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(a) General. In order to participate in the payment program under this subpart through its VR agency(ies), a State must have a plan which meets the requirements of title I of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.
(b) Participation by States. (1) The opportunity to participate through its VR agency(ies) with respect to disabled or blind recipients in the State will be offered first to the State in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section, unless the State has notified us in advance under paragraph (e)(1) of this section of its decision not to participate or to limit such participation.
(2) A State with one or more approved VR agencies may choose to limit participation of those agencies to a certain class(es) of disabled or blind recipients. For example, a State with separate VR agencies for the blind and disabled may choose to limit participation to the VR agency for the blind. In such a case, we would give the State, through its VR agency for the blind, the opportunity to participate with respect to blind recipients in the State in accordance with paragraph (d) of this section. A State that chooses to limit participation of its VR agency(ies) must notify us in advance under paragraph (e)(1) of this section of its decision to limit such participation.
(c) Opportunity for participation through State VR agencies. (1) Unless a State has decided not to participate or to limit participation, we will give the State the opportunity to participate through its VR agency(ies) with respect to disabled or blind recipients in the State by referring such recipients first to the State VR agency(ies) for necessary VR services. A State, through its VR agency(ies), may participate with respect to any recipient so referred by accepting the recipient as a client for VR services or placing the recipient into an extended evaluation process and notifying us under paragraph (c)(2) of this section of such acceptance or placement.
(2)(i) In order for the State to participate with respect to a disabled or blind recipient whom we referred to a State VR agency, the State VR agency must notify the appropriate Regional Commissioner (SSA) in writing or through electronic notification of its decision either to accept the recipient as a client for VR services or to place the recipient into an extended evaluation process. The notice must be received by the appropriate Regional Commissioner (SSA) no later than the close of the fourth month following the month in which we referred the recipient to the State VR agency.
(ii) In any case in which a State VR agency notifies the appropriate Regional Commissioner (SSA) in writing within the stated time period under paragraph (c)(2)(i) of this section of its decision to place the recipient into an extended evaluation process, the State VR agency also must notify that Regional Commissioner in writing upon completion of the evaluation of its decision whether or not to accept the recipient as a client for VR services. If we receive a notice of a decision by the State VR agency to accept the recipient as a client for VR services following the completion of the extended evaluation, the State may continue to participate with respect to such recipient.
(d) Opportunity for limited participation through State VR agencies. If a State has decided under paragraph (e)(1) of this section to limit participation of its VR agency(ies) to a certain class(es) of disabled or blind recipients in the State, we will give the State the opportunity to participate with respect to such class(es) of disabled or blind recipients by referring such recipients first to the State VR agency(ies) for necessary VR services. The State, through its VR agency(ies), may participate with respect to any recipient so referred by accepting the recipient as a client for VR services or placing the recipient into an extended evaluation process and notifying us under paragraph (c)(2) of this section of such acceptance or placement.
(e) Decision of a State not to participate or to limit participation. (1) A State may choose not to participate through its VR agency(ies) with respect to any disabled or blind recipients in the State, or it may choose to limit participation of its VR agency(ies) to a certain class(es) of disabled or blind recipients in the State. A State which decides not to participate or to limit participation must provide advance written notice of that decision to the appropriate Regional Commissioner (SSA). Unless a State specifies a later month, a decision not to participate or to limit participation will be effective beginning with the third month following the month in which the notice of the decision is received by the appropriate Regional Commissioner (SSA). The notice of the State decision must be submitted by an official authorized to act for the State for this purpose. A State must provide to the appropriate Regional Commissioner (SSA) an opinion from the State's Attorney General, verifying the authority of the official who sent the notice to act for the State. This opinion will not be necessary if the notice is signed by the Governor of the State.
(2) [Reserved]
(3) A State which has decided not to participate or to limit participation may participate later through its VR agency(ies) in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section. A State that decides to resume participation under paragraph (c) of this section must provide advance written notice of that decision to the appropriate Regional Commissioner (SSA). A decision of a State to resume participation under paragraph (c) of this section will be effective beginning with the third month following the month in which the notice of the decision is received by the appropriate Regional Commissioner (SSA) or, if later, with a month specified by the State. The notice of the State decision must be submitted by an official authorized to act for the State as explained in paragraph (e)(1) of this section.