REHABILITATION SPECIALIST 1

SS413 $41,725 - $75,171
Creation Date: 06/29/1987
Change Date: 10/20/2025

FUNCTION OF WORK:
To provide eligible rehabilitation consumers who are blind, deaf, deaf-blind, or hard-of-hearing with counseling, guidance, training, vocational alternatives and placement services resulting in gainful employment and self-sufficiency.

LEVEL OF WORK:
Entry

SUPERVISION RECEIVED:
Close from a Rehabilitation District Supervisor and functional from Counselor- Master, or higher-level specialist.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED:
May exercise direct-line supervision over Rehabilitation Counselor Associate or support staff.

JOB DISTINCTIONS:
Differs from Rehabilitation Counselor- Master by responsibility for providing services to consumers who are blind, deaf, deaf-blind or hard-of-hearing which requires specialized skills and knowledge.

Differs from Rehabilitation Specialist 2 by type of supervision received, lack of independence of action and lack of completion of agency-required training and/or certification.

CORE COMPETENCIES:
CORE COMPETENCIES HAVE NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED BY STATE CIVIL SERVICE FOR THIS JOB TITLE. MORE INFORMATION ON THE SCS COMPETENCY MODEL CAN BE FOUND HERE.

EXAMPLES OF WORK:
EXAMPLES BELOW ARE A BRIEF SAMPLE OF COMMON DUTIES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS JOB TITLE. NOT ALL POSSIBLE TASKS ARE INCLUDED.

Performs beginning specialized rehabilitation casework with supervisory review utilizing acquired knowledge, skills and techniques to enable individuals who are blind, deaf, deaf-blind or hard-of-hearing to successfully interface with his or her total environment - both social and vocational.

Assesses functional limitations and vocational potential of eligible rehabilitation consumers, interpreting psychological and specialized medical information and utilizing comprehensive vocational assessments, with supervisory review.

Counsels consumers, family members, significant others, etc. relative to implications of the prognosis and social/psychological adjustments to facilitate independence and arranges for ancillary services as needed.

Provides specialized counseling, guidance, training, vocational guidance, and placement services, with supervisory review, to achieve the consumers individualized rehabilitation plan, adhering to all state and federal laws and regulations and agency policies and procedures.

Conducts less complex psychosocial evaluations aimed at assessing rehabilitation problems and needs manifested in deafness and blindness.

Develops knowledge base of medical aspects of disabilities, particularly deafness and blindness, to include significant consequences and complications, functional problems and social implications.

Utilizes acquired rehabilitation knowledge in the technical formulation and monitoring of contractual agreements for individualized plans based on each consumers specific disability, interests, skills and goals, with supervisory review.

Assists in conducting workshops, and provides individual counseling to assist consumers with improving interpersonal skills, understanding the labor market and achieving employment and/or self-sufficiency.

Develops knowledge of various therapeutic modalities to remove or accommodate disabilities to the extent possible.

Interprets medical and psychological information utilizing acquired knowledge of physical and mental capacities, medical aspects of disabilities, significant consequences and complications, functional problems and social implications.

Collaborates and consults with other agencies, health professionals, educators, vocational evaluators and community leaders to achieve each consumers plan of rehabilitation.

Serves as supervisor to professional individuals (i.e. interpreters, orientation and mobility instructors, etc.) hired to work with consumers currently under an active individualized rehabilitation plan.

Provides technical assistance to regional employers regarding accessibility and job site modifications for consumers.

Works with other agencies and disciplines through a network of activities such as serving on various committees and as a member of organizations and task forces dealing with issues relative to deafness or blindness.

Develops and maintains knowledge of labor market information to assist consumers with job placement.

Confers with public and private employers to establish job opportunities for consumers. Aids consumers in securing employment consistent with their goal.

Maintains required documentation of casework activities and ensure confidentiality of case information.

Supervises work of paraprofessional staff in completion of caseload support duties critical to the successful rehabilitation on consumers. Evaluates performance and provides guidance.

Attends training to develop and maintain knowledge and skills, which requires in-state travel, to include overnight stays and may require out-of-state travel.

Performance of duties involves field travel, which requires possession of a valid driver's license unless a reasonable accommodation is made.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
One year of the required experience for the following minimum qualifications must have been working with individuals who are hearing or visually impaired:

A bachelor's degree plus two years of experience in rehabilitation services, therapy services, administrative services, social services, or nursing; OR

A bachelor's degree in rehabilitation services, a social sciences field, social work, education, nursing, health and human services/resources, speech therapy, biomedical engineering, or business administration plus one year of experience in rehabilitation services, therapy services, administrative services, social services, or nursing; OR

A master's degree plus one year of experience in rehabilitation services, therapy services, administrative services, social services, or nursing.