Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 94 Part 2.djvu/898

 94 STAT. 2176 38 USC 1505.

Extensions.

38 USC 1506.

PUBLIC LAW 96-466—OCT. 17, 1980

"§ 1505. Duration of rehabilitation programs "(a) In any case in which the Administrator is unable to determine whether it is reasonably feasible for a veteran to achieve a vocational goal, the period of extended evaluation under section 1506(c) of this title may not exceed twelve months, except that such period may be extended for additional periods of up to six months each if the Administrator determines before granting any such extension that it is reasonably likely that, during the period of any such extension, a determination can be made whether the achievement of a vocational goal is reasonably feasible in the case of such veteran. "(b) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, the period of a vocational rehabilitation program for a veteran under this chapter following a determination of the reasonable feasibility of achieving a vocational goal may not exceed forty-eight months, except that the counseling and placement and postplacement services described in section 1504(a)(2) and (5) of this title may be provided for an additional period not to exceed eighteen months in any case in which the Administrator determines the provision of such counseling and services to be necessary to accomplish the purposes of a rehabilitation program in the individual case. "(c) The Administrator may extend the period of a vocational rehabilitation program for a veteran to the extent that the Administrator determines that an extension of such period is necessary to enable such veteran to achieve a vocational goal if the Administrator also determines— "(1) that such veteran had previously been rehabilitated to the point of employability but (A) such veteran's need for further vocational rehabilitation has arisen out of a worsening of such veteran's service-connected disability that precludes such veteran from performing the duties of the occupation for which such veteran had been so rehabilitated, or (B) the occupation for which such veteran had been so rehabilitated is not suitable in view of such veteran's employment handicap and capabilities; or "(2) under regulations which the Administrator shall prescribe, that such veteran has a serious employment handicap and that an extension of such period is necessary to accomplish the purposes of a rehabilitation program for such veteran. "(d) Unless the Administrator determines that a longer period is necessary and likely to result in a substantial increase in a veteran's level of independence in daily living, the period of a program of independent living services and assistance for a veteran under this chapter (following a determination by the Administrator that such veteran's disability or disabilities are so severe that the achievement of a vocational goal is not reasonably feasible) may not exceed twentyfour months. "§ 1506. Initial and extended evaluations; determinations regarding serious employment handicap "(a) The Administrator shall provide any veteran who has a service-connected disability described in section 1502(1)(A) or (B) of this title and who applies for benefits under this chapter with an intitial evaluation consisting of such services described in section 1504(a)(1) of this title as are necessary (1) to determine whether such veteran is entitled to and eligible for benefits under this chapter, and (2) in the case of a veteran who is determined to be entitled to and eligible for such benefits, to determine—

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