State of Maryland

A Work Adjustment Manager is the managerial level of work in development, implementation and monitoring of work placement, work training and work adjustment programs for 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 supervise Work Adjustment Supervisors.

Employees in this classification receive managerial direction from a program director. Employees may be required to work weekends and holidays and may be subject to call-in and overtime. Employees may be required to operate industrial equipment which would require the use of protective equipment, such as goggles, gloves or safety glasses. 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 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 Manager is differentiated from the Work Adjustment Supervisor in that the Work Adjustment Manager responsible for directing the administrative activities of a large organizational unit and has supervisory responsibility for Work Adjustment Supervisors while the Work Adjustment Supervisor has supervisory responsibility for Work Adjustment Coordinators and lower-level Work Adjustment Associates and instructional staff.

Supervises Work Adjustment Supervisors;

Develops program plans for new and existing instructional and industrial workshops;

Develops policies and procedures for soliciting and contracting private business participation in pre-vocational training programs;

Plans, develops and presents in-service training;

Plans, presents and executes program budget;

Develops and implements appropriate industrial or instructional pre-vocational training methods and materials to meet the program needs identified for each patient/client;

Conducts on-site inspections of workshops and work training areas in order to assess the instructional value and industrial productivity of the individual pre-vocational programs being carried out;

Develops, maintains and evaluates the screening tools and procedures used for assessing patients/clients for pre-vocational adjustment and development programs;

Directs and guides staff who assist and are in charge of patients/clients performing tasks in a specific pre-vocational work setting, such as horticulture, woodworking, housekeeping, sheltered workshop or linen services to ensure that activities are consistent with the individual treatment plan and that production standards are met;

Assesses the pre-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;

Places 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;

Reviews the level and type of work performed by the patient/client in conjunction with established wage and hour regulations in order to determine the appropriate rate of compensation;

Reviews workshop contracts to ensure that work performed is consistent with the terms defined in the contract;

Motivates patients/clients to achieve their optimum level of vocational development through established means, such as group activity and the accomplishment of individual goals;

Documents the progress of patients/clients in accordance with established procedures in a clear and comprehensive manner;

Adapts programs to respond to the functional level of patients/clients;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of physical and developmental disabilities and their effects on the patients’/clients’ abilities to perform work related functions;

Knowledge of various work adjustment methods;

Knowledge about related occupations;

Knowledge of wage and hour regulations;

Knowledge of symptoms and behavioral problems associated with physical illness, behavioral health diagnoses, or developmental disabilities;

Knowledge of the methods of documenting patient/client progress;

Knowledge of behavior modification techniques;

Knowledge of therapeutic techniques in patient/client interaction;

Skill in teaching simple manual tasks and functions;

Skill in observing patients’/clients’ progress;

Skill in assessing various levels of patient/client behavior, aptitude and performance;

Skill in managing programs through policy and procedural development;

Skill in motivating patients/clients in a work adjustment setting;

Skill in computing rates of compensation in accordance with wage and hour regulations;

Skill in preparing reports regarding patients’/clients’ progress;

Ability to supervise employees;

Ability to learn a specific vocational function of limited complexity;

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

Experience: Seven 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. Two years of the experience must have included responsibility for program development and implementation.

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute the possession of a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a major in health services, human services, education or the behavioral sciences and three 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 (two years of the experience must have included responsibility for program development and implementation) for the required experience.

2. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a non-commissioned officer in Career Counseling and Advisor classifications or Career Counseling and Advisor specialty codes in the Counseling field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.

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 not assigned to a bargaining unit, as indicated by the designation of S (Supervisor), M (Manager), T (Agency Head), U (Board or Commission Member), W (Student), X (Used by Agency or Excluded by Executive Order), or Z (Confidential).  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.