The Profession

Roles and Responsibilities

Rehabilitation counseling is a specialized segment of the counseling profession which focuses on working with persons with disability.  This specialized knowledge of disabilities, chronic illness and environmental factors differentiates rehabilitation counselors (RCs) from other types of counselors. RCs work directly with persons with a disability to support the movement from medical, psychological, educational, social and economic dependence to independence.  RCs often collaborate with a variety of health and human service professionals, including, physicians, nurses, therapists, attorneys, case managers, social workers, and employers, to help persons with disability reach independent living goals and improve the quality of life.

The  specific  techniques  and  modalities  utilized  within  this rehabilitation counseling process may include, but are not limited to:

¨  assessment  and  appraisal;

¨  diagnosis  and  treatment  planning;

¨  career (vocational) counseling;

¨  individual  and  group  counseling  treatment  interventions  focused  on  facilitating adjustments to  the medical and psychosocial impact of disability;

¨  case management, referral, and service coordination;

¨  program evaluation and research;

¨  interventions to remove environmental, employment, and attitudinal barriers;

¨  consultation services among multiple parties and regulatory systems;

¨   job analysis,  job  development,  and  placement  services,  including  assistance  with employment  and  job accommodations;  and

¨  the  provision  of  consultation  about  and  access  to  rehabilitation  technology.

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 Careers in Rehabilitation

Employment Outlook.

There are an estimated 54 million Americans who have physical, mental, or psychological disabilities that restrict their living activities and prevent them from obtaining or maintaining jobs, therefore the employment outlook for the profession is excellent.  Recent studies project a future shortage in the number of counselors who can provide assistance to persons with disability.

            Overall employment of counselors is expected to “grow faster than the average” (21%-35%) for   all occupations through 2012, and job opportunities should be very good because there are usually more job openings than graduates of counseling programs. In addition, numerous job openings will occur as many counselors retire or leave the profession.

            Under managed care systems, insurance companies are increasingly providing for reimbursement of counselors as a less costly alternative to psychiatrists and psychologists. Also, legislation is pending that may provide counseling services to Medicare recipients.

            The number of people who will need rehabilitation counseling is expected to grow as the population continues to age and as advances in medical technology continue to save lives that only a few years ago would have been lost. In addition, legislation requiring equal employment rights for people with disabilities will spur demand for counselors, who not only will help these people make a transition into the workforce, but also will help companies comply with the law.  Employment of mental health counselors will grow as the Nation becomes more comfortable seeking professional help for a variety of health and personal problems. Employers also are increasingly offering employee assistance programs that provide mental health and alcohol and drug abuse services. More people are expected to use these services as society focuses on ways of developing mental well-being, such as controlling stress associated with job and family responsibilities.

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Licensure and Certification
Certification and licensure of rehabilitation counselors help protect the public and provide a means of identifying those individuals who possess the minimum training and meet supervised work experience standards established by professional groups and governmental agencies. 

Licensure.       

Licensing bodies are authorized through state legislature. 

Certification.  

Certifications are authorized through independent bodies.  RCs are eligible for a variety of certifications:

         Other Certification Options.

                Certified Case Manager (CCM)  http://www.ccmcertification.org/

                Certified Disability Management Specialist (CDMS) http://www.cdms.org/

                Certified Vocational Evaluator (CVE)     http://www.ccwaves.org/

                National Certified Addiction Counselor (NCAC)   http://naadac.org/documents/display.php?DocumentID=19

                National Certified Counselor (NCC) and National Certified School Counselor (NCSC)   www.nbcc.org

 
LSUHSC Department of Rehabilitation Counseling meets the accreditation standards for CORE, deeming students eligible to sit for the CRCC exam.  Upon graduation, students meet the curriculum requirements for LPC and LRC in Louisiana.  Currently, students have been successful in pursing a variety of credentialing options based on the student's area of interest.  The Department of Rehabilitation Counseling is not responsible for ensuring that students are eligible for licensure and certification, however.  It is the student’s responsible to identify the educational and experiential requirements for desired licensure and certification application eligibility.  The LSUHSC Department of Rehabilitation Counseling will make all efforts to meet the individual needs of each student (i.e., fieldwork placement with a certain disability population).