Latest News for Vocational Providers

April 

Register Now! Pension Benefits Webinar

Save the Date! Quality Assurance Leadership Conference 2025

Action Requested: Update ProviderOne Payment Information

March 

Happy Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor Day!

Vocational Provider News Bulletin - March 2025

WordBridge On-Demand Implementation Update

February

Job Analyses, Job Descriptions, and Providers

Upcoming Quality Assurance Plan Meetings with Vocational Firms

Reminder: CTS Language Link will not be available at the end of the month

Request archived news

Email VocRecoveryProject@Lni.wa.gov to request archived posts.

Register Now! Pension Benefits Webinar

April 21, 2025

We are hosting a webinar for vocational rehabilitation counselors (VRCs) that focuses on pension benefits and option selection. We will discuss the payment of death benefits, and review who’s entitled to them. We will also share information about social security offset and its impact on claims.

Please don’t share your personal Zoom link if you wish to receive credit. Attendance is tracked by individual unique link to award continuing education credits.   

Pension Benefits Webinar    

Date:   Wednesday, May 14
Time:   12 – 1 p.m.

Topics include:  

• Payable benefits when pension is granted 
• Payable benefits on fatality claims  
• How social security offset impacts payable benefits  

Use this link to register in advance: Webinar Registration - Zoom

After registering, you’ll receive a confirmation email with information about joining the webinar.   

Questions? Email the Vocational Recovery Project with “Pension Benefits” on the subject line.

Save the Date! Quality Assurance Leadership Conference 2025

April 13, 2021

The 2025 Quality Assurance Leadership Conference will be held on October 9, 2025, at L&I’s Tumwater Headquarters. We are excited to bring vocational firm managers back together to introduce upcoming changes, discuss hot topics, and share ideas.

Action Requested:

• Save the date: Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025
• Make arrangements to attend this exclusively in-person event
• Provide your input in this quick pre-conference survey

Last year, the conference reinforced our commitment to common goals and offered a unique opportunity to develop new connections within the vocational community.

We’d like this year’s event to be just as meaningful and engaging. We would also like to offer continuing education credits for attendees. As your firm’s quality assurance leader, what topics are you interested in discussing or learning more about? 

A registration link will be sent this summer, along with details about the agenda.

For questions, email the Vocational Recovery Project.

Action Requested: Update ProviderOne Payment Information

April 2, 2025

ProviderOne vendor numbers are soon replacing statewide-vendor numbers for many providers working with L&I.

What does this mean for your firm?

No action is needed if you previously added payment information into ProviderOne, and there are no changes.

You may recall working with Private Sector Rehabilitation Services (PSRS) to set up your account and payment preference. If you need to make a change, update your payment information in ProviderOne by April 30, 2025.

Firms that have not selected electronic funds transfer (EFT) in ProviderOne will receive paper checks starting May 1, 2025.

If you are unsure, or need to change your payment information, please contact PSRS at PSRS@Lni.wa.gov. 

Happy Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor Day!

March 21, 2025

L&I honors and celebrates vocational rehabilitation professionals every day, but even more so on March 22, their special day.

National Rehabilitation Counselors Appreciation Day was first established by the United States Congress in 2007 and has been recognized annually ever since. In establishing this day, congress recognized both the individuals and the professional organizations in service to those who need support with rehabilitation. In Washington State, we demonstrate the value of these partnerships every day.

To all of the vocational rehabilitation counselors serving Washington workers, we thank you for your dedication, compassion, and expertise in guiding workers to meaningful and gainful employment after a workplace injury. Through your thoughtful advice, patience, and encouragement, you have helped countless workers navigate challenges and uncover new opportunities.

We hope you take some time to reflect on the impacts you’ve made to workers, their families, and local communities. You should be proud. 

WordBridge On-Demand Implementation Update

March 6, 2025

Thank you for your patience and collaboration during the implementation of WordBridge On-Demand.

The CTS Language Link contract has been extended through the end of June. However, these services are only to be used as a backup when SOSi cannot secure an interpreter. Please note that the CTS phone number 844-303-7212 was deactivated yesterday. VRCs must start the request through WordBridge. SOSi will make every effort to secure an on-demand interpreter.  If an on-demand interpreter is not secured, SOSi will transfer the call to CTS Language Link.

On Monday, SOSi received 170 calls. Out of these calls, they were not able to secure an interpreter for 10 requests (4-Spanish, 1- Dari, 1- Cambodian, 1- Farsi, 1- Russian, and 2- Unknown). SOSi and L&I are closely monitoring the unfulfilled requests and SOSi has increased their recruitment efforts.  

SOSi is also addressing the issue of extended hold times to get to an operator. In the meantime, please have worker on the line and have the following information ready before calling WordBridge to be connected directly to an interpreter:

• Your WordBridge account ID
• Clinic/vocational firm name
• Claim number
• Worker’s first and last name
• Date of injury
• Employer name (for self-insured claims only)

We also understand the need to have an interpreter for the initial contact with the worker. If you don’t have the worker on the line, SOSi can call the worker. If the worker does not answer the phone, a bilingual SOSi operator will be able to leave a voice message for the worker in Spanish. SOSi is updating their process to allow an interpreter to leave a message for the worker for all other languages.

Reminders:

• Only use WordBridge on-demand for immediate telephonic interpretation needs. All scheduled appointments must be requested in advance through the WordBridge portal. 
• If SOSi cannot secure an interpreter for a scheduled appointment, you may call WordBridge on-demand at the time of the appointment to secure an on-demand interpreter.

• When appropriate and if possible, for rare languages, schedule the appointments as far in advance as possible to give SOSi time to secure an appropriate interpreter.

Send any feedback and concerns to:

• SOSi’s helpdesk via email Support@WordBridge.io or call 888-224-0126
• L&I Interpreter Services program Interpretation@Lni.wa.gov.

Job Analyses, Job Descriptions, and Providers

Feb. 20, 2025

This information is to help vocational rehabilitation counselors (VRCs) understand which providers can review a worker’s Job Analyses (JA) and Job Description (JD). While many providers may use JAs as part of their treatment plans, not all of them have authority to provide recommendations. Unauthorized comments can cause delays and confusion for the Claim Manager’s (CM) adjudication process and may lead to denial of the provider’s bills.

The CM determines the medical information used to adjudicate the claim. If there are multiple providers involved in the claim, the VRC should staff with the CM to determine the appropriate provider(s) to address job analyses.

Please use the chart below when working with providers to determine who may provide comments on a worker’s JA and JD:

Please staff with the CM before sending IME responses to JAs to treating provider(s).

Quick Reference Fee Card for Attending Physician (AP) guidance.

For questions, email VocRecoveryProject@Lni.wa.gov

Upcoming Quality Assurance Plan Meetings with Vocational Firms

Feb. 11, 2025

The vocational services quality assurance (QA) team is scheduling QA Plan meetings . A request for information will be included in the invitation and to support a robust discussion about your firm’s internal quality assurance activities.

In your meeting invitation, L&I is requesting your firm’s written plans on the following elements:

1. Training interns and continued training for all vocational rehabilitation counselors (VRCs). Provide:

• A high-level summary your approach for training interns.
• Your process for ensuring continued training and awareness of L&I resources.

2. Offering community resources and incentive programs to workers. Outline:

• How you ensure VRCs are offering resources and incentive programs to the worker and employer.
• Your actions to ensure resources offered are relevant and focused on the workers unique goals and needs.
• Your process for ensuring the VRC follows-up with the worker on resources provided.

3. Addressing Aged AWA referrals.

• Provide an outline of the firm’s strategies for addressing Aged AWA referrals.
• Review of one of your Aged AWA referrals (L&I provides the randomly selected claim number).
• Discuss barriers experienced by the worker and VRC that prevent resolution of the referral. Help L&I understand the root causes that lead to extended time off work and brainstorm best practices to help avoid and overcome long-term work disability.

NOTE : Submit the information in one document, if possible.

What else will be discussed in QA plan meetings?
We will authenticate the number of counselors available to receive new vocational recovery referrals. Having accurate counts is important to assure effectiveness of L&I’s referral distribution model. You will receive an authentication list approximately two weeks before the scheduled meeting. The list includes the:

• Name of each counselor
• Status of referral availability
• Attached service locations, and;
• Intern supervisor designations (interns are also included in this list).

For questions on QA billing activities, review the Billing & Payment Policies (MARFS) .

For general questions, email the Vocational Recovery Project .

Reminder: CTS Language Link will not be available at the end of the month

Feb. 10, 2025

A friendly reminder that CTS Language Link will no longer be available after Feb. 28.

We have seen an increase in the use of the WordBridge On-Demand services by vocational rehabilitation counselors (VRCs). Thank you for your support in using the new system.

We are sending this reminder to urge VRCs to start with WordBridge On-Demand first and only use CTS Language Link if SOSi lets you know that they could not secure an interpreter. Doing so helps ensure interpreters remain engaged and that you will have the interpreter services you need on March 1.

On average, we receive 80 calls daily from VRCs. As calls have increased, access to services has improved. The number of interpreters logged in to take your calls almost doubled this week.

L&I meets with SOSi daily to review all calls. We are aware of the coverage issues for languages, like Vietnamese and Pashto. SOSi already increased their recruitment efforts to address this gap. It’s important for us that you have consistent access to high quality interpretation services. Your use of the system and continued feedback helps us with that effort.

From our review of calls, we have identified some tips for success:

• Only use WordBridge On-Demand when necessary for immediate needs. All scheduled appointments should be requested through the WordBridge portal. More interpreters for rare languages are available through the portal than the On-Demand system. For rare languages, please make extra effort to use the portal.

• Have the worker on the line before calling WordBridge. There is an option for the operator to call the worker, if needed, but it will result in additional steps that are avoided if the worker is on the line with you before calling.

• Know your WordBridge account ID.

• Have the following worker/claim information ready:
• Claim number
• Worker’s first and last name
• Date of injury
• Employer name (for self-insured claims only).

Please continue to share any technical issues, concerns, and ways to improve any of the processes. For questions and help, contact SOSi at Support@WordBridge.io and L&I Interpreter Services program at Interpretation@Lni.wa.gov .