U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Workers Compensation Room S-3522, 200 Constitution Ave., N.W. Washington, D.C. 20210

R -- VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION SOL 1635 DUE 101795 POC Omar Canty, Jr, Rehabilitation Specialist (202) 219-6808. The U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Worker's Compensation Programs (OWCP), Branch of Medical Standards and Rehabilitation (BMSR), is soliciting vocational rehabilitation counselors (VRCs) who live throughout the United States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. OWCP/BMSR intends to certify and contract with VRCs 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 qualifications criteria, 2) rating of educational and experience factors, 3) selection of those counselors with the highest ratings, 4) attendance at a workshop, and 5) a contractual agreement to follow OWCP standards. The minimum qualifications for consideration are: 1) bachelor degree from an accredited four year college or university; 2) two years' workers' compensation vocational rehabilitation counseling experience and 3) evidence of licensure on states' requiring a license in vocational rehabilitation counseling as a condition to practice. New procedures require VRCs to submit to the OWCP National Office an application package, original and duplicate, consisting of: (1) a narrative summary which provides a complete and detailed description of their work experience and educational background; (2) transcripts supporting the college/university degrees obtained and references from employers or contractors to verify experience and rehabilitation counselor employment; (3) copies of professional licenses in rehabilitation counseling in the state or states in which you currently practice and copies of current professional certifications with a brief description of the requirements (i.e., C.E.U.s, testing, etc.); (4) a signed cover letter or statement indicating that the application package demonstrates the intent to be available to provide direct services to injured workers covered under the OWCP, and including the following statement: ''I certify taht, 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''. The training workshops are planned through July 30, 1996. OWCP will provide a mamorandum of attendance which VRCs may use to apply for continuing education units. Certification extends for a basic one year period followed by 4 one year options. Evaluation of counselor's performance will determine whether options are renewed. The performance of VRCs selected will be evaluated on: timeliness of services, the quality of the rehabilitation services, and adherence to OWCP procedures and instructions from the OWCP staff. VRCs are hereby asked to forward the above information to Virginia Miller, M.D., Chief, Branch of Medical Standards and Rehabilitation, U.S. Dept, of Labor, Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, 200 Constitution Ave., NW, Room S-3522, Washington, DC 20210 according to the schedule presented below. VRCs may ne requested to submit samples of their writing and/or be interviewed prior to the workshop. The deadlines for submitting application packages, original and duplicate, to the BMSR, are as follows: July 14, 1995, for VRCs living in Puerto Rico and the states of California, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, New York and New Jersey. October 17, 1995, for VRCs living in the states of Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska. All parts of the application package must be postmarked or received at the above address by the applicable due date or the VRC is disqualified. (0146)

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