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:
- 3. Personnel Standards
Describe the State agency's policies and procedures for the establishment and maintenance of personnel standards consistent with section 101(a)(7)(B) to ensure that designated State unit professional and paraprofessional personnel are adequately trained and prepared, including:
- 3. Personnel Standards
- i. Comprehensive System of Personnel Development; Data System on Personnel and Personnel Development
i. 3. B. The establishment and maintenance of education and experience requirements, in accordance with section 101(a)(7)(B)(ii) of the Rehabilitation Act, to ensure that the personnel have a 21st century understanding of the evolving labor force and the needs of individuals with disabilities.
Current Narrative:
As described in section I(3)(a), Michigan Rehabilitation Services (MRS) has an established process for only hiring qualified staff and funding additional coursework for any staff lacking the Theories and Techniques of Counseling.
A vocational education instructor employed by MRS at Michigan Career and Technical Institute must have the appropriate educational degree or work experience, teaching methodology course work or seminar as required by Michigan Civil Services Commission and MCTI’s accrediting agencies. At least every five years, instructors must attend an in-service training program on disability sensitivity, informed choice and acquisition of needed reasonable accommodations.
To assure that qualified staff are hired, and current staff attain required qualifications, MRS has taken the following steps for staff who need additional coursework:
- Monitor a comprehensive system for tracking and funding the required course, Theories and Techniques of Counseling.
- Provide funding for existing staff seeking to take needed coursework to attain the level of “qualified” counselor.
- Provide information to managers when hiring staff who need coursework about Bureau responsibilities related to it.
- Newly employed counselors with a master’s degree in counseling or a counseling related field who do not have documented graduate-level coursework with a primary focus in theories and techniques of counseling must complete such coursework/training during their 12-month probationary period through an accredited university (on-line or classroom training) to remain employed.
- All newly hired managers who are from a different agency and/or who have not worked for MRS or other State vocational rehabilitation programs within the last two years, must attend new counselor training, policy training, and complete the following courses in E-learn: Informed Choice, Vocational Counseling and Eligibility and various disability-related units.
A vocational technical teacher or instructor employed by MRS at MCTI must demonstrate they are qualified in their respective field by having the appropriate educational degree or work experience, teaching methodology course work or seminar as required by Civil Service and the state technical school’s accrediting agencies. Also, such teachers must attend, at least every five years, an in-service training program on disability sensitivity, informed choice and acquisition of needed reasonable accommodations or modifications to meet the disability-related needs of its students.