The definitions contained in this chapter shall govern the construction of this chapter, with respect to habilitation services provided through the regional center, and unless the context requires otherwise, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

(a) “Habilitation services” means community-based services purchased or provided for adults with developmental disabilities, including services provided under the Work Activity Program and the Supported Employment Program, to prepare and maintain them at their highest level of vocational functioning, or to prepare them for referral to vocational rehabilitation services.

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(b) “Individual program plan” means the overall plan developed by a regional center pursuant to Section 4646.

(c) “Individual habilitation service plan” means the service plan developed by the habilitation service vendor to meet employment goals in the individual program plan.

(d) “Department” means the State Department of Developmental Services.

(e) “Work activity program” includes, but is not limited to, sheltered workshops or work activity centers, or community-based work activity programs certified pursuant to subdivision (f) or accredited by CARF, the Rehabilitation Accreditation Commission.

(f) “Certification” means certification procedures developed by the Department of Rehabilitation.

(g) “Work activity program day” means the period of time during which a Work Activity Program provides services to consumers.

(h) “Supported employment program” means a program that meets the requirements of subdivisions (l) to (q), inclusive.

(i) “Consumer” means any adult who receives services purchased under this chapter.

(j) “Accreditation” means a determination of compliance with the set of standards appropriate to the delivery of services by a work activity program or supported employment program, developed by CARF, the Rehabilitation Accreditation Commission, and applied by the commission or the department.

(k) “CARF” means CARF the Rehabilitation Accreditation Commission.

(l) “Supported employment” means paid work that is integrated in the community for individuals with developmental disabilities.

(m) “Integrated work” means the engagement of an employee with a disability in work in a setting typically found in the community in which individuals interact with individuals without disabilities other than those who are providing services to those individuals, to the same extent that individuals without disabilities in comparable positions interact with other persons.

(n) “Supported employment placement” means the employment of an individual with a developmental disability by an employer in the community, directly or through contract with a supported employment program. This includes provision of ongoing support services necessary for the individual to retain employment.

(o) “Allowable supported employment services” means the services approved in the individual program plan and specified in the individual habilitation service plan for the purpose of achieving supported employment as an outcome, and may include any of the following:

(1) Job development, to the extent authorized by the regional center.

(2) Program staff time for conducting job analysis of supported employment opportunities for a specific consumer.

(3) Program staff time for the direct supervision or training of a consumer or consumers while they engage in integrated work unless other arrangements for consumer supervision, including, but not limited to, employer supervision reimbursed by the supported employment program, are approved by the regional center.

(4) Community-based training in adaptive functional and social skills necessary to ensure job adjustment and retention.

(5) Counseling with a consumer’s significant other to ensure support of a consumer in job adjustment.

(6) Advocacy or intervention on behalf of a consumer to resolve problems affecting the consumer’s work adjustment or retention.

(7) Ongoing support services needed to ensure the consumer’s retention of the job.

(p) “Group services” means job coaching in a group supported employment placement at a job coach-to-consumer ratio of not less than one-to-three nor more than one-to-eight where services to a minimum of three consumers are funded by the regional center or the Department of Rehabilitation. For consumers receiving group services, ongoing support services shall be limited to job coaching and shall be provided at the worksite.

(q) “Individualized services” means job coaching and other supported employment services for regional center-funded consumers in a supported employment placement at a job coach-to-consumer ratio of one-to-one, and that decrease over time until stabilization is achieved. Individualized services may be provided on or off the jobsite.

(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 49, Sec. 79. (SB 188) Effective June 30, 2022.)