Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (Blind) (35 Hour)(Hybrid)

Introduction

Do you want to make a difference while participating in a dynamic and reciprocal health care environment?

Apply today and be part of a fulfilling journey in public service! 



THE POSITION

The State of Connecticut, Department of Aging and Disability Services (ADS), Bureau of Rehabilitation Services (BRS), is currently recruiting for a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (Blind), who is Bilingual in English and Spanish, providing outreach to communities serving underserved populations and outreach to organizations. This position will require traveling and working with individuals who are legally blind or visually impaired.

HIGHLIGHTS

• LOCATION: 184 Windsor Avenue, Windsor, CT
• UNIT: Bureau of Education and Services for the Blind (BESB)
• SCHEDULE: Full-Time, 35 Hours per Week, First Shift, 8:30am - 4:15pm, Monday through Friday
• POSITION NUMBER: 34713

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

• Visit our new State Employee Benefits Overview page!
• The opportunity to work for a Forbes top company: 'Forbes' State of Connecticut Ranked one of the Best Employers of 2023 - State of CT Receives National Recognition for Offering Job Growth, Competitive Benefits, and Flexible Schedule
• Professional growth and development opportunities
• A health work/life balance to all employees

DISCOVER THE OPPORTUNITY TO 

• Engage in a rewarding career;
• Provide support to a division that is passionate about improving the lives of those we serve; 
• Assist our clients so they can achieve success;
• Make a difference in the public sector;
• Work together in a collaborative team environment.

ABOUT US 

ADS offers a myriad of programs and services to assist older adults and people with disabilities. Our programs, policies and practices are designed to: 

• Deliver integrated aging and disability services responsive to the needs of Connecticut citizens;
• Provide leadership on aging and disability issues statewide; 
• Provide and coordinate aging and disability programs and services in the areas of employment, education, independent living, accessibility and advocacy; 
• Advocate for the rights of Connecticut residents with disabilities and older adults; and 
• Serve as a resource on aging and disability issues at the state level.

Selection Plan

FOR ASSISTANCE IN APPLYING: 

Please reador watchour Applicant Tips on How to Apply!

Please Note: For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of state government (i.e., Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other.

TO APPLY

• The only way to apply to this posting is via the ‘Apply’ or ‘Apply Online’ buttons on the official State of Connecticut Online Employment Center job posting.
• In order to be considered for this job opening, you must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening. The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified. 
• In order to receive educational credits toward qualification for this job posting, the institution must be accredited.  If the institution of higher learning is located outside of the U.S., you are responsible for providing documentation from a recognized USA accrediting service which specializes in determining foreign education equivalencies to the recruiter listed on this job posting.
• You must specify your qualifications on your application. You will be unable to make revisions once you submit your application for this posting to the JobAps system.
• In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process.
• All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period. It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception. Requests should be made to DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.
• This position will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules.

AFTER YOU APPLY 

• Although applicants will receive correspondence via email and/or phone, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process. 
• This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the question's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam.
• NOTE: At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position. These documents may include: a cover letter, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency.
• The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.
• Interviews will be limited to candidates whose experience and training most closely meet the requirements of the position. Read through this helpful link to prepare for your interview.
• Candidates who are offered and accept a position with the State of Connecticut are bound by the State Code of Ethics for Public Officials and State Employees which is available at www.ct.gov/ethics.

CONNECT WITH US 

• Due to the large volume of applications received, we are unable to provide confirmation of receipt or status during the recruitment process.
• Updates will be available through your JobAps portal account. If you have any questions pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Jensine Tran at Jensine.Tran@ct.gov. 

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

In the Department of Aging and Disability Services, Board of Education and Services for the Blind vocational rehabilitation program this class is accountable for independently counseling a caseload of individuals who are blind and visually impaired on issues of personal and vocational adjustment.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

• Interviews applicants who are blind or whose vision is seriously impaired for rehabilitation services; 
• Secures information regarding educational background, work experience, interests, social and economic circumstances; 
• Arranges for administration and interpretation of psychological tests; 
• Evaluates and interprets data and assists individuals who are blind and visually impaired to select a suitable plan of training; 
• Arranges for rehabilitation services to individuals who are blind and visually impaired such as medical and health services necessary for physical restoration, pre-vocational and vocational training, transportation and maintenance when required; 
• Provides vocational information; provides counseling and guidance to individuals throughout rehabilitation process and assists individuals in meeting problems of personal, social and vocational adjustment; 
• Studies labor market conditions and surveys industrial business plants for employment in business enterprises; 
• Makes use of available community services and facilities and maintains work relationships with local, state and federal agencies; 
• Develops, evaluates and maintains standards of training; 
• Maintains case records and prepares state and federal reports concerning rehabilitation services rendered; 
• Speaks publicly as required; 
• Performs related duties as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

• Knowledge of
  • principles and techniques of vocational rehabilitation counseling, interviewing and psychological and occupational testing;
  • community resources available to rehabilitate individuals who are blind and visually impaired;
  • occupations, job requirements and safety factors; 
  • medical and psychological aspects of disabilities; 
• Considerable
  • interpersonal skills;
  • oral and written communication skills.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

A Master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling or a closely related field and one (1) year of professional experience in rehabilitation counseling, job placement of individuals with disabilities or vocational adjustment counseling.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience in career counseling, job placement and vocational adjustment counseling with persons with disabilities
• Experience working in communities serving inner city populations and conducting outreach to organizations.
• Experience providing case management services for individuals with disabilities
• Experience working with employers and labor markets to develop and secure jobs 
• Bilingual in English and Spanish including reading, writing, and speaking

Conclusion

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.