Homemaker Services and Closure

NC DIVISION OF SERVICES FOR THE BLIND POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION

Although the Rehabilitation Act and the implementing regulations governing the State Agency Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) program place emphasis on competitive employment outcomes as the optimal employment goal, the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) also provides for non-competitive employment outcomes in integrated work settings (integrated settings), such as homemaker outcomes, in which the eligible individual receives no remunerative compensation.

Homemaker means an individual who has the skills and abilities to maintain a home and actively functions in that capacity as a result of substantial VR service provision to improve the individual’s homemaking abilities. To achieve a successful employment outcome as a homemaker, an individual must satisfy one of the following criteria: (1) performs activities that enable another household member to be the primary wage earner; (2) enables the individual to remain in the home; or (3) acts as primary caregiver for another member of the household and bears the primary responsibility for the majority of the following: (a) bill paying, (b) household laundry, (c) handling mail, (d) cooking, (e) grocery shopping, (f) housecleaning, and (g) home maintenance.

A person who lives alone and needs services related to the maintenance of a home and is actively performing the duties may be closed as a homemaker. The VR Counselor must differentiate between self-care and home management activities. Self-care activities can include grooming skills (personal hygiene, care of hair, makeup, and shaving), social skills (eating techniques, table manners), communication skills (dialing a telephone, handwriting), and mobility skills. These are all examples of activities of daily living which, while being essential for an individual to learn, do not constitute the responsibilities of a homemaker.

All individuals requesting VR services that do not intend to pursue an employment outcome and who are not capable of performing substantial work in the homemaking activities (bill paying, handling mail, grocery shopping, household laundry, cooking, housecleaning, and home maintenance) are to be served in the Independent Living Services (ILS) or Independent Living Rehabilitation (ILR) Programs. The goals of the ILS and/or ILR programs are to enable individuals to live or continue to live more independently in their homes to achieve a maximum degree of self-direction. In the event that resources are unavailable in the ILS or the ILR programs, an individual case may be evaluated for provision of services in the VR program. The Area VR Supervisor may make this decision or his/her designee, as appropriate.

Change of Vocational Goal - An individual who indicates a change in vocational goal and decides to stay home may become a candidate for a homemaker closure if the following criteria are met: (1) the agency actually provided a substantial VR service, (2) this service contributed significantly to the individual’s vocational adjustment, (3) the individual meets the definition of a homemaker, and (4) obtain approval of supervisor or his/her designee.

Case documentation (On-Line DSB-4011-VR Case Progress Notes with instructions) must include an Individual Plan of Employment (IPE) Closure Amendment (On-Line DSB-4005c-VR Closure Amendment with instructions) and justification for the change. Case closure may be completed after a minimum of 90 days following the date the amendment is signed by the individual and VR Counselor, if the individual maintains a satisfactory vocational adjustment.

All homemaker closures must have approval of the VR supervisor.