The Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission provides vocational rehabilitation and independent living services to Massachusetts residents with disabilities. Through the Disability Determination Services, the Commission is also responsible for determining eligibility for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) federal benefits. The Disability Determination Services processes over 74,000 claims for Social Security benefits annually and reviews approximately 7,100 cases for continuing benefit eligibility. These programs are authorized through federal and state law to empower individuals with disabilities to live productive and independent lives.

The Commission provides employment assistance to over 4,000 individuals with disabilities through the Vocational Rehabilitation program. The program provides transition services, vocational counseling, supported work, and job placement services to individuals with severe disabilities to enable them to attain employment.

The Commission's network of Independent Living Centers assists over 4,300 individuals with severe physical disabilities to live independently within their communities by providing home care assistance, information referral, and supported living services.

The Statewide Head Injury Program provides community-based services including supported employment opportunities, respite care, therapy, and family assistance services for people with traumatic brain injuries. The goal of the program is to identify and address the needs of these individuals to enable them to continue living with their families within the community.

Objectives

In Fiscal Year 1998, the Commission will pursue the following objectives:

• extend transition, home care, and community support services to ten multi-handicapped individuals who are turning twenty-two to enable them to live independently within the community;
• provide respite care and family assistance services to approximately seventy-five individuals with traumatic brain injuries to avoid institutional placements; and
• increase participation in the One-Stop Career Centers, which will provide resources and assistance to the Commission's clients to secure competitive community-based employment.

Budget Recommendations

The Fiscal Year 1998 budget includes $500,000 to expand the Turning Twenty-Two program (4120-4000) and an additional $125,000 that will be transferred from the Head Injury Treatment Services Trust Fund to support additional services for the Statewide Head Injury Program (4120-6001).

Budgetary Direct Appropriations

MASSACHUSETTS REHABILITATION COMMISSION ADMINISTRATION
4120-1000	For the administration of the Massachusetts rehabilitation commission; provided, that upon the written request of the commissioner of revenue, the commissioner of rehabilitation shall provide lists of individual clients to whom or on behalf of whom payments have been made, for the purpose of verifying eligibility and detecting and preventing fraud, error, and abuse in the programs administered by the commission; and provided further, that said lists shall include the client's name and social security number and the payee's name and other identification, if different from the client's	309,034

VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION
4120-2000	For vocational rehabilitation services provided in cooperation with the federal government; provided, that no funds shall be deducted for pensions, group health and life insurance, and or any other such indirect cost of the federally reimbursed state employees	6,355,613

INDEPENDENT LIVING ASSISTANCE - BROCKTON
4120-2001	For independent living assistance in the Brockton area	15,000

EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE
4120-3000	For employment assistance	6,799,366

INDEPENDENT LIVING ASSISTANCE
4120-4000	For independent living assistance	4,167,611

HOUSING REGISTRY
4120-4001	For a housing registry for the disabled and elderly	100,000

HOME CARE SERVICES
4120-5000	For home care services	3,901,165

HEAD INJURED SERVICES
4120-6000	For head injured services	6,638,893

HEAD INJURED SERVICES - ADDITIONAL EXPENSES
4120-6001	For the additional expenses of head injured services; provided, that the funds appropriated herein shall be expended solely for the cost of non-recurring services to the head injured; provided further, that said funds shall not be used to supplant existing services provided under item 4120-6000	250,000
	Head Injury Treatment Services Trust Fund 100%

Federal Grant Spending

VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION
4120-0020	For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Vocational Rehabilitation; provided, that no funds shall be deducted for pensions, group health and life insurance, or any other such indirect cost of the federally reimbursed state employees	38,897,035

TEACHING GRANT AND TRAINEESHIPS
4120-0171	For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Teaching Grant and Traineeships	146,866

NEW ENGLAND PSYCHIATRIC REHABILITATION TRAINING
4120-0173	For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, New England Psychiatric Rehabilitation Training	200,000

SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM
4120-0187	For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Supported Employment Program	991,722

STATEWIDE SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT
4120-0188	For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Statewide Supported Employment	550,000

VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION - DETERMINATION OF DISABILITY
4120-0511	For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Vocational Rehabilitation - Determination of Disability	37,319,015

INDEPENDENT LIVING
4120-0760	For the purposes of a federally funded grant entitled, Independent Living	1,500,000

Trust and Other Spending

4120-0029

VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION TRUST FUND PAYMENTS

2,601,000