[il-talk] FW: [Nfb-announce] Iowa Department for the Blind Counselor Jobs

[Syed Yousufuddin]

> Date: Wed, 22 Apr 2009 15:16:36 -0500
> To: david.andrews at nfbnet.org
> From: dandrews at visi.com
> Subject: [Nfb-announce] Iowa Department for the Blind Counselor Jobs
> 
> 
> 
> State of Iowa
> Senior Services Specialist for the Blind 1
> (Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor)
> two full time, merit exempt, at-will positions
> candidates must be willing to live and work outside
> central Iowa / extensive travel
> 
> Senior Services Specialist for the Blind 1, field 
> operations division. Make initial contacts using 
> a variety of referral sources which may require 
> obtaining data from remote sources; describe 
> agency and non-agency programs which may be 
> available to a prospective client. Provide 
> comprehensive, intensive counseling services to 
> new referrals to encourage and motivate these 
> individuals to avail themselves of agency 
> services. Stress the agency’s positive 
> philosophy and attitude toward blindness, 
> encouraging individuals to do self assessments 
> based on abilities rather than 
> disabilities. Assist the client with an 
> application for services. Gather relevant 
> medical, vocational, psychological, educational, 
> and family information. Maintain knowledge of 
> medical terminology and medical treatments 
> especially related to the eye and visual 
> functioning so that a determination as to the 
> severity of the impairment can be 
> made. Determine eligibility for agency programs, 
> given a thorough knowledge of agency programs, 
> making referrals to other programs as 
> necessary. Counsel extensively regarding 
> provision of SSDI benefits and Supplemental 
> Security Income, with special emphasis on 
> specific work incentives built into each of these programs.
> Assist clients in determining strengths 
> and weaknesses regarding a variety of career and 
> social goals. Use counseling and persuasion 
> techniques to provide advice and guidance in 
> highly emotionally charged and near crisis 
> situations. Counsel clients in order to obtain 
> and maintain positive attitudes toward their 
> blindness and secondary disabilities as they 
> relate to all aspects of social and career 
> environments. Make delicate judgments regarding 
> a client’s self-esteem and abilities over the 
> course of an extended period of time; producing 
> clear documentation which outlines the intended 
> nature of planning and the desired outcome in all 
> areas of counseling situations.
> Collaborate with client in determining 
> and realizing career goals. Evaluate and assess 
> capabilities, attitudes, skills, and work 
> potential of blind persons and make 
> recommendations which will remediate 
> accordingly. Develop IPEs, in cooperation with 
> the client, outlining specific means of achieving 
> a vocational objective in a specified 
> time. Coordinate and direct services which might 
> include guidance and counseling, college or 
> vocational training, orientation center training, 
> learning alternative techniques of blindness, 
> adaptive occupational or training tools, 
> assistive technology devices, adaptive skills 
> training, job training, placement services, job 
> retention, and follow-up services. Assume 
> responsibility for fiscally prudent, sound 
> judgment in completing authorizations for 
> expenditure of agency funds according to state 
> and federal guidelines. Maintain contact with 
> clients in training and employment to monitor 
> progress, solve current problems or potential 
> problems. Provide transition services to 
> students, working cooperatively with local area 
> education agencies and school systems. Teach 
> clients necessary attitude and skills including 
> job seeking/job keeping attitudes and skills, 
> Braille, orientation and mobility with use of 
> long white cane, typing, public transportation 
> schedules and accessibility, and job specific 
> alternative techniques of blindness. Work 
> alongside with client in new job to teach 
> specific techniques and skills. Review training 
> progress on a regular basis and consult with 
> client and service providers to facilitate the 
> process. Coordinate intra-agency services 
> including: rehabilitation teaching, job 
> development, assistive technology services, 
> business enterprises program, library services, 
> orientation center training, deaf-blind 
> specialist services, and volunteer services.
> Independently prioritize workload to 
> maximize effective use of time, resources, and 
> agency assets. Submit necessary reports, case 
> recordings, authorizations, and correspondence in 
> a timely, accurate manner. Maintain client case 
> files and other records in an organized, timely, 
> specified format. Make full use of similar 
> benefits where appropriate, including: 
> scholarships or grants, private or public 
> disability insurance benefits, workers 
> compensation benefits, welfare entitlement 
> programs, job training programs, client or family 
> resources or earnings or other sources.
> Develop and maintain cooperative 
> relationships with employers and organized labor 
> in a variety of industries to enable successful 
> employment for clients. Develop employer 
> mentoring and partnerships. Maintain working 
> knowledge of small business development. Use job 
> coaches for supported employment services where 
> appropriate. Consult with employers and blind 
> employees in an effort to assist in the area of 
> job retention or job modification. This function 
> requires a working knowledge of current 
> technologies and techniques being used to assist 
> persons in successfully retaining or advancing 
> employment. Provide comprehensive job 
> development, job placement and follow-up services 
> to employers and blind persons, matching 
> job-ready clients to specific, appropriate jobs 
> and employers. Analyze specific jobs and seek 
> remediation through job remodification, 
> restructuring, development of new technologies, 
> techniques or adaptive devices. Anticipate any 
> potential problems, attitudinal or technical, 
> with specific jobs, employers or clients and 
> investigate means of correcting these problems 
> through education, counseling, job modification, 
> adaptive techniques or devices or other 
> means. Assist employers in making necessary 
> changes to enable them to retain, in employment, 
> those employees who might develop significant 
> vision problems. Encourage employer to make 
> early referral of such cases for vocational 
> rehabilitation services from our agency. Also 
> encourage referrals from labor unions. Draft job 
> development/job placement materials and 
> disseminate to employers, organized labor, and professional organizations.
> Advocate, consult, advise, educate, mediate, and 
> intercede with service providers, employers, 
> and the general public. Design and complete 
> presentations for educational, professional, 
> social organizations, and consumer groups 
> regarding the function and purpose of the 
> agency. Maintain a working knowledge of all 
> aspects of the agency and services 
> provided. Encourage and promote support groups of the blind.
> 
> Minimum qualifications are:
> Graduation from an accredited college or 
> university with a degree in human 
> service-oriented sciences, education, marketing, 
> or business and experience equal to three years 
> of full time professional work, or;
> the equivalent of three years of full-time 
> experience as a rehabilitation counselor or 
> teacher shall be considered as qualifying 
> provided the employee has successfully completed 
> training to meet the certification criteria established by the agency, or;
> an equivalent combination of education and 
> experience, substituting the equivalent of one 
> year of full-time professional work experience 
> for each year of the required education to a 
> maximum substitution of four years.
> 
> Salary range: $ 42,369.60 - $ 64,521.60 annually, 
> plus comprehensive benefit package, pay grade 28, pay plan 000
> 
> Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday
> For further information contact Karen A. 
> Keninger, Director, at 515-281-1334 or 
> 800-362-2587. Persons who wish to be considered 
> for this position must submit a resume and letter 
> of application to Karen A. Keninger, Iowa 
> Department for the Blind, 524 Fourth Street, Des 
> Moines, IA 50309 no later than 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 30, 2009.
> EEO/AA
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> David Andrews and white cane Harry.
> 
> 
> 
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