State of Maryland

A Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist II is the full performance 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 general 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 performs duties under close supervision and the Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist II performs the full range of duties under general supervision. The Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist II is differentiated from the Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Specialist in that the Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Specialist functions as a specialist in a particular area.

When assigned to Rehabilitation Services:

Applies the policies, procedures, laws, regulations and directives governing the provision of rehabilitation services;

Interviews clients to explain services, establish goals and develop plans for employment;

Assesses client needs and determines the process for development of comprehensive individualized rehabilitation programs;

Coordinates client access to and use of other federal, State and local programs and services;

Develops alternative funding sources for clients based on the services needed and their financial status;

Trains clients in job seeking skills;

Determines eligibility for rehabilitation services under applicable federal regulations;

Prepares comprehensive reports and completes required documents for individual clients receiving rehabilitation services;

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

Manages caseload and determines necessary procedures to monitor client progress;

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

Provides career counseling and job placement services for clients;

Provides education and consultant services to employers on rehabilitation issues;

Administers standardized performance tests and interprets test findings relative to developing options for employment goals;

Performs other related duties.

When assigned to Disability Determination Services:

Applies the policies, procedures, laws, regulations and directives governing the provision of disability determination services;

Reviews applications for disability determination programs;

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

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

Responds to inquiries from the public;

Interprets medical evidence in consultation with medical and psychiatric staff;

Determines need for medical, psychological or vocational evaluations and manages a budget for consultative examinations;

Secures resource leads for evidence of impairment severity and conducts inquiries following established procedures;

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

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

Evaluates claimant’s potential for alternative programs and services;

Uses electronic software to process disability claims;

Performs other related duties.

Education:   Possession of a Bachelor’s Degree.

Experience:  - Two years of professional experience in a behavioral or social science related field is required; a Master’s Degree in a Behavioral or Social Science related field may be substituted for one year of the required experience.