Vocational Rehabilitation Program (Combined or General)

(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:

(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;

DORS has established policies and procedures for a Comprehensive System of Personnel Development, which ensures that all personnel:

• Are well qualified,
• Regularly take part in staff development,
• Participate in performance-based evaluation systems, and
• Meet required licensing/certification standards.

Training, education, and developmental activities ensure appropriately skilled staff, with special emphasis given to rehabilitation technology, employer services, transitioning and disability-specific (e.g., blindness) skills. This system strives to fill vacancies with well-qualified and culturally diverse applicants.  

As part of the MSDE, DORS is required to adhere to personnel development policies and procedures contained in 34 CFR 300.15, 34 CFR 300-383, 20.  U.S.C.  1413 (A) (3) and in the Code of Maryland Regulations 13 A., 05.01.03G.

(1) Data System on Personnel and Personnel Development.

(A) Qualified Personnel Needs.

DORS has a data system to annually obtain information on personnel and personnel development, as follows:

• 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.
• By December 31 of each year DORS will:           
  • Use the RSA A2 Report of September 30 to determine the number of DORS positions in provision of VR services (total number of DORS positions minus total number of Disability Determination Services positions).
  • Determine the number of positions in the following categories:                             
    • Rehabilitation Counselors;
    • Administrative Staff;
    • Staff Supporting Counselor Activities; and
    • Other.
    • Determine the number of individuals served effective September 30 from the AWARE case management system.
• The number of personnel currently needed by the state agency to provide VR services, broken down by personnel category;

Using the MSDE Personnel Report of September 30, DORS will analyze vacancy rate and vacancies in the specific categories. DORS will also consider total number of staff needed based on waiting list and other factors.

• Projections of vacancies in personnel, broken down by personnel category, needed by the state agency to provide VR services in the state in five years based on projections of the number of individuals to be served, including individuals with significant disabilities, the number of personnel expected to retire or leave the field, and other relevant factors.
• Ascertain turnover rate for most recent federal FY; and
• Project vacancies over the next five years in light of current staffing and
• Turn-over rate and other relevant factors.