State of Maryland

A Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist I is the entry level of work in rehabilitation or disability determination services in the Maryland State Department of Education’s Division of Rehabilitation Services. Employees in this classification in rehabilitation services assess clients’ needs and design and implement rehabilitation services that may include personal and vocational counseling, training, and job placement. Employees in this classification in disability determination services apply federal regulations and prepare determinations of eligibility for disability benefits. Employees in this classification do not supervise.

Employees in this classification receive close supervision from a Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist Supervisor or other designated administrator.

Positions in this classification are evaluated using the Classification Job Evaluation Methodology. The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of a class specification or a class description.

The Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist I and Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist II are differentiated on the basis of the degree of supervisory control exercised by the supervisor over these employees. The Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist I learns to perform duties under close supervision, and the Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist II performs the full range of duties under general supervision.

When assigned to Rehabilitation Services:

Learns to apply the policies, procedures, laws, regulations and directives governing the provision of rehabilitation services; Learns to interview clients to explain services, establish goals and develop plans for employment;

Learns to assess client’s needs and determines the process for development of comprehensive individualized rehabilitation programs;

Learns to coordinate client’s access to and use of other federal, State and local programs and services;

Learns to develop alternative funding sources for clients based on the services needed and their financial status;

Learns to train clients in job seeking skills;

Learns to determine eligibility for rehabilitation services under applicable federal regulations;

Learns to prepare comprehensive reports and complete required documents for individual clients receiving rehabilitation services;

Learns to visit employers to analyze job components to determine essential job functions and the knowledge, skills and abilities required;

Learns to manage caseload and determine necessary procedures to monitor client progress;

Learns to assess the need for assistive technology services and modifications to home or work settings to allow clients to seek and maintain employment and independence;

Learns to provide career counseling and job placement services for clients;

Learns to provide education and consultant services to employers on disability and rehabilitation issues;

Learns to administer standardized performance tests and interpret test findings relative to developing options for employment goals;

Learns to use electronic software to process disability claims;

Performs other related duties.

When assigned to Disability Determination Services:

Learns to apply the policies, procedures, laws, regulations and directives governing the provision of disability determination services;

Learns to review applications for disability determination programs;

Learns to establish a plan for the development and adjudication of individual claims for Social Security Disability Benefits and Supplemental Security Income Benefits;

Learns to evaluate medical and vocational evidence based on established federal criteria to determine degree and severity of a disability;

Learns to respond to inquiries from the public;

Learns to interpret medical evidence in consultation with medical and psychiatric staff; Learns to determine need for medical, psychological or vocational evaluations and to manage a budget for consultative examinations;

Learns to secure resource leads for evidence of impairment severity and conduct inquiries following established procedures;

Learns to determine the rationale for justifying the award or denial of Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income Benefits;

Learns to prepare determinations of eligibility for disability programs including evaluation of medical and vocational evidence based on established criteria;

Learns to evaluate claimant’s potential for alternative programs and services;

Performs other related duties.

Education:   Possession of a Bachelor’s Degree.

Experience:  Professional experience in a behavioral or social science related filed is preferred.