Rehabilitation counselors work with mentally, physically, and emotionally disabled persons to help them become self-sufficient and productive. Many counselors specialize in one type of disability, such as the mentally retarded, the mentally ill, or the blind.
In the course of designing an individual rehabilitation program, the counselor may consult doctors, teachers, and family members to determine the client's abilities and the exact nature of the handicap or disability. He or she will, of course, also work closely with the client. Many counselors discuss training and career options with the client, arrange specialized training and specific job-related training, and provide encouragement and emotional support.
An important part of a counselor's work is finding employers who will hire the disabled and the handicapped. Many counselors keep in touch with members of the local business community and try to convince them to provide jobs for the disabled. Once a person is placed in a job, the rehabilitation counselor keeps track of the daily progress of the employee and also confers with the employer about job performance and progress.
The amount of time spent with an individual client depends on the severity of the person's problems and the size of the counselor's case load. Counselors in private organizations can usually spend more time with their clients than those who work for state and local agencies. Less-experienced counselors and counselors who work with the severely disabled usually handle the fewest cases at one time.
Most rehabilitation counselors are employed by state or local rehabilitation agencies. Others work in hospitals or sheltered workshops or are employed by insurance companies and labor unions. The Veterans Administration employs psychologists who act as rehabilitation counselors.
Related jobs are employment counselor, psychologist, and social worker.
Places of Employment and Working Conditions
Rehabilitation counselors work throughout the country with the largest concentrations in metropolitan areas.
A 40-hour workweek is usual, but attendance at community meetings sometimes requires extra hours. A counselor's working hours are not all spent in the office but include trips to prospective employers, training agencies, and client's homes.
The work of a counselor can be emotionally exhausting and sometimes discouraging.
Qualifications, Education, and Training
Anyone considering this field should have emotional stability, the ability to accept responsibility and to work independently, and the ability to motivate and guide other people. Patience is also a necessary characteristic of a rehabilitation counselor because progress often comes slowly over a long period of time.
High school courses in the social sciences should be a part of a college preparatory course. A bachelor's degree with a major in education, psychology, guidance, or sociology is the minimum requirement. This is sufficient for only a few entry-level jobs.
Advanced degrees in psychology, vocational counseling, or rehabilitation counseling are necessary for almost all jobs in this field.
Most rehabilitation counselors work for state and local government agencies and are required to pass the appropriate civil service examinations before appointment to a position. Many private organizations require counselors to be certified; this is achieved by passing the examinations administered by the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification.
Potential and Advancement
Employment opportunities are expected to be very good, but, since most job openings are in state and local agencies, the employment picture will depend to a great extent on government funding for such services. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the demand for rehabilitation counselors will be about 9 percent between 2014 and 2024.
Experienced rehabilitation counselors can advance to supervisory and administrative jobs.
Income
The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the median salary for rehab counselors was $34,390 in 2015.