THE APPLICATION OF INFORMED CHOICE
Although the above described policy on Informed Choice indicates choices are not limitless, Ms. Johnstone was assigned to a different vocational rehabilitation counselor each time she made the request. Reassigning or changing caseworkers is not a regular business practice by other DHS service programs. There are financial costs associated with changing workers and more so, the client case history is not easily transferable from one caseworker to another.
Many of the case decisions that Vocational Rehabilitation program makes are often done collectively, not unilaterally. State and Federal laws, regulations and policies provide the authority and guidance for vocational counselors to perform the work and provide services to clients. Given that Vocational Counselors follow the same laws and policies there should not have been a significant different approach,…show more content… Johnstone purports that she was deprived of a Job Developer, the case record provides an indisputable fact that the numerous Job Developers did indeed provide her with resume development, enhancement of her interviewing skills, employment resources and job referral resources that included the following:
• May 3, 2010 – VR counselor introduced Ms. Johnstone to staff in the Resource Room to assist with her job search. Directions to the Employment Department were provided. Calendar of employment related workshops provided and it was recommend that she enroll in the IMatch employment system.
• September 7, 2010 – Ms. Johnstone was provided with a job referral for a full-time fundraising position with Oregon Community Foundation. The record reflects that Ms. Johnstone did not apply for this position.
• October 8, 2010 – Ms. Johnstone was referred to Work Opportunity Credit that her Job Developer wanted her to enroll in. The record does not reflect that Ms. Johnstone explored the Work Opportunity Credit or “On the Job