34 C.F.R. PART 371—VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION SERVICE PROJECTS FOR AMERICAN INDIANS WITH DISABILITIES
Title 34 - Education
Authority: 29 U.S.C. 711(c) and 750, unless otherwise noted.
Source: 46 FR 5423, Jan. 19, 1981, unless otherwise noted.
This program is designed to provide vocational rehabilitation services to American Indians with disabilities who reside on Federal or State reservations, consistent with their individual strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, and informed choice, so that they may prepare for and engage in gainful employment. (Authority: Secs. 100(a)(2) and 130(a) of the Act; 29 U.S.C. 720(a)(2) and 750(a)) [60 FR 58137, Nov. 24, 1995] Applications may be made only by the governing bodies of Indian tribes and consortia of those governing bodies located on Federal and State reservations. (Authority: Sec. 130(a) of the Act; 29 U.S.C. 750(a)) [46 FR 5423, Jan. 19, 1981, as amended at 52 FR 30555, Aug. 14, 1987] The following regulations apply to this program— (a) 34 CFR part 369; (b) The regulations in this part 371. (Authority: Sec. 130 of the Act; 29 U.S.C. 750) (a) The definitions in 34 CFR part 369 apply to this program; (b) The following definitions also apply specifically to this program— American Indian means a person who is a member of an Indian tribe. Consortium means two or more eligible governing bodies of Indian tribes that make application as a single applicant under an agreement whereby each governing body is legally responsible for carrying out all of the activities in the application. Governing bodies of Indian tribes means those duly elected or appointed representatives of an Indian tribe or of an Alaskan native village. These representatives must have the authority to enter into contracts, agreements, and grants on behalf of their constituency. Indian tribe means any Federal or State Indian band, rancheria, pueblo, colony, and community, including any Alaskan native village or regional village corporation (as defined in or established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act). Reservation means a Federal or State Indian reservation, public domain Indian allotment, former Indian reservation in Oklahoma, and land held by incorporated Native groups, regional corporations and village corporations under the provisions of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. (Authority: Secs. 12(c) and 130(c) of the Act; 29 U.S.C. 711(c) and 750(c)) [46 FR 5423, Jan. 19, 1981, as amended at 52 FR 30555, Aug. 14, 1987; 59 FR 8338, Feb. 18, 1994] (a) The Secretary approves a project period of up to three years. (b) The Secretary may extend a grant for up to two additional years if the grantee includes in its extension request— (1) An assurance that the project is in compliance with all applicable program requirements; and (2) Satisfactory evidence that— (i) The project has made substantial and measurable progress in meeting the needs of American Indians with disabilities on the reservation or reservations it serves; (ii) American Indians with disabilities who have received project services have achieved employment outcomes consistent with their strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, and informed choice; and (iii) There is a continuing need for the project. (Authority: Section 130(b)(3) of the Act; 29 U.S.C. 750(b)(3)) [60 FR 58137, Nov. 24, 1995] The Vocational Rehabilitation Service Program for American Indians with Disabilities provides financial assistance for the establishment and operation of tribal vocational rehabilitation service programs for American Indians with disabilities who reside on Federal or State reservations. (Authority: Sec. 130(a) of the Act; 29 U.S.C. 750(a)) [59 FR 8338, Feb. 18, 1994] In the development of an application, a governing body or consortium is required to consult with the designated State unit or the designated State units of the State or States in which vocational rehabilitation services are to be provided. (Authority: Sec. 130(b) of the Act; 29 U.S.C. 750(b)) [46 FR 5423, Jan. 19, 1981, as amended at 52 FR 30555, Aug. 14, 1987] Each applicant under this program must provide evidence that— (a) Effort will be made to provide a broad scope of vocational rehabilitation services in a manner and at a level of quality at least comparable to those services provided by the designated State unit under 34 CFR part 361. (b) All decisions affecting eligibility for and the nature and scope of vocational rehabilitation services to be provided, and the provision of these services, will be made by the tribal vocational rehabilitation program through its vocational rehabilitation unit and will not be delegated to another agency or individual. (c) Priority in the delivery of vocational rehabilitation service will be given to those American Indians with disabilities who are the most severely disabled. (d) An order of selection of individuals with disabilities to be served under the program will be specified if services cannot be provided to all eligible American Indians with disabilities who apply. (e) All vocational rehabilitation services will be provided according to an individualized written rehabilitation program which has been developed jointly by the representative of the service providing organization and each American Indian with disabilities being served. (f) American Indians with disabilities living on Federal or State reservations where service programs are being carried out under this part will have an opportunity to participate in matters of general policy development and implementation affecting vocational rehabilitation service delivery on the reservation. (g) Cooperative working arrangements will be developed with the designated State unit, or designated State units, as appropriate, which are providing vocational rehabilitation services to other individuals with disabilities who reside in the State or States being served. (h) Any similar benefits available to American Indians with disabilities under any other program which might meet in whole or in part the cost of any vocational rehabilitation service will be fully considered in the provision of vocational rehabilitation services in accordance with 34 CFR part 361. (i) Any American Indian with disabilities who is an applicant or recipient of services, and who is dissatisfied with a determination made by a counselor or coordinator under this program and files a request for a review, will be afforded a review under procedures developed by the grantee comparable to those under the provisions of section 102(d) (1)–(3) of the Act. (j) Minimum standards will be established for community rehabilitation programs and providers of service which will be comparable to the standards set by the designated State unit or designated State units in the State or States in which the program is to be provided; and (k) Maximum use will be made of public or other vocational or technical training facilities or other appropriate community resources. (Authority: Secs. 12(c) and 101(a)(12) of the Act; 29 U.S.C. 711(c) and 721(a)(12)) [46 FR 5423, Jan. 19, 1981, as amended at 52 FR 30555, Aug. 14, 1987; 59 FR 8337, 8338, Feb. 18, 1994] To the extent that funds have been appropriated under this program, the Secretary approves all applications which meet acceptable standards of program quality. If any application is not approved because of deficiencies in proposed program standards, the Secretary provides technical assistance to the applicant Indian tribe with respect to any areas of the proposal which were judged to be deficient. (Authority: Secs. 12(c) and 130 of the Act; 29 U.S.C. 711(c) and 750) (a) Federal share. Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, the Federal share may not be more than 90 percent of the total cost of the project. (b) Non-Federal share. The non-Federal share of the cost of the project may be in cash or in kind, fairly valued. (c) Waiver of non-Federal share. In order to carry out the purposes of the program, the Secretary may waive the non-Federal share requirement, in part or in whole, only if the applicant demonstrates that it does not have sufficient resources to contribute the non-Federal share of the cost of the project. (Authority: Secs. 12(c) and 130(a) of the Act; 29 U.S.C. 711(c) and 750(a)) [52 FR 30556, Aug. 14, 1987] (a) In addition to those allowable costs established in EDGAR §§75.530–75.534, the following items are allowable costs under this program— (1) Expenditures for the provision of vocational rehabilitation services and for the administration, including staff development, of a program of vocational rehabilitation services. (2) Expenditures for services reflecting the cultural background of the American Indians being served, including treatment provided by native healing practitioners who are recognized as such by the tribal vocational rehabilitation program when the services are necessary to assist an individual with disabilities to achieve his or her vocational rehabilitation objective. (b) Expenditures may not be made under this program to cover the costs of providing vocational rehabilitation services to individuals with disabilities not residing on Federal or State reservations. (Authority: Secs. 12(c) and 130(a) of the Act; 29 U.S.C. 711(c) and 750(a)) [46 FR 5423, Jan. 19, 1981, as amended at 52 FR 30555, Aug. 14, 1987; 59 FR 8337, Feb. 18, 1994] (a) Directly or by contract. A grantee under this part may provide the vocational rehabilitation services directly or it may contract or otherwise enter into an agreement with a designated State unit, a community rehabilitation program, or another agency to assist in the implementation of the vocational rehabilitation service program for American Indians with disabilities. (b) Inter-tribal agreement. A grantee under this part may enter into an inter-tribal arrangement with governing bodies of other Indian tribes for carrying out a project that serves more than one Indian tribe. (c) Comparable service program. To the maximum extent feasible, services provided by a grantee under this part must be comparable to rehabilitation service provided under this title to other individuals with disabilities residing in the State. (Authority: Secs. 12(c) and 130 of the Act; 29 U.S.C. 711(c) and 750) [52 FR 30556, Aug. 14, 1987, as amended at 59 FR 8337, 8338, Feb. 18, 1994] (a) Any American Indian with disabilities who is eligible for service under this program but who wishes to be provided service by the designated State unit must be referred to the State unit for such services. (b) Preference in employment in connection with the provision of vocational rehabilitation services under this section must be given to American Indians, with a special priority being given to American Indians with disabilities. (c) The provisions of sections 5, 6, 7, and 102(a) of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act also apply under this program. These provisions relate to grant reporting and audit requirements, maintenance of records, access to records, availability of required reports and information to Indian people served or represented, repayment of unexpended Federal funds, criminal activities involving grants, penalties, wage and labor standards, preference requirements for American Indians in the conduct and administration of the grant, and requirements affecting requests of tribal organizations to enter into contracts. For purposes of applying these requirements to this program, the Secretary carries out those responsibilities assigned to the Secretary of Interior. (Authority: Secs. 12(c) and 130(b)(2) of the Act; 29 U.S.C. 711(c) and 750(b)(2)) [46 FR 5423, Jan. 19, 1981, as amended at 52 FR 30555, Aug. 14, 1987; 59 FR 8337, Feb. 18, 1994]
Title 34: Education
PART 371—VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION SERVICE PROJECTS FOR AMERICAN INDIANS WITH DISABILITIES
Section Contents
§ 371.1 What is the Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program for American Indians with Disabilities?
§ 371.2 Who is eligible for assistance under this program?
§ 371.3 What regulations apply to this program?
§ 371.4 What definitions apply to this program?
§ 371.5 What is the length of the project period under this program?
§ 371.10 What types of projects are authorized under this program?
§ 371.20 What are the application procedures for this program?
§ 371.21 What are the special application requirements related to the State plan program?
§ 371.31 How are grants awarded?
§ 371.40 What are the matching requirements?
§ 371.41 What are allowable costs?
§ 371.42 How are services to be administered under this program?
§ 371.43 What other special conditions apply to this program?
Subpart A—General
top
§ 371.1 What is the Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program for American Indians with Disabilities?
top
§ 371.2 Who is eligible for assistance under this program?
top
§ 371.3 What regulations apply to this program?
top
§ 371.4 What definitions apply to this program?
top
§ 371.5 What is the length of the project period under this program?
top
Subpart B—What Kinds of Activities Does the Department of Education Assist Under This Program?
top
§ 371.10 What types of projects are authorized under this program?
top
Subpart C—How Does One Apply for a Grant?
top
§ 371.20 What are the application procedures for this program?
top
§ 371.21 What are the special application requirements related to the State plan program?
top
Subpart D—How Does the Secretary Make a Grant?
top
§ 371.31 How are grants awarded?
top
Subpart E—What Conditions Apply to a Grantee Under This Program?
top
§ 371.40 What are the matching requirements?
top
§ 371.41 What are allowable costs?
top
§ 371.42 How are services to be administered under this program?
top
§ 371.43 What other special conditions apply to this program?
top
