REVIEW OF DATA COLLECTION SYSTEM.

SEC. 136. REVIEW OF DATA COLLECTION SYSTEM. (a) Review.—The Commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration (in this section referred to as the ‘Commissioner’) shall undertake a comprehensive review of the current system for collecting and reporting client data under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 701 et seq.), particularly data on clients of the programs under title I of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 720 et seq.). (b) Considerations.— (1) In general.— In conducting the review, the Commissioner shall examine the kind, quantity, and quality of the data that are currently reported, taking into consideration the range of purposes that the data serve at the Federal, State, and local levels. (2) Data elements.— In conducting the review, the Commissioner shall examine the feasibility of collecting and reporting under the system information, if such information can be determined, regarding— (A) other program participation by clients during the 3 years prior to application; (B) the number of jobs held, hours worked, and earnings received by clients in the 3 years prior to application to a program under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; (C) the types of major and secondary disabilities of clients; (D) the dates of the onset of disabilities of clients; (E) the severity of the disabilities of clients; 106 STAT. 4397 (F) the sources of referral of clients to programs under such Act; (G) the hours worked by clients; (H) the size and industry code of the place of employment of clients at the time of entry into such a program and at the termination of services under the program; (I) the number of services provided under the programs and the cost of each service; (J) the types of public support received by the clients: (K) the primary sources of economic support and amounts of public assistance received by the clients before and after receiving the services; (L) whether the clients are covered by health insurance from any source and whether health insurance is available through the employment of the client; (M) the supported employment status of the client; and (N) the reasons for terminating the services. (c) Recommendations.—Based on the review, the Commissioner shall recommend improvements in the data collection and reporting system. (d) Views.—In developing the recommendations, the Commissioner shall seek views of persons and entities providing or using such data, including State agencies, State Rehabilitation Advisory Councils, providers of vocational rehabilitation services, professionals in the field of vocational rehabilitation, clients and organizations representing clients, the National Council on Disability, other Federal agencies, non-Federal researchers, other analysts using the data, and other members of the public. (e) Publication and Submission of Report.—Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commissioner shall publish the recommendations in the Federal Register and shall prepare and submit a report containing the recommendations to the appropriate committees of Congress. The Commissioner shall not implement the recommendations earlier than 90 days after the date on which the Commissioner submits the report.