Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor

ServiceSource, Inc • Jacksonville, FL

18h • Onsite

About The Position

ServiceSource is an organization dedicated to empowering people with disabilities by driving innovation, embracing change, and strengthening communities. This Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor position plays a crucial role in rehabilitating eligible applicants with severe and most severe disabilities. The role involves performing eligibility determinations for program applicants in compliance with State and Federal Guidelines, and writing and initiating Individualized Plans for Employment (IPEs). The counselor will also serve school youth aged 14-21 under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) regulations. Key responsibilities include maintaining a caseload according to VR Guidelines, Policies, and Best Practices, ensuring proper case management, and providing professional vocational rehabilitation counseling. The position requires accessing client information, maintaining case records, producing correspondence, and assessing medical, psychological, and vocational information to determine eligibility. Counselors will develop IPEs with full client participation, conduct in-depth interviews, provide informed choices regarding services, and negotiate plan development. Additionally, the role involves developing employer contacts, serving as a liaison with local employers, collaborating with Department of Education (DOE)/Department of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) team members, and utilizing community rehabilitation resources. Fiscal accountability, collaboration with community partners, and participation in professional competency training are also essential. The counselor is expected to successfully rehabilitate customers, provide guidance, document the rehabilitation process, and fiscally account for client service expenditures, while complying with the Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) Code of Ethics Guidelines and WIOA deliverables.

Requirements

• A Bachelor's Degree (BA/BS) from an accredited college or university with a major in a social, behavioral or rehabilitative science, education, or related field
• One year of professional experience in counseling or in a public vocational rehabilitation program
• Valid driver’s license and/or access to reliable transportation to perform work-related travel
• Eligible drivers must have a good motor vehicle record (MVR)
• A background screening to be completed through the Clearinghouse upon extension of a conditional offer of employment
• Knowledge of the theories and practices in counseling
• Knowledge of the principles and techniques of effective verbal and written communications
• Knowledge of the methods of compiling, organizing, and analyzing data
• Knowledge of medical and psychological aspects of disability groups
• Knowledge of interviewing techniques
• Ability to interview clients in order to determine eligibility for VR services
• Ability to compile, organize and analyze medical and psychological data
• Ability to develop individual vocational rehabilitation programs and assess test results
• Ability to plan, organize and coordinate work assignments
• Ability to communicate effectively
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others
• Ability to conduct fact finding research
• Ability to use problem solving techniques

Nice To Haves

• A Master's Degree (MA/MS) from an accredited college or university in a social, behavioral or rehabilitative science or education program (can substitute for one year of required experience)
• Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) certification

Responsibilities

• Rehabilitate eligible applicants who are severely and most severely disabled
• Perform eligibility determinations for program applicants in compliance with State and Federal Guidelines
• Write and initiate Individualized Plans for Employment in compliance with State and Federal Guidelines
• Serve in school youth ages 14-21 under regulations of Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)
• Maintain a caseload that follows VR Guidelines, Policies and Best Practices to maintain area compliance pertaining to Alerts, Things to Do, Days in Status and all other aspects of proper case management
• Provide and coordinate professional vocational rehabilitation counseling to individuals with a diversity of disabilities in order that they may attain employment
• Access client information, maintain case records, produce correspondence, and perform other automated functions within the scope of the position’s responsibilities
• Assess medical, psychological, and vocational information to determine eligibility
• Develop an Individualized Plan for employment with the full participation of the customer with a disability to determine employment outcomes
• Conduct in-depth interviews with individuals with disabilities requiring rehabilitation strategies to determine eligibility for vocational rehabilitation services and the feasibility for achieving employment outcomes
• Provide information to assist individuals with disabilities in making informed choices regarding services, service providers, and employment outcomes
• Negotiate with individuals with disabilities regarding plan development
• Develop employer contacts and serve as liaison with local employers
• Collaborate with Department of Education (DOE)/Department of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) team members in employment service activities
• Utilize the resources of community rehabilitation in securing appropriate employment services for eligible individuals with disabilities
• Manage resources to ensure financial accountability according to state and federal regulations
• Collaborate with community partners to assure appropriate use of available resources
• Participate in training experiences designed to enhance professional competency in vocational rehabilitation
• Successfully rehabilitate customers in accordance with established goals
• Provide guidance and counseling to customers during the entire rehabilitation process
• Document the rehabilitation process in the client's case file in accordance with federal and state regulations and policies
• Fiscally account for all client services expenditures
• Review and comply with Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) Code of Ethics Guidelines
• Provide Pre-ETS services to Youth under the WIOA guidelines
• Complete all travel requests and travel reimbursement in a timely and accurate manner
• Complete timesheets in a timely and accurate manner
• Ensure that all expenses are turned in during the month that they are incurred
• Achieve WIOA Deliverables: Employment Rate 2nd quarter after exit
• Achieve WIOA Deliverables: Employment Rate 4th quarter after exit
• Achieve WIOA Deliverables: Median earnings in the second quarter after exit
• Achieve WIOA Deliverables: Credential Attainment
• Achieve WIOA Deliverables: Measurable Skill Gains
• Achieve WIOA Deliverables: Effectiveness in Serving Employers
• Perform other responsibilities as assigned

Benefits

• Health coverage for you and your family through Medical, Dental, and Vision plans
• Financial protection with 100% company paid Disability, Life, Accidental Death & Dismemberment insurance
• A 403(b)-Retirement plan in which the company matches dollar for dollar on a generous percentage matching up to 3% of your contribution
• Tax advantages through Flexible Spending and Health Savings accounts that allow you to pay for specific healthcare and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars
• Employee Assistance Program
• Wellness Program
• Tuition Assistance
• A generous paid time-off program in which the benefits increase based on your tenure with the company

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees