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Self-employment:
Self-employment allows for:
Types of self-employment available to VRS customers include:
A customer's employment goal must match the customer's position held in the Business Plan. The customer's self-employment must be in a work environment that is:
In the case of an individual who is self-employed, yields an income that is comparable to the income received by other individuals without disabilities, who are self-employed in similar occupations or on similar tasks and who have similar training, experience, and skills.
*Based on 34 CFR §361.5(c)(9)(i)(C)
All services are based on and consistent with the customer's unique strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests, and informed choices. These services can include technical assistance and other consultation services to conduct market analyses, develop business plans, and otherwise provide resources, to the extent those resources are authorized to be provided through the statewide workforce development system, to eligible individuals who are pursuing self-employment or establishing a small business operation as an employment outcome.
This chapter includes the following services:
All provider staff members must meet the following general standards of service provision:
VRS staff members are responsible for overseeing services provided to VRS customers. If the above general standards are not being met, the regional quality assurance specialist reviews staff concerns and may require that the employment services provider or CBTAC develop an action plan to address them. Continued failure to meet these general standards could result in adverse action against the provider.
The qualifications for a provider staff member to provide self-employment services are as follows:
It is preferred that the CBTAC meets the qualifications outlined for a supported employment specialist in VR-SFP 18.2 Staff Qualifications, and must be certified by The Center for Social Capital as a CBTAC.
A job skills trainer must meet the qualifications outlined for a Job Skills Trainer in Chapter 17: Basic Employment Services, 17.2.2 Job Skills Trainer General Qualifications. It is a best practice for the Job Skills Trainer to work under the direction of the CBTAC.
Exploration activities include identifying the:
A CBTAC receives a VR1800, Self-Employment Referral Form and service authorization. The VR1800 includes any documentation that will prepare the provider to better work with the customer, such as medical or psychological reports, case notes, vocational testing, or employment data collected by VR staff.
The CBTAC will assist the customer in completing the VR1801, Customer Profile and Self-Employment Exploration.
If the CBTAC finds through the VR1801 the customer would be better served through SSE services, the CBTAC must contact the VR counselor to discuss the need for SSE services. The VR counselor will review the VR1801 and discuss with the CBTAC and customer prior to changing the service to SSE. The final decision is made by the VR counselor and the customer.
The CBTAC documents in descriptive terms all the information required on the VR1801, Customer Profile and Self-Employment Exploration demonstrating evidence that:
For payment, the VR counselor approves a completed, accurate, signed, and dated:
This is an outcome-based service; VR will not pay unless all topics in the service description and service authorization were addressed to the customer's satisfaction and within a reasonable timeframe as determined by the customer's needs and abilities.
For more information, refer to 19.7 Self-Employment Fee Schedule.
A Feasibility Study is an assessment, with research tools such as surveys or statistical analyses, regarding the likelihood of a business succeeding. The feasibility study is used to determine if the proposed self-employment business proposal is likely to succeed. The CBTAC, customer, and any identified support persons perform research for the business idea(s) identified in the VR1801, Customer Profile and Self-Employment Exploration. The VR1802, Concept Development and Feasibility Study contains elements of the feasibility study and must be thoroughly completed.
A CBTAC receives a VR1800, Self-Employment Referral Form; VR1801, Customer Profile and Self-Employment Exploration; or VR1809, Supported Self-Employment Concept Development and VR1810, Supported Self-Employment Feasibility Study, and service authorization. The VR1800 includes any documentation that will prepare the provider to better work with the customer such as medical or psychological reports, case notes, vocational testing, or employment data collected by VR staff.
The CBTAC completes the VR1802, Concept Development and Feasibility Study with the assistance of the customer and any outside supports available. The CBTAC assists the customer to:
The CBTAC will recommend whether the self-employment being considered should be:
The VR counselor will review the VR1802 and approve what type of business plan will be required.
If the CBTAC determines the customer would be better served through SSE services, the CBTAC must contact the VR counselor to discuss the need for SSE services. The VR counselor will review the VR1802, Concept Development and Feasibility Study, and discuss with the CBTAC and customer prior to changing the service to SSE. The final decision is made by the VR counselor and the customer.
If the feasibility study demonstrates the business is not going to produce income resulting in a level of support able to sustain the customer and solvency, then the VR counselor must advise the customer the self-employment as proposed will not be approved.
The CBTAC documents in descriptive terms all the information required VR1802, Concept Development and Feasibility Study, demonstrating evidence that:
For payment for the Feasibility Study, the VR counselor approves a complete, accurate, signed, and dated:
For more information, refer to 19.7 Self-Employment Fee Schedule.
A business plan precisely defines the business, identifies its goals, and serves as the business's résumé. The business plan includes a:
The business plan provides specific and organized information about the company and how the business will repay borrowed money. A good business plan is a crucial part of any loan application, and helps the business owner:
Note: The VR1803, Simple Business Plan; VR1804, Comprehensive Business Plan; and VR1813, Supported Self-Employment Business Plan, are formatted to serve as both a business plan to be submitted to third parties and a report to the VR counselor.
There are different types of business plans required for self-employment. For the Texas Workforce Solutions – Vocational Rehabilitation Services (TWS-VRS) Self-Employment service, there are three types of business plans:
Supported Self Employment requires detailed information for the list below with additional information regarding the needed additional long-term supports and extended supports:
Refer to 19.5 Supported Self-Employment.
A CBTAC receives a VR1800, Self-Employment Referral Form, and one or more of the following forms as applicable:
The VR1800 includes any documentation that will prepare the provider to better work with the customer, including medical or psychological reports, case notes, vocational testing, or employment data collected by VR staff.
After the VR counselor and customer determination, the case should continue to move forward in the process. The provider develops the business plan using the information obtained in the VR1801 and VR1802 or the VR1808, VR1809 and VR1810, and a service authorization.
The CBTAC assists the customer in developing the business plan using the VR1803, Simple Business Plan; VR1804, Comprehensive Business Plan; or VR1813, Supported Self-Employment Business Plan, as approved by the VRC and any other required approvals.
The CBTAC documents in descriptive terms all the information required on the VR1803, Simple Business Plan; VR1804, Comprehensive Business Plan; or VR1813Supported Self-Employment Business Plan, demonstrating evidence that:
For payment for the business plan, within five business days of receipt, the VR counselor approves a complete, accurate, signed, and dated:
Note: Payment of the VR1803, VR1804, or VR1813 does not mean all necessary approvals of the proposed business plan have been obtained or the plan is approved to move forward in the VR process.
For more information, refer to 19.7 Self-Employment Fee Schedule.
SSE is like self-employment but incorporates many of the concepts of supported employment, including the provision of ongoing supports throughout the VR case and transitioning to extended services and supports, not funded by VRS, after case closure. Supports may include:
SSE businesses are typically small and require a team approach to planning and support. A business team assists in:
SSE services are provided by the CBTAC, who helps the customer (the potential business owner) with SSE by:
VRS purchases SSE services only from Employment Service Providers (ESPs) who have been certified as a CBTAC by The Center for Social Capital.
Customers determined by a VR counselor to be appropriate for SSE services are customers:
If the CBTAC finds through the VR1801 or VR1802 the customer would be better served through SSE services, the CBTAC must contact the VR counselor to discuss the need for SSE services.
If a customer has expressed interest in self-employment and requires additional support, discovery is conducted by a CBTAC. While there is no set standard for how much time a provider spends with a customer during discovery, research suggests that providers should spend as many as 20 hours on the discovery process observing the customer's abilities, challenges, and resources, as well as collecting information from professional and nonprofessional supports in the customer's life to make an informed decision. The discovery process includes:
The employment service provider receives the VR1800, Self-Employment Referral Form. The referral form includes any documentation that will prepare the CBTAC to better work with the customer, such as medical or psychological reports, case notes, vocational testing, employment history, functional capacity exams, business ideas, business plan, and benefits planning reports from community work incentive coordinators that are collected by VR staff.
The CBTAC begins the process by completing the VR1808, Supported Self-Employment Assessment (SSEA).
The discovery process assists the provider in gathering the information necessary to answer all questions on the VR1808, Supported Self-Employment Assessment (SSEA). The report must clearly describe the customer and the customer's business idea(s).
VRS recommends the person-centered planning process be used when collecting information for the SSEA.
The discovery process completed by the CBTAC includes:
Best practice indicates the discovery process can take up to 20 hours per customer. However, providers must be aware that this process is an individualized one designed to achieve the customer's stated outcome and, therefore, timeframes may vary on an individual basis.
When completing the VR1808, Supported Self-Employment Assessment (SSEA), the Certified Business Technical Assistance Consultant (CBTAC) will incorporate information:
The VR1808, SSEA, must include all information required on the form, including:
The SSEA review meeting is held after the discovery process and the VR1808, SSEA, has been completed. The SSEA review meeting is held to determine whether a supported self-employment outcome for the customer will be further explored and confirm the proposed business idea(s) need to be studied, and to identify the next steps that must take place.
The SSEA review meeting must include the:
The SSEA meeting must:
On the VR1808, SSEA, the CBTAC must clearly identify:
Payment for SSEA is made:
The VR1808, Supported Self-Employment Assessment must be completed electronically. VRS can contact the customer and/or the customer's circle of supports to verify that information on the form is correct.
The VR1808 must be signed by the CBTAC who completed the discovery process with the customer and documented the information on the form.
For more information, refer to 19.6 Self-Employment Fee Schedule.
The Supported Self-Employment Services Plan (SSESP) is completed after the SSEA, Concept Development and Feasibility Study, business plan, and financials are completed and received all required approvals.
The SSESP identifies:
Members of the customer's SSESP team must include, at a minimum
The team may include other significant people invited by the customer and who may potentially help achieve a successful supported self-employment outcome or be a provider of extended services and supports for the customer after VR case closure. Significant individuals may include:
The SSESP team maintains ongoing communication throughout the process to ensure the SSE outcomes are achieved. SSESP team members may become members of the business team for the customer.
The SSESP team members can help:
Benchmark 1 is met by attending the SSESP meeting and by completing the VR1811, Supported Self-Employment Services Plan (SSESP) and Benchmark Report, printing and signing the VR1811 at the meeting.
The VR counselor. or designated VRS staff member assists with completing the VR1811 on a computer during the meeting to ensure all input is captured correctly on the VR1811, SSESP and Benchmark Report. The VR counselor and CBTAC ensure group discussions include recommendations and strategies outlined in the SSEA. The SSESP meeting typically is one to two hours long and is facilitated by the CBTAC and lead by the customer. The SSESP meeting must be held face-to-face to allow all parties to actively participate in the discussion. The CBTAC will not bring a completed SSESP form to the meeting or complete the form after the conclusion of the meeting.
The forms must be:
Signatures are gathered at the end of the meeting for submission of benchmark paperwork. As needed, update the VR1811 (changes in employment conditions or job tasks) prior to the achievement of any benchmark.
The customer, VR counselor, and CBTAC, along with other invited individuals, have completed the SSESP1 meeting and the VR1811 is complete and demonstrates evidence that:
For payment of Benchmark 1, the VR counselor approves a complete, accurate, signed, and dated:
For more information, refer to 19.6 Self-Employment Fee Schedule.
The customer achieves Benchmark 2 when:
To achieve Benchmark 2, the CBTAC must have a minimum of two contacts with the customer to monitor customer and business progress and performance during the benchmark and must:
The CBTAC must collect all information needed to complete an accurate VR1814, SSESS through interviews and observations with the customer and their circle of support.
To achieve Benchmark 2, the CBTAC submits the VR1811, which is used as the guide and plan for providing services to the customer, and must assist the customer as applicable in activities related to starting a business, including:
At least two business team meetings must be held each month before and during the completion of this benchmark.
Services provided and hours worked must be documented on the VR1814, SSESS. Information documented on the VR1814 must include:
The information included in the VR1814, SSESS documentation must be unique and individualized for the customer. VRS may contact the customer, customer's legally authorized representative (if any), or circle of support to verify the SSESP and the SSESS information is accurate.
The VR1811, SSESP must be updated to be accurate through a new SSESP meeting (see the policy in 19.6.3 Benchmark 1: Supported Self-Employment Services Plan) before any count of days of employment can begin. If the VR counselor and customer or the customer's legally authorized representative do not choose to make changes to the original SSESP, the customer does not achieve all (100 percent) nonnegotiable conditions, and at least 50 percent of the negotiable conditions listed on the VR1811, SSESP, the business start-up will not be accepted by VRS.
The CBTAC has completed the VR1814 demonstrating evidence that:
Payment for Benchmark 2 is made when the VR counselor approves a complete, accurate, signed, and dated:
For more information, refer to 19.6 Self-Employment Fee Schedule.
The customer achieves Benchmark 3, Self-Employment Maintenance, when:
To complete Benchmark 3, the CBTAC must have a minimum of two contacts per month with the customer to monitor the customer's performance and business progress. The CBTAC provides necessary assistance and supports during the first 112 calendar days from the day the business opens.
On- and off–job-site supports are provided to help the customer adjust to the demands of running the business. These supports are reduced as the customer's skills and Extended Services and supports are established.
To achieve Benchmark 3, the CBTAC completes the:
The CBTAC must assist the customer, as applicable, in activities related to running and maintaining a business, including:
At least two business team meetings must be held each month during the completion of this benchmark.
Supported Self-Employment Business Maintenance is complete when:
The information documented in the VR1814 and the VR1806 must be unique and individualized for the customer. VRS may contact the customer or customer's legally authorized representative to verify that the VR1814 and VR1806 information is accurate.
Payment for Benchmark 3 is made when the VR counselor approves a complete, accurate, signed and dated:
For more information, refer to 19.6 Self-Employment Fee Schedule.
The customer achieves Benchmark 4 when the:
The Extended Services (long-term supports) identified on the VR1811, SSESP, must be in place and working before the VR counselor can determine the customer and business are stable.
The CBTAC must:
The VR counselor makes the final decision in determining the Stability Status. A case is considered "Stable" once the Self-Employment Stability date is established through a Supported Self-Employment Stability meeting.
The customer must maintain self-employment a minimum of 168 calendar days consistent with the requirements documented in the VR1811, SSESP, including meeting:
The CBTAC must:
The CBTAC cannot provide the long-term support needs, training needs, and/or accommodations unless funding from a source other than VRS is secured.
The CBTAC submits a fully complete (on computer), accurate, signed, and dated VR1814, Supported Self-Employment Support Summary (SSESS), and gathers all handwritten signatures.
The completed VR1814 describes the customer's employment, training supports, and accommodations. The form must document the customer has:
For payment of Benchmark 4, the VR counselor approves a complete, accurate, signed, and dated:
For more information, refer to 19.6 Self-Employment Fee Schedule.
The customer achieves Benchmark 5 when the:
The Extended Services (long-term supports) identified on the VR1811 must be in place and working before the VR counselor can determine the customer and business is stable.
The CBTAC must:
The customer must maintain self-employment a minimum of 90 calendar days after stability with the requirements documented in the VR1811, SSESP, including meeting:
The CBTAC must:
The CBTAC cannot provide the long-term support needs, training needs, and/or accommodations unless funding from a source other than VRS is secured.
The CBTAC submits a fully complete (on computer), accurate, signed, and dated VR1814, Supported Self-Employment Support Summary (SSESS), and gathers all handwritten signatures.
The completed VR1814 describes the customer's employment, training supports, and accommodations. The form must document the customer has:
For payment of Benchmark 5, the VR counselor approves a complete, accurate, signed, and dated:
For more information, refer to 19.7 Self-Employment Fee Schedule.
Self-Employment Service | Unit Rate | Comments |
---|---|---|
Customer Profile & Self-Employment Exploration | $322.00 | |
Concept Development - Only – Simple | $230.00 | May be purchased if not also purchasing Feasibility Study |
Concept Development - Only – Comprehensive | $322.00 | May be purchased if not also purchasing Feasibility Study |
Concept Development - Only - Supported | $153.00 | Only purchased after completion of Supported Self-Employment Assessment |
Feasibility Study – Only – Simple | $551.00 | May be purchased if not also purchasing Concept Development |
Feasibility Study – Only – Comprehensive | $965.00 | May be purchased if not also purchasing Concept Development |
Feasibility Study – Only – Supported | $1,378.00 | Only purchased after completion of Supported Self-Employment Concept Development |
Concept Development & Feasibility Study – Simple | $781.00 | If one of these services has already been purchased, a reduction in rate will be applied by reducing the payment for the service already billed |
Concept Development & Feasibility Study - Comprehensive | $1,286.00 | If one of these services has already been purchased, a reduction in rate will be applied by reducing the payment for the service already billed |
Business Plan Review – Only – Simple | $230.00 | May be purchased if not purchasing Business Plan |
Business Plan Review – Only – Comprehensive | $322.00 | May be purchased if not purchasing Business Plan |
Business Plan - Simple | $919.00 | If this service is chosen after payment for a business plan review, a reduction in rate will be applied by reducing the payment for the plan review already billed |
Business Plan – Comprehensive | $1,378.00 | If this service is chosen after payment for a business plan review, a reduction in rate will be applied by reducing the payment for the plan review already billed |
Business Plan – Supported | $1,608.00 | If this service is chosen after payment for a business plan review, a reduction in rate will be applied by reducing the payment for the plan review already billed |
Financials – Simple | $322.00 | Paid only once |
Financials – Comprehensive | $551.00 | Paid only once |
Financials – Supported | $551.00 | Paid only once |
Supported Self-Employment Assessment | $919.00 | Not paid until after the VR counselor, the customer and CBTAC have met to discuss results and determine if moving forward with Supported Self-Employment Services |
Benchmark 1: Supported Self-Employment Services Plan | $153.00 | Benchmark paid only once, even if multiple SSESP Meetings occur |
Benchmark 2: Supported Self-Employment Business Start-Up | $2,021.00 | Business must be operating for at least 5 days prior to achievement of Benchmark |
Benchmark 3: Supported Self-Employment Business Maintenance | $1,011.00 | Business must be operating for at least 112 days prior to achievement of Benchmark |
Benchmark 4: Supported Self-Employment Business Stability | $1,011.00 |
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Benchmark 5: Supported Self-Employment Service Closure | $3,032.00 |
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