https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-268a/Recent content in Chapter 268A — Commissioner; Rehabilitation Council; Independent Living Council on MinnesotaLawyer.comHugoen-ushttps://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-268a/268a.01/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-268a/268a.01/This section defines key terms used throughout Minnesota’s vocational rehabilitation and disability services chapter. It defines ‘department’ as the Department of Employment and Economic Development, ‘commissioner’ as its commissioner, ‘vocational rehabilitation services’ by reference to the federal Rehabilitation Act, and ‘person with a disability’ and ‘community rehabilitation provider’ for purposes of the extended employment program.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-268a/268a.02/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-268a/268a.02/This section establishes the structure of vocational rehabilitation leadership in Minnesota. The commissioner of employment and economic development leads the department and is the successor to the former assistant commissioner of vocational rehabilitation. The commissioner must also establish a State Rehabilitation Council and a Statewide Independent Living Council, and councils may meet by telephone or electronic means under specific conditions.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-268a/268a.03/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-268a/268a.03/This section lists the commissioner’s powers and duties for vocational rehabilitation and independent living programs. These duties include certifying community rehabilitation providers, providing vocational rehabilitation services, spending funds on rehabilitation facilities, making disability determinations under Social Security agreements, conducting research and training, accepting and disbursing federal funds, creating state plans, cooperating with other agencies, and adopting rules.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-268a/268a.04/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-268a/268a.04/This section protects doctors and other health professionals who provide information to the state for disability determinations. When a physician or other professional submits a communication or statement to the department for use in a Social Security disability determination agreement, that person cannot be sued for slander, libel, or defamation based on that communication.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-268a/268a.05/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-268a/268a.05/This section governs access to records and confidentiality of information gathered by the department for vocational rehabilitation purposes. Authorized employees may access public records to identify and help people with disabilities. Information obtained through rehabilitation records is confidential and may only be used to offer rehabilitation services — it cannot be disclosed to the public or used for other purposes.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-268a/268a.06/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-268a/268a.06/This section allows cities, towns, counties, and nonprofit organizations to apply to the commissioner for help establishing or operating extended employment programs for people with disabilities. Local governments can use general fund money, levy taxes, and accept gifts or grants to fund these programs. Any matching funds available from state or federal sources may also be used.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-268a/268a.07/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-268a/268a.07/This section sets minimum requirements that community rehabilitation providers must meet to become certified for extended employment programs. Providers must offer standard personnel benefits to employees in noncompetitive employment as set by commissioner rules. They must also have a grievance procedure for those employees that ends in final and binding arbitration.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-268a/268a.08/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-268a/268a.08/This section has been repealed and is no longer in effect.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-268a/268a.085/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-268a/268a.085/This section requires every entity establishing an extended employment program to appoint a governing board of at least seven voting members before becoming eligible for state assistance. The board must be representative of the community served, including at least one person with a disability. The board’s duties include reviewing program needs, recruiting local financial support, and acting as program administrator.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-268a/268a.09/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-268a/268a.09/This section has been repealed and is no longer in effect.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-268a/268a.10/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-268a/268a.10/This section allows the state to carry over and spend in the next fiscal year any extra federal funds that become available for vocational rehabilitation or independent living purposes through reallocation from other states or release of additional federal funds. This flexibility helps Minnesota use all available federal money even if it arrives late in the fiscal year.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-268a/268a.11/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-268a/268a.11/This section establishes Minnesota’s independent living services program, which is aligned with federal standards. The Department of Employment and Economic Development administers the program through Vocational Rehabilitation Services. Centers for Independent Living must be certified by the department before receiving funding, and they must comply with federal standards under the Rehabilitation Act.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-268a/268a.12/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-268a/268a.12/This section has been repealed and is no longer in effect.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-268a/268a.13/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-268a/268a.13/This section directs the commissioner of employment and economic development, working with the commissioner of human services, to develop a statewide grant program for employment support services for people with mental illness who want to work. Funded projects must help clients find and keep competitive jobs, emphasize client preferences, ensure local agency collaboration, integrate services with mental health treatment, provide benefits counseling, and conduct rapid job searches. Funds may not be used for services in segregated settings like center-based employment programs.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-268a/268a.14/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-268a/268a.14/This section establishes a statewide reimbursement system for employment support services for people with mental illness. The commissioner of employment and economic development and the commissioner of human services jointly operate this system, which reimburses providers for services that help people with mental illness find and keep jobs. The system emphasizes rapid job search, client choice, integrated services with mental health treatment, peer involvement, employer education, and coordination across social service systems.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-268a/268a.15/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-268a/268a.15/This section establishes Minnesota’s extended employment program, which provides ongoing services to help people with severe disabilities and people with severe impairment to employment find and keep jobs. The program has two categories of participants and focuses on maintaining and advancing employment while promoting self-sufficiency. The commissioner certifies rehabilitation facilities, sets eligibility rules, and allocates state grant funds based on community economic conditions and facility performance.https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-268a/268a.16/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://minnesotalawyer.com/statutes/chapter-268a/268a.16/This section directs the commissioner to develop specialized grant programs for employment services for people who are deaf, deafblind, or hard-of-hearing. Grantees must provide long-term supported employment services, employ staff fluent in American Sign Language and other manual communication, and address unique communication needs including combined hearing and vision loss. A separate grant program provides school-based services for transition-aged youth who are deaf, deafblind, or hard-of-hearing.