State Agency: Office of Children and Family Services Program Name: Rehabilitation Services – Vocational Rehabilitation Grants to States ALN #: 84.126 Single Audit Contact: Bonnie Hahn Title: Audit Liaison Telephone: (518) 486-1034 E-mail Address: Bonnie.hahn@ocfs.ny.gov Audit Report Reference: 2025-...
State Agency: Office of Children and Family Services Program Name: Rehabilitation Services – Vocational Rehabilitation Grants to States ALN #: 84.126 Single Audit Contact: Bonnie Hahn Title: Audit Liaison Telephone: (518) 486-1034 E-mail Address: Bonnie.hahn@ocfs.ny.gov Audit Report Reference: 2025-001 Anticipated Completion Date: 3/31/2026 Corrective Action Planned: The New York State Commission for the Blind (NYSCB) opens and maintains cases of blind and visually impaired individuals who apply for vocational rehabilitation and low vision services. Participants can apply and receive services multiple times, which can result in reporting more than one cycle on the RSA-911. In some cycles, the cases were open for more than 10 years, so the original application date is reflected on the RSA-911. These instances resulted in missing signatures on applications or Individualized Plans for Employment (IPE). The NYSCB has implemented a process that requires each Senior Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (SVRC) to select 5 cases per month to complete an internal case review. There are two Internal case review forms used- one is for the case to be reviewed at IPE development or re-development and the other form is for the case to be reviewed at placement/case closure. If the SVRC finds documentation or signatures missing, they will notify the Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (VRC) of the missing information by providing the completed form with their comments and follow up required. This process will continue. NYSCB will be providing further training to VRCs who complete applications and develop IPEs to emphasize the importance of having the participants sign the required forms. In addition, NYSCB will be providing training to the supervisors (including SVRCs and District Managers) in each district office when applications are taken by telephone to provide reasonable accommodations to our blind participants. Senior management will develop a written protocol which each district will be required to follow for how to manage accepting applications and signatures when cases are assigned to VRCs.