Modifications to Employment Service Revisions - Discovery Service Code Modifications

The Bureau of Rehabilitation Services (BRS) announced the following revisions to Discovery service codes:

The Bureau of Rehabilitation Services (BRS) appreciates the continued feedback and suggestions regarding the employment service revisions. This memorandum reflects the continued partnership between Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) and the Community Rehabilitation Providers (CRP) in that the feedback provided has affected the following modification to the employment services model. 

​In order to simplify and streamline the authorization process for Discovery Services, VR is reducing the number of separate service codes for select Discovery activities. Effective immediately, the separate service codes for ‘Vocational Testing’ (01-44), ‘Job Shadow’ (53-09), ‘Situational Assessment’ (53-02), and ‘Other Discovery Activities’ (53-10), will be authorized under a single service code. The service code to be used for all four of these activities is 53-10 ‘Discovery Activities.’

These changes are being made to reduce the volume of authorizations, and to streamline the tracking and billing of authorized services. BRS continues to emphasize that Discovery activities should be purposeful and individualized, based on the needs of each consumer. Therefore, all Discovery activities, including Vocational Testing, Job Shadow and Situational Assessment, will continue to be outlined individually on the Employment Service Referral form. Also, VR will continue to request these specific Discovery activities, as appropriate for each individual, when issuing authorizations for services under service code 53-10 ‘Discovery Activities.’ Additionally, the distinct definitions and expectations for each of these Discovery Activities, as currently outlined in the VR Employment service manual, will remain. CRPs will be required to continue to document these separate activities utilizing the Discovery profile.

The full memorandum, including additional implementation information, is available here.

We hope this information is helpful. Should you have any questions, please contact the INARF office.