Definition
Within Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services, provides counseling and comprehensive rehabilitation services, which include the design and implementation of individualized plans for employment to assist individuals with disabilities in obtaining, maintaining, and advancing in competitive integrated employment; performs related work as required.
Work Examples
Interviews applicants and applicant support teams; contacts various sources to procure medical, psychological, social, and educational information.
Explains rights, responsibilities, and scope of services to individuals with disabilities.
Analyzes diagnostic information and functional limitations of physical, mental, and emotional disabilities in relationship to applicants' vocational goals using federal and state regulations to determine the eligibility of applicants.
Informs ineligible applicants of denied services and appeal rights.
Determines if limitations caused by a physical, mental, or emotional disability create a substantial vocational impediment by analyzing functional limitations, assessing diagnostic information, and utilizing a variety of source materials.
Develops an individualized plan for employment with eligible individuals by identifying an employment goal, services needed to support the goal, methods to review progress in the program, and providing/authorizing services, as necessary.
Provides counseling and guidance to assist the eligible individual identify the primary employment factors; explores short- and long-term goals; researches and explores various options, and considers the pros and cons of these options in order to make an informed choice leading to long-term, sustainable employment.
Facilitates job placement of eligible individuals by finding and developing job openings, teaching job-seeking skills, encouraging employers to use job incentives, and coordinating placement with other service programs.
Prepare and maintain records and case files, including documentation, such as individuals’ personal and eligibility information, services provided, narratives of contacts, or other relevant correspondence.
Works collaboratively with a team to achieve statewide, agency and office goals for serving individuals with disabilities.
Promotes agency services and resources by providing information to various community resources through personal contacts, written communication, media outlets, speeches, news articles, and workshops.
Competencies Required
- Customer and Personal Service – Principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- Therapy and Counseling – Principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
- Administrative – Administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
- Customer Service – Principles and processes for providing customer services, including customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluating customer satisfaction.
- Psychology – Principles of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders
- Education and Training – Principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects
- Computers and Electronics – Circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
- English Language – The structure and content of the English language, including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Written Expression – Communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Oral Expression – Communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Oral Comprehension – Listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Speech Clarity – Speak clearly so others can understand.
Written Communication – Communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand,
Originality – Come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
Inductive Reasoning – Combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Problem Sensitivity – Tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
Speech Recognition – Identify and understand the speech of another person.
Speech Clarity – Speak clearly so others can understand you.
Active Listening – Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking – Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Speaking – Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Writing – Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Active Learning – Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Judgment and Decision Making – Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Monitoring – Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Service Orientation – Actively looking for ways to help people.
Learning Strategies – Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Minimum Qualification Requirements
Applicants must meet at least one of the following minimum requirements to qualify for positions in this job classification:
All of the following (a and b):
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in a human-services-related field; and
A total of one year of graduate-level education and/or full-time work in professional vocational rehabilitation counseling services or human services field, where twenty-four semester hours of accredited graduate college or university coursework in rehabilitation counseling, human resources, school counseling, mental health counseling, social work, psychology, education, or a closely-related field equals one year of full-time experience.
All of the following (a and b):
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in any field; and
A total of twenty-four semester hours of accredited graduate college or university coursework in rehabilitation counseling, human resources, school counseling, mental health counseling, social work, psychology, education, or a closely-related field.
Notes
Travel may be required for positions in this class. Employees must arrange transportation to and from assigned work areas.