An IPE Amendment is subject to all the rules governing the IPE development and implementation. Program Manual Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE)

361.45(b)(2) The individualized plan for employment must be designed to achieve a specific employment outcome, that is selected by the individual consistent with the individual's unique strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests, and informed choice. 

361.45(d)(6) The individualized plan for employment is amended, as necessary, by the individual or, as appropriate, the individual's representative, in collaboration with a representative of the State unit or a qualified vocational rehabilitation counselor (or to the extent determined to be appropriate by the individual), if there are substantive changes in the employment outcome, the vocational rehabilitation services to be provided, or the providers of the vocational rehabilitation services. 

361.45(d)(7) Amendments to the individualized plan for employment do not take effect until agreed to and signed by the eligible individual or, as appropriate, the individual's representative and by a qualified vocational rehabilitation counselor employed by the designated State unit. 

361.57(b)4 Impact on provision of services. The State unit may not institute a suspension, reduction, or termination of vocational rehabilitation services being provided to an applicant or recipient, including evaluation and assessment services and individualized plan for employment development, pending a resolution through mediation, pending a decision by a hearing officer, or reviewing official, or pending informal resolution under this section unless—

(i) The individual or, in appropriate cases, the individual's representative requests a suspension, reduction, or termination of services; or

ii) The State agency has evidence that the services have been obtained through misrepresentation, fraud, collusion, or criminal conduct on the part of the individual or the individual's representative.

The IPE must be amended when:

• Employment outcome changes (including job goal pursuing and job obtained for employment follow-up) or
• Category is added or 
• Service is terminated; or a previously terminated service is added
• “Who will provide” (Community or Team) changes

IPE with a Projected post-school employment for a student with a disability must be amended when:

• Change in the projected post school employment outcome (exploring another broad goal) 
• Specific employment goal is developed
• Student with a disability is no longer eligible to receive pre-employment transition services
• Youth with a disability prior to the youth’s 25th birthday

Terms and Conditions: Thoroughly review the text in this section with the client. It is important the client understands and agrees with the conclusions and action to be taken that are outlined in this section.

Full consultation must be provided to the client and as applicable, the authorized representative. Documentation of the discussion is required to be entered in the case file.  See VRIS Documentation .

Required Signatures and Effective Date: An IPE Amendment does not take effect until agreed to, signed by all applicable parites to include the client, as applicabel authorized representative, and qualified Nebraska VR Approver. To complete the process, the IPE Amendment must be approved in QE2 after all the required signatures have been obtained. A Service Specialist may assist a client in developing an IPE or IPE Amendment, but is not authorized to approve. The date the VR Approver signs the document is the last signature and official approval date to be entered into QE2.

If the client does not agree and/or refuses to sign the IPE Amendment, contact your Office Director to start the review of decision process. See Program Manual Required Signatures on VR Documents and Client Appeals, Rights 

Authorizations: To ensure client's rights, informed choice, and mutual agreement, all authorized IPE goods and services must support the current and officially agreed upon IPE Employment Outcome (job goal). VR staff must obtain required signatures and approve the IPE Amendment in QE2, prior to authorizing for good(s) or service(s) that support the IPE Amendment. 

An IPE Amendment is subject to all the rules governing the IPE development and implementation. Program Manual Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE)

The client must sign and return the IPE Amendment to amend the IPE in QE2.

The Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) is amended when: 

• Employment Outcome changes,
• Service Category is added,
• Service is terminated or a previously terminated service is added, or 
• “Who will provide” (Community or Team) changes.

Nebraska VR Specialist are responsible for assisting persons with disabilities in making informed choices about their job goal, services, service providers, procurement method, and reason for “sole source” determinations while ensuring consistency with Nebraska VR's policy and procedures. This information and rationale for the decision must be documented in the case file. See VRIS Documentation  and Client Appeals, Rights 

When completing an IPE Amendment the VR Specialist must:

• Provide the client and as applicable the authorized representative a full consultation of the changes to the IPE.
• Utilize the IPE form and check amended box. Review employment goal and services for needed adjustments. 
• Obtain required signatures prior to approving the IPE Amendment in QE2. 
• Offer the client a copy of the approved IPE Amendment.

When the Employment Outcome/Job Goal changes: 

Employment Outcome pursued or obtained must match the Employment Outcome on the current IPE. Employment Outcome includes Projected or Employment Outcome, Supported or Unsupported, Self-Employment and the specific job goal/SOC code.

• Pursued. All services provided need to support the current and officially approved IPE employment outcome. If a new employment goal is identified, VR needs to ensure the job is consistent with the client's unique strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests, and informed choice. If the new employment goal meets these criteria, the specialist reviews the existing IPE to identify additional adjustments to services that may be needed to assist the client with the new employment outcome. To support the basic premise that all authorized IPE goods and services must support the current and officially agreed upon IPE Employment Outcome (job goal), a mutually agreed upon IPE amendment is required to be completed with the client and entered in QE2 prior to an authorization being provided to support the new goal. 
• Obtained. The first two digits of the IPE Employment Outcome (Projected or Employment Outcome, Supported or Unsupported, Self-Employment and specific job goal/SOC code) must match the job title/SOC in the employment history. When the Employment Follow-up *(EF) button os selected for the client's job in the QE2 work history and this does note match the SOC code of the IPE employment goal, QE2 creates an IPE Amendment for completion. The client can be placed into Employment Follow-up and the QE2 reminders will begin, but the 90-day clock does will not start until the IPE Amendment is signed by all required parties and approved in QE2. The IPE Amendment should be approved with the client as soon as the SOC code discrepancy is discovered to start 90-day clock, allow for needed authorizations, and timely successful case closure.

When a Category is Added: An IPE Amendment is required only when a new category is added.  Services can be added to the existing category without an IPE Amendment. 

When a Service is Terminated, or a previously terminated service needs to be added: An Amendment is required when Nebraska VR can no longer support a service as it is not required. An amendment is not needed when the service was not used, not completed, or there is a change in how the service is provided.

Example: Changing from a job goal that requires college to a job that does not require college, post-secondary training would no longer be supported for the specific job goal and removed from the IPE. If a previously terminated service needs to be added back to the IPE, an IPE Amendment is required to be completed with the client to update QE2. The signed IPE Amendment must match the agreed upon employment goal and services in QE2. 

Example: For post-secondary training, making an adjustment for credit hours funded, does not constitute stopping a service, but rather a change to how the service is provided.  Service termination is often utilized in conjunction with a change in the client's employment outcome, as the existing service no longer supports the new job goal. 

QE2 service terminations can be accessed on the IPE Amendment screen or the case home screen, under the plan section by clicking the "Terminate Service" button and selecting the specific service to terminate and providing the rationale. 

When Who Will Provide the Service Changes (Community or VR): When a service changes from Community provided to VR provided, or VR provided to Community provided, an amendment is required. 

Exception: On the rare occasion VR, client, and authorized representative, as applicable have agreed to the content of the IPE Amendment, but the signed IPE Amendment has not been returned to VR before the necessary good or service needed to achieve the employment outcome are to be provided, an exception to authorize is required. An authorization exception has been programmed for leadership approval for the very rare occurrence that an authorization is required to be made before an IPE Amendment is approved in the QE2 system.

To request an authorization exception:  Requires s conversation between VR, client, and authorized representative, as applicable, and not requested for the client by a third-party entity.

1. Create a task note titled "Exception Request":
   1. Summarize why the service or good is required prior to obtaining the signed IPE Amendment and circumstances that caused this situation.
   2. Document when the IPE Amendment form was originally provided to the client and in what format (mail, email, in-person, etc.), include follow up attempts to obtain the signed amendment, and by what method (phone, email, text, etc.) the requests were made.
   3. Provide the evidence of how agreement was obtained (discussion by phone, in-person, etc.), date of agreement, and the discussion details to include how informed choice was provided. 
2. Ensure the IPE Amendment information is entered in QE2, but not approved. 
3. Create authorization to be approved by VR Administration. QE2 will notify administration there is an authorization needing an approval since there is an outstanding IPE Amendment Approval. 
4. Obtain VR administration approval for the authorization.
5. Continue to follow up on receiving the signed IPE Amendment. When the signed IPE Amendment is received, the official IPE Amendment approval date is the date the "exception request" task note in QE2, not the date the IPE Amendment was signed. 

 

 

Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) - English

Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) - Spanish

Discovery Activity: Work Considerations - English

Discovery Activity: Work Considerations - Spanish

Job Planning Factors & Job Planning Discussion

Job Readiness Factors & Initial Meeting - A Guide for Staff