It is important to know the difference between a behavioral and mental health review in making decisions about an applicant being admitted to Job Corps. Applicants can meet eligibility requirements for Job Corps but not be approved for admission.

As a part of the additional factors for selection and enrollment, a behavior history review that looks at the applicant’s criminal history is conducted. The behavioral review considers, (1) the nature of the criminal act and whether the applicant responded positively to supervision and (2) the applicant’s potential affect on the daily functioning of the center and safety of others.

The center will first conduct a behavioral review of the applicant file. If the center recommends a behavioral denial, the file is sent to the regional office for evaluation of the denial. If the regional office concurs, the file will be denied. If the regional office does not concur, the file is sent back to the center for admission. The center can then evaluate any mental health or medical history as part of the reasonable accommodation process.

The Disability Coordinator and mental health consultants should consider behavioral eligibility first. If an applicant is not eligible for enrollment based on the behavior review, it is not necessary to consider reasonable accommodation, as the applicant cannot enroll regardless of disability. For example, an applicant with a history of bipolar disorder who has a recent history of assault during a manic phase might be first considered for a behavioral review. A chronic paranoid schizophrenic who refuses medication and goes to jail for battery might also be considered for a behavioral review. A student without a disability who exhibits these same behaviors would likely not be able to enroll.

Approval Process

Mental health consultants should receive the file AFTER the applicant has been given a conditional offer of enrollment. In general, however, applicant files will reach the mental health consultant after the applicant has already been approved. At this point, the mental health consultant will review the file for mental health reasonable accommodations, if the history indicates such a need.

Many applicants with behavioral problems such as lying, irritability, challenging authority, chronically late, resistant, and disruptive might still be deemed eligible behaviorally because there were no criminal convictions. Many are diagnosed with an oppositional-defiant disorder, conduct disorder, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder or personality disorder.

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