Rehabilitation counseling
Rehabilitation counselors also may provide general and specialized counseling to people with disabilities in public human service programs and private practice settings.
[1] Initially, rehabilitation professionals were recruited from a variety of human service disciplines, including public health nursing, social work, and school counseling.
Clinical field experiences are available in a variety of community, state, federal, and private rehabilitation-related programs.
Community service to a culturally and ethnically diverse population, professional functions, critical thinking, advocacy, applied research activities, and ethical standards are integrated throughout rehabilitation counselor preparation and development.
Some rehabilitation counselors work with Independent Living Centers, doing community engagement, advocacy, outside referrals, and social service provision for people with disabilities.
To satisfy this requirement most collegial settings have a Disability Resources Center, a Special Needs Coordinator or a similar office.
Staff are responsible for coordinating services that may include but are not limited to: advocacy/liaison, computer access, counseling (academic, personal, vocational), equipment loan, information/referral services, in-service awareness programs, notetakers, on campus orientation and mobility training for visually impaired students, priority registration assistance, readers, scribes, shuttle (on-campus), sign language interpreters, test proctoring/testing accommodations, and tutors.
Some adaptive technological accommodations may include but are not limited to: Adaptive computer technology (including voice activated and speech output), Assistive listening devices, Films/videotapes about disabilities, Kurzweil personal reader, Large print software, Print enlargers (CCTV), Raised-line drawing kit, Tactile map of campus, Talking calculators, Tape recorders/APH Talking Book Machine, TDD for hearing impaired, Wheelchair, Wheelchair access maps.
Forensic rehab counselors serve as legal advisors with specialized information on disability in the areas of higher education access, Social Security, marital dissolution, personal injury, and Worker's Compensation.
High annual salaries in the forensic area may be a key attraction for CRCs seeking to transition from the public sector.
[9] Academic programs require a graduate degree from an accredited rehabilitation counseling program, and enable the student to: learn about the role that counselors provide within the legal system; gain expertise in the ethical standards expected of expert witnesses; learn about the processes followed within legal cases when testifying on one's expert opinion; gain an understanding of the business aspects of a forensic counselor's work that breed success in this area of specialization.
