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:
Staff development opportunities are provided annually to ensure all personnel receive appropriate and adequate training in multiple categories that include assessment, vocational counseling, job placement, and rehabilitation technology. DVR staff receive training related to assessment through webinars and in-person training offered by the Staff Development and Training Coordinator, and the Career Counseling and Assessment Specialist team, which is comprised of staff who are knowledgeable about administration, interpretation, and application of various vocational assessments. This team also reviews assessment tools to identify those that are no longer relevant or those that need to be included in the DVR Career Assessment Inventory, which is a selection of assessment tools used to assess a person’s interests, values, aptitudes, and skills. Skillful interviewing also serves as a form of assessment and DVR staff and contracted partners receive introductory and advanced training in Motivational Interviewing to enhance this skill set.
Motivational Interviewing (MI) training was introduced to DVR with comprehensive training for all staff in 2014. In alignment with the goals of the initiative, internal trainers are now in place statewide and provide monthly training for district staff. Statewide introductory and advanced MI trainings are offered quarterly for all new staff. Motivational Interviewing is a counseling approach that enhances counseling skills in many arenas and is an especially good fit for vocational rehabilitation counseling. Nationally, Motivational Interviewing is being used by many State Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies/Departments to provide services and effectively engage consumers in making changes that improve their lives. MI is a person-centered approach with a focus on client choice, self-efficacy, and autonomy. This practice is especially useful for consumers with disabilities. There are also well-established results available regarding its effectiveness with those who experience substance abuse issues as disabling conditions. A high number of DVR consumers struggle with substance and alcohol addiction, which reinforces the relevance of having staff trained in MI techniques and practice. Sustainability of this initiative is underway and will occur through ongoing development of the internal DVR MI trainers to ensure training is available to all DVR staff and meets the training requirements of those providing direct service. The internal DVR MI trainers have already received additional MI focused facilitation training and next steps include advanced audio recording coding and scoring training. This will allow the MI trainers to evaluate staff level of proficiency in use of MI skills, strategies, and approach in the vocational counseling process with fidelity to the model/approach and design training and support that responds to the area needing development.
Staff development related to job placement is provided through several venues. Newly hired contracted staff who provide placement services, participate in a required online training program, created in collaboration by DVR and Community College of Vermont. Internal structures that ensure development of knowledge related to the labor market and effective job placement include regularly scheduled meetings hosted by the DVR funded Business Account Managers. One such meeting is comprised of employment staff connected by Creative Workforce Solutions, a DVR initiated collaboration of Agency of Human Services funded employment programs, which promotes cooperative job placement and employer relationships. Training related to rehabilitation technology is provided initially through the DVR services training program for new hires. Additional training and staff development are provided in collaboration with the Assistive Technology Program through on-site, video conferencing, and webinar-based trainings, information sessions, and regularly scheduled staff meetings.
A specific staff group, the DVR Benefit Counselors, receive specialized training to ensure the provision of quality services in working with customers who receive monetary or medical benefits. Ongoing training and support are provided by a DVR Project Manager. The local Social Security Administration (SSA) Area Work Incentives Coordinator provides quarterly trainings to the Benefits Counselors on a variety of SSA Work Incentives issues. SSA also provides training and technical assistance for Benefits Counselors through contracts with Cornell and Virginia Commonwealth University. DVR is the SSA Work Incentives Planning and Assistance grantee for the State of Vermont. The five Benefits Counselors working under that project are certified by SSA as Certified Work Incentive Counselors (CWIC). To achieve certification, Benefits Counselors must attend a weeklong training and complete a comprehensive “take home” assignment that is evaluated by Virginia Commonwealth University staff.