Located in:
- Program-Specific Requirements for Vocational Rehabilitation (Combined or General)
The Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Services Portion of the Unified or Combined State Plan [13] must include the following descriptions and estimates, as required by section 101(a) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by title IV of WIOA:
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[13] Sec. 102(b)(2)(D)(iii) of WIOA
- i. Comprehensive System of Personnel Development; Data System on Personnel and Personnel Development
Describe the designated State agency's procedures and activities to establish and maintain a comprehensive system of personnel development designed to ensure an adequate supply of qualified State rehabilitation professional and paraprofessional personnel for the designated State unit, including the following:
- 1. System on Personnel and Personnel Development
- A. Qualified Personnel Needs
Describe the development and maintenance of a system for collecting and analyzing on an annual basis data on qualified personnel needs with respect to:
- A. Qualified Personnel Needs
- 1. System on Personnel and Personnel Development
- i. Comprehensive System of Personnel Development; Data System on Personnel and Personnel Development
i. 1. A. i. The number of personnel who are employed by the State agency in the provision of VR services in relation to the number of individuals served, broken down by personnel category;
Current Narrative:
Table VR.1: Qualified Personnel
| Job Title | Total Positions | Current Vacancies | Projected Vacancies Over the Next 5 years |
| Qualified Rehabilitation Professionals Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors and Assistant Regional Managers | 44 | 8 | 26 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Assistants | 43 | 3 | 10 |
| Field Management Staff | 8 | 0 | 2 |
| Human Resources | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fiscal | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| Staff Trainer | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Planning and Evaluation | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| Transition Coordinator | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Business Relations Manager | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Administrative Assistants (Central Office Support) | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Deputy Administrator | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Administrator | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Chief of Field Services | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Business Operations Specialist | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Community Rehabilitation Program Manager | 1 | 0 | 0 |
IDVR currently employs a total of 148 staff. The breakdown of personnel is listed above.
Idaho’s population by percent grow more than any other state between 2020 and 2021 at a rate of 2.9 percent which was 9th overall in numeric growth for all states, however the Division plans to continue operating under its current FTE allotment. The Governor is not currently supporting any increase of FTEs for non-K-20 educational programs.
The agency continues to operate under 148 FTEs but does reallocate FTE(s) to meet emerging needs where necessary. The following reallocation has occurred since the last iteration of the plan.
Current FTE allotment has been reorganized since the 2020 plan. FTE changes include:
- A Business Operations Specialist position was created to oversee contracts
- The Community Rehabilitation Program Manager position was created to help with the innovation and expansion activities and subsequent ongoing quality improvement of CRP services.
- The Business Relations Liaison position has been reclassified to a Business Relations Manager position as the scope of the position has increased.
- Three QRP FTE have been identified as Area Transition Counselors who serve the specific needs of coordinating and delivery of Pre-ETS across their local areas. These positions were necessitated by WIOA changes.
IDVR has had significant challenges recruiting and retaining qualified staff over the past several years and this has been even more evident over the past year. To increase IDVR’s effectiveness in hiring and retaining qualified staff especially for the QRP positions the following strategies have been implemented or will be within the year:
- Flexibilities in work schedules
- Tuition and allowed work time for schooling requirements for staff working to achieve CSPD standard
- Paid Internship opportunities for students that meet CSPD Education credentials
- Collaborating with Division of Human Resources to demonstrate need for increased wages for State employees to be competitive
- Improved Job Announcements
Additionally, effective 11/29/21, IDVR implemented a two-pronged QRP Stabilization Program:
- Retention bonuses for all staff in the titles of Regional Manager, Assistant Regional Manager, Sr. Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor and Vocational Counselor in exchange for a two-year service commitment dating from the payment date of the bonus (12/23/21), and
A three-tier sign-on/recruitment/retention program for new hires into the aforementioned titles, payable in the second paycheck after hire, after passing probation (1040 hours of service) in exchange for one-year service commitment, and upon completion of one year of employment (2080 hours of service) and satisfactory performance with a one-year service commitment from the final bonus payment date. At the present time, we are only recruiting for QRPs to fill counselor vacancies, regardless of whether the prior incumbent was a Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist (underfill for the VRC position).