Vocational Counselor

SUMMARY

Vocational Counselors assist staff and patients in the development and implementation of a comprehensive program of vocational rehabilitation that will result in patients entering skills training and obtaining employment. They provide and/or coordinate the pre-vocational activities that help patients develop and achieve vocation rehabilitation goals and function successfully in the competitive workplace.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties and responsibilities may be assigned.

• Perform intake of all patients to obtain vocation and educational background information to identify preliminary needs and develop an initial plan of services to meet those needs.

• Conduct a comprehensive vocational/educational assessment including patient history, test administration and the evaluation of the patients capacity to function

• Prepare a Vocational Rehabilitation Plan with short and long range goals and methodology to achieve goals

• Maintain a list of patients with updated status regarding involvement in work-related activities, work readiness, and employment status at 30-60-90-180 day intervals.

• Provide on-going individual and group counseling of all patients to establish vocational decisions and assist in achieving goals

• Meet with each assigned patient at least once every 30 days

• Provide instruction in one or more of the courses in the Pre-Employment (with an emphasis on Life Skills Training, Job Readiness, Job Retention curricula

• Function as an integral member of the treatment team

• Provide training and consultation to clinical staff in Vocational Rehabilitation principles and practices to help ensure coordination and integration of vocational services into the treatment process

• Maintain concise and accurate records of each patients vocational status and progress, updating them daily

• Submit activity logs to supervisor daily, via email

• Document interactions with patients and others daily

• Submit patient sign-in sheets to supervisor each week, via email by Friday 5:00 PM

• Work one scheduled late night each week

• Monitor patients progress before, during and after employment within the guidelines of ACCESS VR

COMPETENCIES (KSAs)

• Ethical Practices

• Judgment

• Relationship Management

• Emotional Intelligence

• Empathy

• Professional Boundaries

• Global and Cultural Awareness

• Critical Evaluation

• Problem Solving

• Decision Making

• Communication

• Teamwork

• Crisis Management

• Technical Capacity

REQUIRED EDUCATION

• B.A. in Counseling, Psychology, Sociology or a related field
• M.A. in Vocational Rehabilitation or Guidance Counseling preferred

LICENSES/CERTIFICATIONS

• Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) preferred

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE

• Minimum two years of experience in the vocational rehabilitation counseling of persons in a behavioral health treatment setting

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• This job operates in an indoor office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones and photocopiers.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential duties and responsibilities of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties and responsibilities.

• Regularly required to sit, use hands to type, handle or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms, and talk or hear.
• Frequently required to stand, walk, stoop, kneel or crouch and lift and/or move up to 20 pounds