What is rehabilitation?
Rehabilitation is a broad term used to describe services that help individuals with disabilities restore or improve functioning so that they can live and work as independently as possible. Rehabilitation counselors assist individuals in dealing with the personal, social, and vocational effects of disabilities. They work with people who have disabilities resulting from genetic conditions, illnesses or diseases, accidents, or the stressors of daily life.
Counselor’s typical job duties include:
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Providing personal and vocational counseling
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Evaluating the strengths and limitations of individuals
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Working with individuals to help them to gain skills, primarily in the areas of:
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Independent living
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Medical care planning
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Vocational training
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Job seeking and keeping skills
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Rehabilitation counselors interview individuals with disabilities and their families, evaluate school and medical reports, and work and plan with physicians, psychologists, occupational therapists, and employers to determine the capabilities and skills of the individual. Working together with the client, they develop a rehabilitation program, which often includes training to help the person develop or improve job skills and also skills that will allow the individual to live as independently as possible.
Rehabilitation services are frequently provided to people with physical, cognitive, and sensory disabilities; older persons; and individuals involved in the criminal justice system.
Where do rehabilitation professionals work?
Rehabilitation is a rapidly expanding profession with a wide range of employment opportunities. Graduates of the program work in public, not-for-profit, and private agencies serving individuals with disabilities.
Typical employment sites include, but are not limited to:
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State vocational rehabilitation agencies
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Community-based rehabilitation facilities
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Independent living centers
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Rehabilitation hospitals
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Vocational and technical colleges
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Veteran’s programs
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Private businesses, assisting the needs of injured workers
What is the future of rehabilitation counseling?
For additional occupational information about rehabilitation counseling, visit the US Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook website.