GLWIB Member Profile
Name: Carolyn Langevin
Title: Area Director
Organization: MA Rehabilitation Commission Lowell Office
About Member:
Carolyn’s formative years were in Worcester, Massachusetts where she attended local schools and later Anna Maria College in Paxton, Massachusetts. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in French Literature in 1968 and went on to teach French at Nauset High in Orleans, Cape Cod. MA. After several years she began working in public service, for the JESI (Jobs Education Self Improvement) project, a UMass initiative in Worcester. The JESI project targeted “drop out” inner city youth, where she used her teaching skills to help disadvantaged youth fill in life skill gaps. When this program ended, she moved into working with Juvenile offenders, their families, schools and the juvenile court with Youth Opportunities Upheld (YOU Inc) also in Worcester. In 1979, Carolyn continued working in human services although she included many other kinds of employment along the way from short order cook, waitress, sales person, “Kelly girl” to name a few.
She eventually found herself at the Mass Rehabilitation Commission (MRC) in Southbridge, MA as a Vocational Rehab Counselor and then Supervisor. She worked in Southbridge from 1979-1990. During this time, she earned her Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology at Assumption College. In 1990, Carolyn became Area Director at the Lawrence Area office of MRC until 1998, when she took the same position in Lowell. Carolyn immediately joined the GLWIB and worked with Michael McQuaid, Career Center of Lowell Director on several projects. Carolyn and Michael worked together to form GLADWC (Greater Lowell Area Disability Workforce Consortium) which brings area service providers and community based agencies together to pool resources to improve the quality of services to persons with disabilities. Carolyn looks forward to continuing this collaboration with the Career Center of Lowell where she also serves on the GLWIB Youth Council.
Carolyn is also a non-medical member of the FEMA/NIMs (National Incident Management Systems) UMV/MRC Medical Reserve Corp which trains volunteers in case of emergencies. There are 45 units in MA and 888 across the country. As an administrative volunteer she was called upon to help run one of the many H1N1 Flu Shot clinics in the area.
Carolyn’s love of travel & music have taken her to many countries including in Europe, Asia, Africa & Central America. She mentored and managed a young Khmer hip-hop group “Seasia”, who, for several years enjoyed performing for international and national appearances.
Organization Description:
The MRC is the state agency for the federal program under the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA). There are 20 MRC offices throughout the state. The Lowell area office covers 16 communities: Acton, Bedford, Billerica, Boxborough, Burlington, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Concord, Dracut, Dunstable, Littleton, Lowell, Tewksbury, Tyngsborough, Westford and Wilmington. The Lowell office employs 11 Vocational Rehab Counselors who each have a case load of approximately 150 clients. Each applicant must have a severe disabling condition substantiated by medical documentation with functional limitations which hinder their ability to work competitively. A Qualified Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (QVRC) has the responsibility to gather medical/vocational/education data to review towards an eligibility decision. Clients are informed in writing of their eligibility for services.
Once eligibility for Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission is established, clients work with their individual counselor to create an Individual Plan for Employment. (IPE). Counselors work one on one with clients to determine strengths & limitations toward determining a suitable and appropriate job/career path. They both then implement this plan which involves continuous vocational counseling and may also include continued education; academic or skill based & on-the-job training (OJT) towards job placement. With the added assistance of both an Employment Specialist and Job Placement Specialist, the final service is employment. Job satisfaction & satisfactory job performance are monitored for 90 days post placement. The Job Placement Specialist is available to both clients and employers alike to ensure appropriate job match, to identify tax credits available and to assist in implementing any “reasonable accommodations” needed.
Upcoming/Ongoing Projects?
Carolyn would like to continue the collaboration with the Career Center of Lowell focusing on the GLADWC and the good work it has done over the past 8 years. Additionally this has spun off an Employer Networking group formed by members of both teams with Bruce Akashian, Assistant Director of the Career Center of Lowell. Both groups are focused on service provision to both candidates for employment including those with disabling conditions as well as services to local businesses & employers.