Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor

About the role

This position will have primary responsibility for providing guidance and counseling in a professional manner to individuals with disabilities in order that they may attain and maintain competitive employment in the least restrictive environment. The Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (VRC) will be responsible for ensuring consumer choice throughout the Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) process. The VRC will coordinate rehabilitation services from intake through plan development and placement services. The VRC will provide consumers with information to facilitate informed choices regarding planned program services.

Responsibilities

• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Rehabilitate eligible applicants who are severely and most severely disabled.
• Perform eligibility determinations for program applicants in compliance with State and Federal Guidelines.
• Write and initiate Individualized Plans for Employment in compliance with State and Federal Guidelines.
• Serve in school youth ages 14-21 under regulations of Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).
• Maintain a caseload that follows VR Guidelines, Policies and Best Practices to maintain area compliance pertaining to Alerts, Things to Do, Days in Status and all other aspects of proper case management.
• Provide and coordinate professional vocational rehabilitation counseling to individuals with a diversity of disabilities in order that they may attain employment.
• Access client information, maintain case records, produce correspondence, and perform other automated functions within the scope of the position’s responsibilities; assess medical, psychological, and vocational information to determine eligibility.
• Develop an Individualized Plan for employment with the full participation of the customer with a disability to determine employment outcomes.
• Conduct in-depth interviews with individuals with disabilities requiring rehabilitation strategies to determine eligibility for vocational rehabilitation services and the feasibility for achieving employment outcomes.
• Provide information to assist individuals with disabilities in making informed choices regarding services, service providers, and employment outcomes; negotiate with individuals with disabilities regarding plan development.
• Develop employer contacts and serve as liaison with local employers. Collaborate with Department of Education (DOE)/Department of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) team members in employment service activities. Utilize the resources of community rehabilitation in securing appropriate employment services for eligible individuals with disabilities.
• Manage resources to ensure financial accountability according to state and federal regulations. Collaborate with community partners to assure appropriate use of available resources.
• Participate in training experiences designed to enhance professional competency in vocational rehabilitation.
• Successfully rehabilitate customers in accordance with established goals. Provide guidance and counseling to customers during the entire rehabilitation process. Document the rehabilitation process in the client's case file in accordance with federal and state regulations and policies.
• Fiscally account for all client services expenditures.
• Review and comply with Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) Code of Ethics Guidelines.
• Complete Pre-ETS services to Youth under the WIOA guidelines.
• Complete all travel requests and travel reimbursement in a timely and accurate manner, complete timesheets in a timely and accurate manner. Ensure that all expenses are turned in during the month that they are incurred.
• WIOA Deliverables:
  • Employment Rate 2nd quarter after exit
  • Employment Rate 4th quarter after exit
  • Median earnings in the second quarter after exit
  • Credential Attainment
  • Measurable Skill Gains
  • Effectiveness in Serving Employers.

Qualifications

• A Bachelor's Degree (BA/BS) from an accredited college or university with a major in a social, behavioral or rehabilitative science, education, or related field, and one year of professional experience in counseling or in a public vocational rehabilitation program required.
• A Master's Degree (MA/MS) from an accredited college or university in a social, behavioral or rehabilitative science or education program can substitute for one year of required experience.
• Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) certification preferred.
• Valid driver’s license and/or access to reliable transportation to perform work-related travel required. Eligible drivers must have a good motor vehicle record (MVR).

Additional Responsibilities

Provide and coordinate professional vocational rehabilitation counseling to individuals with a diversity of disabilities in order that they may attain employment. Access client information, maintain case records, produce correspondence, and perform other automated functions within the scope of the position’s responsibilities; assess medical, psychological, and vocational information to determine eligibility. Develop an Individualized Plan for employment with the full participation of the customer with a disability to determine employment outcomes. Conduct in-depth interviews with individuals with disabilities requiring rehabilitation strategies to determine eligibility for vocational rehabilitation services and the feasibility for achieving employment outcomes. Provide information to assist individuals with disabilities in making informed choices regarding services, service providers, and employment outcomes; negotiate with individuals with disabilities regarding plan development. Develop employer contacts and serve as liaison with local employers. Collaborate with Department of Education (DOE)/Department of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) team members in employment service activities. Utilize the resources of community rehabilitation in securing appropriate employment services for eligible individuals with disabilities. Manage resources to ensure financial accountability according to state and federal regulations. Collaborate with community partners to assure appropriate use of available resources. Participate in training experiences designed to enhance professional competency in vocational rehabilitation. Successfully rehabilitate customers in accordance with established goals. Provide guidance and counseling to customers during the entire rehabilitation process. Document the rehabilitation process in the client's case file in accordance with federal and state regulations and policies. Fiscally account for all client services expenditures. Review and comply with Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) Code of Ethics Guidelines. Complete Pre-ETS services to Youth under the WIOA guidelines. Complete all travel requests and travel reimbursement in a timely and accurate manner, complete timesheets in a timely and accurate manner. Ensure that all expenses are turned in during the month that they are incurred. WIOA Deliverables: Employment Rate 2nd quarter after exit, Employment Rate 4th quarter after exit, Median earnings in the second quarter after exit, Credential Attainment, Measurable Skill Gains, Effectiveness in Serving Employers. Perform other responsibilities as assigned.

Physical Demands

• Regularly required to stand; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear.
• Occasionally required to walk and sit.
• Occasionally lift or move products and supplies, up to 50 pounds.

Work Environment

The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.

What We Offer

• Health coverage for you and your family through Medical, Dental, and Vision plans.
• Financial protection with 100% company paid Disability, Life, Accidental Death & Dismemberment insurance.
• A 403(b)-Retirement plan in which the company matches dollar for dollar on a generous percentage matching up to 3% of your contribution.
• Tax advantages through Flexible Spending and Health Savings accounts that allow you to pay for specific healthcare and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.
• To help you manage your work and life needs, we offer an Employee Assistance Program, Wellness Program, and Tuition Assistance.
• A generous paid time-off program in which the benefits increase based on your tenure with the company.

PAY TRANSPARENCY POLICY STATEMENT

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.