State agency turns away 600 disabled job seekers.

A state agency that helps people with disabilities find work is telling many job seekers to look elsewhere for assistance.

Under a policy adopted in August, the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation is only accepting people with what federal law describes as the most significant disabilities, such as disabilities that severely limit speech and mobility.

That decision had delayed applications from nearly 600 people as of Thursday. Meanwhile, the agency is referring them to local service organizations, but it remains unclear how long the policy will remain in place.

“With the demand for and cost of services increasing in recent years, the lack of additional funding from the Legislature has been and continues to be the biggest problem here,” Adrian Apodaca, the acting director of the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, said in a statement.

Currently serving nearly 6,500 New Mexicans, the division’s rehabilitation services unit helps people with disabilities get into the workforce. One study after another has found meaningful work gives greater independence and satisfaction to people with disabilities. In turn, the division can connect job seekers with prospective employment, arrange training, offer career counseling and furnish equipment such as hearing aids.

The federal government requires the agency to serve those with the most significant disabilities when funding or staffing shortages make it impossible for the division to meet the needs of all of its clientele.

This is what is known as an order of selection.

Under the state’s plan, people with disabilities must meet at least three of five criteria, such as requiring assistance to communicate, bathe or move about the community, to be considered among the most significantly disabled.

The agency has used an order of selection off and on since 2011 in response to budget cuts and staffing freezes. Several other states have similar policies in place.

Until August, the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation had not been limiting applicants based on the severity of their disabilities.

The decision in August came as the agency’s budget remained mostly flat. Most of the agency’s budget — about $44.4 million — comes from the federal government. Neither the governor nor the Legislature has recommended increasing what the state kicks in for the budget, which totals about $5.6 million.

Meanwhile, nearly 1 in 4 jobs within the division is empty.

An agency spokesman said the number of job vacancies was not a factor in the August decision.

Still, the division’s vacancy rate is relatively high, said Pamela Stafford, policy director at the disability advocacy group Arc New Mexico.

The organization has called on the state to staff the agency.