Job Description

Posting number: 2026-07929

Department: Dept. of Social and Health Services

Division: DVR

Job classification: REHABILITATION TECHNICIAN 1

Posting type: Open & Promotional

Categories: Mental Health, Social Services, Human Services, Counseling

Summary

DSHS DVR Rehabilitation Technician 1

Are you someone who enjoys helping people get oriented, feel welcome, and take their next step with confidence? The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) is hiring a Rehabilitation Technician 1 to support people with disabilities as they work toward meaningful employment.

This role provides paraprofessional and technical support to Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors and/or other professional vocational rehabilitation staff. As the first line of contact for applicants with disabilities, Rehabilitation Technicians provide a full range of functions to support vocational rehabilitation counselors, and their unit in areas including operational support and direct customer services, orientations, eligibility preparation, and monitoring expenditures related to service delivery.

This is a career for someone who enjoys a mix of people-facing work and behind-the-scenes coordination. If you like staying organized, communicating clearly, and knowing your work directly supports others in reaching their goals, this position offers that every day.

Some of what you'll do:

• Provides general office support with a strong emphasis on front desk responsibilities, including greeting and directing participants, answering multi-line telephones, managing lobby sign-ins, maintaining the reception area, distributing incoming and outgoing mail, and monitoring online referral and fax inboxes to ensure timely processing of information.
• May provide information to prospective participants to explain vocational rehabilitation programs, services, and eligibility requirements.
• Accurately enters new applications as needed for DVR services into Case Management System within five days of the date a new participant signs application form.
• Assists VRC and participants in gathering information needed for the development of the Individual Plan for Employment, including support in contacting vendors and obtaining quotes for services.
• At request of VRC, assists with ongoing case management by monitoring participant progress toward their employment goal, gathering documentation to verify measurable skill gains and credential attainment, identifying and documenting unmet needs that may impact progress, and maintaining regular contact with customers to provide updates, reinforce next steps, and support continued engagement in their vocational rehabilitation plan.
• Schedules appointments with interpreters, service providers, and meetings with VRCs. Assist with case movement expectations including the following:
• Collect diagnostic information to be used in determining eligibility within 30 days. Document in case service record actions and attempts to obtain information. Communicate with VRC if any delays that will extend the period in which eligibility information is collected beyond 30 days.
• Monitor Authorizations for Payment (AFP) that will expire each month, discuss with VRC which AFPs can be cancelled, reissued and which must remain open for payment.
• Prior to closure, audit case record to include status of loaned equipment, reconciliation of AFPs, and verify required documentation is present in case record.
• At the direction of the supervisor, assists in identifying potential new community vendors and provides guidance to interested vendors on how to become registered service providers.
• Prepares and processes the AFP of customer goods and services OR issues payment for the same within five days of receiving request for AFP or invoice.
• Prepares correspondence to participants, vendors, and others.

Who should apply?

Professionals with one of the following:

• Individuals with two years of college-level coursework AND at least one year of experience providing direct customer service in a non-retail setting

OR

• A combination of education and relevant experience that demonstrates the ability to perform the work may substitute for the required qualifications.

Note: Employees with the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, DSHS, must meet mandatory training requirements specified by the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation policy.

Preferred knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• Demonstrate knowledge of available community resources and the ability to share information with participants.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the needs, problems, and attitudes of individuals with disabilities.
• Demonstrate the ability to communicate and effectively interact with a wide array of individuals with diverse and often disadvantaged backgrounds who may have substantial barriers to communication or interpersonal interaction.
• Develop and maintain a thorough knowledge of DVR policies and procedures, especially those that apply to the purchase and payment of goods and services.
• Demonstrate the ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with participants, co-workers, vendors and other agencies.
• Demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Develop and maintain an effective working knowledge of DVR case management and fiscal systems, including effective use of the case management system for processing and recording participant information and services.
• Demonstrate effective interviewing and presentation skills, including the ability to synthesize and explain complex information to individuals with limited ability to comprehend information.
• Develop and maintain a general knowledge of the medical aspects of disability and rehabilitation technology.

See why people like you chose careers with DSHS:

Questions? Contact Peter Bonato at peter.bonato@dshs.wa.gov and reference job number 07929.

The Department of Social and Health Services’ (DSHS) vision that people find human services to shape their own lives requires that we come together with a sense of belonging, common purpose, shared values, and meaningful work. It is crucial to our agency’s vision that you bring a fairness, access, and social justice commitment to your work with DSHS. We strive to support all Washingtonians, including Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, people with physical, behavioral health, and intellectual disabilities, elders, LGBTQIA+ individuals, immigrants and refugees, and families building financial security.

Supplemental information

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 (Nepotism) 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 posit

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