The following Job Description for IL Specialists at the Independent Living Administration (within the Administration for Community Living) was obtained April 6, 2017 by FOIA Request. Shockingly, the IL Specialist Job Description has not been updated since 2005. Nevertheless, it’s very specific. 

Soon, Peer Action Alliance will draft a letter to the Senate HELP Committee asking why federal employees are refusing to fulfill their legal obligations to the public and the responsibilities specifically outlined in this Job Description.

The following responsibilities are not being carried out in the state of Michigan.

The purpose of this position is to represent, promote and give oversight to programmatic interest and requirements of RSA and its constituents in the public and private provider sectors, as well as maintain channels of information and consultation with various consumer advocacy groups.

Identifies areas of policy deficiency or conflict.

Negotiates and elicits from key agency officials workable agreements or acceptable corrective actions where long­ standing weaknesses or unique problems are identified and there are not appropriate guides to follow in assessing and correcting them. Conducts follow-up reviews to determine if improvements (corrective action plans) have been implemented.

Serves on State Teams to conduct on-site monitoring reviews.

Assures that assigned State VR agencies and other grantees operate in conformity and compliance with applicable Federal laws, regulations and polices derived from the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended… and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The incumbent must exercise independent judgment, balance competing demands, develop complex options that are often unique, contribute to best practice decisions and provide interpretations of broad agency mission statements containing goals and objectives to elicit precise responses.

The incumbent must, from time to time, secure acceptance of controversial ideas. In the event of non-resolvable controversy or conflict surrounding State Plan issues, the incumbent prepares the compliance conformity citation and independently performs all research that supports and/or defends a position of compliance or non-compliance.

Complex and sensitive issues often arise for which little precedent has been established in the form of written guidelines. In resolving such matters, the incumbent seeks to assure – through negotiation, research, and consultation – that law and regulation is correctly applied.

When guidelines do not exist or are materially deficient, the incumbent is expected to independently research existing guidelines materials and propose responses or more specific standards appropriate to the circumstances.

More text from Kimball Gray’s Job Description is available below. Sighted people can access the full Job Description in inaccessible PDF. We hope this information is useful to others in the IL field who are not able to reach their IL Specialist at the Independent Living Administration.

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Independent Living Unit:

Improves and maintains the IL grant monitoring process used by State Teams to identify improvements that IL State grantees should make in order to improve their performance and meet their program obligations.

State Teams will work collaboratively with consumers, providers, State agencies, and any other interested parties to carry out the following activities:

• Implement a continuous process of performance-based program and fiscal monitoring to identify areas of improvement as well as areas of noncompliance that require corrective action by the grantee.
• Develop and issue annual reports, carry out periodic on-site reviews and other monitoring activities required by statute.
• Provide technical assistance to all grantees to assist them to make the improvements and take corrective actions identified in the monitoring process.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Assures that assigned State VR agencies and other grantees operate in conformity and compliance with applicable Federal laws, regulations and polices derived from the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended… and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Identifies areas of policy deficiency or conflict, and serves on peer review panels for selection of projects related to legislation for programs for individuals with disabilities and prepares policy papers, as required for use by National leadership.

Serves on State Teams to conduct on-site monitoring reviews of the programmatic, administrative and internal management operations of State VR agencies and other funded rehabilitation programs… Negotiates and elicits from key agency officials workable agreements or acceptable corrective actions where long­ standing weaknesses or unique problems are identified and there are not appropriate guides to follow in assessing and correcting them. Conducts follow-up reviews to determine if improvements (corrective action plans) have been implemented.

Develops and maintains liaisons with established professional and consumer advocacy groups, responds to requests from organizations, businesses and individuals as they relate to consumer concerns, community awareness, and architectural accessibility.

FACTORS

1. Knowledge Required by the Position

Knowledge of the interaction between private rehabilitation facilities, as well as local, Statewide, and National consumer and professional organizations, as they each relate to public rehabilitation programs in assigned geographic areas. These interactions are crucial to the success or failure of various initiatives undertaken by RSA.

Comprehensive knowledge of mediation skills and techniques that can be used to achieve satisfactory resolution to disagreements, applicability and/or conflicting interpretations of the Rehabilitation Act and other Federal laws and regulations which pertain to the rehabilitation and employment needs of people with disabilities.

Skill in oral and written communications sufficient to advise and consult with a variety of customers, present findings and recommendations, negotiate agreements, and secure cooperation.

2. Supervisory Controls

The incumbent independently plans and coordinates all assignments related to State VR agencies and other grantees in the assigned geographic area. On matters of a sensitive or controversial nature, or issues without policy directives or precedents, the incumbent may consult with the Unit Chief and keeps him/her informed of progress to resolve them.

3. Guidelines

Guidelines include: Federal laws and regulations related to rehabilitation, labor and human services programs; Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR); agency policies and directives; technical and professional articles and research papers; demonstration project findings; administrative manuals; Institute on Rehabilitation Issues publications; and contracts and cooperative agreements made between grantee organizations.

When guidelines do not exist or are materially deficient, the incumbent is expected to independently research existing guidelines materials and propose responses or more specific standards appropriate to the circumstances.

4. Complexity

The employee decides on the approach to be used, interprets program data and statistics, develops proposed options for improvement, and anticipates the outcomes. Based on the incumbent’s own knowledge of broad rehabilitation and employment issues or topics, develops and applies new methods and techniques to solve problems not susceptible to resolution by existing approaches.

The incumbent interprets, clarifies and defines the policy position of RSA as expressed through Federal laws, regulations, and policy; monitors programmatic, administrative and managerial functions of assigned State agencies and other grantees; develops and proposes recommendations and/or requirements for improvements in these areas; and provides follow-up “corrective action plans” for implementation. 

The incumbent provides authoritative advice on the development of new and innovative rehabilitation programming and service delivery methods and facilitates the formulation of cooperative agreements/arrangements with other State and local agencies and grantees. The incumbent must exercise independent judgment, balance competing demands, develop complex options that are often unique, contribute to best practice decisions and provide interpretations of broad agency mission statements containing goals and objectives to elicit precise responses.

The incumbent must, from time to time, secure acceptance of controversial ideas. In the event of non-resolvable controversy or conflict surrounding State Plan issues, the incumbent prepares the compliance conformity citation and independently performs all research that supports and/or defends a position of compliance or non-compliance.

Complex and sensitive issues often arise for which little precedent has been established in the form of written guidelines. In resolving such matters, the incumbent seeks to assure –through negotiation, research, and consultation-that law and regulation is correctly applied. While requiring adherence to laws and regulations, the incumbent must also assure that all possible options are known and considered by agencies and projects and that a positive cooperative working relationship between RSA and all of its constituents is maintained.

5. Scope and Effect

The purpose of this position is to represent, promote and give oversight to programmatic interest and requirements of RSA and its constituents in the public and private provider sectors, as well as maintain channels of information and consultation with various consumer advocacy groups.

The incumbent must oversee, monitor, review, and develop methods of providing technical assistance which assure compliance with practices that result in an adequate number of rehabilitated clients and that these clients receive services of the highest quality within the scope of State Plan requirements.

6/7. Personal Contacts/Purpose of Contacts

There is frequent contact with State VR agency directors and members of their executive staff, supervisory staff and counseling staff; CAP and PAIR agency directors; Randolph-Sheppard State Licensing Directors; and periodic contact with State Governor’s staff.

Contacts are frequent with discretionary grantee directors and various consumer advocacy groups, such as organizations representing the special interests of individuals with disabilities.