Job Description

A person's career shouldn't be defined by the barriers they face.

As a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor 3 with the Department of Social and Health Services' (DSHS) Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), you'll help people with disabilities recognize their strengths, explore career options, and work toward meaningful employment. Your work can help someone move from uncertainty to a clearer path forward.

Every person's path will look different.

You'll manage your own caseload, build counseling relationships, identify employment barriers, and develop individualized plans. Some customers will need training, accommodations, or community resources. Others may need help understanding their options and deciding what comes next.

We encourage you to apply if you listen well, build trust, and help people make informed decisions. You can balance individual needs with deadlines, documentation, and a substantial caseload. You also know when to involve community partners to help someone move forward.

Your first 90 days are about learning your caseload, building relationships, and understanding local resources. You'll become familiar with DVR procedures, assessment tools, and employment planning while helping customers identify their next steps.

Success means customers understand their options, have a plan, and receive the support needed to work toward employment.

There's life outside work to consider, too.

Lynnwood offers access to Seattle, light rail, parks, trails, and Puget Sound recreation. It's a good fit if you enjoy having city amenities and outdoor activities nearby. Traffic, housing costs, and rainy winters are worth considering.

Still reading? Here's what you'll do.

Some of What You'll Do

• Provide vocational rehabilitation counseling and manage a caseload of customers with disabilities.
• Determine eligibility and assess employment barriers, strengths, and goals.
• Develop, approve, and update Individualized Plans for Employment.
• Arrange and interpret vocational assessments and diagnostic information.
• Help customers make informed choices about training, accommodations, and services.
• Monitor progress and adjust plans as needs change.
• Coordinate services with schools, employers, and community partners.
• Manage case documentation, deadlines, and closures.
• Help customers obtain and maintain competitive employment.

Who Should Apply

Meet one of these education or certification pathways:

• Current Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) certification through the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification; or
• A master's degree in rehabilitation counseling, psychology, counseling, or a related field; or
• A master's degree with the specified graduate coursework in counseling and vocational rehabilitation.

And Three years of qualifying paid experience in vocational rehabilitation counseling or related work, including vocational assessment, job placement, disability services, advocacy, or employment services.

Knowledge and Abilities

• Apply counseling methods to individual customer needs.
• Understand disability-related employment barriers, accommodations, assistive technology, and labor market information.
• Support informed decisions about employment goals.
• Manage competing priorities and deadlines.
• Connect customers with community, educational, and employment resources.

Prior to a new hire, a background check including criminal record history may be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant’s suitability and competence to perform in the job. This announcement may be used to fill multiple vacancies.

Employees driving on state business must have a valid driver's license.

Employees driving a privately owned vehicle on state business must have liability insurance on the privately owned vehicle.

Washington State Department of Social and Health Services is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in any area of employment, its programs or services on the basis of age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity/expression, marital status, race, creed, color, national origin, religion or beliefs, political affiliation, military status, honorably discharged veteran, Vietnam Era, recently separated or other protected veteran status, the presence of any sensory, mental, physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, equal pay or genetic information. Persons requiring accommodation in the application process or this job announcement in an alternative format may contact the Recruiter at (360) 725-5810. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call through Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6384.

Relationship and Reporting Structure Disclosure

If you are selected for hire, you must disclose whether you have a relative, household member, close friend, or romantic partner within your potential supervisory chain of command. DSHS has a Relationships and the Reporting Structure policy that prohibits nepotism and can be reviewed here. Applicants whose appointment would result in a prohibited reporting relationship are not eligible for appointment to that position.

E-Verify® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

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