Henry McCarthy, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus
Dr. Henry McCarthy earned his PhD in Rehabilitaton Psychology in 1977 and went on
to pursue a post-doctoral clinical experience in research fellowship at Rusk Insitute
of Rehabilitaton Medicine in New York at the New York University Medical Center in
1977-1978. Dr. McCarthy’s journey only was to begin thereater. From 1978 to 1985,
Dr. McCarthy served as the director of psychological research at the Employment Research
and Training Center in Albertson, NY where he designed and conducted research and
received training on many personal, interpersonal, and environmental variables affectng
the employment status of youth and adults with disabilites. It was also at the Human
Resources Center that he co-authored six grant proposals and continuation education
applications that were federally funded in excess of $3 million. He disseminated their
research findings through workshops for employers and research practioners in CA,
Il, MA, NJ, NY, PA, TX, Virgin Islands, Washington DC, Austria, and Sweden.
In 1985, Dr. McCarthy was hired at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center
in New Orleans, LA as an Assistant Professor, was promoted to Associate Professor
in 1988, Professor in 2004, Interim Department Head in 2005-2006, and refred as Professor
Emeritus in 2016. His career at LSU Health Science Center was impressive. During his
tenure, while employed at LSU Health Sciences Center, Dr. McCarthy served as Associate
Editors of the Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin from 2000-2017 and became an editorial
board member of the bulletin after his retirement (2018-2022). He also served as the
associate editor of Rehabilitation Education from 1993-1999. Dr. McCarthy’s commitment
to the profession is outstanding.
Nationally, he provided service not only as a member of numerous rehabilitation organizations,
but leadership as well. In 2015, he served as the President of the American Rehabilitation
Counseling Association (ARCA). Additionally, Dr. McCarthy held several other leadership
positions prior to his presidency and thereaer, remaining commited to the rehabilitation
profession. He organized the day of service for the Natoonal Association of Multicultural
Rehabilitation Concerns in 2016, was a member of the planning commitee and chair of
the hospitality commitee for NAMRC’s annual conference in 2013, a member of the local
arrangements commitee for the Association of Higher Education and Disability in 2012,
co-chair of the volunteer commitee for the National Rehabilitation Association in
2010, served on a panel that created documentation for congressional review and strategies
for developing the employment research component of the National Institute on Disability
and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) in 19916 and served on a peer-review commitee
to evaluation rehabilitation research proposals submited for federal funding in 1990,
served as a member of the local arrangements commitee for the American Society on
Aging in 1991, and served as a member of the division 22 program commitee for the
American Psychological Association’s annual conference in 1978. He retired is credential
as a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor upon his retirement from LSU Health Sciences
Center.
Statewide, Dr. McCarthy completed a comprehensive evaluation and site visit of degree
programs in rehabilitation and addictions counseling on the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board in 2015 and served on many commitee and organizations while employed
at LSU Health Sciences Center including, but not limited to the facilitator for the
Academic Performance Resources program (2000-2016), as a mentor to the LSU Health
Sciences Center’s Peer
Advocate Liaison (PALS) program, a member on numerous commitees in the Rehabilitation
Counseling Department as well as the School of Allied Health Professions, chair of
the Promotion and Tenure Commitee (1998-2012), and on the Louisiana Governor’s Conference
for People with Disabilities (1996, 1994, and 1990), and lastly, as a member of the
conference program commitee and the accreditation approval and documentation commitee
as well for the LA Governor’s Conference for People with Disabilities. He resigned
his license as a Louisiana Licensed Professional Counselor and Louisiana Licensed
Rehabilitation Counselor and Approved Supervisor upon his retirement from LSU Health
Sciences Center.
Locally, Dr. McCarthy served on the Mayor’s Advisory Council for Citizens with Disability
in New Orleans, LA (1994-present) and elected Vice-Chair in 1997-1999, provided consultation,
created the staff training manual, and on on-line guide on understanding and implementing
atudinal, physical, and programmatic access to all visitors for the Oak Alley Plantation
in 2018, served as a member of the professional advisory commitee for the Advocacy
Center for the Elderly and Disabled in New Orleans, LA (1990-1991, 1988), as a member
of the professional advisory commitee (1990-1991), and a member of the advisory commitee
for a project that researched and published “Rolling on the River”, a wheelchair accessibility
guide to restaurant and recreation sengs in downtown New Orleans in 1988, and lastly
served as a member of the board of directors and the professional advisory board and
several subcommitees for the Epilepsy Council of Southeast Louisiana in 1990-2000.
Dr. McCarthy has received numerous honors and awards for his teaching, research, service,
and advocacy including the Annual Research Award for the American Rehabilitation Counseling
Association in 2012 for his research article in 2011, A Modest Festschrift and Insider
Perspective on Beatrice Wright’s Contributions to Rehabilitation Theory and Practice
(3rd place), the Mary E. Switzer Distinguished Research Fellowship through the National
Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (2004-2005), the Annual Research
Award (2nd place) by ARCA for his article in 2001, Consumer Concepts of Ideal Characteristics
and Minimum Qualifications for Rehabilitation Counselors, the Allen A. Copping Award
for Excellence in Teaching from LSU Health Sciences Center (2001), and lastly, the
Annual Book Award from the President’s Commitee on Employment of People with Disabilities
in 1987 for his book (1985), Complete Guide to Employing Persons with Disabilities.
Dr. McCarthy has published over fourteen books, book chapters, and monographs, two
original instructional medias, over thirty journal articles including publications
in American Rehabilitation, Rehabilitation Education, and the Rehabilitation Counseling
Bulletin, four editorials in the American Counseling Association’s Counseling Today
magazine and Rehabilitation Education. He has presented as a sought-out speaker and
lectures, presenting hundreds of professional seminars, lectures, and oral presentations
at professional conferences and meetings on rehabilitation.