Rehabilitation Administration
The demand for professional
administrators in the Vocational Rehabilitation field is rising quickly
and will continue to increase during the first decades of the twenty-first
century. Rehabilitation Administrators manage and direct a wide variety
of rehabilitation service programs in the public and private sectors.
They often come from the ranks of experienced business administrators
and rehabilitation professionals who have leadership qualities, can build
cooperative relationships, and can marshal the resources necessary to
lead and manage growing agencies.
The mission of Rehabilitation Administrators is to ensure that rehabilitation
programs serve people with disabilities in the most efficient and effective
ways possible. They apply the principles of business and public administration
along with program-specific knowledge on the practical and societal implications
of disability. Their responsibilities typically involve planning, programming,
budgeting, operations and management, supervision and human resource development,
information management, reporting, program evaluation, research, and public
relations.
Rehabilitation Administrators must be sensitive to the needs of people
with disabilities and have knowledge of rehabilitation and labor law.
Successful administrators understand government and how it works, make
effective use of public and private financial resources, and have the
knowledge and commitment necessary to provide quality clinical counseling
services and supervision.
Preparation
Rehabilitation Administrators are hired from many kinds of private businesses
and nonprofit organizations as well as from professional staff in such
disciplines as rehabilitation counseling, psychology and education. Most
obtain a bachelor's degree, and often a master's degree, in a rehabilitation-related
field before entering management. To qualify for first-level, middle,
and top management positions, individuals are advised to obtain additional
education such as a master's degree in rehabilitation, business, or public
administration. Individuals interested in pursuing Rehabilitation Administration
may increase their knowledge and skills through in-service and continuing
education venues.
Certification
There are no mandatory certification requirements for Rehabilitation Administrators,
but they are generally expected to have met the certification requirements
that are mandatory for the professionals they supervise. The Commission
on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC) offers an adjunct designation
for specialized practice within rehabilitation counseling, the CRC-Clinical
Supervisor (CRC-CS) for first-level supervisors of vocational rehabilitation
counselors.
Opportunities
Rehabilitation Administrators work in state and federal agencies, nonprofit
organizations, educational institutions, medical rehabilitation facilities,
and private rehabilitation businesses. Many serve in managerial positions
such as supervisor, unit director, planner, human resource development
director, district administrator, or grants manager.
Find
out more about Vocational Rehabilitation
(Excerpts from the
Careers in Vocational Rehabilitation Booklet)
Who
makes a good rehabilitation professional?
Preparing for a Career in Vocational Rehabilitation
Questions about a Career in Vocational Rehabilitation
Vocational
Rehabilitation Professions:
Rehabilitation
Counseling
Rehabilitation Counselors
Rehabilitation of Individuals Who Are Blind
or Have Vision Impairments
Orientation and Mobility Specialists
Rehabilitation Teachers
Vocational Evaluation and Work Adjustment
Vocational Evaluators
Work Adjustment Specialists
Job Development and Placement Specialists
Rehabilitation of Individuals who are Deaf or Hard
of Hearing
Deafness Rehabilitation Professionals
Interpreters for Deaf Individuals
Undergraduate Education in the Rehabilitation
Services
Rehabilitation Practitioners
Rehabilitation Administration
Other Vocational Rehabilitation Professions
Rehabilitation Medicine, Physiatrists, Rehabilitation Nurses
Prosthetics & Orthotics
Rehabilitation Technologists
Rehabilitation Psychologist
Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists
Interview with
Ray
Hopkins
Vocational Rehabilitation
Administrator
"Now as an administrator, I focus on affecting policies and practices that will have a positive effect on many people. My greatest satisfaction is in helping others in the profession, especially those new to the field.".