Narrative: i. 2. C.

(i.) 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 

All new counselors participate in a comprehensive, multi-modal new counselor training academy to ensure an understanding of DVR policies and procedures governing service delivery. During this academy, counselors receive in depth training of legislation, regulation, policy, and processes from referral through case closure using various training modalities, including hands-on practice with coaching. The academy supports practical application of learned concepts by new counselors observing experienced counselors complete critical aspects of the vocational rehabilitation process, as well as structured observations by lead counselors and supervisors to ensure competency. Extensive mentoring and coaching continues, including the review of all work, until new counselors demonstrate consistent and thorough understanding and application of eligibility criteria, determination of severity of disability, completion of the comprehensive assessment, plan development and approval, provision of rehabilitation services, monitoring of employment, and appropriate closure decisions and practices. 

During this period of training and mentoring, new counselors are evaluated on their skills and receive training to enhance their ability to effectively seek and synthesize disability, vocational, and labor market information to effectively and appropriately move the people we serve through the vocational rehabilitation process from the point of referral to case closure. Counselors receive guidance and training to assist them to appropriately utilize assessments, determine service needs, including the application of available rehabilitation technology, and partner with other workforce development agencies. Counselors regularly participate in case consultations and clinical supervision with their supervisors and mentor counselors to develop and refine skills needed to make sound clinical decisions and provide excellent vocational counseling and guidance. While this initial period of training focuses on new counselors, supervisors regularly evaluate performance of all counselors and counselors may re-enter this period of enhanced training, coaching, and supervision as needed throughout their tenure. 

A variety of personnel categories have the option to participate in the training academy or may participate at the recommendation of their supervisor, increasing the knowledge and understanding of the vocational rehabilitation process and the ways in which all staff support the success of individuals receiving services. Additionally, all staff have access to training relevant to their roles and responsibilities. 

For example, DVR’s Business Relations staff attend a structured eight-week training program facilitated by an internal unit trainer and in alignment with DVR’s Professional Learning and Development philosophies. This training covers the necessary skills required for the role, including the fundamentals of vocational rehabilitation, employment law, legal considerations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), sales and marketing, public speaking and education facilitation, labor market analysis and work development, as well as other relevant topics determined necessary. In addition, Business Relations staff are trained on skills-based hiring techniques, becoming train-the-trainer certified, and offered opportunities for topic-specific training to develop subject matter expertise in areas such as Customized Employment, Registered Apprenticeship Programs, and disability-related topics. 

Additionally, as part of DVR’s performance management process, all staff consider areas of needed development in collaboration with their supervisors. DVR’s performance management process requires all staff to identify a formal professional growth and development goal to ensure continuous learning. DVR’s Professional Learning and Development unit regularly gathers information from staff, persons we serve, and stakeholders to determine areas of training need and recently completed a training needs assessment with all personnel categories. Information gathered during the Comprehensive Statewide Needs Assessment, stakeholder meetings, quality assurance file reviews, customer satisfaction surveys, and periodic internal training needs assessments help to determine areas of focus and shape training developed or purchased to ensure necessary staff development is available. The Professional Learning and Development Unit is currently working to develop a training plan through staff feedback and information gathered that will result in focused curriculum areas for classifications throughout DVR, including leadership and clinical supervision skills development. This unit will utilize resources available through CDLE, DPA and outside partners that are subject matter experts. This unit also actively participates and facilitates a Community of Practice with neighboring states to identify similar training needs and support each other in planning.  

DVR regularly provides access to a broad range of professional development opportunities for staff through relevant seminars, workshops, webinars, conferences, and distance education to enhance staff skills and knowledge. Training topics commonly available include specific disabilities, ethics, equity, diversity, inclusion, case management, rehabilitation technology, assessment, job development and service delivery policies. Whenever possible training incorporates the dissemination of knowledge gained through research in rehabilitation. DVR regularly reviews offerings and expands training to ensure staff needs are met. Training in rehabilitation technology has been identified as an area of need among counselors and stakeholders. DVR’s memorandum of understanding with the University of Colorado’s Center for Inclusive Design & Engineering (CIDE), which is responsible for carrying out the Assistive Technology Act in Colorado, includes strategies for addressing training needs for staff. In the coming year, DVR intends to seek opportunities to more effectively collaborate with CIDE to assure staff development needs in rehabilitation technology are fully met. DVR and CIDE plan to create more intentional collaboration points. There are  regular meetings bi-monthly between the agencies to discuss partnership and possible areas of innovation. Future collaboration and informational opportunities will occur so DVR staff know the CIDE resources and are comfortable reaching out to troubleshoot and understand the assistive technology needs of the people we serve. 

DVR continues to incorporate the principles of informed choice into all aspects of training curricula, including policy and procedural training. Such training efforts focus on helping individuals develop skills necessary to analyze their strengths, resources, capacities, concerns, priorities, abilities, and interests, as well as a thorough understanding of the benefits and challenges inherent in various options available to them, allowing informed decisions to be made related to the development of their rehabilitation programs. DVR believes that these efforts help counselors become better facilitators and help persons we serve develop the skills needed to be more independent and self-directed, as they go through the rehabilitation process and enter the workforce. 

Additional training and development opportunities are available to support succession planning and leadership development. All DVR managers complete CDLE’s Leadership Series to enhance their management skills and further prepare to lead the agency effectively into the future. All staff have access to a variety of courses available through DPA’s Statewide Training and Development Center, which offers a Supervisory Certificate Program, consisting of a series of leadership and management courses. These courses can also be taken independently, allowing staff to focus on specific areas of growth supporting their leadership abilities. When offered, DVR typically supports participation of a small number of staff in University of Washington’s Center for Continuing Education in Rehabilitation’s Emerging Leaders in Rehabilitation Series. More recently, DVR has enrolled leaders in the National Rehabilitation Leadership Institute (NRLI) to build executive leadership skills. A number of DVR staff responsible for fiscal management have completed the Grants Management certification offered through the VRTAC-Quality Management; additionally training offered by VRTAC-QM has increased awareness of fiscal management responsibilities across various levels of staff. These opportunities have provided relevant training and development opportunities for leaders within DVR. 

DVR continues to focus on succession planning to ensure the agency is well-situated to address future staff changes. It is expected that ongoing and increased focus on individual professional growth and development goals will further prepare DVR for these changes moving forward. 

(ii.) Procedures for the acquisition and dissemination of significant knowledge from research and other sources to VR agency professionals and paraprofessionals and for providing training regarding the amendments to the Rehabilitation Act made by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.

DVR staff regularly participate in training, technical assistance, and community of practice opportunities developed and offered through the RSA funded technical assistance centers and other similar partners. Additionally, DVR provides access to a broad range of professional development opportunities for staff through relevant seminars, workshops, webinars, conferences, and distance education to enhance staff skills and knowledge. Available training incorporates the dissemination of knowledge gained through research in rehabilitation. In particular, members of the leadership team, including those with responsibility for coordinating services to individuals with particular disabilities (e.g., blindness, deafness, behavioral health, and intellectual disabilities) have opportunities to attend conferences and receive training where research relevant to their areas of specialization is disseminated. These staff use this knowledge to help shape policies, practices, and training for other DVR staff. While COVID-19 significantly reduced the opportunities for DVR staff to attend in-person conferences and training opportunities, the shift to virtual conferences actually expanded these training opportunities and allowed many more staff to participate given the reduced time and cost involved.