Vision Rehabilitation Therapist
About the Role
As a Vision Rehabilitation Therapist with the Bureau of Blindness & Visual Services, you will play an important role supporting customers as they adjust to vision loss. This position with our Harrisburg District Office, will help provide these services in the following counties: Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, and Perry. You will work directly with individuals of all ages as they learn strategies to navigate daily tasks with greater ease and maintain their independence at home, at work, and in their communities.
Description of Work
This position centers on providing guidance, adaptive techniques, and useful resources to individuals who are blind or visually impaired. Success relies on thoughtful, responsive planning and effective communication with customers and community partners.
Responsibilities
- Assess Customer Needs: Gather information by interviewing customers about their needs, motivations, and goals; reviewing reports; and conferring with other professionals
- Develop Service Plans: Work with customers to develop and coordinate individualized plans that teach coping skills, adaptive techniques, and provide related rehabilitation services
- Teach New Skills: Provide customers with supportive counseling, individual and group experienced-based learning, and supervised practice
- Review Progress: Monitor how customers develop skills and utilize adaptive supports; provide encouragement and adjust plans when needed to support safe and independent daily living
- Train Community Supports: Provide guidance, training, and consultation to community organizations that serve blind and visually impaired individuals
- Keep Accurate Records: Maintain detailed documentation of assignments, notes, plans, and reports as well as referrals and follow-up for other supportive services
Schedule
- Full-time employment
- Work hours are typically 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday - Friday, with a 30-minute lunch. This position's work hours are negotiable - 7.5 hour workday and lunch period is 30 minutes (or 60 minutes depending on work hours).
- This position may be eligible for Alternate Work Schedules (AWS).
- Telework: You may have the opportunity to work from home (telework) part-time, upon successful completion of probationary period. In order to telework, you must have a securely configured high-speed internet connection and work from an approved location inside Pennsylvania. If you are unable to telework, you will have the option to report to the headquarters office in Harrisburg. The ability to telework is subject to change at any time. Additional details may be provided during the interview.
Pay
Most candidates will begin employment at the starting annual salary of $60,538 (before taxes).
Qualifications
Minimum Experience and Training Requirements:
- Successful completion of the commonwealth's Vision Rehabilitation Therapist Intern program (Commonwealth job title or equivalent Federal Government job title, as determined by the Office of Administration); or
- A bachelor's or master's degree or certificate from an approved college or university program in rehabilitation teaching of the blind or visually impaired, vision rehabilitation therapy, teacher of the visually impaired, or education with a concentration in visual impairment, that includes a practicum; or
- Possession of an active Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist certificate issued by the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP).
- Applicants will be considered to have met the educational requirements once they are within three months of graduating with a qualifying degree.
Other Requirements:
- PA residency requirement is currently waived for this title.
- You must be able to perform essential job functions.
Legal Requirements:
- This position falls under the provisions of the Child Protective Services Law.
- Under the Law, a conditional offer of employment will require submission and approval of satisfactory criminal history reports including, but not limited to, PA State Police clearance, PA Child Abuse history clearance, and FBI Fingerprint clearance.