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Plan: District of Columbia PYs 2016-2017
Unified Plan U

Section: Vocational Rehabilitation Program (Combined or General)

Narrative: d. 2. I. iii. I.

Published
Located in:

d. 2. I. iii. I. Standards That Are Consistent with Any National or State- Approved or -recognized Certification, Licensing, Registration, or Other Comparable Requirements That Apply to the Profession or Discipline in Which Such Personnel Are Providing Vr Services; and

Current Narrative:

Prior to the passage of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, DCRSA had established standards requiring that all VR Specialists be eligible to sit for the CRC examination. The agency supported all staff to prepare for and sit for the examination through a number of strategies. As of the end of calendar year 2015, DCRSA has forty three VR Specialists and nine VR supervisory staff. All VR supervisors have a CRC. Of the forty three VR specialists, twenty three have a CRC and eleven are eligible to sit for the CRC examination. The agency still has nine VR Specialists who are not eligible to sit for the examination. However, these are all staff that were hired by the agency prior to the CRC requirement being established. As indicated above, the agency considered, in light of the WIOA changes regarding ensuring that the agency has personnel with a 21st century understanding of the evolving labor force and the needs of individuals with disabilities, whether the staff who lacked the CRC credential and were not currently eligible to sit for the examination could still contribute to the mission of the agency to help people with disabilities obtain employment. Based on the performance of these employees, it was determined that they can continue to contribute to the mission of the agency, that they have the required skills. However, the agency will continue to make supports available to help all VR Specialist staff work toward obtaining a CRC credential. The agency will also continue its policy of only hiring as VR Specialists those individuals who are eligible to sit for the CRC examination.

In order to work toward ensuring that all staff both have the education and experience to ensure the personnel have a 21sst century understanding of the evolving labor force and the needs of individuals with disabilities, as defined by WIOA, and to maintain standards consistent with recognized certification, i.e., CRC licensure, DCRSA will continue to take the following steps to support current staff: • DCRSA will pay for 3 credit hours a semester including books for on–line or classroom courses. • DCRSA will pay the one–time cost of the CRC examination. • DCRSA will allot hours during the work day for staff to attend training. • After negotiation with a university offering the rehabilitation counseling program, DCRSA will arrange to offer courses on site.