Chapter 47

CHAPTER 47

VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION; SPECIALIZED PROGRAMS FOR
PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

47.01   Definitions.

47.02   Vocational rehabilitation.

47.03   Specialized programs for persons with disabilities.

47.035   Fiscal agents for persons with disabilities.

47.04   Contractual services.

47.05   Employment First initiative.

47.07   Project SEARCH.

47.01 47.01 Definitions. In this chapter:

47.01(1) (1) “Blind” means central visual acuity that does not exceed 20/200 in the better eye with correcting lenses or a visual field that subtends an angle no greater than 20 degrees.

47.01(1m) (1m) “Department” means the department of workforce development.

47.01(2) (2) “Employability” means that the provision of vocational rehabilitation services is likely to enable an individual to obtain or retain employment consistent with his or her capacities and abilities in the competitive labor market, the practice of a profession, self-employment, homemaking, farm or family work, sheltered employment, home-based employment or other gainful work.

47.01(3) (3) “Person with a disability” means any person who has a physical or mental disability that constitutes or results in a substantial barrier to employment and who can reasonably be expected to benefit in terms of employability from the provision of vocational rehabilitation services.

47.01(3g) (3g) “Person with a severe disability” means any person with a disability who has a severe disability that seriously limits one or more functional capacities, including mobility, communication, self-care, self-direction, work tolerance, or work skills, in terms of employability, whose vocational rehabilitation can be expected to require multiple vocational rehabilitation services over an extended period of time and who has one or more physical or mental disabilities determined on the basis of an evaluation of rehabilitation potential to cause comparable substantial functional limitation.

47.01(3m) (3m) “Personal assistance services” has the meaning given in 29 USC 706 (11).

47.01(5) (5) “Visually impaired” means a loss of vision that can reasonably be expected to lead to blindness or a loss of vision that represents a barrier to employment or other major life activities.

47.01(6) (6) “Vocational rehabilitation” means assisting a person with a disability to become capable of competing in the labor market, practicing a profession, being self-employed, raising a family and making a home, participating in sheltered employment or other gainful work.

47.01 History History: 1983 a. 435; 1991 a. 39; 1993 a. 373; 1995 a. 27 ss. 2408, 9130 (4); 1997 a. 3, 112.

47.02 47.02 Vocational rehabilitation.

47.02(1) (1) The state agrees to accept the provisions of 29 USC 701 to 796i, the rehabilitation act of 1973 as amended, and the provisions of 34 CFR 300 to 399 to carry out the purposes of the act and to adopt methods of administering the vocational rehabilitation program which will maximize federal participation. The department shall sign agreements with the federal government under 29 USC 701 to 796i to provide vocational rehabilitation services.

47.02(1m) (1m) The department may cooperate with the federal government in carrying out federal acts concerning vocational rehabilitation.

47.02(2) (2) This section only applies to persons with disabilities and persons with severe disabilities except that each person has a right to be evaluated by the department to determine whether the person is a person with a disability.

47.02(3m) (3m) The department shall:

47.02(3m)(a) (a) Make vocational rehabilitation services under this chapter available in every county to all persons with disabilities who are present in the state, regardless of residency.

47.02(3m)(b) (b) Provide that persons with severe disabilities will receive priority for services under this chapter.

47.02(3m)(c) (c)

47.02(3m)(c)1. 1. Advise and assist any person with a disability who applies to the department concerning his or her rehabilitation.

47.02(3m)(c)2. 2. Provide full and prompt consultation with, and preliminary diagnostic study for, each person who applies for vocational rehabilitation services to determine if a vocational rehabilitation plan is feasible.

47.02(3m)(c)3. 3. Acquaint each person for whom a vocational rehabilitation program is feasible with the vocational rehabilitation services available under this chapter, counsel the person concerning selection of a suitable vocation, assist the person in identifying vocational needs and provide the services necessary for vocational rehabilitation.

47.02(3m)(c)4. 4. Register and keep records for each person with a disability who uses the vocational rehabilitation services provided under this chapter.

47.02(3m)(d) (d) Provide medical or other evaluations at no cost to the applicant to determine the applicant’s eligibility for vocational rehabilitation services under this chapter.

47.02(3m)(e) (e) Provide assessment and evaluation services appropriate to each individual, develop an individualized written rehabilitation program with each person with a disability and develop and supervise services that are part of the vocational rehabilitation program of any person with a disability.

47.02(3m)(f) (f) Assure that eligibility for vocational rehabilitation services under this chapter is determined without regard to sex, race, age, creed, color, or national origin of the individual applying for services, that no class of individuals is found ineligible solely on the basis of type of disability and that no age limitations for eligibility exist which, by themselves, would result in ineligibility for vocational rehabilitation services.

47.02(3m)(g) (g) Aid persons with disabilities in securing the services needed to make them more employable, place persons with disabilities in suitable occupations and provide postemployment services, as defined in the rehabilitation program developed under par. (e) of a person with a disability, necessary to maintain employment.

47.02(3m)(h) (h) Consider the views of persons who receive vocational rehabilitation services or their parents, guardians or legal custodians and of vocational rehabilitation professionals and providers of vocational rehabilitation services concerning general policy administration of the department’s vocational rehabilitation program.

47.02(3m)(i) (i) Provide vocational rehabilitation services to blind and visually impaired persons, appropriate to each individual.

47.02(3m)(j) (j) Maintain current records and statistics on all blind and visually impaired persons in the state concerning vocational rehabilitation, rehabilitation teaching and other departmental services provided and the results achieved in order to plan its services to blind and visually impaired persons.

47.02(3m)(k) (k) Maintain a cooperative relationship with counties to assist in administering and providing uniform services to blind and visually impaired persons throughout the state, to prevent duplication of effort and to ensure that blind and visually impaired persons receive adequate services.

47.02(3m)(L) (L) Promote the establishment of local resources for the vocational rehabilitation of persons with disabilities.

47.02(3m)(m) (m) Except as provided in par. (n), determine the financial need of persons with disabilities based upon a uniform fee schedule as provided under s. 46.03 (18) for the provision or purchase of vocational rehabilitation services specified in the rehabilitation program developed under par. (e) of the person with a disability.

47.02(3m)(n) (n) Assure that no financial needs test is applied as a condition for the provision of counseling, guidance, referral and job placement services. Those services shall be provided at no cost to persons determined eligible for services under this chapter.

47.02(3m)(o) (o) Report to the federal department of education as required in 29 USC 721 (a) (10).

47.02(5) (5) Any person aggrieved by a determination of eligibility or ineligibility for vocational rehabilitation services or by the furnishing or denial of vocational rehabilitation services may commence an appeal as provided under rules promulgated by the department.

47.02(6) (6) The department may:

47.02(6)(a) (a) From the appropriation under s. 20.445 (5) (a), provide financial aid to any person with a disability who is receiving vocational rehabilitation training and who has no other source of aid.

47.02(6)(b) (b) Accept gifts, grants and donations to be used for the purposes of this chapter. The department shall deposit all moneys received under this paragraph in the appropriation under s. 20.445 (5) (i).

47.02(6)(c) (c) Provide personal assistance services to any person with a disability through county departments of human services or social services under s. 46.215, 46.22 or 46.23, aging units as defined in s. 46.82 (1) (a) or other persons.

47.02(7) (7) 

47.02(7)(a) (a) Except as provided in par. (b), no person may disclose any information concerning any person who applies for or receives vocational rehabilitation services without the consent of the person except when necessary for the administration of this chapter or to carry out a person’s rehabilitation plan developed pursuant to this chapter. The department shall promulgate rules to administer this subsection.

47.02(7)(b) (b)

47.02(7)(b)1. 1. Paragraph (a) does not prohibit disclosing information of a summary or statistical nature.

47.02(7)(b)2. 2. Any person who has applied for or received vocational rehabilitation services may obtain access to his or her records under rules promulgated by the department.

47.02(7)(c) (c) Any person who violates this subsection or a rule promulgated under this subsection shall be fined not more than $500 or imprisoned not more than 6 months or both.

47.02 History History: 1983 a. 435; 1991 a. 178; 1993 a. 373; 1995 a. 27; 1997 a. 112; 1999 a. 82 ss. 4 to 20; 2003 a. 33; 2013 a. 20; 2015 a. 55.

47.02 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also chs. DWD 65, 68, and 75, Wis. adm. code.

47.03 47.03 Specialized programs for persons with disabilities.

47.03(2) (2) The department may accept gifts, grants and donations to be used for the purposes of this section. The department shall deposit all moneys received as gifts, grants and donations in the appropriation under s. 20.445 (5) (i).