BRS Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A client who is blind is entering a SNAP Employment and Training program. Which BRS role is MOST appropriate in this context?
- Provide O&M and low vision training to support work participation requirements (Correct answer)
- Administer the SNAP benefits directly
- Determine SNAP eligibility for the client
- Refer the client to a sheltered workshop as the only option
Correct answer: Provide O&M and low vision training to support work participation requirements
The BRS supports SNAP E&T participants by providing blindness-specific skills training that enables them to meet work participation requirements.
Question 2: When developing a client's Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE), who must be the primary decision-maker regarding the vocational goal?
- The client, in partnership with the VR counselor (Correct answer)
- The VR counselor based on labor market data
- The client's family members
- The referring physician
Correct answer: The client, in partnership with the VR counselor
WIOA mandates that the IPE be developed jointly with the client as an informed, active participant who drives goal selection.
Question 3: Which of the following BEST describes the role of a job developer in blind rehabilitation employment services?
- Cultivating employer relationships and creating job opportunities for blind clients (Correct answer)
- Teaching cane travel skills for commuting to work
- Administering vocational aptitude assessments
- Processing SSA benefit work incentive paperwork
Correct answer: Cultivating employer relationships and creating job opportunities for blind clients
Job developers build employer partnerships and market the abilities of blind candidates to create employment opportunities.
Question 4: A blind client receives SSDI and is offered a part-time job. Which SSA work incentive allows a 9-month trial of earnings above SGA without losing SSDI benefits?
- Trial Work Period (TWP) (Correct answer)
- Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS)
- Ticket to Work program
- Impairment-Related Work Expense (IRWE)
Correct answer: Trial Work Period (TWP)
The Trial Work Period allows SSDI recipients to test their ability to work for up to 9 months without affecting their cash benefits.
Question 5: Workplace accommodations for a blind employee who needs to access printed company documents would MOST appropriately include:
- Electronic document delivery and screen reader-accessible file formats (Correct answer)
- Hiring a personal reader at the employee's expense
- Relocating the employee to a home office only
- Providing a magnifying glass for all print materials
Correct answer: Electronic document delivery and screen reader-accessible file formats
Converting documents to accessible electronic formats is a low-cost, effective accommodation that enables independent access for blind employees.
Question 6: Which law specifically established the Randolph-Sheppard program, giving blind individuals priority to operate vending facilities on federal property?
- Randolph-Sheppard Act of 1936 (Correct answer)
- Rehabilitation Act of 1973
- Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
- Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014
Correct answer: Randolph-Sheppard Act of 1936
The Randolph-Sheppard Act of 1936 created the federal vending facility program managed by state agencies for the blind.
Question 7: During a vocational evaluation, a BRS notices a client has difficulty with sustained attention in addition to total blindness. What should the BRS do FIRST?
- Document the observation and consult with the interdisciplinary team about additional assessment needs (Correct answer)
- Immediately close the case as unemployable
- Refer the client directly to psychiatry without further evaluation
- Proceed with vocational planning without addressing the attention issue
Correct answer: Document the observation and consult with the interdisciplinary team about additional assessment needs
Noting and reporting functional observations to the team ensures comprehensive evaluation and appropriate service planning for co-occurring conditions.
BRS Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment 3
A client who is blind is entering a SNAP Employment and Training program.
Which BRS role is MOST appropriate in this context?