Vocational Rehabilitation Services Manual C-900: Intensive Work Preparation and Life Skills Training

Intensive Work Preparation and Life Skills Training (IWPLST) is designed to assist in developing practical life skills to increase a customer's social capacity and prepare for the transition to work and independence. Customers receive structured and nonstructured therapeutic intervention each day while participating in the service.

IWPLST includes Life Skills Training, Work Readiness Training, Work Experience, Therapeutic Structure Activities, Community Integration, and Behavior Plans.

IWPLST is geared toward individuals with disabilities, including anxiety disorders, autism, intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), learning disabilities, major depression, mood or thought disorders, schizophrenia, or brain injury.

IWPLST is a contracted service. For more information about this service and related provider requirements, refer to the Vocational Rehabilitation Standards for Providers Manual (VR-SFP) Chapter 23: Intensive Work Preparation and Life Skills Training.

The IWPLST program includes the following services, each defined in the VR-SFP:

IWPLST services must be included on the individualized plan for employment (IPE).

Contact between the customer and the VR counselor must be maintained every two weeks.

Staffing with the customer, the case manager, and the VR counselor must occur every 28 days.

No more than three months of service for IWPLST can be listed on the IPE or on an IPE Amendment. For each additional three-month period, manager review and approval is required and an IPE Amendment must be completed.

See VR-SFP Chapter 23: Intensive Work Preparation and Life Skills Training for additional details and provider requirements for IWPLST.

IWPLST provides intensive and comprehensive short-term VR training for adults and youth transitioning to an adult program.

IWPLST includes:

• Life Skills Training,
• Work Readiness Training,
• Work Experience,
• Therapeutic Structure Activities,
• Community Integration, and
• Behavior Plans.

All customers participating in IWPLST must have a discharge plan. This will provide the foundation for customizing training to meet customers' unique post-discharge needs throughout their participation in IWPLST.

The discharge plan must identify:

• where the customer will live and work after completion of IWPLST;
• who will receive the Caregiver Support Discharge Training; and
• specific supports that will be necessary for maintaining the skills gained in IWPLST.

For a customer to be eligible and remain eligible for IWPLST, the customer must:

• not have a history of extreme violent or sexual criminal offenses;
• not abuse drugs or alcohol before or while participating in IWPLST;
• be able to engage in therapeutic activity during the assessment period and when participating in the residential program, for a minimum of 12 hours each day;
• have a discharge plan identified and available at the beginning of and throughout IWPLST;
• manage daily personal care, such as bathing and/or hygiene, dressing, and toileting;
• attend and participate in classroom instruction, as required;
• demonstrate measurable progress toward goals and/or objectives in the IPP.
• be able to transfer skills from the training environment to the discharge setting that is identified on the discharge plan;
• be willing to proactively set and reach goals for a successful program exit and long-term self-sufficiency; and
• have family or caregivers who actively participate in Caregiver Support Discharge Training when the customer's discharge plan is to return home to the family.

Orientation and Assessment

Before admission into IWPLST, the customer must complete the seven-day Orientation and Assessment at the IWPLST facility to determine the appropriateness of IWPLST for the customer.

Assessments include:

• Environmental Work Assessment (see VR-SFP Chapter 4: Employment Assessments, 4.5 Environmental Work Assessment);
• Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales;
• Behavior Assessment System for Children (for customers ages 25 and younger);
• the VR3387, Intensive Work Preparation and Life Skills Training Inventory (PDF); and
• other assessments as deemed appropriate and necessary.

The assessment must identify the customer's life skills, social skills, community integration skills, vocational interests, barriers, strengths, motivators, and employment conditions. When IWPLST is deemed appropriate, the assessment results must identify goals, objectives, and interventions for the customer's IPP.

To be referred to IWPLST, the customer must have a:

• Birkman Assessment that was completed within the past 12 months; and
• psychological evaluation that was completed within the last five years.

If the customer's circumstances have significantly changed at any time since the completion of either assessment, the assessments must be repeated to provide current information.

The VR counselor completes VR3386, Intensive Work Preparation and Life Skills Training Referral (PDF), and a service authorization with any additional documentation that will assist the IWPLST program.

If the customer will be returning to live at the same location that he or she lived before participation in the program, the customer's caregivers will be expected to participate in monthly caregiver training to ensure that skills gained are not lost upon dismissal from the program. VR3390, IWPLST Family and Caregiver Support Training Plan will outline the intervention to be taught.

When a customer requires a Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) and/or a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP), the VR counselor must monitor the customer plan and progress monthly, providing feedback as appropriate.

The IWPLST program presents a draft IPP, after the assessment for customers participating in the program. The IWPLST program presents the draft plan to the customer's team comprising the VR counselor, the case manager, other IWPLST staff members when appropriate, the customer, the customer's legally authorized representative, and any extended long-term support providers. In the meeting, the team reviews the plan and updates VR5163, Individualized Plan for Employment, indicating agreement with the plan.

The IWPLST interdisciplinary team routinely evaluates the customer's status and progress toward the IPP goals.

The case manager prepares VR3388, Intensive Work Preparation and Life Skills Training Program Plan and Monthly Report (PDF), 5 to 10 days before the end of the 28-day reporting period.

The case manager, the customer, the customer's legally authorized representative, and the VR counselor review the staffing report via either an in-person or teleconference meeting. The results of this meeting will determine whether VR will continue to authorize the customer in IWPLST or establish a discharge date before the end of the reporting period month. 

When VR agrees to continue to authorize the customer in IWPLST, a service authorization for the upcoming month is issued before the last business day of the month.

VR3388, Intensive Work Preparation and Life Skills Training Program Plan and Monthly Report (PDF) is updated and submitted to the VR counselor no later than the fifth business day of the following month.

VR3387, Intensive Work Preparation and Life Skills Training Inventory (PDF) is completed at the conclusion of the customer's participation in IWPLST so that an entrance and exit score can be compared.

C-906-1: Length of Intensive Work Preparation and Life Skills Training

The typical length of stay for residential services is three months. Attendance longer than three months requires approval from the VR manager. The customer must demonstrate progress toward goals to continue attendance in the program.

When a customer's circumstances indicate a length of stay longer than three months, the VR Supervisor must review the case each additional month the customer attends the program. A case note must be written by the VR manager that justifies the vocational need for the customer to continue in the program. This must be done before a service authorization is issued.

Absences from Residential Intensive Work Preparation and Life Skills Training

When a customer is absent from the program for any reason, no fees are to be paid.

Attendance Requirements

If the customer does not actively participate in the program and make significant progress toward goals established in the IPP, the customer will be discharged from the program.