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2016 Session

Budget Amendments - HB30 (Member Request)

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Chief Patron: Villanueva
Add Funding for Vocational Rehabilitation Program

Item 332 #7h

Item 332 #7h

First Year - FY2017 Second Year - FY2018
Health and Human Resources
Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services FY2017 $3,200,000 FY2018 $3,200,000 GF
FY2017 $1,540,038 FY2018 $1,540,038 NGF

Language
Page 289, line 23, strike "$105,863,335" and insert "$110,603,373".
Page 289, line 23, strike "$105,863,335" and insert "$110,603,373".

Page 289, line 31, strike "$8,984,358" and "$8,984,358" and insert:

"$10,524,396" and "$10,524,396".

Page 289, after line 51, insert:

"4.  Out of this appropriation, $1,659,962 each year from the general fund shall be provided to supplement the vocational rehabilitation grant program. Should additional federal funding become available, this funding shall be used to match the federal Vocational Rehabilitation Grant to provide vocational rehabilitation services."  



Explanation

(This amendment increases state funding for the Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) program by $3.2 million each year from the general fund and $1.5 million each year from matching federal funds. Since federal matching funds are limited, a portion of the general fund dollars will be matched with the federal funds. Should additional federal grant dollars become available, the Department of Rehabilitative Service may use the general fund dollars to match federal grant dollars. The VR program assists individuals with disabilities to get ready for, find, and keep jobs by providing training, placement, and job-coaching services along with workplace accommodations (i.e. assistive technology). Last year more than 4,000 individuals with disabilities became employed with the assistance of the VR program. The department operates the VR program under an Order of Selection, serving individuals with the most significant disabilities (MSD-Category 1) before others, when demand for services exceeds available funding. Individuals are placed on waiting lists until dollars are available to provide services. As demand for services have exceeded available resources, all categories have remained closed during fiscal year 2015. Currently the waiting list fluctuates between 2,500 to 3,000 individuals.)