COMMERCE BUSINESS DAILY ISSUE OF JULY 11,2000 PSA#2639 CERTIFICATION OF VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION COUNSELORS The U.S.
Department of Labor, Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP),
Branch of Medical Standards and Rehabilitation (BMSR)is soliciting
vocational rehabilitation counselors (VRC) who live in the states of
Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota. OWCP/BMSR intends to certify and
contract with individual VRC in these areas to provide direct
vocational rehabilitation services for injured workers covered by the
Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act and the Federal
Employees' Compensation Act. OWCP certification involves 1) minimum
qualification criteria, 2) rating of educational and experience
factors, 3) selection of those counselors with the highest ratings, 4)
required attendance at a training workshop, and 5) a contractual
agreement to follow OWCP standards. The minimum qualifications for
consideration are: 1) a bachelor degree from an accredited four year
college or university; and 2) two years' workers' compensation
vocational counseling experience. New procedures require each VRC to
submit to the OWCP National Office a complete application package,
original and duplicate, consisting of: (1) a narrative summary which
provides a complete and detailed description of their work experience
in using the labor market, job placement, and using testing/vocational
evaluation; (2) copies of transcripts supporting the
college/university degrees obtained, and references from employers or
contractors to verify experience and rehabilitation counselor
employment; and (3) a signed cover letter or statement by VRC
indicating that the application package demonstrates the intent to be
available to provide direct services to injured workers covered under
OWCP, and including the following statement: "I certify that, to the
best of my knowledge and belief, all information, statements, and
documents herein presented are true, correct, complete and made in good
faith, under penalty of disqualification and prosecution under the
law". Applicants with the highest ratings will be selected to attend
the required training workshops. The training workshops are planned
through January 12, 2001 for sites within the district. OWCP will
provide a memorandum of attendance, which VRC may use to apply for
continuing education units. VRC are not paid or otherwise reimbursed
for attending these workshops. Certification extends for a basic one
year period followed by a maximum of 4 one year options. Evaluation of
counselor's performance will determine whether options are renewed.
VRC who receive referrals are evaluated on OWCP's standards of
timeliness, quality, and adherence to OWCP's policies and procedures.
Additional rating factors are positive outcomes or successful closures.
These evaluations will determine whether you continue to receive
referrals, and have a bearing on eligibility for future workshops. VRC
selected to provide direct services are compensated at the rate of $65
per hour for professional time and $37.50 per hour for non-professional
time based on the OWCP approved schedule for direct services on a case
by case basis. OWCP may develop and test pilot programs to determine
the feasibility of other methods of remuneration. OWCP does not
guarantee a minimum number of referrals to each VRC. Individual VRC are
hereby asked to forward a complete application package including all of
the required information of resume, verifying references, and
transcripts of completed college work, in duplicate, in one package to
Virginia Miller, M.D., Chief, Branch of Medical Standards and
Rehabilitation, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Workers'
Compensation Programs, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room S-3522,
Washington, DC 20210. The deadline for submitting application packages,
original and duplicate, is September 1, 2000. The application package
must be postmarked and/or received at the above address by the
applicable due date or the VRC is disqualified. WEB: NA, NA. E-MAIL:
NA, NA. Posted 07/07/00 (W-SN472144). Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0516 20000711\SP-0044.MSC)
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