4354. (Amended by Stats. 2009, Ch. 439, Sec. 1.)

(a) “Acquired traumatic brain injury” is an injury that is sustained after birth from an external force to the brain or any of its parts, resulting in cognitive, psychological, neurological, or anatomical changes in brain functions.

(b) “Department” means the State Department of Rehabilitation.

(c) “Director” means the Director of Rehabilitation.

(d) (1) “Vocational supportive services” means a method of providing vocational rehabilitation and related services that may include prevocational and educational services to individuals who are unserved or underserved by existing vocational rehabilitation services.

(2) “Extended supported employment services” means ongoing support services and other appropriate services that are needed to support and maintain an individual with an acquired traumatic brain injury in supported employment following that individual’s transition from support provided as a vocational rehabilitation service, including job coaching, by the department, as defined in paragraphs (1) and (5) of subdivision (a) of Section 19150.

(e) The following four characteristics distinguish “vocational supportive services” from traditional methods of providing vocational rehabilitation and day activity services:

(1) Service recipients appear to lack the potential for unassisted competitive employment.

(2) Ongoing training, supervision, and support services must be provided.

(3) The opportunity is designed to provide the same benefits that other persons receive from work, including an adequate income level, quality of working life, security, and mobility.

(4) There is flexibility in the provision of support which is necessary to enable the person to function effectively at the worksite.

(f) “Community reintegration services” means services as needed by consumers, designed to develop, maintain, increase, or maximize independent functioning, with the goal of living in the community and participating in community life. These services may include, but are not limited to, providing, or arranging for access to, housing, transportation, medical care, rehabilitative therapies, day programs, chemical dependency recovery programs, personal assistance, and education.

(g) “Fund” means the Traumatic Brain Injury Fund.

(h) “Supported living services” means a range of appropriate supervision, support, and training in the consumer’s place of residence, designed to maximize independence.

(i) “Functional assessment” means measuring the level or degree of independence, amount of assistance required, and speed and safety considerations for a variety of categories, including activities of daily living, mobility, communication skills, psychosocial adjustment, and cognitive function.

(j) “Residence” means the place where a consumer makes his or her home, that may include, but is not limited to, a house or apartment where the consumer lives independently, assistive living arrangements, congregate housing, group homes, residential care facilities, transitional living programs, and nursing facilities.

(k) “Community rehabilitation program” shall have the same meaning as contained in subdivision (5) of Section 705 of Title 29 of the United States Code.