R 395.91 Requirements for third-party vendors providing customized employment

services. Rule 41. To qualify as a vendor to deliver customized employment services, all individual vendor staff providing customized employment services shall complete the following: (a) Association of Community Rehabilitation Educators (ACRE) course completion and certification in customized employment subject to the following: (i) MRS shall accept ACRE courses where the primary focus is customized employment and certifications provided by the following organizations: (A) Griffin Hammis Associates. (B) Mark Gold and Associates. (C) Incompass. (D) TransCen. (E) Other organizations that MRS has provided written approval to the vendor as acceptable substitutes. (ii) Vendors approved to provide customized employment services to MRS participants must retain and make available to MRS on request all staff training documentation, including the name of the ACRE training, organization conducting the training, dates of the training, course syllabus or equivalent, and ACRE certification in vendor staff’s name. (b) Ten hours of professional development related to customized employment every calendar year subject to the following: (i) Hours must be prorated based on the date vendor staff began providing customized employment to MRS participants. For example, a vendor staff member who began providing customized employment in June would only be required to obtain 5 hours of professional development for that calendar year. (ii) Acceptable professional development categories activities include: (A) Mentoring, including providing one-on-one feedback and guidance on customized employment work performed. (B) Technical assistance, including providing additional customized employment subject matter expertise. (C) Attending community of practices or similar events. (D) Participating in trainings in which customized employment is the primary subject. (E) Attending events, conferences, or webinars in which customized employment is the primary focus. (F) Other professional development activities that MRS has provided written approval to the vendor as acceptable substitutes. (iii) A vendor shall retain and make available to MRS on request staff professional development documentation, including all of the following: (A) The category of professional development activity. (B) The individual and associated agency providing the professional development activity. (C) A short summary of the outcome of the professional development activity. (D) The length of time vendor staff members engaged in the professional development activity. (E) The total number of professional development activity hours for the calendar year.