Located in:
- Program-Specific Requirements for Vocational Rehabilitation (Blind)
The Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Services Portion of the Unified or Combined State Plan [13] must include the following descriptions and estimates, as required by section 101(a) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by title IV of WIOA:
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[13] Sec. 102(b)(2)(D)(iii) of WIOA
- i. Comprehensive System of Personnel Development; Data System on Personnel and Personnel Development
Describe the designated State agency's procedures and activities to establish and maintain a comprehensive system of personnel development designed to ensure an adequate supply of qualified State rehabilitation professional and paraprofessional personnel for the designated State unit, including the following:
- i. Comprehensive System of Personnel Development; Data System on Personnel and Personnel Development
i. 2. Plan for Recruitment, Preparation and Retention of Qualified Personnel
Describe the development and implementation of a plan to address the current and projected needs for qualified personnel including, the coordination and facilitation of efforts between the designated State unit and institutions of higher education and professional associations to recruit, prepare, and retain personnel who are qualified, including personnel from minority backgrounds and personnel who are individuals with disabilities.
Current Narrative:
The issue of shortage of qualified personnel specifically trained in rehabilitation counseling will be a concern regardless of a change in the personnel standards. Missouri DVR reports employing 137 Rehabilitation Counselors; RSB employs 15, and one PDS that carries a caseload. With only one program for rehabilitation counselor preparation in the state, an insufficient number of in-state graduates will be available to meet the foreseeable future needs of public rehabilitation agencies in the state, even if every graduate of the program went to work for a public rehabilitation agency. This necessitates widening RSB’s recruiting focus to include graduates from other rehabilitation programs throughout the country, as well as graduates in other disciplines. RSB does anticipate being able to hire Master’s level staff who have counseling, psychology or social work degrees as there are a number of university programs in the State that offer those degrees.
In order to meet the need for qualified personnel, RSB has developed a plan to present employment opportunities at RSB to a wider audience. Some of the components of that plan are:
a. Continue to utilize the system of recruitment established by the Missouri State Division of Personnel. This system provides access to Uniform Classification and Pay System job descriptions and data regarding application for employment with the State of Missouri. These job descriptions and notices of vacancies can be found on-line at the Missouri State Government website.
b. Send vacancy announcements and job descriptions to colleges and universities throughout the country that offer academic programs in rehabilitation counseling, teaching, orientation and mobility; to other public and private rehabilitation agencies; and to consumer organizations within the State of Missouri.
c. Post announcements of RSB job opportunities on Internet-based job lists, including National Council of State Agencies for the Blind (NCSAB), Rehabnet, National Orientation and Mobility Certification (NOMC), Orientation and Mobility Listserv, Rehabilitation Counselor Listserv, NFB Missouri Listserv, MCB’s Mo-Blind Listserv, and Special Education Exchange.
d. All of RSB’s recruiting efforts listed in a-c above emphasize the importance of locating, interviewing and employing individuals who are from minority backgrounds or who have a disability. All of the colleges and universities with a rehabilitation counseling curriculum in Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Arkansas and Illinois give preference to students who are from minority backgrounds or who have a disability.