Bill Text: VA HB1989 | 2019 | Regular Session | Prefiled
Bill Title: Extended Employment Services; removes eligibility of individuals with a significant disability.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-02-05 - Tabled in Health, Welfare and Institutions by voice vote [HB1989 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2019-HB1989-Prefiled.html
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §51.5-169.1 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§51.5-169.1. Long-Term Employment Support Services and Extended Employment Services.
A. Long-Term Employment Support Services and Extended
Employment Services shall be provided in the Commonwealth to assist individuals
with a significant disability or most
significant disability with maintaining employment. The Department shall
administer and make referrals for such services in accordance with the
provisions of this section.
B. Long-Term Employment Support Services shall be provided to individuals with a most significant disability, as defined in 29 U.S.C. §705, to assist such individuals with maintaining group-supported employment or individual center-based, facility-based, or community-based employment through an employment services organization.
All employment services organizations that provide group-supported, center-based, facility-based, or community-based employment services to individuals with a most significant disability shall be eligible to receive funding for Long-Term Employment Support Services.
C. Extended Employment Services shall be provided to
individuals with a most significant disability and
individuals with a significant disability,
as those terms are defined in 29
U.S.C. §705, to assist such individuals with maintaining group-supported
employment or individual center-based or facility-based employment through an
employment services organization. Extended Employment Services funds may also
be used to support such individuals that transition from group-supported,
center-based, or facility-based employment into community-based employment.
Extended Employment Services shall be provided upon the informed choice of the
individual being served and in accordance with the Commonwealth's Employment
First initiative, federal law and regulation, and the Commonwealth's August 23,
2012, settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice.
All employment services organizations that provide
group-supported, center-based, or facility-based employment services to
individuals with a most significant disability or
individuals with a significant disability, or
that provide community-based employment services to such individuals
transitioning from group-supported, center-based, or facility-based employment,
shall be eligible to receive funding for Extended Employment Services. The
Department shall make referrals to any such employment services organization
that provides competitive or commensurate wages.
D. In allocating funds for Long-Term Employment Support Services and Extended Employment Services, the Department shall consider recommendations made by the Employment Service Organization Steering Committee.