32 Miss. Code. R. 22-2.3 - Case Statuses

A referral is defined as any individual who has applied or been referred to VR by letter, telephone, direct contact, or any other means, and for whom the following minimum information has been provided:

* Social Security Number

* Name and Address

* Disability (as reported, medical/psychological documentation substantiating is not required until the point of eligibility)

* Age and Sex

* Date of Referral

The case status system in VR is designed to facilitate the tracking of individuals as they progress through the service system. There are 5 active statuses and 2 closed statuses.

Active Case Statuses:

* Application Status (old statuses 00, 02, and 06)

As soon as the referred individual signs a document requesting vocational rehabilitation services, he/she is designated an "applicant". Generally, the document will be an Agency form, but a letter signed by an individual that includes the minimum basic referral information and requests services will be considered sufficient for placing the individual in Application Status. This is important since the applicant must be notified in writing if the request for VR services has been denied and the only certain basis for determining that the individual has knowledge of having been referred is by the existence of a document signed by the individual.

While the individual is in Applicant Status sufficient information is gathered to make a determination of eligibility or ineligibility for vocational rehabilitation services or a decision is made to provide the individual with a period of Trial Work Experiences prior to making such a determination.

* Eligible Status (old status 10)

An individual who has been certified as meeting the basic eligibility requirements is accepted for vocational rehabilitation services, designated as an active case, and placed into Eligible Status.

While a client is in this status case study and diagnosis are completed to provide a basis for the formulation of the Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE). A comprehensive case study is basic to determining the nature and scope of services necessary to achieve the employment objective of the individual. The individual remains in this status until the IPE is written and approved.

Priority Category Closed (old status 04) - There is a separate caseload (PCC_ _) set up in each district to track these individuals and record information and referral services they are provided. This caseload will be used only when an Order of Selection has been implemented. A client will be placed in this status when the counselor has certified him/her eligible but he/she does not meet Order of Selection criteria. No services can be authorized while the client is in this priority category.

* Service Status (old statuses 14, 16, 18, and 20) A client enters Service Status when the IPE has been developed and signed by the counselor and client (clients parent or guardian, if appropriate).

Plan Type - Counseling and Guidance Only (old status 14) - It is intended that this plan type be used only for those individuals having an approved IPE which outlines counseling, guidance and placement as the only services required to prepare the client for employment. It is not to be used to reflect the counseling and guidance which takes place during the course of program development or is provided by the counselor during the provision of training or physical/mental restoration. Ancillary services (e.g.: diagnostic medical services, medication, transportation) can be authorized that facilitates/allows client's participation in this status.

When there is a breakdown in the progress of the case after other services have been provided, the counselor may determine that substantial counseling and guidance are essential to the successful placement and rehabilitation of the individual. The client may then be entered in this plan type if an IPE amendment has been written and approved after consultation with the client, and this is the only additional service required to prepare the client for employment.

Plan Type - Physical and Mental Restoration (old status 16) - A client is placed in this plan type if he/she is receiving any physical or mental restoration service such as medical, surgical, psychiatric or therapeutic treatment, or is being fitted with an appliance. A case remains in this plan type until physical and mental restoration services are completed or terminated.

Plan Type - Training (old status 18) - A client is placed in this plan type if he/she is actually receiving academic, business, vocational, or personal and vocational adjustment training from any source, such as a public or private school, a commercial or individual establishment, a rehabilitation or other facility, an individual teacher or instructor, or correspondence course. Clients remain in this plan type until the training is either completed or terminated.

Job Ready (old status 20) - This data page is completed when a client has completed preparation for employment (counseling, guidance, treatment, fitting of an appliance, training, etc.) and is ready to accept a job but has not yet begun employment.

* Employed Status (old status 22) A client is placed in this status when he/she has been prepared for, been placed in and begun employment. The client must be observed in this employment for a minimum of 90 days before being closed rehabilitated to ensure adequacy of employment in accordance with the needs and limitations of the individual. Homemakers and unpaid family workers should be included in this status and the observation criteria will be applied to them.

* Post-Employment Service Status (old status 32) client is placed in this status if he/she has previously been closed rehabilitated and requires additional services to maintain or regain other suitable employment and prevent the recurrence of the disabling condition. The purpose of this status is, to avoid the necessity of reopening a case in order to provide a relatively minor service.

Post-employment services must be planned and may include any service or combination of services necessary to assist the individual in maintaining employment so long as the service(s) are related to the original IPE.

Closure Statuses

See the OVR/OVRB Policy and Procedure Manual for details regarding the case closure process. There are two types of closure statuses:

* Closed Rehabilitated Status (old statuses 26 and 3 6)

* Closed Other Than Rehabilitated (old statuses 08, 28, 30, 34, 38, and 40)

RSA Closure Codes and Reasons:

Code Reason

1 Unable to locate, contact, or moved: This code is used when the individual has moved without leaving a forwarding address or has otherwise disappeared. It is also used when the individual leaves the state and gives little evidence of returning in the foreseeable future. A reasonable effort to contact the consumer must be made and documented in the case file before closing a case as unable to locate. Reasonable efforts include a minimum of 2 letters and 2 telephone call attempts. If a letter has been returned after it was sent by mail, check the envelope to ascertain whether it identifies a forwarding address; verify that the letter was correctly addressed; and attempt to reach the consumer by telephone. (A telephone call with no answer would not be counted as an attempt to locate.) An answering machine message would count as an attempt to contact if the counselor recognizes this as the consumers residence and leaves an appropriate message. If these efforts are unsuccessful, efforts should be made to reach the consumer through contact with family members or friends. If these efforts are unsuccessful, the case may be closed as unable to locate.

2 Disability too significant to benefit from VR Services: This code is used to identify an individual whose mental or physical disability is so significant that the individual cannot benefit from VR services in terms of employment. Also, include individuals with disorders that are expected to progress to such a severely limiting degree in a short period of time that rehabilitation services will be of little or no help. Prior to closure for this reason, the case file should contain clear and convincing evidence of this through a period of Trial Work Experiences (TWE) or medical documentation that the client is unable to participate in TWE.

3 Refused services or further services: This code is used when the individual declines to accept, participate in, or use vocational rehabilitation services. Prior to case closure for this reason, the case file should indicate that the client (or clients parent/guardian) has communicated verbally, or in writing, that he/she does not want services. Does not require a closure letter.

4 Death: This code requires case file documentation. Documentation may include a copy of the obituary, case note indicating notification by a family member, etc. Does not require a closure letter.

5 Institutionalized: This code is used when an individual has entered an institution and will be unavailable to receive rehabilitation services for an indefinite or considerable length of time and continuance of an open case would not be beneficial to the person. For this item, an institution can include hospitals, nursing homes, prisons and jails, treatment centers, etc. Documentation may include a case note indicating notification by client, a family member, etc. Does not require a closure letter.

6 Transferred to another agency: This code is used when services needed by the individual are more appropriately provided elsewhere. Transfer to the other agency should be accompanied by referral information that can assist the other agency to accept the individual. Does not require a closure letter.

7 Failure to Cooperate: This code is used when the individual's actions (or non-actions) convince the counselor that it is not possible to begin or continue appropriate rehabilitation services. Non-cooperation would include promises not kept by the individual such as not showing up for counseling, interviews, school attendance or medical/psychological appointments made for diagnosis/treatment or other services. Efforts by the counselor to overcome these actions or non-actions are required and should be documented in the case file. The case file should indicate that a minimum of 3 legitimate (by letter and/or telephone call) attempts were made prior to closure for this reason. A telephone call with no answer is not considered an attempt. Does not require a closure letter.

8 No disabling condition: This code applies only to individuals not accepted for rehabilitation services (closures from Application Status). The use of this code means that no physical or mental impairment exists. Use this code when only an acute (as opposed to chronic) condition is observed (i.e. a broken bone that heals). This code may also be used in instances when a chronic condition appears to have no or very inconsequential effects in a medical sense.

9 No Impediment to Employment: This code applies only to individuals not accepted for rehabilitation services (closures from Application Status). The use of this code means that a physical or mental impairment is present but does not constitute a substantial impediment to employment.

10 Transportation not feasible or available: This code is used to indicate that acceptance of employment was either not feasible because transportation is too costly or not available. Does not require a closure letter.

11 Does not require VR services: Use this code for applicants who do not require VR services to prepare for, enter into, engage in, or retain gainful employment consistent with their strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities capabilities, and informed choice.

12 Extended services not available: Use this code for individuals who would have benefited from the provision of supported employment services but for whom no source of extended services was available.

13 Extended employment: Use this code for individuals who received services and were placed in a non-integrated setting for a public or non-profit organization. This does require an employment record.

14 All Other Reasons: This code is used to cover reasons not encompassed by Codes 1 through 13. Does not require a closure letter.

CASE RECORD REQUIREMENTS BASED ON CLOSURE REASONS

Status	Closure Reason	Case Record Requirements
Closed Rehabilitated - incl. Post Employment Service (PES) cases - Old Statuses 26, 36	Successfully Rehabilitated	Closing Statement and Notification of Closure letter. Case note recording closure details. PES cases do not require reassessment of the need for post-employment services.
Closed Other From Applicant Status -Old Status 08	No impairment; no impediment to employment; cannot benefit from VR services; disability too severe or unfavorable medical prognosis; and reasons not related to eligibility	Certificate of Ineligibility -Notification of Closure letter. Case note recording consultation with client regarding determination. Case note recording closure details.
Closed Other From Eligible Status - Old Statuses 30, 38	Cannot benefit from VR services; disability too severe or unfavorable medical prognosis. Old Statuses 30, 38 (incl. PCC cases)	Certificate of Ineligibility and Notification of Closure letter. Case note recording consultation with client regarding determination. Case note recording closure details
Closed Other From Service Status - Old Status 28	Can no longer benefit from VR services Disability too severe or unfavorable medical prognosis; Reasons not related to eligibility - including transfer to other agency (e.g., extended employment providers)	Certificate of Ineligibility/IPE Closing Amendment and Notification of Closure letter. Case note recording consultation with client regarding determination. Case note recording closure details
Closed Other From PES Status - Old Status 34, 40	Can no longer benefit from VR services Disability too severe or unfavorable medical prognosis. Reasons not related to eligibility VR case reopened	Certificate of Ineligibility/IPE Closing Amendment and Notification of Closure letter. Case note recording consultation with client regarding determination. Case note recording closure details

Notes

32 Miss. Code. R. 22-2.3