Located in:
- Program-Specific Requirements for State Vocational Rehabilitation (Blind)
The Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Services Portion of the Unified or Combined State Plan must include the following descriptions and estimates, as required by sections 101(a) and 606 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by title IV of WIOA.
- i. Comprehensive System of Personnel Development.
In accordance with the requirements in Section 101(a)(7) of the Rehabilitation Act, the VR agency must develop and maintain annually a description (consistent with the purposes of the Rehabilitation Act) of the VR agency’s comprehensive system of personnel development, which shall include a description of the procedures and activities the State VR agency will undertake to ensure it has an adequate supply of qualified State rehabilitation professionals and paraprofessionals that provides the following:
- i. Comprehensive System of Personnel Development.
i. 2. C. Description of staff development policies, procedures, and activities that ensure all personnel employed by the VR agency receive appropriate and adequate training and continuing education for professionals and paraprofessionals:
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
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.
Current Narrative:
Team members receive ongoing training specific to vocational rehabilitation and a 21st century understanding of the evolving labor force. RSB has a dedicated intranet training website accessible to staff. The Employee Learning Center also houses some specific RSB training. RSB
Training and Special Projects Coordinator provides staff with information regarding available and upcoming training topics. The Training and Special Projects Coordinator maintains RSB’s dedicated internet website and ensures staff accessibility to online training materials. RSB staff are encouraged to submit training topics and ideas to management staff, which is reflected in the RSB Counselor Academy training topics
RSB provides the following opportunities for staff to attain/retain expertise in their profession:
RSB has developed and regularly updates a training curriculum via a Training Resources page available for all new and existing personnel so that they are provided with the basic information needed to perform their jobs. These modules are also available to staff who feel that a refresher may be needed. Additional professional development is also available in training modules via the YesLMS site:
General Staff Training Plan:
RSB BASICS
Policy Manual: RSB Confidentiality Policy
RSB Organizational Structure
Introduction to RSB Training Resources
Do's and Don'ts When Interacting with a Person Who is Blind
History of Vocational Rehabilitation
AWARENESS OF BLINDNESS
NRTC Courses: Basics of Blindness and Low Vision
NRTC Courses: Introduction to Blindness and Low Vision
Sighted Guide Techniques
ETHICS AND COMMUNICATION
Establishing Ethical Boundaries
Encouraging Open and Positive Communication
Complexities of Ethical Thought
DSS recently released the Team Member Training Portal to allow staff to enter and track professional development opportunities not captured in the ELC, including training completed through MO Learning.
Additional training topics include:
Informed choice
Case management
Other disabilities and vision factors
Job development
Assistive technology
The Rehabilitation Act as amended by WIOA
Regulations implementing the Rehabilitation Act Amendments
Current research
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act
Required
Civil Rights and Cultural Diversity
HIPAA Privacy
Diseases of the eye
Assessment
Rehabilitation counseling and job development/placement
Client Assistance Program
Supported Employment
Self-Employment
Vocational Evaluation, and Placement manuals
Systemic Staff Training
RSB Managers and supervisors provide a systematic orientation and training curriculum to new staff in the area in which they will be employed and the clients they will serve.
RSB utilizes the mentor/mentee relationship to on-onboard new counselors. Central Office provides additional training to staff as necessary and as requested by local offices.
Staff are routinely informed and trained for any changes in legislation or regulation that would affect the service delivery systems.
RSB annually provides training opportunities for staff in topics applicable to job performance.
Upon their request, RSB allows subject matter experts to conduct seminars in emerging technology and software items at district offices.
The biannual RSB Counselor Academy is targeted training based on feedback from staff and case review results. Example 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. Sessions have also included vocational rehabilitation processes, self-employment, AgrAbility, and training on the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC) website.
RSB supports staff attendance at conferences, webinars and seminars to the extent possible in order to broaden the scope of knowledge available to the staff. Staff have attended conferences such as:
- Governor’s Conference on Economic Development
-Missouri Association of Workforce Development (MAWD)
—Missouri Assistive Technology (MoAT) Power-Up Conference and TAP training—Benefits Planning
—Business Enterprise Program national and regional conferences
—RSA hosted and sponsored national conferences
—National Federation of the Blind annual state conference
—Missouri Council of the Blind annual state conference
— Educational Education Advocacy and Law
—Association for Education and Rehabilitation conferences
—National Clearinghouse of Rehabilitation Training Materials
— Mid America Conference of Rehabilitation Teachers
—Children’s Vision Summit
—Missouri Economic Research and Information Center training opportunities
— Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistant Centers” training opportunities
-Council of State Administrators for Vocational Rehabilitation-
-Program Evaluation and Quality Assurance
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 Research and Training Centers throughout the country
Educational Leave
DSS may grant administrative leave to employees to pursue educational goals while continuing to work full-time for DSS. Employees may receive up to three (3) hours of administrative leave per week to attend approved classroom instruction held during the employee's normal work schedule.
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. RSB has provided for educational leave to support staff attendance to obtain certification in specializations such as Orientation and Mobility. RSB is currently developing an opportunity for a staff seeking to obtain a degree in Vision Rehabilitation Therapy.