10-006 C.      LEARNING DISABILITIES EVALUATION

 

Table of Contents
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The Learning Disabilities Evaluation section includes the following information:

 

 
LD Evaluation Referrals
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 The following are the steps required to refer a participant for a   Learning Disabilities (LD) Evaluation:

 

Step

ECM Actions

1

Complete the Permission to Release Learning Disabilities Information (WTW 20).

 

NOTE:  The ECM must check all the boxes and fill in all the lines on the form.  The “other” box/line may be used to obtain permission to contact previous learning disabilities specialists (i.e. special education, community colleges, etc.)

2

Read the WTW 20 out loud to the participant, ask the participant if he/she has any questions, and answer all questions, as appropriate.

3

Obtain the participant’s signature and date on the form.  Give a copy of the form to the participant and keep the original.

4

Schedule the participant to a Learning Disabilities Initial Appointment in CalWIN, using as outlined in:

·    How To #239 Search for Provider Sessions to Schedule Learning Disability Evaluation; and

·    How To #238 Schedule Learning Disability Evaluation as an Activity.

5

Complete the manual Learning Disability Evaluation - English (LDE) or Learning Disability Evaluation - Spanish (LDS).

6

Ask the participant to provide any records of previous learning disabilities evaluations, attendance in special education, or medical conditions and forward to the Learning Disabilities Specialist immediately upon receipt.  If the participant is having problems obtaining these records on his/her own, the ECM must provide assistance.

 

NOTE:

·        To obtain the participant’s permission to contact previous Learning Disabilities Specialists, the “other” box on the WTW 20 must be checked off and the name of the previous Learning Disabilities Specialist must be listed on the “specify” line. 

·        To obtain the participant’s permission to contact previous medical providers, Section 1, ‘Patient Information and Authorization to Release Information,’ the Authorization to Release Medical Information (CW61), must be completed and signed/dated by the participant.

7

Ensure that WTW 20, the Learning Needs Screening (WTW 18), and LDE/LDS forms are complete before referral is made.

8

Enter all Required Learning Disabilities CalWIN Coding related to LD Screening and subsequent LD Evaluation, as applicable.

9

Document the referral by entering appropriate case comments.

10

Ensure that the original WTW 20, LDE/LDS, and WTW 18 are retained in the case file. 

 

NOTE: Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) and learning disabilities may be co-existing disorders.  It is difficult to address a person’s learning disabilities without addressing the AD/HD.  If the participant responds positively to the AD/HD question on Form WTW 18, the ECM will need to explore this issue further and, if needed, make a referral to the individual’s medical doctor.

11

E-mail referral forms as attachments to the designated SDCCD e-mail address:  ldcalworks@sdccd.edu and cc their site LD Liaison or fax forms to SDCCD at (619) 388-6534 and inform their site LD Liaison.

12

Review documents for completeness and notify ECM if documentation is incomplete—LD report timeframe does not begin until all completed referral forms are received.

13

Make a minimum of 3 attempts to schedule each client for an LD Evaluation and will notify ECM of ‘no shows’ via e-mail and the Learning Disabilities Communication Form (26-19).

14

Schedule client at the appropriate site based on the date, time and location most convenient to the client.  

 

 

 

 

Participant Refuses to Cooperate
 

Participants have the right to decline the Learning Disabilities Evaluation.  When a participant declines to participate in the Evaluation, the ECM will complete the Waiver of Learning Disabilities Screening and/or Evaluation (WTW 17).

 

Components of LD Evaluation
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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The Learning Disabilities Evaluation may require up to three appointments, depending of the number and types of testing instruments administered by the Learning Disabilities Specialist. 

 

All Learning Disabilities Evaluations will consist of all of the following components:

 

·        A clinical interview;

·        Behavioral observations;

·        Administration of learning and vocational testing instruments; and

·        Evaluation for existing or potentially existing conditions, such as but not limited to, substance abuse, mental illness, domestic violence, and neurological/developmental impairments.

 

The Learning Disabilities Specialist may also perform a Learning Disabilities Diagnosis, if the Learning Disabilities Evaluation reveals that the participant:

 

·        Has severe learning disabilities,

·        Is either unemployable or employable with limitations due to learning disabilities and therefore requires medical verification, or

·        Presents severe multiple mental, emotional, or physical impairments that are within the scope of the Learning Disabilities Specialist’s license to diagnose. 

 

The Learning Disabilities Specialist will obtain written approval from the SPOS Learning Disabilities Coordinator prior to performing a Diagnosis.

 

LD Report
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The Learning Disabilities Specialist will complete a Learning Disabilities Report for all participants who have completed learning disabilities testing.  The report will include all of the following information:

 

·        Summary of conclusions for all participants;

·        Specific recommendations for all participants;

·        Reasonable accommodations for participants with learning disabilities; and

·        Written verification of any learning disabilities and the need for accommodations for participants with learning disabilities.

 

The Learning Disabilities Specialist will provide a copy of the Learning Disabilities Report to the participant during the Exit Interview in a format that accommodates the participant’s primary language and learning disabilities, if any.

                       

NOTE:  If the Learning Disabilities Report indicates that the participant has a learning disability, the ECM must forward a copy of the Learning Disabilities Report and the Permission to Release Learning Disabilities Information to the participant’s Human Services Specialist (HSS), immediately upon receiving the report. 

 

Should the participant transfer to another county, the HSS must forward a copy of the participant’s Learning Disabilities Report to the new county, in order for the participant to continue receiving appropriate reasonable accommodations and services.

 

LD Report and ECM Notification
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The LD Specialist will also provide a copy of this report to the ECM written in English and in the participant’s primary language (if other than English).  All reports are due to the ECM no later than fourteen (14) working days from the date of referral, which is the date that LD Specialist receives all required, properly completed referral documentation for the participant.   

 

In some instances, the LD Specialist may notify the ECM that the participant is having problems with transportation, child care and/or other issues that prevent the participant from participating in the LD Evaluation process. 

 

If this is the case, the ECM must take the necessary steps to resolve the problem(s) and, if the problems are resolved, the ECM must notify the LD Specialist in writing, by faxing the Learning Disabilities Communication Form (26-19).  The ECM must also provide the LD Specialist a “New Date of Referral” on the form. 

 

If the ECM has not received the report within fourteen (14) working days from the date of referral, he/she may call the LD Specialist for information regarding the status of the LD Evaluation and Report. 

 

ECMs must attempt to resolve all issues and concerns directly with the Learning Disabilities Specialist.  In the event that the ECM has been unable to resolve issues and/or concerns directly with the LD Specialist, the ECM must report these issues and/or concerns to the Learning Disabilities Coordinator at SPOS via the Employment Site’s Learning Disabilities Liaison. 

 

To report an issue and/or concern to SPOS, the Learning Disabilities Liaison must send a copy of all the required LD Evaluation referral documentation that was sent to the contractor and a brief memo describing the concern to the SPOS Learning Disabilities Coordinator at Mail Stop W-414.

 

Exit Interview
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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The Learning Disabilities Specialist will conduct an in-person, exit interview with the participant, which will consist of:

 

·       Providing the participant a written copy of the LD Report in the participant’s primary language and presenting and explaining the findings in a format which accommodates his/her learning disability(ies), if applicable;

·       Explaining the specific reasonable accommodations necessary to the participant’s success;

·       Making employment goal-oriented recommendations to the participant;

·       Affording the participant a Question & Answer period; and

·       Providing the participant’s ECM the opportunity to attend the Exit Interview, if desired by the ECM.

 

NOTE:  The LD Specialist will notify the ECM of the date of the Exit Interview, using the “Referral Outcome” section of the 26-19.

 

SPOS strongly encourages ECMs to attend the Exit Interview whenever possible to develop a WTW Plan based on mutual agreement between the participant, LD Specialist, and ECM.

 

Telephone Consultations
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Following the Exit Interview, the LD Specialist will be available to provide telephone consultations to the participant’s ECM to answer questions about the LD Report and the participant’s specific situation.  The ECM must request the Telephone Consultation by calling the LD Specialist and leaving a message, if necessary.  The LD Specialist must return ECM’s phone calls within two working days.

 

ECMs are asked to limit their Telephone Consultations to one or two phone calls per participant, whenever possible.  To make best use of the LD Specialist’s time, ECMs must thoroughly review the LD Report and develop a list of questions, prior to calling the LD Specialist.  Potential questions include, but are not limited to:

 

·       How significant is the individual’s learning disability and will it affect his/her participation in the WTW activities?

·       Are the participant’s proposed or current WTW activities appropriate?

·       What types of accommodations, assistive technologies, or services does the participant need to successfully participate in WTW activities?

·       Are referrals/evaluations needed for other conditions?

·       What types of resources are available to the participant?

·       If the report recommends fewer hours of participation in WTW activities as a reasonable accommodation, are there any supplemental activities appropriate to assist the participant in meeting the full 32/35-hours per week participation requirement?

·       Did the participant benefit from any WTW activities that he/she was assigned to prior to the receipt of the Learning Disabilities Report?

 

On rare occasions, ECMs may need to contact the LD Specialist at a later date following the original Telephone Consultation.  If such a case arises, the ECM must make the additional phone call no later than one year following the completion of the LD Report.  The LD Specialist will not be available for consultation after this date.

 

Medical Verification Packet
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

If the LD Specialist determines that the participant is unemployable or employable with limitations, he/she will complete a Medical Verification Packet, to the extent that he/she is licensed by the State of California to provide such medical verification. The packet will consist of the following forms:

 

·   Authorization to Release Medical Information Coversheet (CW 61);

·   Authorization for Release of Medical Information (CW 61);

·   Authorization to Release Medical Information Physical Capacities (CW 61A); and

·   Authorization to Release Medical Information Mental Capacities

   (CW 61B).

 

Appeal Rights
 
 

The participant must be involved in the decisions made during the LD Evaluation pertaining to his/her participation in WTW.  Likewise, the participant has the same right to appeal the LD Evaluation through the state hearing process, as other program participants.

 

Discrimination Complaints
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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If a participant states that discrimination occurred during the LD Evaluation, she/he may file a discrimination complaint.  Instances for filing a discrimination complaint include, but are not limited to, situations in which:

 

·       The test administrator appeared biased; and/or

·       The test results:

 

o   Appear to be biased (i.e. the testing instruments used contained cultural biases; or

o   Are invalid (i.e. improper procedures were used in administering the tests); or

o   Are incorrect (i.e. the test scores recorded in the report were calculated differently from the original scores).

 

All discrimination complaints must be immediately referred to the Employment Site’s Civil Rights Liaison.