THE NEED FOR A
VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION AMENDMENT
TO H.R. 27
Issue Summary:
H.R. 27, the Job Training Improvement Act, introduced by the House on January 4, 2005, creates a unique problem for Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) - the program that provides comprehensive services and supports to eligible individuals with disabilities that are required to prepare them for employment. In FY 2003, State VR Agencies provided services to 1.2 million eligible individuals with disabilities, placing over 217,000 in competitive employment.
H.R. 27 allows Governors to take funds from the various job training program partners under the Job Training Improvement Act, to pay for infrastructure costs of One-Stop Career Centers. These funds would be based on the “proportionate use” of the centers and could come “only from funds available for the costs of administration.”
This presents several problems for Vocational Rehabilitation:
“Proportionate use” is not defined. It should be based on the number of VR clients served in the centers, not total program dollars.
While other program partners have administration funds, VR does not.
VR should not be required to contribute funds to any centers that are not physically and programmatically accessible to VR clients.
Under current law, State VR Agencies are already contributing millions of dollars through cost allocation to support the infrastructure costs of One-Stop Centers.
Recommendations:
Keep the cost-allocation process in current law and require all mandatory partners to contribute to the funding of infrastructure based on their utilization of individual centers, and create a separate line-item funding stream to supplement infrastructure costs that are not covered by cost-allocation.
If cost allocation is not retained, establish a .25% cap on the amount of VR funds that would be used for infrastructure costs.
Exempt VR from funding infrastructure costs for any centers that do not meet the criteria for certification in Section 108(g)(2), particularly the proposed criteria related to physical and programmatic accessibility for individuals with disabilities.
Proposed Amendment:
Add a new section 108(h)(I)(C)(iii), Limitations, of H.R. 27 as follows:
“(iii) Vocational Rehabilitation.-Programs carried out under title I of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 shall not be required to provide, for purposes of this paragraph, an amount in excess of .25 percent of the amount provided to such programs in the State for a fiscal year.”
Amend section 108(i)(I) of H.R. 27 by inserting:
“with the exception of the programs authorized under title I of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 720 et seq.), as amended,…”
For further information, please contact Carl Suter, CSAVR, at 301-654-8414
