Vocational counselors are part of the treatment team in the behavioral health clinics. They assist clinical staff and clients in developing and implementing a comprehensive program of vocational rehabilitation that will result in clients expanding basic skills educational baseline knowledge and gaining employment, skills training or education. They provide and/or coordinate those pre-vocational activities, which will help clients, develop and achieve vocational rehabilitation goals and function successfully in the competitive workplace. To facilitate access to needed vocational rehabilitation services, the vocational resource coordinator establishes support to recovery counselors through resources such as linkages with vocational/educational services provided in the local community and refers clients appropriate for theses services.

POSITION DESCRIPTION:

• Perform initial intake of all clients to obtain vocational/educational background information, identify preliminary vocational/educational needs and develop preliminary plan of services to meet these needs.

• Conduct a comprehensive educational/vocational assessment, including the taking of complete history, and assessment of capacity to function.

• Utilize the results of the assessment to develop with the client, vocational/rehabilitation plan with short and long range goals and provide and/or coordinate activities which will help the client achieve the goals.

• Provide on-going individual and group counseling to help clients make appropriate vocational decisions and to assist clients toward their established goal(s)

• Function as an integral member of the treatment team and participate in case conference, team meetings, and in–service workshops.

• Develop and maintain linkages with community based educational/vocational employment and support service resources.

• Refer clients to appropriate vocational/educational services that are provided in the community.

• Provide follow-up and post-placement support services to clients.

• Provide training and consultation to treatment programs. Vocational rehabilitation principles and practices to help insure coordination and integration of services into the treatment process.

• Keep concise and accurate records of client’s vocational statistics on client contacts, referrals, employment, etc.

• Utilize Electronic medical records system to register clients engage in Voc. Services and input all counseling and group contacts.

• Conduct life coping skills groups to enable clients to become successfully involved in community based vocational and employment activities

• Develop and implement employment group curriculums.

• Assist clients in identifying careers which match their abilities, interests and past employment experiences.

• Identify the individuals’ strengths in the area of job search and support Access-VR clients in the following areas such as: resume and cover letter writing, interview presentation, accessing community resources for their job search and place clients in employment opportunities.

• Work closely with each client to successfully match each person to an appropriate job.

• Work with the business community, marketing VIP’s Program(s), determining employment needs within the community and being a liaison between the employer and the client. Develop and maintain business Accounts with employers to place clients.

• Will assess the client’s individual strengths with maintaining employment and determine where additional vocational support services will be necessary.

• Will provide on-the-job support to the individual and provide technical assistance to employers, promoting job retention, skill-set development and job independence.