DOE/DVR - SENIOR VOCATIONAL REHAB COUNSELOR - 48004448 - BROOKSVILLE

About the role

This position performs advanced-level work under the limited supervision of the Vocational Rehabilitation Supervisor in Area 4 - Unit 16A in Brooksville, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. Position is responsible for providing independent professional vocational rehabilitation counseling to identified individuals with disabilities, which may include those identified as potentially eligible Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) youth customers ages 14-21, to support the overall goal of employment.

Responsibilities

• Maintains active and meaningful engagement throughout the life of the VR case.
• Makes referrals and completes the application and Initial Interview for VR services in compliance with federal regulations.
• Affirms medical, psychological, and vocational information to determine eligibility for services.
• Accurately determines and documents eligibility for VR Services, at the earliest point possible, in compliance with the federal regulations.
• Provides information to assist individuals with disabilities in making informed choices, consistent with federal requirements, regarding services, service providers and employment outcomes.
• Supports and provides services to assist VR customers in obtaining successful and quality employment outcomes.
• Authorizes, coordinates and/or negotiates services leading to successful employment outcomes.
• Collaborates with VR Customers regarding plan development.
• Engages customers timely in their planning process to identify an appropriate vocational goal and services to develop an IPE, in compliance with the federal regulations.
• Documents the comprehensive assessment in compliance with policy requirements.
• Develops job placement opportunities through job placement activities, including job analysis, job development, and labor market information to assist individuals with disabilities to obtain appropriate employment outcomes.
• Manages resources to ensure all activities, including programmatic counseling and financial, are tracked and occur according to state and federal regulations and policies.
• Coordinates or collaborates with others in other placement activities.
• Provides support to guide customers appropriately to and through the credential attainment process to support quality employment outcomes.
• Provides timely follow up and monitoring in employment phase leading to successful outcomes.
• Documents and tracks post-employment support and services.
• Closes cases in alignment with policy.
• Manages VR Services and applies sound decision making and best value purchasing principles to customer purchases.
• Ensures that all purchases align with purchasing policies.
• Tracks and communicates regulations, laws, and rules specific to financial and payment timelines and requirements like period of performance, open authorizations, allowable expenditures, appropriate use of coding for authorizations, etc.
• Collaborates with community partners to assure appropriate use of available resources.
• Participates in training experiences designed to enhance professional competency in vocational rehabilitation.

Qualifications

• Establish and maintain education and experience requirements, to ensure that the personnel have a 21st century understanding of the evolving labor force and the needs of individuals with disabilities.
• Two (2) years of experience consisting of:
• - Direct work with individuals with disabilities in a setting such as an independent living center
• - Direct service for advocacy activities that provide such individuals with experience working with individuals with disabilities
• - Direct experience as an employer
• - Direct experience as a small business owner or operator
• - Direct experience in self-employment
• - Experience in human resources
• - Experience in recruitment
• - Experience in supervising employees
• - Experience in training
• - Experience in other activities that provide experience in competitive integrated employment environments

Skills

• Knowledge of the theories and practices in vocational rehabilitation guidance and counseling.
• Knowledge of medical and psychological aspects of disability groups.
• Principles and techniques of effective communication.
• Knowledge of employment resources and vocational rehabilitation resources.
• Knowledge of methods in compiling, organizing and analyzing data.
• Skills in the development and use of community resources and comparable benefits.
• Ability to compile, organize and analyze medical, vocational and psychological data.
• Ability to administer tests and analyze results.
• Ability to provide counseling and guidance in the area of career planning.
• Ability to develop individual vocational rehabilitation programs and place clients in appropriate vocations.
• Ability to use and analyze information form the management information system.
• Ability to interpret state and federal vocational rehabilitation regulations and policies.
• Ability to devise employment strategies for individuals with disabilities.
• Ability to use automated systems.

Benefits

• * State Group Insurance coverage options
• * Retirement plan options, including employer contributions (www.myfrs.com)
• * Nine paid holidays and a Personal Holiday each year
• * Annual and Sick Leave Benefits
• * Student Loan Forgiveness Program (Eligibility required)
• * Flexible Spending Accounts
• * Tuition Fee Waivers (Accepted by major Florida colleges/universities)
• * Ongoing comprehensive training provided
• * Career Growth
• * Highly skilled, professional environment
• * Maternity and Parental Leave Benefits