State of Maryland

ASTD17

SKILLED SERVICE BARGAINING UNIT: F OVERTIME ELIGIBLE

A Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Specialist is the advanced level of work in rehabilitation services in the Maryland State Department of Education’s Division of Rehabilitation Services. Employees in this classification provide technical guidance in specialized disability or program areas to other vocational rehabilitation staff, State departments, community organizations and the general public. Employees in this classification do not supervise.

Employees receive general supervision from a Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist Supervisor or other designated administrator.

Positions in this classification are evaluated 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 a class specification.

Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Specialist is differentiated from the Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist II in that the Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Specialist functions as a technical specialist in disability or program areas while the Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist II performs the full range of duties under general supervision. The Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Specialist is differentiated from the Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist Supervisor in that the Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist Supervisor has full supervisory responsibility for lower-level Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists.

Provides technical guidance in specialized disability or program areas to other vocational rehabilitation, State departments, community organizations and the general public;

Provides support and technical guidance in a specialized disability area to Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists;

Provides orientation and in-service training of Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists by providing technical information in a specialized area of disability or program services;

Conducts quality reviews of work in a specialized area of rehabilitation services;

Applies policies, procedures, laws, regulations and directives on the provision of rehabilitation services to persons with disabilities;

Determines processes and procedures to monitor the progress of clients from intake through successful employment;

Develops community and employer contacts to promote the Division of Rehabilitation Services’ programs and client employment opportunities;

Assesses client needs and determines the process for development of comprehensive individualized rehabilitation programs;

Coordinates client access to and use of other federal, State and local programs and services;

Determines eligibility for rehabilitation services under applicable federal regulations;

Prepares comprehensive reports and completes required documents for individual clients receiving rehabilitation services;

Assesses the need for assistive technology services and modifications to home or work settings to allow clients to seek and maintain employment and independence;

Provides career counseling and job placement services for clients;

Provides education and consultant services to employers on rehabilitation issues;

Administers standardized performance tests and interprets test findings relative to developing options for employment goals;

Performs other related duties.

Education: Possession of a Master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling or a related field, or 36 graduate credits in rehabilitation counseling or a closely related field.

Experience: Two years of professional experience in rehabilitation counseling or vocational evaluation services to clients with physical or behavioral disabilities or teaching services to clients with partial or total visual impairment.

Class descriptions broadly define 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 F, Social and Human Service Professionals classes. As provided by the 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 the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 8-305.

May 21, 2024

Director, Division of Classification and Salary