(a) General. The purposes of these services are to:

(1) Evaluate if the veteran:

(i) Has an employment handicap;

(ii) Has a serious employment handicap; and

(iii) Is reasonably feasible for a vocational goal or an independent living goal.

(2) Provide a basis for planning:

(i) A program of services and assistance to improve the veteran’s potential for vocational rehabilitation or independent living;

(ii) A suitable vocational rehabilitation program; or

(iii) A suitable independent living program.

(3) Reevaluate the vocational rehabilitation or independent living potential of a veteran participating in a rehabilitation program under Chapter 31, as necessary.

(4) Enable a veteran to achieve:

(i) A vocational goal; or

(ii) An independent living goal.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3104)

(b) Periods during which evaluation and improvement services may be provided. Evaluation and improvement services may be provided concurrently, whenever necessary, with a period of rehabilitation services, including:

(1) Initial evaluation or reevaluation;

(2) Extended evaluation:

(3) Rehabilitation to the point of employability:

(4) A program of independent living services: or

(5) Employment services, incidental to obtaining or maintaining employment.

(c) Duration of full-time assistance. If evaluation and improvement services are furnished on a full-time basis as a preliminary part of the period of rehabilitation to the point of employability, or as the vocational rehabilitation program, the duration of such assistance may not exceed 12 months, except as provided in § 21.74(c).

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3105)

(d) Scope of services. Evaluation and improvement services include:

(1) Diagnostic services;

(2) Personal and work adjustment training;

(3) Medical care and treatment;

(4) Independent living services;

(5) Language training, speech and voice correction, training in ambulation, and one-hand typewriting;

(6) Orientation, adjustment, mobility and related services; and

(7) Other appropriate services.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3104(a)(1), (6), (9), (10), (15))