08/19/1996 31389

FORENSIC VOCATIONAL ADJUSTMENT SERVICES WORKER
(FVASW)

DEFINITION: This is professional work in the field of vocational adjustment services at Waymart SCI or a Regional Forensic Psychiatric Unit on the grounds of a Commonwealth mental health facility.

An employee in this class designs, implements, and evaluates vocational adjustment segments of individual treatment program plans to further the comprehensive treatment/rehabilitation of forensic patients or inmates with a mental disability who have been placed through the criminal justice or corrections systems for diagnosis, evaluation and intensive treatment. The employee conducts formal patient assessments of functioning levels, strengths, and needs and formulates suggested methods for responding to assessed needs for presentation to a multi-disciplinary treatment team. The employee participates with the team in the development of individual patient treatment plans, and selects vocational adjustment activities to meet individual needs identified by the comprehensive treatment team assessment. The employee monitors and reports patient progress to the team and adapts vocational adjustment activities as dictated by the changing needs of the patient. The employee may train, supervise, or direct non-professional personnel. An important aspect of the work is responsibility for the care, custody and control of forensic patients or
inmates with a mental disability while participating in vocational adjustment services programs; and the ongoing review and evaluation of their needs and progress toward achieving program goals. Work is performed independently under general supervision and is reviewed by a supervisor for quality and achievement of vocational adjustment program goals through observation, conferences and reports.

EXAMPLES OF WORK: Develops, implements, monitors and evaluates vocational adjustment segments of comprehensive individual patient treatment plans provided to forensic patients or inmates with a mental disability who have been placed through the criminal justice or corrections systems for diagnosis, evaluation and intensive treatment.

Develops specifically planned vocational adjustment goals and objectives to implement the vocational adjustment segments of comprehensive individual treatment program plans.

Contributes to vocational adjustment program planning and development.

Supervises or directs and instructs non-professional staff in the conduct of individual and group vocational adjustment services, such as shop activities, furniture repair, horticulture activities, patient worker activities, subcomponent assembly, materials handling, collating, sorting, and packaging.

Provides for or actively assists in providing care, custody and control of patients assigned during vocational adjustment services programs and/or on the unit.

Attends multi-disciplinary treatment team meetings and provides recommendations regarding the use or benefit of specific vocational adjustment methods in the individual patient's treatment program plans.

Coordinates scheduling of space, equipment and staff for vocational adjustment activities within assigned areas and integrates scheduling with services provided by other clinical disciplines.

Plans and conducts advanced or specialized vocational adjustment activities for which the employee is clinically privileged.

Provides individual instruction, direction, and support to patients.

Maintains necessary administrative and clinical records, and requisitions supplies and equipment needed for the implementation of vocational adjustment services.

Participates in training to keep abreast of theory and methods in the field of vocational adjustment services, and forensic facility operations.

May conduct in-service training for Forensic Unit staff, volunteers, and other facility staff.

Performs related work as required.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: Knowledge of the theory and principles of vocational adjustment services used in the treatment/rehabilitation of forensic patients or inmates with a mental illness.

Knowledge of the various vocational adjustment services, such as shop activities, furniture repair, horticulture activities, patient worker
activities, materials handling, subcomponent assembly, collating, sorting, and packaging, and the techniques to motivate patient interest and participation in them.

Knowledge of the types and specifications of vocational adjustment equipment and supplies needed for vocational adjustment programs, and their proper care and maintenance.

Knowledge of individual and group behavior and effective ways of working with forensic patients or inmates with a mental disability.

Knowledge of behavioral, rehabilitative, and developmental principles and practices, and their application to daily living situations.

Ability to learn the departmental and facility policy and applicable standards.

Ability to develop health and safety policies, procedures and practices.

Ability to develop skill in assessing patient functioning level, strengths, needs, and progress of patients relative to vocational adjustment program requirements.

Ability to develop skill in writing clear and understandable assessments, discipline treatment program plans and progress notes in behavioral terms.

Ability to develop skill in the care, custody and control of patients assigned during vocational adjustment programs and/or as needed on the unit; and in observing and evaluating patient behavior; and in adapting activities to meet individual needs of patients.

Ability to design, implement, and evaluate vocational adjustment segments of individual treatment program plans in accordance with patients' functioning levels, strengths, and needs.

Ability to write clear and concise vocational adjustment program plan descriptions, goals, and objectives.

Ability to supervise non-professional staff.

Ability to foster interest, initiative, responsibility, and independence on the part of patients and to assist them in developing appropriate behavior.

Ability to coordinate vocational adjustment activities with services offered by other clinical disciplines.

Ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing.

Ability to instruct other professional and non-professional staff in the theory and practice of vocational adjustment services.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING: Graduation from a four year college or university with major course work in vocational rehabilitation, vocational education or counseling, or a related human services field;

                                                                                                                                                                            or

Four years of experience in the field of vocational adjustment services for individuals with a mental or physical illness or disability;

                                                                                                                                                                            or

Any equivalent combination of experience and training.