What Conditions Apply to a Grantee Under this Program?

34 C.F.R. Part ..., Subpart E
in effectEffective: 2024-07-01

34 C.F.R. § 371.40 What are the matching requirements?

(a) Federal share Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, the Federal share may not be more than 90 percent of the total cost of the project. (b) Non-Federal share The non-Federal share of the cost of the project may be in cash or in kind, fairly valued pursuant to match requirements in 2 CFR 200.306. (c) Waiver of non-Federal share In order to carry out the purposes of the program, the Secretary may waive the non-Federal share requirement, in part or in whole, only if the applicant demonstrates that it does not have sufficient resources to contribute the non-Federal share of the cost of the project.

34 C.F.R. § 371.41 What are allowable costs?

(a) In addition to those allowable cost established in 2 CFR 200.400—200.475, the following items are allowable costs under this program— (1) Expenditures for the provision of vocational rehabilitation services and for the administration, including staff development, of a program of vocational rehabilitation services. (2) Expenditures for services reflecting the cultural background of the American Indians being served, including treatment provided by native healing practitioners who are recognized as such by the tribal vocational rehabilitation program when the services are necessary to assist an individual with disabilities to achieve his or her vocational rehabilitation objective. (b) Expenditures may not be made under this program to cover the costs of providing vocational rehabilitation services to individuals with disabilities not residing on or near Federal or State reservations.

34 C.F.R. § 371.42 How are services to be administered under this program?

(a) Directly or by contract. A grantee under this part may provide the vocational rehabilitation services directly or it may contract or otherwise enter into an agreement with a DSU, a community rehabilitation program, or another agency to assist in the implementation of the tribal vocational rehabilitation program. (b) Inter-tribal agreement. A grantee under this part may enter into an inter-tribal arrangement with governing bodies of other Indian tribes for carrying out a project that serves more than one Indian tribe. (c) Comparable services. To the maximum extent feasible, services provided by a grantee under this part must be comparable to vocational rehabilitation services provided under the State vocational rehabilitation program to other individuals with disabilities residing in the State.

34 C.F.R. § 371.43 What other special conditions apply to this program?

(a) Any American Indian with disabilities who is eligible for services under this program but who wishes to be provided services by the DSU must be referred to the DSU for such services. (b) Preference in employment in connection with the provision of vocational rehabilitation services under this section must be given to American Indians, with a special priority being given to American Indians with disabilities. (c) The provisions of sections 5, 6, 7, and 102(a) of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act also apply under this program (25 U.S.C. 450c, 450d, 450e, and 450f(a)). These provisions relate to grant reporting and audit requirements, maintenance of records, access to records, availability of required reports and information to Indian people served or represented, repayment of unexpended Federal funds, criminal activities involving grants, penalties, wage and labor standards, preference requirements for American Indians in the conduct and administration of the grant, and requirements affecting requests of tribal organizations to enter into contracts. For purposes of applying these requirements to this program, the Secretary carries out those responsibilities assigned to the Secretary of Interior. (d) The Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation unit must develop and maintain written policies regarding the provision of vocational rehabilitation services that ensure that the provision of services is based on the vocational rehabilitation needs of each individual as identified in that individual's IPE and is consistent with the individual's informed choice. The written policies may not establish any arbitrary limits on the nature and scope of vocational rehabilitation services to be provided to the individual to achieve an employment outcome. The policies must be developed in accordance with the following provisions: (1) Off-reservation services. (i) The Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation unit may establish a preference for on- or near-reservation services, provided that the preference does not effectively deny an individual a necessary service. If the individual chooses an equivalent off-reservation service at a higher cost than an available on- or near-reservation service, the Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation unit is not responsible for those costs in excess of the cost of the on- or near-reservation service, if either service would meet the individual's rehabilitation needs. (ii) The Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation unit may not establish policies that effectively prohibit the provision of off-reservation services. (2) Payment for services (i) The Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation unit must establish and maintain written policies to govern the rates of payment for all purchased vocational rehabilitation services. (ii) The Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation unit may establish a fee schedule designed to ensure the program pays a reasonable cost for each service, as long as the fee schedule— (A) Is not so low as effectively to deny an individual a necessary service; and (B) permits exceptions so that individual needs can be addressed. (C) The Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation unit may not place absolute dollar limits on the amount it will pay for specific service categories or on the total services provided to an individual. (3) Duration of services (i) The Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation unit may establish reasonable time periods for the provision of services provided that the time periods— (A) Are not so short as effectively to deny an individual a necessary service; and (B) Permit exceptions so that individual needs can be addressed. (ii) The Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation unit may not place time limits on the provision of specific services or on the provision of services to an individual. The duration of each service needed by an individual must be determined on the basis of that individual's needs and reflected in that individual's individualized plan for employment. (4) Authorization of services. The Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation unit must establish policies related to the timely authorization of services. (e) Informed choice. Each individual who is an applicant for or eligible to receive vocational rehabilitation services must be afforded the opportunity to exercise informed choice throughout the vocational rehabilitation process carried out under programs funded under this part. The Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation unit must develop and maintain written policies and procedures that require it— (1) To inform each applicant and eligible individual, through appropriate modes of communication, about the availability of, and opportunities to exercise, informed choice, including the availability of support services for individuals with cognitive or other disabilities who require assistance in exercising informed choice, throughout the vocational rehabilitation process; (2) To assist applicants and eligible individuals in exercising informed choice in decisions related to the provision of assessment services; (3) To develop and implement flexible procurement policies and methods that facilitate the provision of vocational rehabilitation services, and that afford eligible individuals meaningful choices among the methods used to procure vocational rehabilitation services; (4) To provide or assist eligible individuals in acquiring information that enables them to exercise informed choice in the development of their IPEs and selection of— (i) The employment outcome; (ii) The specific vocational rehabilitation services needed to achieve the employment outcome; (iii) The entity that will provide the services; (iv) The employment setting and the settings in which the services will be provided; and (v) The methods available for procuring the services; and (5) To ensure that the availability and scope of informed choice is consistent with the obligations of the Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation unit. (6) Information and assistance in the selection of vocational rehabilitation services and service providers: In assisting an applicant and eligible individual in exercising informed choice during the assessment for determining eligibility and vocational rehabilitation needs and during development of the IPE, the Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation unit must provide the individual or the individual's representative, or assist the individual or the individual's representative in acquiring, information necessary to make an informed choice about the specific vocational rehabilitation services, including the providers of those services, that are needed to achieve the individual's employment outcome. This information must include, at a minimum, information relating to the— (i) Cost, accessibility, and duration of potential services; (ii) Consumer satisfaction with those services to the extent that information relating to consumer satisfaction is available; (iii) Qualifications of potential service providers; (iv) Types of services offered by the potential providers; (v) Degree to which services are provided in integrated settings; and (vi) Outcomes achieved by individuals working with service providers, to the extent that such information is available. (7) Methods or sources of information: In providing or assisting the individual or the individual's representative in acquiring the information required under paragraph (c) of this section, the Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation unit may use, but is not limited to, the following methods or sources of information: (i) Lists of services and service providers. (ii) Periodic consumer satisfaction surveys and reports. (iii) Referrals to other consumers, consumer groups, or disability advisory councils qualified to discuss the services or service providers. (iv) Relevant accreditation, certification, or other information relating to the qualifications of service providers. (v) Opportunities for individuals to visit or experience various work and service provider settings.

34 C.F.R. § 371.44 What are the special requirements pertaining to the protection, use, and release of personal information?

(a) General provisions. (1) The Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation unit must adopt and implement written policies and procedures to safeguard the confidentiality of all personal information, including photographs and lists of names. These policies and procedures must ensure that— (i) Specific safeguards are established to protect current and stored personal information, including a requirement that data only be released when governed by a written agreement between the Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation unit and receiving entity under paragraphs (d) and (e)(1) of this section, which addresses the requirements in this section; (ii) All applicants and eligible individuals and, as appropriate, those individuals' representatives, service providers, cooperating agencies, and interested persons are informed through appropriate modes of communication of the confidentiality of personal information and the conditions for accessing and releasing this information; (iii) All applicants or their representatives are informed about the Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation unit's need to collect personal information and the policies governing its use, including— (A) Identification of the authority under which information is collected; (B) Explanation of the principal purposes for which the Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation unit intends to use or release the information; (C) Explanation of whether providing requested information to the Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation unit is mandatory or voluntary and the effects of not providing requested information; (D) Identification of those situations in which the Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation unit requires or does not require informed written consent of the individual before information may be released; and (E) Identification of other agencies to which information is routinely released; (iv) An explanation of the Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation unit's policies and procedures affecting personal information will be provided to each individual in that individual's native language or through the appropriate mode of communication; and (v) These policies and procedures provide no fewer protections for individuals than State laws and regulations. (2) The Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation unit may establish reasonable fees to cover extraordinary costs of duplicating records or making extensive searches and must establish policies and procedures governing access to records. (b) Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation Program Use. All personal information in the possession of the Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation unit must be used only for the purposes directly connected with the administration of the Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation program. Information containing identifiable personal information may not be shared with advisory or other bodies or other tribal agencies that do not have official responsibility for administration of the program. In the administration of the program, the Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation unit may obtain personal information from service providers and cooperating agencies under assurances that the information may not be further divulged, except as provided under paragraphs (c), (d), and (e) of this section. (c) Release to applicants and eligible individuals. (1) Except as provided in paragraphs (c)(2) and (3) of this section, if requested in writing by an applicant or eligible individual, the Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation unit must make all requested information in that individual's record of services accessible to and must release the information to the individual or the individual's representative in a timely manner. (2) Medical, psychological, or other information that the Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation unit determines may be harmful to the individual may not be released directly to the individual, but must be provided to the individual through a third party chosen by the individual, which may include, among others, an advocate, a family member, or a qualified medical or mental health professional, unless a representative has been appointed by a court to represent the individual, in which case the information must be released to the court-appointed representative. (3) If personal information has been obtained from another agency or organization, it may be released only by, or under the conditions established by, the other agency or organization. (4) An applicant or eligible individual who believes that information in the individual's record of services is inaccurate or misleading may request that the Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation unit amend the information. If the information is not amended, the request for an amendment must be documented in the record of services. (d) Release for audit, evaluation, and research. Personal information may be released to an organization, agency, or individual engaged in audit, evaluation, or research only for purposes directly connected with the administration of the tribal vocational rehabilitation program or for purposes that would significantly improve the quality of life for applicants and eligible individuals and only if, in accordance with a written agreement, the organization, agency, or individual assures that— (1) The information will be used only for the purposes for which it is being provided; (2) The information will be released only to persons officially connected with the audit, evaluation, or research; (3) The information will not be released to the involved individual; (4) The information will be managed in a manner to safeguard confidentiality; and (5) The final product will not reveal any personal identifying information without the informed written consent of the involved individual or the individual's representative. (e) Release to other programs or authorities. (1) Upon receiving the informed written consent of the individual or, if appropriate, the individual's representative, the Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation unit may release personal information to another agency or organization, in accordance with a written agreement, for its program purposes only to the extent that the information may be released to the involved individual or the individual's representative and only to the extent that the other agency or organization demonstrates that the information requested is necessary for its program. (2) Medical or psychological information that the Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation unit determines may be harmful to the individual may be released if the other agency or organization assures the Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation unit that the information will be used only for the purpose for which it is being provided and will not be further released to the individual. (3) The Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation unit must release personal information if required by Federal law or regulations. (4) The Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation unit must release personal information in response to investigations in connection with law enforcement, fraud, or abuse, unless expressly prohibited by Federal or State laws or regulations, and in response to an order issued by a judge, magistrate, or other authorized judicial officer. (5) The Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation unit also may release personal information in order to protect the individual or others if the individual poses a threat to his or her safety or to the safety of others.

34 C.F.R. § 371.45 What notice must be given about the Client Assistance Program (CAP)?

The Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation unit shall use formats that are accessible to notify individuals seeking or receiving services under this part, or as appropriate, the parents, family members, guardians, advocates, or authorized representatives of those individuals, about— (a) The availability of CAP authorized by section 112 of the Act; (b) The purposes of the services provided under the CAP; and (c) How to contact the CAP.

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