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:
__________
[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:
- 4. Staff Development
Describe the State agency's policies, procedures, and activities to ensure that, consistent with section101(a)(7)(C) of the Rehabilitation Act, all personnel employed by the designated State unit receive appropriate and adequate training in terms of:
- 4. Staff Development
- i. Comprehensive System of Personnel Development; Data System on Personnel and Personnel Development
i. 4. A. A system of staff development for professionals and paraprofessionals within the designated State unit, particularly with respect to assessment, vocational counseling, job placement, and rehabilitation technology, including training implemented in coordination with entities carrying out State programs under section 4 of the Assistive Technology Act of 1998; and
Current Narrative:
A system of staff development for professionals and paraprofessionals within the designated State unit, particularly with respect to assessment, vocational counseling, job placement, and rehabilitation technology, including training implemented in coordination with entities carrying out State programs under section 4 of the Assistive Technology Act of 1998; and
RSB supports the attendance of staff members in graduate programs that would meet the criteria established in the standards, i.e., degrees in rehabilitation counseling, education counseling, social work or clinical psychology.
In addition to the academic training referenced above, RSB provides the following opportunities for staff to attain/retain expertise in their profession:
a. RSB has developed and maintains a training curriculum for all new personnel so that they are provided with the basic information needed to perform their jobs. This session includes training on:
—The Rehabilitation Act as amended by WIOA
—Regulations implementing the Rehabilitation Act Amendments
—Current research
—The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act
—Informed choice
—Department of Social Services required staff training, such as Civil Rights and Cultural Diversity, HIPAA Privacy, HIPAA Security
—Diseases of the eye
—The rehabilitation process, including assessment, rehabilitation counseling and job development/placement
—RSB programs and policies
—Client Assistance Program
—Supported Employment, Self-Employment, Vocational Evaluation, and Placement manuals
—Use of Aware Electronic Case Management System
b. RSB participates in a system of supervisory training for new district office personnel. The district supervisor and administrative offices support assistant in each office provide a systematic orientation and training curriculum to new staff so that they can learn background information necessary to the area in which they will be employed and the clients they will serve.
c. RSB assigns an experienced vocational rehabilitation counselor to each new counselor to act as a mentor during their probationary period. This counselor is available to provide advice, on-the-job training in specific competencies, and guidance to the new counselor in their adjustment to RSB and the VR process. Other counselors provide peer support in assisting the new counselor in achieving a level of understanding and skills acquisition of the VR process. Central Office provides additional training to staff as necessary and as requested by local offices.
d. In addition to the above, when changes occur in legislation or regulation that effect the service delivery systems, staff are provided with training in order to implement the necessary changes.
e. RSB annually provides training opportunities for staff in topics applicable to job performance.
f. Upon their request, RSB allows rehabilitation technology and engineering vendors to conduct seminars in emerging technology and software items at district offices.
g. As a result of RSB’s Quality Assurance Initiative, the RSB Counselor Academy was developed. The RSB Counselor Academy addresses both new orientation and developmental training for vocational rehabilitation counselors and district supervisors. One component of the RSB Counselor Academy is specific training in Motivational Interviewing (MI). Motivational Interviewing provides additional resources to field staff working with individuals to facilitate changing behaviors, ultimately leading to a successful employment outcome. RSB has placed the MI training via scenarios on DVD onto the agency intranet through the training application called the Employee Learning Center to allow for self-paced learning. Other sessions have focused on Comprehensive Assessment, IPE Development, the Self-Employment Resource Guide and Small Business Plans, and AgrAbility. RSB continued its Counselor Academy series of trainings in FFY 2015 and reinstated the training in 2019. RSB plans to hold Counselor Academy trainings twice each year. Topics include WIOA and implementing regulations, best practices in case management, small business planning and resources, assistive technology, Pre-Employment Transition Services, and performance indicators.
h. RSB annually supports staff attendance at conferences, webinars and seminars to the extent possible in order to broaden the scope of knowledge available to the staff. Some examples that we have attended or plan to attend include:
—Missouri Assistive Technology (MoAT) Power-Up Conference and TAP training—Benefits Planning
— Federal Services and Programs Powering Rural Small Businesses
—Business Enterprise Program national and regional conferences
—Monthly SSA claim reimbursement All VR Call
—RSA hosted and sponsored national conferences
—National Federation of the Blind annual state conference
—Missouri Council of the Blind annual state conference
—Writing Business Plans
—Ethics Training
— Educational Education Advocacy and Law
—Missouri Association of Workforce Development
—Association for Education and Rehabilitation conferences
—RSB AWARE System Training
—National Clearinghouse of Rehabilitation Training Materials
—MACRT
—Association of Vision Rehabilitation Therapist Conference, including RSB presenting on Transition Services for Students
— VR Regional Leadership Academy
—Children’s Vision Summit
—Youth Mental Health and First Aid
—Plan for Achieving Self—Support (PASS) Basics (webinar)
—Recognizing Mental Health and Substance Abuse in the Workplace
—MPACT Transition Summit
—Deafblind Awareness Training
—Missouri Economic Research and Information Center training opportunities
—WINTAC training opportunities
—WIOA webinars and conferences
—Customized Employment Training
i. RSB receives many periodicals regarding rehabilitation subjects. All publications are available to staff upon request, including:
—“The Vendorscope,” a publication of the Randolph Sheppard Vendors of America
—Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness
—Publications of the American Foundation for the Blind
—Publications of the National Federation of the Blind
—Publications of the American Council of the Blind
—Publications of RRTC’s throughout the country