Job Purpose/Summary

The Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist I ACTT provides vocational rehabilitation services for a group of consumers with mental health diagnoses in the community. The incumbent develops and monitors the vocational plan for each assigned consumer and is responsible for the total programmatic direction of that consumer in the community. The position may assume some case management skills.

Minimum Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree in rehabilitation, counseling, or a related field.           

Experience: 1 year of experience in a field related to rehabilitation or social services.

Licenses, Certifications & Clearances: 

• Act 33/34 Clearances
• FBI Clearance
• Valid State of PA Class 1 Drivers License
• Access to properly insured motor vehicle for client transportation and fieldwork and a safe driving record

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

• Exhibits ethical business behavior and maintains confidentiality of information and compliance as required by WFS policy.
• Ability to exhibit cultural sensitivity and to contribute to a work environment where diversity is welcomed and supported.
• Commitment to empowering others to solve their own problems.
• Commitment to valuing a nurturing family as the ideal environment.
• Conviction about the capacity of people to grow and change.
• Ability to establish a respectful relationship with persons served to help them gain skills and confidence.
• Ability to work collaboratively with other personnel and/or service providers or professionals.
• Capacity to maintain a helping role and to intervene appropriately to meet service goals.
• Ability to set appropriate limits.
• Knowledge of common physical, mental, and psychiatric disabilities.
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of vocational rehabilitation.
• Skills in gaining cooperation of consumers in various vocational programs.
• Some knowledge of counseling and teaching strategies.
• Ability to cooperate with program staff, other agencies, and the general public.
• Basic knowledge of first aid practices.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Gathers and reviews referral information. Completes assessment of job-related interests and abilities through education, work history, and on-the-job assessments in community-based jobs. Makes programmatic recommendations to committees (OVR programs, work adjustment programs, or community-based programs). Reviews consumers’ progress with committees at schedules intervals.

• Assesses the effect of consumer’s mental illness on employment, with identification of specific behaviors that interfere with the consumer’s work performance, and development of interventions to reduce or eliminate those behaviors and find effective job accommodations.

• Develops an Individual Service Plan (ISP) for each assigned consumer within 30 days, utilizing the vocational evaluation, work skills assessment, functional assessment, consumer input, and input from other service providers. Updates and modifies plan on a quarterly basis.

• Initiates and maintains consumer’s cumulative case records, including completion of intake history, program forms, progress reports, and ISPs.

• Interprets consumers’ assigned program to him/her. Meets with consumer to review progress and needs on at least a quarterly basis. Recommends modifications of the consumer’s program.

• Maintains liaison with representatives from sponsoring agencies to review consumer progress and coordinate additional services if needed.

• Prepares discharge plans and presents plan to the Admissions, Utilization Review Discharge (AURD) Committee. Makes appropriate referrals to other agencies and/or services if appropriate.

• Assesses consumer situation in the event of an emergency, arranges hospitalization, accompanies consumer to the hospital to provide information, and notifies involved family and/or other service providers.

• Supervises, plans, and assigns work activities of the program aides and program substitutes within the program. Ensures that appropriate training activities, ISPs, goals, and consumer schedules are completed.

• Attends seminars, workshops, and other professional developments. Arranges for appropriate in-service education and staff development experiences for program aides.

• Completes routine paperwork, such as Service Activity Logs (SAL), letters, reports, and forms required by the Community Treatment Team and other service providers.

• Engages in individual, supportive counseling to assist consumers in identifying and coping with mental health symptoms that may interfere with their work performance.

• On-the-job-related or work-related crisis intervention.

• Work-related supportive services, such as assistance with grooming and personal hygiene, securing of appropriate clothing, wake up calls, and transportation if needed.

• Maintains ongoing relationships with employers to facilitate the creation of work environments that would be conducive to the hiring of CTT/ACTT consumers who want to seek employment.

• Assists consumers in locating jobs that they’re interested in and makes the initial contact with the employer to arrange for any accommodations necessary or if requested by consumers.

• Addresses all issues of fraud waste and/or abuse as they arise and proactively looks for ways to prevent instances of fraud, waste, and abuse in the service delivery system and work systems of the agency as described in the agency Compliance Plan.
• The services provided by the Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist to consumers include the following core aspects of the Supported Employment model:
  • Engagement
  • Vocational assessment
  • Job development
  • Job placement
  • Job coaching and follow-along supports

• Additionally, the Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist will also serve the following functions as a team member:
  • Modeling skills and consultation
  • Cross-training to other staff on the team to help them to develop supported employment approaches with consumers
  • Attending all daily organizational meetings
  • Attending all treatment plan meetings for consumers with employment goals
  • Completing section of comprehensive assessment, which relates to vocational history, in timely fashion (within 6 weeks of client admission to program)

*Meeting with consumers in community settings*

*Agency cars provided for any consumer transport*

On-call: $265/week with additional call out pay!! Opportunity for additional bonus available!!

Education: Bachelor’s degree in rehabilitation, counseling, or a related field.

Experience: 1 year of experience in a field related to rehabilitation or social services.

Pay: $17.00 - $18.00 per hour

Greensburg, PA

Benefits for Full Time Employees:

Medical, Dental, and Visions plans effective the 1st of month after 30 days
Flexible Work Schedule
15 paid days off 1st year, 20 Paid days off 2nd year, then continues to increase
Tuition Reimbursement
Discounted Tuition for several local colleges/universities.
11 Paid Holidays
Pet Insurance
Employer Paid Short Term and Long Term Disability
401k Plan - Employer match available!
Employer paid life insurance
Critical Illness Diagnosis & Accident Insurance
Yearly performance reviews with merit increase eligibility
FREE Licensure Supervision!!