Vocational Rehabilitation Employment Assistance

politics. the worse VR counselors get promoted often. look at MD.


HappinessCounts said:
I realize it's better than nothing even though I do the job of looking, resume editing and applying. It is very hard because many use phone or have heavy public contact. I could use help with interview questions. I dislike them because you never know what type of interview you'll get--the casual, professional or grilling type. I know I need to practice.

I am worried about this crappy counselor. The counselor is giving me a hard time about communicating through e-mail since the beginning. I have been reassigned counselors before not because I requested it, but once I tell them to e-mail me, I never had a problem like this counselor is doing.

Well, I have had to e-mail the front desk to get ahold of the crappy counselor. Once the counselor does, it's as if my e-mail was not read. I am given an AM appointment, when I said I can meet in the PM. Then I ask to please confirm if I can get a PM appt. that day because I don't know if they have other clients to meet or whatever. I didn't get a response. I am through playing games.

I already complained politely to the supervisor but I didn't say why. I would rather in person. I feel this counselor makes me nervous such as jumps to conclusion like I said before telling me stuff that are later not true. My fear is that if I find a job I feel I won't like that I will feel pressured to accept it and keep it. That it'll okay and blah blah.

I have had this experience happen before with a different agency long ago, and I knew I was not going to last long. I was found a job I wasn't looking for. I was told I would, but then said to accept it because I didn't have experience. It's BS, they just wanted to close the case quickly.

I don't like anything about this counselor and I don't want to try to work it out. Usually, when you bring them up to supervisor, they get passive-aggressive and don't change.
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mikemike said:
Exactly. My brothers worked for IT tech companies and their managers got fed up with HR so the managers took it upon themselves to do the hiring.

BTW they preferred community colleges grads over BS grads. mostly to do with knwoing the current computer languages...
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What about Vocational Technical studies in computers such as IT, Design,etc.?
 
Foxrac said:
In here, VR isn't doing their job to communicate with deaf clients so I noticed most of deaf people live in my state, drawing SSI and SSDI so they told me that VR didn't help them with employment, but they did good job to cover on school expense.

I don't know where you live in so you could try to ask to discuss with supervisor at VR office?
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Do they give you a certain time to help you before they give up on you and close your case?
 
HappinessCounts said:
What's MD?
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Maryland

HappinessCounts said:
What about Vocational Technical studies in computers such as IT, Design,etc.?
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? Not sure on that. They might be able to help with that. I don't think I went to VR to see about getting funding when I quit my job and went to vocational/business school for IT/Computer programming... I can't remember now lol.

There are definitely some schools/programs out there for IT studies. Mine was a 7 month fast track program, have seen others like Westwood in Denver (Graphics Design, AA degree- friend of mine went).
 
No, I was wondering if vocational training is also preferred in computer type programs. I am seeing that they do not offer evening programs and that sucks for those who need to work. Other choice is community college.

My counselor did not even want to consider looking to see if I need a career change. I am looking into a short program. While I was on the waiting list, I started to think whether I need an adjustment in careers. What if I end up straight back into VR later after employment because VR failed to evaluate properly?
 
Can I ask if you worked with a VR counselor who is familiar with deaf and hard of hearing people? Do you ask for one or were you assigned to any counselor? I wonder if it helps to have a counselor familiar with deaf and hard of hearing people.
 
My VR counselor, who replaced the origninal one i was assigned to due to her leaving, isn't a deaf & hoh counselor, but she did talk with the one (maybe only one) who was familiar with deaf & hoh client needs. I would hope your VR office has at least one and though s/he may be too busy to take all deaf/hoh as clients, s/he should be able to help the others.
 
Most large counties and largest cities have VR counselors who are deaf or hearing counselors who know sign language. Dunno about smaller cities and smaller counties.


HappinessCounts said:
Can I ask if you worked with a VR counselor who is familiar with deaf and hard of hearing people? Do you ask for one or were you assigned to any counselor? I wonder if it helps to have a counselor familiar with deaf and hard of hearing people.
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They reassigned me to another counselor without a problem. Whew! Probably not a counselor familiar with deaf and hard of hearing needs.

Have any of you had difficulty having VR help you change careers if you weren't finding a job or some other reason in your field? I did ask but previous counselor didn't seem willing to discuss that and just said I needed to just apply for Financial Aid and go from there. Very vague.
 
Hmm... I can't remember. I don't think I even talked to VR when I switched careers all those years ago to IT. I know the last two I've had and I discussed the possibility of a career change or school. The thing with their assistance and work program it is more for lower functioning individuals or at least that is the vibe I get. I know my most recent counselor set me up to see about getting help (I'd have to look at my paperwork to see what it was exactly) but that person said I didn't need it because of my background and had many jobs (in IT) already so I "knew what I was doing" (Hmm okay but that's not helping to GET a job...).

He was definitely reticent about me going back to school and having VR pay for it (or at least getting approval).
 
DeafDucky said:
Hmm... I can't remember. I don't think I even talked to VR when I switched careers all those years ago to IT. I know the last two I've had and I discussed the possibility of a career change or school. The thing with their assistance and work program it is more for lower functioning individuals or at least that is the vibe I get. I know my most recent counselor set me up to see about getting help (I'd have to look at my paperwork to see what it was exactly) but that person said I didn't need it because of my background and had many jobs (in IT) already so I "knew what I was doing" (Hmm okay but that's not helping to GET a job...).

He was definitely reticent about me going back to school and having VR pay for it (or at least getting approval).
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Yes, that's what I felt with the counselor, one look at my background and thinks my experience is good enough to find another of the same job.
 
Just remember that VR's have limited funds and more clients and potential clients than the funds can cover.

Though I was disappointed I not getting my new HAs fully funded by VR (my first time ever using VR), I'm thankful for what I did get. I did tell them I would be interested in maybe some training to enhance my skills and, hopefully, improve my employment opportunities, but that did not happen yet. Probably because I did find a 6-month contact job.
I'm unemployed again but I don't think my hearing is a major issue this time (with the new hearing aids).
 
mikemike said:
Most large counties and largest cities have VR counselors who are deaf or hearing counselors who know sign language. Dunno about smaller cities and smaller counties.
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Just curious, how is VR in NoVA today? My parents used VR to get help for me to enroll the preschool in NoVA about very long time ago.
 
Each state has different rules. I know Illinois has several deaf/coda-soda VR counselors that is very helpful but limited to their rules. What state is this for?
 
Has anyone closed their case with VR because you felt they were not helpful? I feel worse being with them than finding employment on my own. I thought they might be helpful than looking on your own, but I am not seeing it's any better than looking for a job on your own. Having a case with them just seems to delay than help you get closer to employment. Switching counselors is not a guarantee that the next counselor will be better. In fact, no counselor's been able to find me a job in the past. It's easy for them to pay for your things than help you find employment.
 
I don't know about other states but usually my cases always got closed after a year regardless of outcome (good, bad etcetera). My current one is closed I think but I still keep in touch with the counselor from time to time.
 
I think they mail you a letter informing you of the case closure and gives you a reason. I guess it's better to just let it close on its own. You seem to have a good counselor. I have had my case transferred around due to counselors transferring or leaving. You don't really tend to build a relationship with one counselor for long.
 
HappinessCounts said:
I think they mail you a letter informing you of the case closure and gives you a reason. I guess it's better to just let it close on its own. You seem to have a good counselor. I have had my case transferred around due to counselors transferring or leaving. You don't really tend to build a relationship with one counselor for long.
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Yep. I've gotten letters indicating case closing officially and sometimes not (both in PA and NC). I've been lucky for the most part- had a great counselor in PA and two here in NC (lived here two separate times). Really miss the PA one... loved his name lol.
 
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