Employability Assistance for People with Disabilities Operating Manual

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Section 44 - Intake

Purpose

The purpose of the intake phase is to determine the applicant's basic eligibility for Employability Assistance for People with Disabilities and to explain the vocational process.

Referral to Services

The intake phase begins upon receipt of a referral or application for services. At the intake phase individuals may self-refer or be referred through one of the following sources:

1. family or significant others;
2. physician or other medical source;
3. hospital, social worker, or health provider;
4. teacher or other educational source;
5. Day Services staff;
6. Children’s disABILITY Services; or
7. Employment and Income Assistance workers or other government social service workers.

Process

The intake phase involves:

1. Informing the applicant of the mandate and services of Employability Assistance for People with Disabilities and eligibility criteria.
   
   To ensure EAPD, as a government service, is relevant, efficient, and useful to its participants (possibly as many as 40 percent of all applicants are not suited or not interested in Employability Assistance for People with Disabilities) it is advised and recommended that each Designated Service Provider provide an Employability Assistance for People with Disabilities orientation to each applicant as part of the eligibility determination process. The nature of and approach to the orientation is left up to each jurisdiction. See Standards.
2. Gathering information necessary to determine if an individual meets basic eligibility criteria for Employability Assistance for People with Disabilities services.
3. Once it is determined that the individual meets basic eligibility requirements, the Participant Identification Form (see Appendix VI) must be completed and forwarded to the Employability Assistance for People with Disabilities Program, 350-800 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3G 0N4 for recording in the Employability Assistance for People with Disabilities registry.

Intake Eligibility

There are two levels of eligibility as noted below:

1. Basic Eligibility - refer to Section 22. Applicants who do not meet the basic eligibility should be referred to a more appropriate service.
2. Eligibility for Employability Assistance for People with Disabilities Individualized Training Fund or Funded Services - applicants meeting the basic eligibility should be further assessed and counselled in the context of more specific eligibility criteria for the Individualized Training Fund as outlined in Section 22.

Standards

The following standards apply to the intake process:

1. Each applicant shall be provided with an orientation to Employability Assistance for People with Disabilities as part of the eligibility determination process within 6 weeks of the initial referral/ application. The orientation shall include:
   1. How eligibility is determined (for instance, providing documentation from an appropriate medical professional or already being enrolled in another program or service requiring the same or similar documentation such as involvement with a Community Mental Health Worker or enrolled in Employment and Income Assistance in the Persons with Disabilities category.
   2. Criteria that needs to be met.
   3. Decision Review Process for those whose documentation or suitability is not deemed to meet the eligibility criteria for Employability Assistance for People with Disabilities.
   4. A description of the role of the Vocational Counsellor.
   5. A description of the services available through Employability Assistance for People with Disabilities including funding for assessment, training, education and a range of disability-related support services.
   6. Expectations of the participant.
   7. Face to face interaction, provision of written materials.
   8. Opportunity for applicant to ask questions.
   9. Opportunity for applicant to voluntarily choose to proceed or withdraw.
   10. Applicants who desire to proceed with the process should be advised of the timeframes for determination of eligibility and for assignment to a Vocational Counsellor should they be deemed eligible. They should be advised of whom to contact should they have any questions or concerns.
   11. Applicants should be advised that being accepted for Employability Assistance for People with Disabilities does not imply they are automatically eligible for funding assistance and should a disagreement arise on funding there is a decision review process to review funding decisions.
2. The initial intake interview is conducted with the applicant and significant others where appropriate.
3. The determination of basic eligibility is substantiated in writing and placed on file as follows:
   1. The disability is substantiated in writing by a licensed:
      • medical practitioner in the case of a physical disability, vision disability, or drug and/or alcohol addiction;
      • psychiatrist in the case of a psychiatric disability;
      • audiologist in the case of a hearing disability; or
      • psychologist (or a person working for government in a "Psychologist" position and exempt from registration under The Psychologists Registration Act) in the case of a learning or mental disability.

      If an individual already has established disability-related eligibility through another service, such as Employment and Income Assistance or Community Mental Health, further substantiation of their disability may not be required to access the Employability Assistance for People with Disabilities Individualized Training Fund. Counsellors have the ability to request additional medical information as appropriate to further substantiate the disability or to provide assistance for planning purposes.

   2. Evidence of Canadian citizenship or evidence of being legally entitled to remain and work in Canada on a permanent basis. Appropriate documents such as a Social Insurance Number or Landed Immigrant Status must be provided to substantiate this.
   3. Proof of age.
4. The assessment provided to substantiate eligibility is current and not older than five years. This requirement does not apply where the original assessment verifies a permanent disability at the point of assessment with little or no likelihood of change.
5. The applicant's consent to obtain the necessary information to verify eligibility is obtained on a Consent Form and placed on the file. The Employability Assistance for People with Disabilities Consent Form is provided in Appendix II. The applicant should also be provided with a copy for their records.
6. A second assessment or opinion is obtained when:
   1. the original assessment tends to support the application but is inadequate to substantiate eligibility;
   2. there is a marked change in the individual's condition since the most recent assessment; or
   3. the original or most current assessment is inadequate to determine feasibility to participate in services under Employability Assistance for People with Disabilities.
7. The Participant Identification Form (see Appendix VI) is forwarded to the Employability Assistance for People with Disabilities Program, 350-800 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3G 0N4 once eligibility has been determined and the applicant/ participant has been assigned a Vocational Counsellor.
8. A statement of eligibility is recorded and placed on file within five working days of the decision being made, and should include the:
   1. nature of the disability;
   2. functional limitations related to the disability; and
   3. vocational barriers related to the disability.
9. Where an applicant is found to be ineligible for services, the following actions will be taken:
   1. the applicant and the referral source must be informed in writing of the decision within 10 working days of recording the decision, and advised how to appeal the decision; (see Section 180)
   2. written notification will be provided which identifies and references the eligibility criteria which were not met by the applicant; and
   3. a referral should be provided to the applicant to the most appropriate alternative service within 15 working days of recording the decision.
10. When a participant's file has been closed on more than one occasion and they are re-applying for services there must be some indication that the issues that led to withdrawal and/or termination of services have been addressed.

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