Undergraduate Education in the Rehabilitation Services
Graduates of four-year
university programs with an emphasis on rehabilitation may qualify as
Rehabilitation Practitioners, who assist people with disabilities in achieving
the greatest physical, mental, social, educational and vocational potential
of which they are capable. This can be a satisfying entry-level career
choice for people who are interested in helping individuals with disabilities
and enthusiastic about beginning a career in rehabilitation.
Common job titles for this position include rehabilitation specialist,
case manager, vocational caseworker, rehabilitation aide or technician,
vocational evaluation technician, alcohol and drug counselor, personal
adjustment trainer, work adjustment trainer, job placement specialist,
and employee assistance counselor.
Rehabilitation Practitioners perform a broad range of services and often
work within teams of professionals and specialists in the vocational rehabilitation
field. A typical work day might include coordinating the diagnostics and
evaluation; interviewing; individual planning; arranging various rehabilitation
services; assisting in selecting a vocational goal; job placement activities;
providing supported employment or job coaching services; or providing
personal and social adjustment services. They provide follow-up services
to individuals with disabilities after other services are completed.
Preparation
Individuals seeking employment as Rehabilitation Practitioners should
complete a four-year university training program that results in a bachelor's
degree in rehabilitation or a bachelor’s degree with special emphasis
on rehabilitation. Frequently, students enter an undergraduate rehabilitation
training program with the intention of eventually obtaining a master's
degree in rehabilitation counseling, psychology or related areas. Many
gain valuable experience as a Rehabilitation Practitioner before obtaining
their graduate degree.
There are approximately 50 undergraduate rehabilitation programs in colleges
in the United States. In some instances, these programs offer student
stipend support plus the payment of student fees and tuition.
Certification
There are currently no certification requirements for the bachelor's degree
level Rehabilitation Practitioner.
Opportunities
Rehabilitation Practitioners may work in public and private rehabilitation
agencies such as state vocational rehabilitation agencies, community rehabilitation
programs, mental health and developmental disability units, evaluation
and treatment centers, correctional institutions and agencies (including
probation departments), voluntary organizations, client assistance programs,
and centers for independent living. Many work in private industry, including
personnel departments of corporations and insurance companies. In public
vocational rehabilitation agencies, assistance is available for further
education.
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
Karla
Wheeler
Rehabilitation Technician
"I'm totally involved in each case and have a lot of interaction with individual clients. It's exciting to be part of their progress from their first interview all the way to getting a job.".