Rehabilitation Counseling in the Year 2011: Perceptions of Certified Rehabilitation Counselors

Abstract

In the 2006 Job Analysis of Certified Rehabilitation Counselors, the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification asked counselors where they thought the profession would be in 5 years. A total of 529 counselors gave their opinions about the future of rehabilitation counseling within the context of the sociopolitical environment in which they practice, about general trends in the profession, and about how these might affect the sector in which they are employed. Perceptions included concerns about the aging workforce and client base, the role of assistive technology, counseling skill development to meet the needs of a more complex client population, funding resources, and licensure/certification issues. Implications of their answers within the emerging generational context were explored, as were ideas for future research.

Ethics and the Use of Technology in Rehabilitation Counseling

“…Indeed, the use of technology in rehabilitation counseling is projected to increase in the future Barros-Bailey, Benshoff, & Fischer, 2008, 2009.…”

Master’s Students’ Rehabilitation Counselor Identity Formation: A Descriptive Study

“…Many professionals within the discipline maintain different positions related to rehabilitation counselor professional identity (McMahon, 2009;Patterson & Parker, 2003;Stebnicki, 2009), thus fragmenting the identity of practitioners and educators. For this and other reasons, several certified rehabilitation counselors (CRCs) are concerned that the profession of rehabilitation counseling has been negatively perceived by the public (Barros-Bailey, Benshoff, & Fischer, 2009). A unified professional identity could serve to enhance rehabilitation counselors' public recognition and ability to be licensed (Evenson, Nunez, & Lane, 2013;Leahy et al, 2011;Maki & Tarvydas, 2012;Shaw et al, 2006).…”

“…Despite the need to strengthen rehabilitation counselor professional identity (Leahy et al, 2011;Shaw et al, 2006), there remains a significant gap in the rehabilitation counseling research (Barnes, Rak, Austin, & Louw, 2012;Barros-Bailey et al, 2009;Fleming, Phillips, Manninen-Luse, Irizarry, & Hylton, 2011) regarding studying how it develops.…”

Evaluating Curricular Influence on Preparation for Practice, Career Outcomes, and Job Satisfaction: Results From an Alumni Survey of a 40-Year Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling Program

“…Essential knowledge domains include (a) career counseling, assessment, and consultation; (b) theories, techniques, and application; (c) rehabilitation services and resources; (d) caseload management; (e) health care and disability systems; and (f) medical, functional, and environmental implications of disability. Barros-Bailey, Benshoff, and Fischer (2009) add that including counselor training on evidence-based practice models and an emphasis on technology are also important to prepare rehabilitation counselors for working in a time when economic conditions and high unemployment rates coupled with an aging workforce and changes in the nature of disability create additional challenges for individuals seeking competitive employment.…”

“…According to Barros-Bailey et al (2009), rehabilitation counselors will need to be prepared to educate employers about the benefits of hiring persons with disabilities and will need to place greater emphasis on job development and placement services. Some of these job development and placement services may be outsourced to paraprofessionals to allow highly skilled and credentialed professionals to work with clients with complex needs.…”