Standards for Vocational Rehabilitation Facility Approval

MINIMUM STANDARD

Pursuant to MSA 17.237 (319), the minimum standards required of facilities seeking Agency approval for evaluating injured workers upon a referral by the director are knowledge, skills and abilities in all of the following:

• interviewing and evaluating persons with disabilities, and conferring with medical and professional personnel to determine type and degree of disability, eligibility for service, and feasibility of vocational rehabilitation;
• accepting or recommending acceptance of suitable candidates for service;
• determining suitable jobs or businesses consistent with client’s desires, aptitudes, and physical, mental, and emotional abilities;
• planning and arranging for clients to study or train for jobs;
• assisting clients with personal adjustment throughout the rehabilitation program;
• assisting clients to obtain medical, psychological or other services if needed; and
• promoting and developing job openings and placing qualified applicants in employment.

FACILITY ELIGIBILITY

As used in these standards, a “facility” is defined as an individual, or a group of individuals working for a company, who provide vocational rehabilitation services.  At least one member of the facility staff shall have a working knowledge of the Workers' Disability Compensation Act.  All individual applicants or facility staff providing direct vocational rehabilitation services must meet one of the following:

1. Possess a Doctorate in vocational rehabilitation counseling or its equivalent; or
   
   
2. Possess an M.D. or D.O. Degree and have one full year of experience in psychiatric or psychological evaluation of disabled adults in relation to rehabilitation counseling; or
   
   
3. Possess a Master of Arts Degree in rehabilitation counseling and have one year of full time experience as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor beyond the trainee level, with 6 months under the direct supervision of a certified or licensed rehabilitation provider meeting the standards of this section; or
   
   
4. Possess a Master of Arts Degree in a field related to rehabilitation counseling and have two years of full time experience as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor/Consultant beyond the trainee level, or equivalent experience in the evaluation, training and placement of persons with disabilities, with 12 months under the direct supervision of a certified or licensed rehabilitation provider meeting the standards of this section; or
   
   
5. Possess a Bachelor’s Degree in a field related to rehabilitation counseling and have three years of full time experience as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor/Consultant beyond the trainee level, or equivalent experience in the evaluation, training and placement of disabled adults under the direct supervision of a certified or licensed rehabilitation provider meeting the standards of this section; or
   
   
6. Possess an unrelated Master of Arts Degree or Bachelor's Degree and have five years of full time experience as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor/Consultant beyond the trainee level, or equivalent experience in the evaluation, training and placement of disabled adults, with 24 months under the direct supervision of a certified or licensed rehabilitation provider meeting the standards of this section.
   
   
7. Have a current workers’ compensation insurance policy or exclusion form on record with the Workers’ Disability Compensation Agency.

CERTIFICATION/LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS

Individual vocational rehabilitation providers, and those employed by currently approved facilities, shall be required to be licensed by the state of Michigan as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC); and/or certified by the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification as a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor; and/or certified by the Certification of Disability Management Specialists Commission as a Certified Disability Management Specialist (CDMS).  Applicants who are not licensed or certified to deliver direct, comprehensive vocational rehabilitation services shall not be approved.

RELATED FIELDS OF PRACTICE

With respect to education requirements, degrees related to rehabilitation counseling may include, but are not necessarily limited to, degrees in rehabilitation, guidance and counseling, special education, social work, and psychology.

The following facilities shall be recognized as meeting the standards of this section:

1. Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth, Michigan Rehabilitation Services--Disability Management Program;
2. Facilities meeting Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) Comprehensive Vocational Evaluation Services and Employee Development Services accreditation requirements.

REVOCATION OF APPROVAL 

If the director believes that the standards for approval have not been maintained, or when there is a failure to follow the administrative rules or the Act, approval can be revoked.

Rev. February 2022