State of Maryland

A Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Specialist is the advanced 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 provide technical guidance in specialized disability or program areas to other vocational rehabilitation staff, State departments, community organizations and the general public.

Employees 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.

Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Specialist is differentiated from the Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist II in that the Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Specialist functions as a technical specialist in disability or program areas while the Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist II performs the full range of duties under general supervision. The Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Specialist is differentiated from the Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist Supervisor in that the Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist Supervisor has full supervisory responsibility for lower-level Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists.

When assigned to Rehabilitation Services:

Provides technical guidance in specialized disability or program areas to other vocational rehabilitation staff, State departments, community organizations and the general public;

Provides support and technical guidance in a specialized disability area to Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists;

Provides orientation and in-service training of Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists by providing technical information in a specialized area of disability or program services;

Conducts quality reviews of work in a specialized area of rehabilitation services;

Applies policies, procedures, laws, regulations and directives on the provision of rehabilitation services to persons with disabilities;

Determines processes and procedures to monitor the progress of clients from intake through successful employment;

Develops community and employer contacts to promote the Division of Rehabilitation Services’ programs and client employment opportunities;

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;

Determines eligibility for rehabilitation services under applicable federal regulations;

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

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:

Provides support and technical guidance in a disability determination services specialty area to Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists;

Provides orientation and in-service training of Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists by providing technical information in a specialized area of disability determination services;

Conducts quality reviews of work in a specialized area of 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;

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;

Determines the rationale 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 to determine degree and severity of a disability;

Evaluates claimant’s potential for alternative programs and services;

Uses electronic software to review and process disability claims;

Performs other related duties.