Instructor Of The Blind

IMPORTANT: Unless waived, you must pay the non-refundable processing fee. For information on fee waivers, visit https://www.cs.ny.gov/examannouncements/types/oc/appinfo.cfm##Fee. It is important that you verify that you entered the correct examination number and title on your online or paper application prior to submitting. If you apply online, you should immediately review your email confirmation notice to verify that you applied for the correct examination. If you do not receive a confirmation number after submitting your online application, your application was NOT received by the Department of Civil Service. No late applications will be accepted after the filing deadline has passed.

Appointees who work in the five boroughs of New York City or in Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland, or Westchester Counties will receive an additional $3,026 annual downstate adjustment. Appointees who work in Dutchess, Orange, or Putnam Counties will receive an additional $1,513 annual mid-Hudson adjustment.

A salary differential of $6,000 may be available at Wende Correctional Facility.

Back To Top

Minimum Qualifications

On or before February 28, 2019, you must have:

Either 1. a bachelor's or higher degree in rehabilitation teaching or vision rehabilitation therapy;
Or 2. a bachelor's or higher degree in any field and successful completion of courses that specifically address all of the following areas (See Note 1)
??? Anatomy of the Eye and Low Vision
??? Psycho-Social Aspects of Visual Impairment
??? Medical Aspects of Disability
??? Grade 2, British Grade 2, or Unified English Braille
??? Methods in Rehabilitation Teaching
??? Practicum, Field Work, or Internship in Rehabilitation Teaching;
Or 3. current certification as a Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist (CVRT) from the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP), or a National Certification in Rehabilitation Teaching for the Blind (NCRTB) from the National Blindness Professional Certification Board (NBPCB). (See Note 2).

Notes

1. If applying under Option 2 of the Minimum Qualifications, please provide a list of the required courses that you have successfully completed in the Course Information section of the application. Transcripts showing successful completion will be required at the time of interview but are not required for application purposes.
2. If applying under Option 3 of the Minimum Qualifications, please include your certification details in the License or Certification section of the application.
3. Your degree or college credit must have been awarded by a college or university accredited by a regional, national, or specialized agency recognized as an accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education/U.S. Secretary of Education. If your degree or college credit was awarded by an educational institution outside the United States and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. You can write to the Examination Information Desk of the NYS Department of Civil Service for a list of acceptable companies who provide this service. This information can also be found on the Internet at http://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/degrees.cfm. You must pay the required evaluation fee. If you are applying on the Internet, you must mail the independent verification of equivalency to the New York State Department of Civil Service, Albany, New York 12239. Attention: S1JAD.
4. Background Investigation/Justice Center Review: The names of all prospective employees may be:
   • Checked against the Staff Exclusion List (SEL) maintained by the Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs. Prospective employees whose names appear on the SEL as having been found responsible for serious or repeated acts of abuse or neglect will be barred from appointment and may have their names removed from the eligible list(s) for the title(s);
   • Investigated through a Criminal Background Check (CBC). All convictions must be reported. Conviction of a felony or misdemeanor or any falsified or omitted information may bar appointment or result in removal after appointment. Each case will be determined on its own merits, consistent with the applicable provisions of state and federal laws;

   and will be:

   • Screened against the Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment (SCR). Prospective employees whose names appear on the SCR may be barred from appointment.

   You will be responsible for payment of all required fees.

5. If you meet the minimum qualifications for this examination, you may wish to review the announcement for examination No. 28-410010 Mobility Instructor, to determine if you meet the qualifications for the examination.
6. Appropriate part-time and volunteer experience, which can be verified, will be accepted on a prorated basis.
7. New York State residence is not required.

The Positions

These positions exist in field offices (Albany, Buffalo, Rensselaer, Rochester, and White Plains) of the New York State Office of Children and Family Services, and in the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (Eastern and Wende Correctional Facilities only.)

Back To Top

Duties

Office of Children and Family Services: As an Instructor Of The Blind (similar to Vision Rehabilitation Therapist in the private sector), you would establish and maintain a working relationship with local area social services and rehabilitative agencies to ensure the effective delivery of services to clients. In addition, you would interview and instruct clients, teach and supervise home instructor trainers, and provide in-service training for various agencies and institutions as requested. The Instructor organizes, plans, teaches, and directs the provision of rehabilitative services (communication, personal, and home management skills) to individuals who are legally blind.

Department of Corrections and Community Supervision: As an Instructor Of The Blind, you would organize, plan, teach, and direct the provision of reasonable accommodations and rehabilitative services (communication, personal, and adult living skills) to the inmates who are legally blind or have severe visual impairment in a correctional setting. You would provide instruction in use and care of adaptive equipment issued and provide extended assessment and discharge planning information to Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors and Offender Rehabilitation Coordinators as needed. In addition, you would establish and maintain a working relationship with rehabilitative agencies to ensure effective delivery of services, discharge planning and programming for inmates. You would interview and instruct inmates, supervise mobility assistants, and provide in-service training for various departmental staff as requested. You would also travel to other facilities as needed to ensure delivery of services to inmates who are legally blind or have a severe visual impairment.

Back To Top

Subject of Examination

There will be no written test. If you meet the Minimum Qualifications your education and experience will be evaluated against the general background/critical activities of the position. This evaluation will concentrate on your education and experience as it pertains to rehabilitation teaching and/or vision rehabilitation therapy. It is essential that you describe your education and experience as completely as possible when you apply. Ambiguity, vagueness, or omissions will not be decided in your favor. Do NOT send resumes. If you apply using the NYS-APP form and you need more space, attach additional 8 1/2" x 11" sheets following the same format used on the application form. Additional unsolicited information will not be accepted after the last day for filing.

Your final score must be 70 or higher in order to pass. Rank on the eligible list will be determined after adding any wartime Veterans' and Civil Service Law Section 85-a credits to your final passing score.

Important: The Department of Civil Service and other state agencies may communicate with you through email correspondence. This may include the notification of your examination results and canvassing you for interest in appointment. It will be important for you to keep your email address, phone number and mailing address current by logging into https://www.cs.ny.gov/home/myaccount.

Back To Top

How To Apply

This announcement is for viewing purposes only.

Additional Information

New York State is an Equal Opportunity Employer

It is the policy of the State of New York to provide for and promote equal opportunity employment, compensation, and other terms and conditions of employment without unlawful discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, disability, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, veteran or military service member status, marital status, domestic violence victim status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, arrest and/or criminal conviction record, or any other category protected by law, unless based upon a bona fide occupational qualification or other exception.

Appointment to many positions in State government require candidates to undergo an investigative screening. This may include a thorough character investigation, a Federal Bureau of Investigation Criminal Record History Check, a Child Abuse Registry clearance, or other similar procedures. Candidates may be fingerprinted and may be required to pay any necessary fees for that procedure. Depending on the nature of the job, the criminal convictions discovered, or any falsified or omitted information revealed, the investigative findings may bar appointment or result in removal after appointment.

Eligibility for Employment

You must be legally eligible to work in the United States at the time of appointment and throughout your employment with New York State. If appointed, you must produce documents that establish your identity and eligibility to work in the United States, as required by the federal Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, and the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Religious Accommodation

Most written tests are held on Saturdays. If you cannot take the test on the announced test date, due to a conflict with a religious observance or practice, check the box under “Religious Accommodation.” We will make arrangements for you to take the test on a different date (usually the following day).

Reasonable Accommodations in Testing

It is the policy of the Department of Civil Service, in accordance with the New York State Human Rights Law and the Americans with Disabilities Act, to provide qualified persons with disabilities equal employment opportunity and equal opportunity to participate in and receive the benefits, services, programs, and activities of the Department. It is the policy of the Department to provide such persons reasonable accommodations and reasonable modifications as are necessary to provide equal opportunity. Persons with disabilities who require an accommodation to participate in an examination must note this on their application. Further information is available from the Test Administration Unit of the Department of Civil Service. In the Albany area, call 518-457-2487. Outside of the Albany area, call toll free at 1-877-697-5627. For TDD services, call NY Relay at 711 (requires a fee) or 1-800-662-1220.

Admission to Examination

Notice to appear for the test may be conditional as review of applications may not be made until after the test. If you have not received your notice to appear for the written test three days before the date of the test, email us at AdmissionNotices@cs.ny.gov. Please provide your first and last name, address, and the last four digits of your social security number, and we will provide you with the information you need to attend your written test. If you have an issue other than not receiving your admission notice, please contact our office at (518) 474-6470 in the Albany area or toll free at 1-877-697-5627. Please leave a clear concise message and provide your first and last name, last four digits of your social security number and a daytime phone number.

Taking State and Local Examinations Scheduled for the Same Day

If you have applied to take a written test announced by either one or several local jurisdictions (county, town, city) scheduled to be held on the same test date as this written test, you must notify each of the local jurisdictions no later than two weeks before the test date to make arrangements for taking all tests at one test site. All tests will be held at the state examination center. For your convenience, contact information for all local civil service agencies is available on our website at: https://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/local.cfm.

Cell Phones or Electronic/Communication Devices at the Test Site

Do not bring cell phones, beepers, headphones, or any electronic or other communication devices to the test site. The use of such devices at the test site in the test room, hallways, restrooms, building, grounds, or other areas could result in your disqualification.

S1/JAD-dah
Issued: 12/14/18

This announcement is subject to amendment or cancellation without notice. Do not copy it, or post it to any other site, but link to it instead.

Back To Top