites that have: (A) Proper equipment; (B) Suffic…

20 CAR § 835-637. Adjustment training. (a)(1) This is training which will help the individual adjust to a particular situation hindering his or her ability to work. (2) Included would be work conditioning, developing work tolerance, mobility training, remedial training, literacy …

20 CAR § 835-638. Miscellaneous training. (a)(1) This category includes academic and other specialized training that will prepare an individual with a disability to be employed. (2) This training may include correspondence and online study. (b) The correspondence/online method ma…

20 CAR § 835-639. Books and training materials. (a) Books and training materials will be limited to required textbooks, including required math calculators. (b) Arkansas Rehabilitation Services will not furnish office supplies, such as: (1) Paper; (2) Pencils; (3) Pens; (4) Glue;…

20 CAR § 835-640. Transportation. (a)(1) Transportation costs may be reimbursed to the client at the state allowed rate. (2) Transportation costs may be paid to an approved vendor at the rate set forth in the Vendor Transportation Service Agreement. (3) The vendor shall agree to …

20 CAR § 835-641. Maintenance. (a)(1) Maintenance is a supportive vocational rehabilitation service in the form of cash payments which should be made first to a vendor, maintenance payments written directly to clients for basic living expenses such as food, shelter, clothing, or …

20 CAR § 835-642. Supported employment services. (a) “Supported employment” means competitive integrated employment, including customized employment, or employment in an integrated work setting in which an individual with a most significant disability, including a youth with a mo…

20 CAR § 865-643. Supported employment — Youth extended services. (a)(1) Youth extended services shall be available for youth under the age of twenty-five (25) through individual job coaching services on an as-needed basis after job placement. (2) Youth extended services are avai…

20 CAR § 835-644. Arkansas Rehabilitation Services/Division of Developmental Disabilities Services waiver supported employment partnership. (a)(1) Arkansas Rehabilitation Services and the Division of Developmental Disabilities Services have created a joint partnership specificall…

20 CAR § 835-645. Individual job coaching. (a)(1) Individual job coaching services may be provided to students with a disability and individuals who, because of their disabilities, need intensive job coach supports to obtain and maintain a job in competitive integrated or customi…

20 CAR § 835-646. Limitation on use of subminimum wage. (a) If a youth with a disability has completed secondary education and is twenty-four (24) years old or younger, he or she cannot start working for less than minimum wage until he or she has had the opportunity to: (1) Recei…

20 CAR § 835-647. Customized employment. (a) Customized employment means competitive integrated employment for an individual with a significant disability that is: (1) Based on an individualized determination of the unique strengths, needs, and interests of the individual with a …

20 CAR § 835-648. Services to family members. (a)(1) Services may include childcare (up to three (3) months), training, transportation (up to three (3) months), and relocation of the family to an area where work is available for the individual (up to three (3) months). (2) Servic…

20 CAR § 835-649. Post-employment services. (a)(1) Post-employment services may be provided after the individual has been closed as rehabilitated (Status 26) and needs services to maintain, regain, or advance employment. (2) Post-employment services may only be provided to indivi…

20 CAR § 835-650. Tools, equipment, initial stock, and construction. (a) Tools, equipment, initial stock, and occupational licenses may be provided for an individual if: (1) They are necessary for placing the individual in a job or occupation best suited to that individual’s abil…

20 CAR § 835-651. Purchasing (state purchasing guidelines). (a)(1) When the purchase exceeds five thousand dollars and one cent ($5,000.01) but is less than ten thousand dollars ($10,000), tax excluded, district manager approval is required. (2) The counselor will: (A) Obtain at …

20 CAR § 835-652. Title retention/release/repossession. (a)(1) An individual who is provided durable medical equipment, equipment for training, occupational tools and/or equipment by Arkansas Rehabilitation Services will sign a title agreement listing the items provided and speci…

20 CAR § 835-653. Returned or donated items. Returned or donated equipment will be made available for counselors across the state to use for other cases.

20 CAR § 835-654. Assistive technology services and engineering. (a)(1) Assistive technology services (including hearing services, aids, and assistive listening devices such as telecoils) may be considered for each individual in terms of his or her employment plan. (2) Assistive …

20 CAR § 835-655. Prosthetics and orthotic devices. (a)(1) Prosthetics are artificial appliances used for functional or corrective reasons, or both. (2) Orthotics means an orthopedic appliance or apparatus used to support, align, prevent, or correct deformities or to improve the …

20 CAR § 835-656. Hearing aid services. (a)(1) Hearing aid services may be considered as part of an individual’s employment plan when the individual requires amplification to manage the required communication on the job. (2) The technology involved with hearing aids changes rapid…

20 CAR § 835-657. Hearing aid replacement. (a) If an individual who is already a hearing aid user requests a replacement aid or aids, the individual must bring a report from an audiologist or hearing instrument specialist explaining why a replacement is required. (b) Reasons for …