Vocational Rehabilitation Program (Combined or General)

With the addition of master's degrees in counseling which are not specifically rehabilitation counseling, ADRS is able to increase the number of qualified candidates for employment in counseling positions.

ADRS works diligently to implement strategies necessary to address personnel issues. Since 2002, the department has a dedicated staff specialist devoted to the issues of recruitment and retention. This individual works with the executive leadership team and task forces to create and implement a recruitment and retention plan that is updated annually to address the projected personnel needs of the department. However, ultimately the State Department of Personnel is the entity that provides and oversees hiring practices, salary schedules, and staff vacancies among other personnel issues. Within the strategic planning and implementation process, the following issues are addressed:

1. Maintain a strong relationship with key personnel at the State Department of Personnel and universities offering educational opportunities for potential ADRS employees. Unpaid internships will continue to be offered as a recruiting tool for students in the field of rehabilitation. Paid internships are offered as a recruiting tool for rural areas and/or areas where certain degree programs do not exist. The professional trainee job class may be used to attract individuals to pursue
professions in rehabilitation requiring experience such as vision rehabilitation therapist. The trainee position allows dedicated individuals to train while gaining the experience needed to be eligible for hire. Currently, there is one professional trainee in the vision therapist field who is counted in the rehab counselors numbers. 

2. A hiring procedure known as ‘disability preference’ continues to enable ADRS to recruit qualified individuals with disabilities. Other avenues to recruit individuals with disabilities are made possible through specialty areas such as rehabilitation teaching and orientation and mobility. Also educating consumers with the potential to pursue rehabilitation professions is a recruitment tool as well as supporting entry level staff to pursue professional positions through a process of “grow your own.” Additionally, ADRS participates in recruiting efforts/career fairs including those for persons with disabilities.

3. There is a continuation of promotions of deserving rehabilitation counselors to the senior rehabilitation counselor level. Promotions are based on exemplary performance of job duties and the ability to take on additional duties within the unit. This provides incentive for younger counselors to remain with the department and addresses the issue of supervisory succession planning. The counselors who are promoted and retained are then in line to fill supervisory vacancies, with proper training.

4. There are regularly scheduled exhibits at various professional, educational and disability organization meetings to share employment opportunities with potential candidates. Exhibits are used for recruiting students into the field of rehabilitation and for recruiting professionals into positions within the department. Several ADRS administrators have served on advisory boards for rehabilitation counseling programs and are also asked to sit on interviewing panels for RSA scholarship recipients.

5. The ADRS recruiter maintains an active role on the advisory committees of Alabama A&M University and Alabama State University. Both universities are known as historically black colleges/universities and provide an opportunity to recruit students from more diverse backgrounds to positions within the department. Seasoned and retired staff are encouraged to work as adjunct professors within the graduate rehabilitation counseling programs which affords a practical application of information to the students.

6. Develop more marketing tools, created through annual meetings with educators, to increase interest in the field of rehabilitation from high school students and encourage undergraduate students to pursue master’s level work in one of the rehabilitation or counseling programs. Departmental transition counselors are used to recruit high school students across the state. There has also been increased participation in high school career events to educate students of the many professions within the department.

The ADRS public website includes an expanded career opportunities section that can be accessed by college career services, advocacy groups, and students. This section provides information on career opportunities and employee benefits available within the department.

The development of an orientation program for new employees, which includes a disability etiquette section, serves as a recruitment and retention tool. It provides information for all new employees to effectively interact with individuals who have disabilities as well as knowledge regarding legal obligations and work procedures.