Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor I (#MDDU01)
$38,010.00 Yearly Min / $47,513.00 Yearly Mid / $57,016.00 Yearly Max

A class incumbent is responsible for the provision and coordination of rehabilitative services for physically or mentally disabled clients for the purpose of developing and implementing an individualized rehabilitation program leading to employment.

This is rehabilitation counseling work at the entry level, working with less severely disabled clients, with supervision from an administrative superior. Employees in this class have limited caseloads, rehabilitative goals, and work with an established number and type of clients classified as severely disabled. Significant aspects of work in this class will involve obtaining and evaluating relevant information to determine eligibility for vocational rehabilitation services, establishing individualized rehabilitative plans, and coordinating a variety of necessary services.  In addition, the incumbent will provide counseling and guidance, job development and placement services and establish and maintain working relationships with community resources.

Essential functions are fundamental, core functions common to all positions in the class series and are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all job duties for any one position in the class. Since class specifications are descriptive and not restrictive, incumbents can complete job duties of similar kind not specifically listed here.

• Obtains, reviews and analyzes relevant medical, psychological, psychiatric, social, educational and vocational data to determine eligibility for vocational rehabilitation services.
   
• Provides specialized counseling to clients and family members to aid in achieving satisfactory vocational adjustment.
   
• Formulates individualized written rehabilitation plan to meet clients' needs.
   
• Coordinates service with other agencies, hospitals, clinics, schools and other community resources to meet the needs of the client and monitor client's progress.
   
• Provides job development and placement services to include follow-up to ensure satisfactory adjustment to the job.
   
• Prepares case documentation and reports to justify expenditures and monitor client progress and outcome.
   
• Locates, develops and maintains referral sources of disabled persons.

The intent of the listed knowledge, skills and abilities is to give a general indication of the core requirements for all positions in the class series; therefore, the KSA’s listed are not exhaustive or necessarily inclusive of the requirements of every position in the class.

• Knowledge of principles and techniques of counseling and crisis intervention.
• Knowledge of principles and practices of casework management.
• Knowledge of disabling conditions and associated functional restrictions/limitations.
• Ability to learn transferable skills, job modifications, adaptive devices, labor market analysis and job placement of handicapped.
• Ability to learn and apply applicable division regulations, policies, and procedures, and federal guidelines conforming to vocational rehabilitation.
• Ability to learn community resources, their components and criteria for assessing same.
• Ability to analyze and interpret medical, psychiatric, psychological and vocational information.
• Ability to influence and modify behavior and attitude with respect to acceptance of disability, appropriate goal setting and vocational planning.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with medical community, public/private agencies, family, employers and co-workers.
  

JOB REQUIREMENTS for Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor I
Applicants must have education, training and/or experience demonstrating competence in each of the following areas:

1. Possession of a Bachelors degree or higher in Rehabilitation Counseling, Social or Behavioral Science or related field.
2. Knowledge of case management which includes assessing, planning, developing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating options and services to meet an individuals human service needs using effective counseling or interviewing techniques as well as other available resources such as service plans or case management systems.
3. Knowledge of vocational rehabilitation.
4. Knowledge of interpreting vocational rehabilitation laws, rules, regulations, standards, policies and procedures.
5. Knowledge of making recommendations as part of a clients service plan such as clinical treatment, counseling, or determining eligibility for health or human services/benefits.
6. Knowledge of narrative report writing.