A 245D license-holder must ensure his/her direct support professional staff meet staffing standards as required in Minn. Stat. §245D.09.
For the new employment services (exploration, development and support), the 245D license-holder must also ensure staff providing those services (i.e., employment specialists) are competent to do this work.
A 245D license-holder may demonstrate staff competency through either:
The table also includes training and resources available at low or no cost that can help staff build knowledge in each competency area.
| Elements of employment services | Competencies | Demonstration examples | Helpful courses and resources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Job search planning (employment exploration, employment development and employment support services) | The employment specialist should:
• Encourage informed choice, self- determination and active participation throughout the employment process • Emphasize the person’s strengths, interests and talents. |
The employment specialist uses information he/she learns about an individual job seeker to develop a plan toward meaningful employment and make a list of potential employers. He/she can demonstrate that through creating either:
• A vocational profile • An individual employment plan. |
The following courses are available in DirectCourse:
• Business Perspectives • Foundations of Employment Services • Principles of Career Development. For more information about employment exploration resources, see Disability Hub MN – Your Options: Work. |
| Job development and negotiation (employment development services) | The employment specialist should:
• Help the person in his/her job search process • Market the person’s skills to employers • Research and create opportunities for the person • Organize information gathered (e.g., create list of employers by industry or location) • Develop relationships with businesses • Negotiate accommodations and conditions (e.g., hours, wages, tasks, breaks, orientation). |
The employment specialist demonstrates competency when he/she is able to:
• Work collaboratively with the person and employer to: o Negotiate a job and the provision of supports o Create terms of employment that match the person’s interests, skills and conditions he/she needs for success • Write progress reports about meetings with the person • Help the person create resumes and cover letters. |
The following courses are available in DirectCourse:
• Strategies for Job Development, Part 1 • Strategies for Job Development, Part 2 • Job Creation • Networking. |
| Post- employment support (employment support services) | The employment specialist should:
• Ensure the employee is included in work activities and treated like all other employees • Manage travel and transportation • Perform comprehensive job analysis (i.e., breaking down jobs into smaller tasks) • Develop strategies for workplace supports. |
The employment specialist demonstrates competency when he/she is able to:
• Display job retention rates • Set up ongoing, post-employment supports • Monitor the employment relationship to ensure satisfaction of both the person and employer • Create a task analysis document from the information he/she learns in the comprehensive job analysis. |
The following courses are available in DirectCourse:
• Performance Coaching and Support, Part 1 • Performance Coaching and Support, Part 2. |
| Benefits planning (employment exploration, employment development and employment support services) | The employment specialist should:
• Know information about: o Federal and state benefit program rules, associated work incentives and how they apply to the person’s situation o Common myths about benefits and work o Using the Disability Benefits 101 (DB101) website to find and utilize information and tools helpful to a person • Know when and how to connect a person to resources for additional benefits planning when necessary. |
The employment specialist demonstrates competency when he/she is able to:
• Provide accurate information about benefits and work • Identify and verify types of benefits the person receives • Address myths and barriers related to benefits and work • Complete a DB101 estimator session and explain the results • Make appropriate referrals for additional benefits planning when necessary. The employment specialist demonstrates competency when the people he/she serves: • Gain confidence in understanding their benefits and the impact of paid employment • Increase their usage of work incentives • Have greater economic stability • Increase their usage of Disability Benefits 101 (DB101)’s benefits planning tools and other resources. |
The following courses are available through the links provided:
For more information about benefits planning, see: |
