Categories of Training

A DEIC intern will assist the DEIC in processing Child Find referrals to Direct Service Providers; administering evaluations and assessments, completing voluntary family assessments, coordinating EI services; developing Individualized Family Service Plans to address child and family needs; coordinating and documenting District Council activities according to state and federal regulations; providing support and training to Direct Service Providers and families; authorizing payment to vendors; and developing transition plans for children exiting AEIS.

A Children’s Rehabilitation Service (CRS) nurse intern will assist the CRS nurse in determining, eligibility for agency services and coordinates care between the agency and community service providers; coordinating monthly client clinic visits; viewing all medical records, documenting diagnosis in case records and facilitating flow of information between patients, families and treating medical professionals; developing Plan of Care; authorizing client services; attending home and school visits as needed; and serving as a community resource advocating for children with special health care needs.

A Children’s Rehabilitation Service (CRS) social worker intern will assist the CRS social worker in conducting intake of clients; completing financial consent, medical releases and service plans; attending home, agency and school visits; obtaining and reviewing medical records, identifying problems and concerns to address needs; conducting follow up of medical recommendations and assessment of status; conducting pre and post clinic interviews as needed to determine needs, give recommendations and provide instruction and counseling; dictating clinic contacts for medical records; and conducting outreach for community awareness.

A Children’s Rehabilitation Service (CRS) nutritionist intern will assist the CRS nutritionist in planning, monitoring and evaluating nutrition services in the assigned geographical area; providing nutritional services in the homes or other community settings to clients and families; developing and coordinating Feeding clinics and provide follow up for clinic clients; maintaining a cooperative relationship with other agencies providing nutritional services; serving as a nutritional resource to staff; providing in-service education to CRS staff and community agencies; working medical and evaluation clinics by assessing nutritional status, growth and dietary intake of clients 0 to 21 years of age; and assisting other care coordination professionals in the procurement of nutritional supplements for clients.

A Children’s Rehabilitation Service (CRS) physical therapist intern will assist the CRS physical therapist with working in clinics to evaluate motor functioning, assessments for adaptive equipment needs, and evaluation of appropriateness of existing equipment to ensure proper fit; completing casework for client referrals related to physical therapy services and reimbursement costs of equipment and supplies; consultation with physicians to discuss recommendations; collaborating and coordinating treatment recommendations for clients served by community agencies; attending home, school and agency visits to assist clients and families in the implementation of plans for rehabilitation; and serving as a community and staff resource.

A Children’s Rehabilitation Service (CRS) occupational therapist intern will assist the CRS occupational therapist in the clinic evaluation process for OT services and providing follow up as needed; serving as clinic coordinator as needed and documenting completion of evaluation reports in the electronic health care record; collaborating with health care professionals and physical therapist in outside agencies regarding service provision; conducting follow up by participating in Individualized Educational Plans, field visits to schools, clients’ homes; school trainings and other contacts as needed; and providing in-service training to CRS staff and other agencies.

A Children’s Rehabilitation Service (CRS) or Vocational Rehabilitation Service (VRS) audiology intern will assist the CRS or VRS audiologist in evaluating/testing clients to assure appropriate procedures are conducted and document client files; evaluating the need for hearing aids and assistive amplification devices; selecting, authorizing and ordering assistive hearing devices; providing fitting, programming, orientation and education for assistive hearing devices; conducting follow up to assess auditory status, device performance and compliance; responding to requests for modification and maintenance of assistive hearing devices; and providing consultation, information and patient education to medical personnel, professional staff and community members.

A Children’s Rehabilitation Service (CRS) speech pathologist intern will assist the CRS speech pathologist in conducting speech/language/voice/fluency screenings and evaluations; providing speech/language evaluation and intervention services; providing training, technical assistance/consultation to individuals and groups; evaluating and recommending treatment plans for children with Feeding Difficulties in conjunction with other therapists and team members; coordinating speech clinics and conducting pre and post reviews and documentation; administering follow up to document accurate and complete delivery and functioning of Augmentative Communication Devices, Speech Generating Device and Durable Medical Equipment; and providing consultation and information to ADRS staff, medical professionals, schools affiliates and community members.

A SAIL Nurse Coordinator intern will assist the Nurse Coordinator in determining eligibility; completing/developing Homebound care plans; evaluating training needs and providing training to Personal Care Workers and family members; monitoring client needs and use of services by conducting in-home case reviews; documenting provision of services; assessing and completing SAIL Waiver determinations and redeterminations; authorizing and expending funds according to federal, state and agency guidelines; developing/maintaining relationships with community agencies/organizations; and partnering with SAIL/ADRS staff to provide quality services.

A SAIL Rehabilitation Counselor intern will assist the SAIL Rehabilitation Counselor in visiting participants in the home to determine eligibility for Home/SAIL services by obtaining and evaluating patients’ social histories, medical diagnoses, and functional limitations; determining appropriate resources to make referrals; assessing personal care needs and level of independence; educating participants, caregivers, and families on health and safety needs in the home; coordinating the hiring or contracting of vendors/providers of services and managing the expenditures of funds for those services; providing case documentation for activation and redetermination or readmission; interviewing and evaluating attendants for the SAIL Program; monitoring accounts for medications, supplies, prescriptions, specialized equipment determined by need on an individual basis; coordinating all service requests; authorizing and managing cases in SAIL Waiver and Homebound programs; assuming accountability for funding expenses; and referring individuals not meeting the disability or other criteria to other programs.

A VRS rehabilitation counselor intern will assist the VRS rehabilitation counselor with reviewing medical, psychological, social, academic and employment information, identifying functional limitations to employment and completing eligibility determinations; discussing vocational goals and services with consumers and developing individualized rehabilitation plans; coordinating services, identifying comparable benefits and authorizing expenditure of funds necessary for consumer’s rehabilitation plan; monitoring and documenting progress of plan completion; counseling with facility staff, families, high school and college guidance counselors and teachers as well as consumers regarding vocational options and accommodation resources; and monitoring accuracy of case record, determining appropriateness of closure and developing appropriate closure documents.

It is highly recommended a VRS rehabilitation counselor intern for the deaf possess basic American Sign Language (ASL) skills to assist the VRS rehabilitation counselor in determining eligibility by obtaining and reviewing medical, psychological, social, employment and academic information and completing eligibility certificates; identifying functional limitations to employment and developing individualized rehabilitation plans with consumers; following and documenting consumers’ progress on completing plans; authorizing expenditure of funds necessary for consumers’ rehabilitation plans and unavailable through other resources; counseling with facility staff, families, high school and college guidance counselors and teachers as well as clients regarding vocational options and accommodations resources; developing appropriate closure documents; and determining appropriateness of closures; monitoring accuracy for case records.

A Lakeshore rehabilitation counselor intern will assist the Lakeshore rehabilitation counselor in administering academic, interest and dexterity tests then scoring and interpreting test materials; reviewing case materials and requests for services to ensure appropriate evaluation plans are developed; counseling clients to fully address vocational, medical, personal and behavioral issues through the evaluation process; providing feedback with consumers and their significant others to discuss vocational options, educational options and vocational plans; producing evaluation reports reflecting accommodations and employment results and recommendations; and completing staffing reports, exit interviews, feedback conference reports, termination documents and monthly attendance reports. (Vocational Evaluator is the working title for Lakeshore rehabilitation counselors.)

A Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VRS) employment specialist intern will assist the VRS employment specialist in establishing and maintaining relationships with business and industry to meet their disability-related hiring, retention and inclusion needs; identifying appropriate job leads, recruiting, assisting with pre-screening and referring qualified VR consumers to business partners; providing job readiness and consumer services to enhance their employability; providing disability-related education and training to business partners and assisting businesses with retaining injured, ill or disabled employees; gathering and disseminating labor market information; providing career guidance, job development and placement services to VR consumers; and informing the public of Vocational Rehabilitation services through presentations, media coverage and representation at workforce related events. (Business Relations Consultant is the working title for Employment Specialists.)

An Orientation and Mobility (O&M) intern will observe and assist the Orientation and Mobility Specialist managing referrals and waiting lists; in completing assessments of mobility needs on each consumer referred; determining eligibility using medical records, self-disclosure and functional assessments; developing working relationships with consumers that will promote a program of orientation and mobility; developing individualized instructional programs and providing O&M instruction to visually impaired consumers; documenting assessments, training provided, and completion of plans; assessing supply needs and ordering supplies while maintaining budgets and documenting delivery of supplies; developing awareness of resources available to consumers and may assist in community awareness activities to help the public learn of available services.

A Vision Rehabilitation Therapist intern will observe and assist the Vision Rehabilitation Therapist in managing referrals and waiting lists; completing assessments of independent living needs on each consumer referred; determining eligibility using medical records, self-disclosure and functional assessments; developing working relationships with consumers that will promote a program of independent living; developing individualized instructional programs and providing independent living instruction to visually impaired consumers; documenting assessments, training provided, and completion of plans; assessing supply needs and ordering supplies while maintaining budgets and documenting delivery of supplies; developing awareness of resources available to consumers and may assist in community awareness activities to help the public learn of available services.

An interpreter intern will assist the interpreter in interpreting American Sign Language (ASL) for consumers in all settings so that information is provided in consumers preferred mode of communication; providing/coordinating interpreter services for VR Counselors, Deaf Support Specialists, Employment Specialists (also known as BRC’s), Audiologists, CRS and provide needed documentation of services provided; interpreting for ADRS (or affiliated) meetings, workshops, and training; conducting in-service training regarding sign language and deaf awareness issues to employers and other community entities; supervising and coordinating with contract interpreters to ensure aspects of the Rehabilitation process can be followed and documented appropriately; and providing job coaching /interpreting as needed for job placement, job retention, and job promotion on consumers.

An adaptive driving intern will assist the adaptive driving specialist in providing comprehensive assessments of an individual's abilities and/or potential to become a safe and independent driver; providing driver training as may be indicated with or without adaptive equipment following successful completion of a driver evaluation; conducting vehicle consultations for modification recommendations; recommending needed equipment to help consumers function successfully; performing vehicle inspections following installation of adaptive equipment; and conducting functional inspections with consumers for all vehicle modifications.

A rehabilitation engineering specialist intern will assist the rehabilitation engineering specialist in evaluating individuals with disabilities to provide assistive technology services, training, and support to enhance access to employment, education, and independent living; participating in multi-disciplinary teams to enhance professional development and consumer technology needs are met; providing information on technology and accommodations to staff and consumers; and recommending technology/accommodations with follow up on recommendations to evaluate outcome.

An accountant intern will assist the accountant in auditing and reconciling travel claims, telecommunication invoices, verifying vendor codes, account codes, related budget balances, and accuracy of payment amounts; communicating with vendors, department staff members, and personnel in other state agencies regarding travel claims, invoices or related materials; notifying employees, agencies or department heads of issues with invoices, travel claims and other financial information; entering data to process voucher payments in a prompt and efficient manner; and referencing various tables to review documents, budgets, and enter claims for payment documents and journal vouchers.

An accountant intern will assist the accountant in preparing billing for revenue agreements and grants in accordance with applicable regulations and accounting standards; monitoring agency outstanding receivables to ensure payments are received timely and provide accurate account delinquency management; and preparing fund status and agency Federal Financial reports.

A IT systems specialist intern will assist the IT systems specialist in managing, maintaining and developing the DW systems; ensuring changes made in the production database environment are pursuant to the change management process; coordinating with the Project Manager and Scrum Master to ensure that all build/release processes occur efficiently; utilizing documentation from Team Foundation Server to produce satisfactory build and release notes; providing support for the Business Intelligence (Bl) initiative utilizing the Microsoft SQL Server Bl stack and SharePoint; administrating ail ADRS SQL servers in problem resolution, configuration, capacity planning, performance tuning, and upgrades; providing support for all other departmental SQL Servers; assisting the SharePoint Farm Administrator in administration and maintenance of the Microsoft SharePoint suite of content management and server capabilities to include user accounts, security, performance, and system configuration and content organization; assisting in specifying, installing, and maintaining the SQL Server reporting services databases to support integration with the SharePoint servers; communicating effectively with project manager, scrum master, IT Director, and Computer Services team members as needed for daily activities and through the project/software development lifecycle; documenting ail responsible systems in a professional manner including SharePoint governance and security, SSIS solutions. Operations Team processes, SSRS standards, and database administration.

A programmer intern will assist the programmer in software development, and design/construction; performing software unit and limited system integration testing; debugging tools in the developer IDE (Visual Studio) and the web browser; documenting programming work in the code base, TPS, and problem report tracking system so that software can be given to fellow programmers for review; change management; maintaining record of activities so that software development and modifications are documented and tracked in an audit trail of program implementation and changes are available; and providing accurate and clear status information to project manager, scrum master, and development team members.

An attorney intern will assist the attorney with filing timely and appropriate responses to all departmental legal actions to defend or prosecute the department's legal proceedings; responding to all legal inquiries from staff to provide appropriate and timely legal advice; coordinating Administrative Procedure Act requirements to effectuate the adoption of rules by the Alabama Board of Rehabilitation Services; participating in the development of new and revised departmental policies and legal procedures to ensure compliance with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations; training staff on policies and legal procedures to limit liability of and legal actions against the department; reviewing departmental contracts, leases, and interagency agreements to ensure compliance with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations; and responding to calls and questions received from the public on the 1-800 ADA hotline relating to the Americans with Disabilities Act.

An administrative assistant intern will assist the administrator with EI, CRS, VRS, or SAIL in communicating with consumers, parents, vendors, Community Rehabilitation Programs (CRP) personnel, health care professionals by phone, relays and email maintaining confidentiality; Entering information into case management systems to generate authorizations, verify services document services and status; processing claims; verifying receipt of services; researching charges with vendors to process or clear; entering applications, plans, reviews, and closures into case management systems; typing and distributing all routine correspondence regarding caseload to appropriate consumers, vendors, doctors, etc.; maintaining case files for caseloads; scheduling appointments with consumers, doctors, CRP personnel, specialist, medical professionals; processing referrals to clinics, CRP’s, medical professionals, agencies and vendors; and performing clerical duties as needed.

A communications specialist intern will assist the communications specialist in serving as a media representative by producing news releases, assisting with media inquiries and coordinating media coverage; gathering information, taking photos, designing, writing, and editing the department's online staff newsletters and annual reports; assisting with the production of departmental public awareness materials; providing training to staff on media relations and public awareness activities; and coordinating posts to departmental social media accounts.