M E M O R A N D U M

To: All DVR Staff

From: Mindy Yates, VR Administrator

Date: July 9, 2001

Attached are updated instructions for the Training Expenditure Worksheet. The changes are necessary due to a change in Federal Regulations which state that the Department "may not apply a financial needs test or require the financial participation of an individual as a condition for furnishing any vocational rehabilitation service if the individual in need of the service had been determined eligible for Social Security benefits." This means economic need testing is not to be applied to those individuals who receive SSI or SSDI for their disability. As noted in the instructions, counselors are not to apply the sliding scale to determine the tuition amount for those consumers who receive SSI or SSDI. Counselors should continue to utilize comparable benefits for tuition and other training related costs when available.

Completed Training Expenditure Worksheets for the Fall 2001 term for individuals who are SSI/SSDI recipients must be amended to reflect the appropriate tuition amount and resubmitted to the appropriate Student Financial Aid Office.

In addition, SSI/SSDI recipients are not required to apply excess income as determined on the financial need section of the DVR application toward the cost of rehabilitation services.