AgrAbility provides an on-farm consultive service and technical assistance to farmers/ranchers to address employment barriers to increase the likelihood of remaining working in agriculture. Referrals may come from a variety of sources, to include AgrAbility or self-referral. Nebraska VR financial assistance is available for assistive technology, adaptive devices, specialized equipment, and /or job site modifications which compensate for limitations resulting from a disability and to assist the individual to maintain their employment.

1. Conduct Initial Meeting. See VRIS Initial Meeting for further information. In addition to the general information gathered, address the following information to assist in understanding the situation:

• Assess Eligibility: See Eligibility & Eligibility Extension.
  • Impairment(s). Ensure the eligibility determination is based on the individual's impairment and resulting vocational limitations, not other situational factors (age, referral source, expected outcome, cost, income level, etc.). Nebraska VR can accommodate permanent restrictions, not temporary situations due to recovery. Ensure the individual has reached maximum medical improvement (MMI). 
  • Substantial Impediment to employment. Explore how the impairment results in difficulty with performing specific tasks. The VR Specialist is responsible to thoroughly explore the employment issues and provide an accurate account of the individual's situation. The focus needs to be on the specific difficulty the individual is experiencing with the job, rather than focusing on gathering information to justify a pre-conceived solution. This strategy will result in a clearer picture of the actual employment environment and appropriate accommodations can then be explored.
    • Determine the client is actively working in the business and it is the primary source of the individual's income.
    • Identify the specific difficulty the individual is experiencing with the essential job duties. 
    • Address how the job tasks are currently being completed. Is this a long-term solution?
    • Discuss with the client what accommodations have been tried and the resulting outcome.
    • What is the barrier?  Does the individual need financial assistance and/or information and referral to proceed?
    • Do they appear to need additional services? If so, make appropriate referrals.
  • Ensure the individual can benefit and requires VR services.
• Define the individual's type of employment. 
  • Self-employment: Existing, client-owned, agriculture business that generates excess cash flow from profitable operations by providing specific goods, products or billable services; earn income directly from one's own trade or profession. New self-employment start up or business expansion need to follow the VRIS Self Employment chapter
  • Partnership: Client is co-owner AND actively working in the business, but does not own the majority of the business. Often the duties are divided among the partners, so discuss what specific duties each partner performs to determine the separate and shared duties. Partners will need to be involved in the worksite assessment process and possible financial contribution discussion, if they will also benefit from the accommodations.  
  • Employee: Client is an employee of an agriculture business. By law, employers are responsible for reasonable accommodations of employees on the worksite. The employer will need to be involved in the assessment process and financial contribution discussion. If the client is an employee, there is no need for the Viability Report, as the client is not self-employed.
• Discuss next steps: Inform the client, eligibility for services does not guarantee the funding of the requested item(s) or service(s). Once eligibility has been determined, career planning may begin and includes assessing the worksite for necessary disability accommodations required to maintain employment. Explain the rationale and procedure for determining financial viability of the farm/ranch for sole ownership and partnerships. Nebraska VR works with AgrAbility and possibly ATP to conduct an assessment to determine potential accommodations. Refer to ATP if there are potential home or personal vehicle modifications (Assessment Support Service: Rehab Technology-Rehab Engineering). Nebraska VR determines what accommodations are essential and how they will be funded.  

2. Viability of business for self-employed or co-owner. 
   • Obtain the three (3) most recent year's tax returns, including the schedule F and three (3) most recent financial sheets (balance sheets that show assets and liabilities). The financial sheets need to be dated and signed by the client.
   • Once all financial information is gathered, refer to Glen Rauert for Viability Assessment. Contact information: glenn@hamilton.net (402-631-7245) Include  all the information listed below in one email:
     • Attach completed Viability Referral Form (see forms attached below)
     • All 3 years of the tax forms and Financial statements (Schedule F & Balance Sheets). Client needs to sign and date the Balance sheets to indicate the applicable year. 
     • Authorize four (4) hours at $75 per hour for viability study. 
3. Review Viability Report. Upon receiving the report, ensure the Program Director of Counseling has also been copied, so a meeting can be scheduled with the Self-Employment Team to review the report and discuss next step. Do not refer to AgrAbility until this meeting has occurred. Next steps following the team meeting: 
   • Not viable. Nebraska VR may not be able to agree with the vocational goal of farmer/rancher. If the client is interested, VR can consider alternative occupations and provide services to reach the mutually agreed competitive employment goal. If the individual is not interested in alternative employment options, the case will need to be referred to appropriate resources and closed.
   • Viable - Review positive Viability Report with the client and refer to AgrAbility for agricultural worksite assessment.
4. AgrAbility Referral. VR, AgrAbility and, if needed, ATP work collaboratively to address the needs of farmers/ranchers experiencing disabilities. VR is solely responsible to determine if a vocational goal of farming/ranching can be supported.  
   • Refer a farmer/rancher to AgrAbility for a worksite assessment upon the completion of the Viability process, if supported by the Self-Employment Team.
     • Enter Assessment Service in QE2
     • Complete AgrAbility Referral Form
     • Authorize $2000 for Rehab Technology-Rehab Engineering assessment support and for mileage (NDE rate) to the farm/ranch site to AgrAbility as part of referral process. Payment for hotel may be authorized at state rate.
   • Accompany the AgrAbility staff to the farm/ranch for the assessment and prior to AgrAbility completing the Assessment and Recommendation Report, in order to be a part of discussions and decisions regarding recommended accommodations and assistive devices.
5. Service & Device Application. Initiate exploration of comparable services and benefits and ensure the completion of the Service and Device Application (S&D) upon referral to AgrAbility or ATP. The client needs to complete the S&D Application and explore the identified resources while participating in the worksite assessment to expediate the funding and client contribution discussion upon completion of the AgrAbility/ATP Report(s). 
6. Review the AgrAbility/ATP Recommendations with the self-employment committee and Office Director. VR needs to ensure the recommended accommodations and assistive devices are specifically required to accommodate the disability and necessary for the farmer/rancher to perform essential functions of maintaining the job, not solely for convenience and efficiency.​​​​ ​Assess the following and ensure the recommended assistive devices are directly related to the individual's impairment, not based on other justifications or rationale:
   • Does the requested services or equipment enable the client to perform the job independently or will continued supports/assistance still be required?
   • Will the requested services or equipment solve all or only part of the essential job tasks? How will the remaining tasks be completed?
   • Consider how often the device will be utilize and if it is cost effective or is hiring out for the task more fiscally responsible? 
   • Does it make sense to exchange duties with a hired hand or partner, if these individuals are available?
   • Is the individual able to maintain the upkeep of the requested equipment, if necessary?
   • Could there be other solutions?
   • Does the client appear to need additional services?
7. Review AgrAbility/ATP Report with the client. VR can fund items related to the individual's impairment to maintain employment in agriculture.

• Discuss the recommended accommodations and the client's perception.
• Discuss the questions in #6, as applicable.
• Review the outcome of the search for comparable services and benefits (Service and Device Application and if applicable, partner or employer) 
• Remind the individual Nebraska VR needs to consider the least cost option and Rule 72 cost containment guide. 
• Ensure the individual is able to maintain the upkeep of the requested equipment, if necessary.
• Address the client's ability to fund the service or equipment in whole or part. 
• Determine need for:
  • If item is in excess of $500.00 See VRIS Equipment Issuance and Recoupment
  • If individual item exceeds $2,000.00 see VRIS High Cost
  • If item exceeds the fee schedule (Assistive Device Non-Prescriptive $6,000), see VRIS Rule 72 Exceptions 
• Resolve any disagreement between VR, AgrAbility, and/or the farmer/rancher as to the appropriateness of the vocational goal, the viability of the business, the recommended technology, and accommodations VR is willing to fund. If the disagreement cannot be resolved the farmer/rancher will be informed of the Client Assistance Program and the mediation process. See VRIS Client Appeal Rights, Procedures 

8. Determine appropriateness of vocational goal. Use staff observation, information provided by the individual, medical information, as well as the Viability and AgrAbility Reports. Ensure the recommended assistive devices are necessary to accommodate the disability of the farmer/rancher to perform the essential job tasks and not solely for convenience and efficiency. Ensure the employment outcome is consistent with the individual's unique strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests and informed choice.
9. Develop IPE. If VR determines the goal to be appropriate, the farm/ranch to a viable business and the goods and services to be necessary. 
10. Task note all major decisions to include justification of purchases, why some items were not supported, client contribution and the result of the search for comparable services and benefits. 
11. Authorize.
    • Authorize for the necessary accommodations (assistive device - non-prescriptive).
    • Authorize mileage for AgrAbility to travel to ensure assistive devices have been secured, modifications completed, and any equipment provided is working properly and is being used by the farmer/rancher correctly.
    • Considering all available alternatives, Nebraska VR will procure the least cost option for specified services, goods and supports, which meet the needs of the individual and provide adequate quality and available serviceability. Case Services
12. Provide Follow-up with AgrAbility and the client to ensure all modifications and equipment are working properly and being used by farmer/rancher correctly. If the client is farm labor, also follow up with the employer. 

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) and AgrAbility staff are to work collaboratively in serving farmers/ranchers with a disability.

AgrAbility's role is to recommend possible agricultural, worksite accommodations

 VR staff are solely responsible for determining if VR can support a vocational goal of farming/ranching 

VR can only assist with the purchase of accommodations and adaptive equipment that will correct, compensate, or circumvent the limitations resulting from the disability to maintain employment.

Self-employment business expansion or start up services require the individual to follow the self-employment service procedures. VRIS Self-Employment

Client Assistance Program

Nebraska VR must provide the Client Assistance Program (CAP) information to clients during the application process, when developing the individualized plan for employment, case closure (successful/unsuccessful) or at any time the client disagrees with a VR final decision.