Title XVI definitions of disability and blindness have no lower age limits. There
will be young applicants for whom a vocational objective cannot be established. To
cope with this, an agreement should be reached between the DDS and the State VR agency
as to the appropriate age (e.g., age 15) when long-range vocational rehabilitation
planning would be of realistic value. Usually, any child who has not attained the
agreed-upon age should be screened out for VR referral. However, the DDS should refer
visually impaired child applicants, regardless of age, to the appropriate agency for
the blind.
In addition to being considered for VR referral, all allowed blind and disabled children
under age 16 will be immediately referred to the State children's agency for social,
developmental, educational, medical and rehabilitative services. (See DI 28087.035 for preparation and routing of referrals to the designated State agency.)
This means that in those States, where the State VR agency accepts referrals of children
under age 16, some children will be referred to both the State VR agency and the designated
agency at the same time. In these dual referral cases, the responsibility lies with
the VR and designated agencies to coordinate the services given to the child.