Career in Rehabilitation Counseling

1
Career in Rehabilitation Counseling

• Deborah Ebener, PhD, CRC, NCC
• Coordinator, Rehabilitation Counseling and
  Services Program
• Florida State University

2
What is Rehabilitation Counseling?

• Specialization within the field of counseling
• Considered both a counseling and allied health
  profession

3
Rehabilitation Counselors

• Assists persons with disabilities to
• achieve their personal, career, and independent
  living goals in the most integrated settings
  possible
• become or remain self-sufficient and productive
  members of society.
• Achieve rehabilitation goals through the
  counseling process

4
History of the Profession

• Began as an occupation almost 80 years ago
  serving veterans from World War I and workers
  injured in industry.
• Major strides in professional growth occurred
  after 1954 with federal legislation allocating
  training funds for education of rehabilitation
  counselors

5
Rehabilitation Counseling Today

• Today there are 13,000 or more Certified
  Rehabilitation Counselors (CRCs)
• Serving the estimated 49 million persons with
  disabilities
• Growing Profession
• Employed in diverse setting under various job
  titles

6
Values of Rehabilitation Counselors

• Belief in the dignity and worth of all people.
• Commitment to a sense of equal justice based on a
  model of accommodation to provide and equalize
  the opportunities
• Holistic perspective of the individual
• Belief in self-responsibility and wellness

7
Professional Philosophy

• Interdisciplinary and inclusive
• Empowering process
• Recognition of the individuals cultural
  background, psychosocial environment, and unique
  assets.
• Facilitation of independence, integration, and
  inclusion of people with disabilities in
  employment and the community.

8
How is Rehabilitation Counseling different from
other counseling professions?

• Focus on disability
• Specialized training in the medical,
  psychological and social aspects of disability

9
What is a Disability?

• Physical or mental impairment
• Substantially limits or restricts the persons
  in one or more major life areas
• work, education, social, living independently

10
Causes of Disabilities

• Birth defects
• Illness and disease
• Work-related injuries
• Automobile accidents
• War
• Aging

11
Types of Disability

• Physical
• Sensory
• Cognitive
• Psychiatric
• Developmental

12
Scope of Practice

• Assessment, Diagnosis and Treatment planning
• Individual and group counseling focused on
  facilitating psychosocial adjustment to
  disability
• Case Management and service coordination
• Consultation and access to rehabilitation
  technology
• Interventions to remove environmental,
  employment, and attitudinal barriers
• Job development, placement and employment
  accommodations
• Advocacy for persons with disabilities

13
Examples of Job Titles

• Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors
• Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counselor
• Case Manager
• Transition Specialist
• Family and Marriage Counselor
• Forensic Rehabilitation Specialist
• Life Care Planning Specialist
• Job Placement Specialist
• Mental Health Counselors
• Vocational Evaluator

14
Examples of Employment Settings

• State Rehabilitation Agencies (DVR DBS)
• Veterans Administration
• Hospitals (Rehabilitation, VA, Psychiatric)
• Substance Abuse Treatment programs
• Schools
• Independent Living Centers
• Insurance Companies
• Community mental health centers
• Private agencies or practice
• Industry

15
Earning Potential of Rehabilitation Professionals

• Average annual earnings with a Masters degree
  42,000
• Range 27,000 - 67,000
• Varies across settings

16
Growing Demands

• Career opportunities expected to increase by 25
  between 2006 and 2016.
• Expanded opportunities in pediatric and
  geriatrics
• Critical shortage of rehabilitation counselors
• Federal funding for training programs

17
Professional Standards

• Masters Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling
• 48-60 hour graduate program
• Courses in counseling, rehabilitation, and
  disability
• Clinical Training (practicum and internship)
• Certification as a Rehabilitation Counselor
• State Licensure as a Professional Counselor may
  be needed in some settings
• Other certifications National Counselor (NCC),
  Vocational Evaluation (CVE), Life Care Planning,
  Addictions, Case Management

18
Accreditation and Certification of Rehabilitation
Counselor Programs and Professionals

• Primary credentialing body for Rehabilitation
  Counseling Profession
• Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor
  Certification (CRCC)
• Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE)
• Students with Masters Degree in Rehabilitation
  Counseling are eligible for certification as a
  rehabilitation counselor (CRC)

19
Critical Shortage of Rehabilitation Counselors

• Federal funding of graduate training programs in
  rehabilitation counseling
• Increase number of rehabilitation counselors
  working in or in conjunction with the
  state/federal vocational rehabilitation program.
• Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA)
  scholarships provide tuition and stipends to
  graduate students majoring in rehabilitation
  counseling at certain universities.

20
Whats the Catch?

• Students accepting RSA scholarships MUST o work
  after graduation in a state, non-profit
  rehabilitation agency, or related community-based
  agency for two years per year the scholarship is
  accepted.
• After the pay back period then no longer
  obligated to work in those settings.

21
Summary

• Growing profession with excellent occupational
  outlook
• Offers a diversity of work settings, roles,
  functions, and clientele.
• Employment opportunities in public and private
  sector
• Scholarships available for graduate education

22
For More InformationWeb Sites

• Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE)
• http//www.core-rehab.org/
• Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor
  Certification (CRCC)
• http//www.crccertification.com/
• Rehabilitation Services Administration
  Scholarships
• http//www.ed.gov/students/college/aid/rehab/schol
  rsp.html

23
Professional Associations

• American Rehabilitation Counseling Association
  (ARCA) http//www.arcaweb.org/
• American Counseling Association (ACA)
• http//www.counseling.org/
• American Psychological Association (APA)
  Rehabilitation Psychology
• http//www.apa.org/about/division/div22.html
• National Rehabilitation Association (NRA)
• http//www.nationalrehab.org/

24
For Further Information

• Dr. Susan Miller or Dr. Deborah Ebener
• Rehabilitation Counseling and Services
• School of Teacher Education
• Florida State University
• 205 Stone Building
• Tallahassee, FL 32312
• [phone]
• smiller_at_coe.fsu.edu or debener_at_fsu.edu