Quick answer
Your state vocational rehabilitation (VR) agency can explain applications, services, notices, and its dispute procedures. The Client Assistance Program (CAP) provides information and advocacy concerning covered rehabilitation programs. You can ask CAP about a concern without purchasing a service from me.
Use the labeled official and provider links below. AI Simple Solutions is an independent service. I do not operate CAP, work for these agencies, or control whether another organization accepts a request.
What to do
Identify the state, agency, and question. Start with a brief description rather than a complete set of private records.
State any date on a notice and the date you received it. Say clearly if a deadline may be approaching.
Describe the next step you need help understanding: an explanation, a records request, an appeal, an accommodation, or permitted representation.
Ask about eligibility, scope, current intake arrangements, accessible communication, and appropriate handling of confidential documents.
Record whom you contacted, when, and any agreed next step. Continue to track your own notices and deadlines.
Keep deadlines and acceptance separate
A call, email, intake form, or referral does not itself file an appeal, serve a party, extend a deadline, or establish an attorney-client relationship. Ask the agency or a qualified adviser how to preserve the relevant procedural rights.
Organizations set their own eligibility criteria, priorities, and capacity. Free information does not guarantee full representation or a particular outcome. Agency and CAP contacts can change; confirm them on the linked provider pages.
The federal FAQ was available through the search index during this review, while direct access to the federal pages was restricted. The California and Nevada provider pages were reviewed directly.
Background, examples & sources
Federal starting point
The U.S. Department of Education’s rehabilitation FAQ explains the role of the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), state VR agencies, and CAP. It directs consumers to their state CAP or RSA state liaison for concerns about covered programs. RSA oversees the federal program, but its ability to intervene in an individual case is limited.
For a state other than California or Nevada, use the federal FAQ and RSA website to locate the appropriate state contact. You can also ask your state VR agency for its current CAP contact information. Asking RSA a question is not a substitute for using the applicable state appeal procedure.
California: California Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) and Disability Rights California
For the agency’s own procedures, use California Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) dispute-resolution information. For independent assistance, Disability Rights California (DRC) operates California’s CAP. Its CAP page describes information, advice, self-advocacy support, and advocacy about DOR and other covered programs.
DRC’s published CAP phone is 1-800-776-5746; TTY is 1-800-719-5798. Check the current Get Help page for available intake methods. You may ask CAP for help at any stage; availability of information or intake does not mean representation has been accepted.
Nevada: VR Nevada and NDALC
VR Nevada’s Job Seekers page gives the agency’s application and service information and identifies the Nevada Disability Advocacy and Law Center (NDALC) as its CAP provider. NDALC is separate from VR Nevada.
The agency lists CAP phone numbers 1-888-349-3843 and 1-702-257-8150, Relay Nevada 711, and CAP@ndalc.org. NDALC states that services are free to eligible individuals within its resources and priorities. Confirm what assistance it can offer before relying on representation.
Information to have available
- The relevant notice, its receipt date, and the instructions that came with it.
- A short chronology, your main question, and the result you are seeking.
- Your current employment plan or key correspondence, if relevant; share only what the provider requests through an appropriate channel.
- Any authorization needed if someone contacts the provider for you.
A fictional example
A person receives a decision about a requested training service. They call the CAP provider for their state, explain the decision and receipt dates, and ask which review options apply. They separately check the agency’s instructions and keep proof of any request they actually submit. A callback request is not treated as the appeal itself.
Your next step
Choose the California, Nevada, or federal source below. Use the meeting-preparation worksheet to organize your question before contacting the appropriate provider. You do not need to contact or hire me to use these free resources.
Official information
- Federal: U.S. Department of Education rehabilitation FAQ (Official federal agency guidance)
- Federal: Rehabilitation Services Administration (Official federal agency website; direct retrieval restricted during review)
- California: DOR dispute-resolution options (Official agency guidance)
- California: DOR identifies the independent CAP provider (Official agency guidance)
- California: Disability Rights California CAP services (Provider information)
- California: DRC current Get Help options (Provider intake information)
- Nevada: VR agency information and CAP contact (Official agency guidance)
- Nevada: NDALC service scope and eligibility (Provider information)
Last source review: 2026-10-09 · Agency and provider information reviewed; availability and intake details can change
Agency and provider pages reviewed October 9, 2026; federal FAQ retrieved through the search index because direct retrieval was restricted.
Your next step
Make a focused meeting plan — free worksheet.