State of Maryland

A Work Adjustment Associate I is the entry level of work providing work placement, work training and work adjustment services to patients with behavioral health diagnoses or clients with developmental disabilities within a pre-vocational development program at a residential or inpatient facility or community-based program. Employees in this classification do not supervise other positions but may provide advice and guidance to Direct Care staff, students and volunteers assigned to the program.

Employees in this classification receive close supervision from a Work Adjustment Coordinator, Instructor or other designated personnel. Employees may be required to work weekends and holidays and may be subject to call-in and overtime. Employees are required to observe infection control precautions in order to prevent contamination and spread of disease. Employees may be required to physically restrain patients/clients displaying violent and aggressive behavior. The work may require the lifting and positioning of non-ambulatory patients/clients and the lifting of wheelchairs and other heavy equipment. The work may require the operation of industrial machinery. The work may require long periods of standing, walking, bending and reaching.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology. The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

The Work Adjustment Associate I, Work Adjustment Associate II and Work Adjustment Associate III are differentiated on the basis of degree of supervisory control exercised by the supervisor over these employees. The Work Adjustment Associate I learns to perform duties under close supervision. The Work Adjustment Associate II performs duties under close supervision at times and under general supervision at other times depending on the complexity of the specific duty being performed. The Work Adjustment Associate III performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.

Learns to assist patients/clients performing tasks in a specific pre-vocational work setting such as horticulture, woodwork, housekeeping, sheltered workshop or linen services to ensure that activities are consistent with the individual treatment plan;

Attends in-service training programs to maintain awareness of current pre-vocational principles and practices pertaining to patients/clients;

Observes patients’/clients’ participation during work adjustment activities and learns to document observations in behavioral terms;

Learns to monitor production for compliance with contract quotas and schedules;

Learns to provide training and demonstration of proper techniques to patients/ clients performing work adjustment tasks;

Learns to assist in assessing the vocational capabilities and limitations of patients/ clients in order to determine their interests, aptitudes, abilities and work histories through review of records and personal interviews;

Learns to place the patient/client in the appropriate work setting within an existing program in accordance with the patient/client assessment, the Individual Treatment Plan and pre-vocational program guidelines;

Learns to review workshop contracts and rates of compensation as directed by the supervisor;

Learns techniques to motivate patients/clients to achieve their optimum level of pre-vocational development through established means such as group activity and the accomplishment of individual goals;

Learns to document the progress of patients/clients in accordance with established procedures in an articulate and comprehensive manner;

Performs other related duties.

Ability to learn and understand the various physical and developmental disabilities and their effects on the patients’/clients’ ability to perform work related functions;

Ability to learn therapeutic work principles and various work adjustment methods; Ability to learn about related occupations;

Ability to learn and recognize symptoms and behavioral problems associated with physical illness, behavioral health diagnoses, or developmental disabilities;

Ability to learn and apply the methods of documenting patient/client progress in behavioral terms;

Ability to learn and apply behavior modification techniques;

Ability to learn and apply therapeutic techniques in patient/client interaction;

Ability to teach patients/clients with behavioral health diagnoses or developmental disabilities simple manual tasks and functions;

Ability to observe and document patients’/clients’ progress;

Ability to assess various levels of patient/client behavior, aptitude and performance;

Ability to motivate patients/clients in a work adjustment setting;

Ability to learn and apply wage and hour regulations in computing compensation rates;

Ability to learn the operation and maintenance of workshop equipment such as power tools, printers and woodworking equipment;

Ability to work as an effective member of a team of health care providers.

Education: Completion of 60 credit hours from an accredited college or university with at least 15 credit hours in health services, human services, education or the behavioral sciences.

Experience: None.

Note: Candidates may substitute two years of experience providing work placement, work training and work adjustment services to patients with behavioral health diagnoses or clients with developmental disabilities in a pre-vocational development program for the required education.

1. Employees in this classification may be assigned duties which require the operation of a motor vehicle. Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess a motor vehicle operator’s license valid in the State of Maryland.

2. Employees in some positions in this classification may be required to operate vehicles which require a Class C motor vehicle operator’s license valid in the State of Maryland. Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess the Class C motor vehicle operator’s license.

3. Employees in this classification may be required to successfully complete training and maintain current certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is assigned to Bargaining Unit D- Health and Human Service Nonprofessional classes.  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

Employees in this classification are eligible to receive overtime compensation.  An employee who works more than the normal workweek is entitled to be compensated for that overtime as provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 8-305.

This classification is one level in a Non-Competitive Promotion (NCP) series.  NCP promotions are promotions by which employees may advance in grade and class level from trainee to full performance levels in a classification series.  In order to be non-competitively promoted to the next level in a NCP series an employee must: 1) perform the main purpose of the class as defined in the Nature of Work section of the class specification; 2) receive the type of supervision defined in the class specification, and 3) meet the minimum qualifications of the classification.