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:
- 4. Staff Development
Describe the State agency's policies, procedures, and activities to ensure that, consistent with section101(a)(7)(C) of the Rehabilitation Act, all personnel employed by the designated State unit receive appropriate and adequate training in terms of:
- 4. Staff Development
- i. Comprehensive System of Personnel Development; Data System on Personnel and Personnel Development
i. 4. A. A system of staff development for professionals and paraprofessionals within the designated State unit, particularly with respect to assessment, vocational counseling, job placement, and rehabilitation technology, including training implemented in coordination with entities carrying out State programs under section 4 of the Assistive Technology Act of 1998; and
Current Narrative:
All new counselors participate in a comprehensive new counselor training academy to assure understanding of DVR policies and procedures governing service delivery. During this academy, counselors receive in depth training of legislation, regulation, policy, and processes from application through case closure using various training modalities, including hands-on practice with coaching. The Academy supports practical application of learned concepts by new counselors observing experienced counselors complete critical aspects of the vocational rehabilitation process, as well as structured observations by lead counselors and supervisors to ensure competency. Extensive mentoring and coaching continues, including the review of all work, until new counselors demonstrate consistent and thorough understanding and application of eligibility criteria, determination of severity of disability, completion of the comprehensive assessment, plan development and approval, provision of rehabilitation services, monitoring of employment, and appropriate closure decisions and practices.
During this period of training and mentoring, new counselors are evaluated on their skills and receive training to enhance their ability to effectively seek and synthesize disability, vocational, and labor market information to effectively and appropriately move clients through the vocational rehabilitation process from the point of referral to case closure. Counselors receive guidance and training to assist them to appropriately utilize assessments, determine service needs, including the application of available rehabilitation technology, and partner with other workforce development agencies. Counselors regularly participate in case consultations and clinical supervision with their supervisors and mentor counselors to develop and refine skills needed to make sound clinical decisions and provide excellent vocational counseling and guidance. While this initial period of training focuses on new counselors, supervisors regularly evaluate performance of all counselors and counselors may re-enter this period of enhanced training, coaching, and supervision as needed throughout their tenure.
A variety of personnel categories may elect to participate in the training academy or may participate at the recommendation of their supervisor, increasing the knowledge and understanding of the vocational rehabilitation process and the ways in which all staff support the success of individuals receiving services. Additionally, all staff have access to training relevant to their roles and responsibilities. As an example, Business Outreach Specialists receive training in vocational rehabilitation, sales and marketing, public speaking, use of labor market information, and other relevant topics.
Additionally, as part of DVR’s performance management process, all staff consider areas of needed development in collaboration with their supervisors. DVR’s performance management process requires all staff to identify a formal professional growth and development goal to ensure continuous learning. DVR’s Professional Learning and Development unit regularly gathers information from staff, clients, and stakeholders to determine areas of training need and recently completed a training needs assessment with all personnel categories. Information gathered during the Comprehensive Statewide Needs Assessment, stakeholder meetings, quality assurance file reviews, customer satisfaction surveys, and periodic internal training needs assessments help to determine areas of focus and shape training developed or purchased to ensure necessary staff development is available. This team is currently working to develop a training plan that will address the identified training needs through internal curriculum development, resources available elsewhere in CDLE or DPA, or outside partners.
DVR regularly provides access to a broad range of professional develop opportunities for staff through relevant seminars, workshops, webinars, conferences, and distance education to enhance staff skills and knowledge. Training topics commonly available include specific disabilities, ethics, case management, rehabilitation technology, assessment, job development and service delivery policies. Whenever possible training incorporates the dissemination of knowledge gained through research in rehabilitation. DVR regularly reviews offerings and expands training to ensure staff needs are met. Training in rehabilitation technology has been identified as an area of need among counselors and stakeholders. DVR’s memorandum of understanding with the University of Colorado’s Assistive Technology Partners (AT Partners), which is responsible for carrying out the Assistive Technology Act in Colorado, includes strategies for addressing training needs for staff. In the coming year, DVR intends to seek opportunities to more effectively collaborate with AT Partners to assure staff development needs in rehabilitation technology are fully met.
DVR continues to incorporate the principles of informed choice into all aspects of training curricula, including policy and procedural training. Such training efforts focus on helping clients develop skills necessary to analyze their strengths, resources, capacities, concerns, priorities, abilities, and interests, as well as a thorough understanding of the benefits and challenges inherent in various options available to them, allowing informed decisions to be made related to the development of their rehabilitation programs. DVR believes that these efforts help counselors become better facilitators and help clients develop the skills needed to be more independent and self-directed, as they go through the rehabilitation process and enter the workforce.
Additional training and development opportunities are available to support succession planning and leadership development. All DVR managers complete CDLE’s Leadership Series to enhance their management skills and further prepare to lead the agency effectively into the future. All staff have access to a variety of courses available through DPA’s Statewide Training and Development Center, which offers a Supervisory Certificate Program, consisting of a series of leadership and management courses. These courses can also be taken independently, allowing staff to focus on specific areas of growth supporting their leadership abilities. Annually, DVR supports participation of a small number of staff in University of Washington’s Center for Continuing Education in Rehabilitation’s Emerging Leaders in Rehabilitation Series and Vocational Rehabilitation Supervisor Academy, both of which have provided relevant training and development opportunities for leaders within DVR.
DVR continues to experience turnover at the executive leadership level due to staff retirements. However, DVR’s new Director has extensive executive experience within CDLE and is quickly building expertise within vocational rehabilitation, seeking support from peers and partners as needed. DVR continues to focus on succession planning to ensure the agency is well-situated to address future staff changes. It is expected that ongoing and increased focus on individual professional growth and development goals will further prepare DVR for these changes moving forward.