Rehabilitation Counseling

Jeong Han Kim, Ph.D., CRC

Ball State University Rehabilitation Counseling

• Counsel individuals to maximize the independence and employability

of persons coping with personal, social, and vocational difficulties

that result from birth defects, illness, disease, accidents, or the stress

of daily life. Coordinate activities for residents of care and treatment

facilities. Assess client needs and design and implement

rehabilitation programs that may include personal and vocational

counseling, training, and job placement.

Employment

Educational, vocational, and school

counselors 275,800

Rehabilitation counselors 129,500

Mental health counselors 113,300

Substance abuse and behavioral disorder

counselors 86,100

Marriage and family therapists 27,300

Counselors, all other 33,400

Counselors held about 665,500 jobs in 2008.

Employment was distributed among the counseling specialties as follows:

Career Opportunities

• Approximately 50,000,000 Americans have one or more physical,

mental and/or emotional disabilities and the number is increasing.

Thus the demand for Rehabilitation Counselors continues to grow.

• According to studies reviewed by the National Council on

Rehabilitation Education,..." Rehabilitation Counselor education

programs are still not graduating sufficient numbers of qualified

students to fill current rehabilitation counseling vacancies or

anticipated positions in the profession. Often, many rehabilitation

counselor education programs around the country receive

announcements for four or five job opportunities for every graduate."

• Employment opportunities include:

Career Opportunities cont

• State vocational rehabilitation

agencies

• Disability management companies ,

• Workers' compensation or

insurance

• Correctional agencies

• Sheltered workshops

• Schools and colleges

• Non-profit agencies

• General and psychiatric

hospitals

• Rehabilitation hospitals

• Private outpatient psychiatric

settings

• Drug/substance abuse programs

• Rehabilitation technology

centers

• Outpatient mental health

programs

• Rehabilitation product sales/

training,

• Research centers

• Transitional rehabilitation centers,

• Private practice ,

• And the list is growing.

Annual Mean Wage: $34,600

Highest Employment

• Individual & Family Services

($39,960)

• Residential Mental Retardation, Mental Health &

Substance Abuse Facilities

($28,530)

• State Government ($46,840)

Highest Paying

• Insurance Carriers ($56,110)

• Junior College ($48,000)

• General Medical & Surgical

Hospitals ($47,180)

BSU Rehabilitation Counseling Program

• The Rehabilitation Counseling Track at Ball State University offers a

masters of art degree in counseling with a specialty focus in

rehabilitation counseling.

• The Rehabilitation Counseling track is accredited by the Council on

Rehabilitation Education (CORE) and is the only CORE accredited

masters level rehabilitation counseling program in Indiana.

Mission • To educate and train counselors to

assist persons with disabilities in

developing their potential across a

number of dimensions: psychological,

social, physical, vocational, and

economical. The Rehabilitation Counseling track is dedicated to

persons facing barriers related to

living, working and socializing in the

community. The program is designed

to prepare counselors who will be strong advocates for persons with

disabilities and who will assist those

with disabilities to become their own

advocates in order to make independent life choices.

Objectives • Preparing qualified rehabilitation

professionals to work across a number of

settings include state and federal

rehabilitation agencies, rehabilitation

facilities, private rehabilitation agencies, and

other organizations that are providing services to individuals with mental,

emotional, and / or physical disabilities.

• Strengthening the skills and values of students in order that commitment and

dedication to the highest standards of

professional behavior, ethical practice, and

awareness of human dignity of all persons be paramount.

• Preparing students to function as resources

for persons with disabilities and their families.

Training

• The rehabilitation counseling track requires a minimum of 48

semester hours of academic preparation. The degree includes a core

curriculum of 38 hours and 9 hours of practicum and internship. The

core curriculum for the Rehabilitation Counselor Education Program

consists of basic preparatory studies in disability, educational and

occupational information, counseling and case management, and the

vocational rehabilitation process.

National Certificate & BSU Rehab Program

• The Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC)

is the primary credentialing body for the Rehabilitation Counseling

profession. Ball State University, accredited by the Council on

Rehabilitation Education (CORE), offers preparation for the national

Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) examination.

• Students may take the examination prior to graduating. Once the

Commission has the transcript reflecting graduation (along with the

student's passing score), the student will be certified.

Indiana License and BSU Rehab Program

• Any person practicing counseling activities and claiming the

credentials of a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) is

required by Indiana law to submit appropriate credentials for

evaluation and take an examination before recognition is granted.

• Take 4 more required course, you will be fully eligible for Indiana

LMHC (Licensed Mental Health Counselor).

Applications

• Application materials are evaluated twice yearly, in the spring and

summer. All application materials must be received by the

department by February 1 or June 15. Applications to the

rehabilitation track are evaluated as soon as they are completed.

Materials Required by the Department

• A completed Master's Program Application

• (http://cms.bsu.edu/Academics/CollegesandDepartments/Teachers/

Departments/CounselingPsych/Academic/Masters/Apply.aspx)

• Three letters of recommendation.

• Scores on the GRE General Test (sent directly from GRE Testing

Service)

• Notification of admission from the Graduate School or Office of

International Admissions

Financial Aid: RSA Long-Term Training Grant

• Training scholarships are available to graduate students in the BSU Rehabilitation Counseling program through a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA).

• This grant and scholarship are intended to assist students in entering the rehabilitation counseling profession to better serve underrepresented populations with disability to attain their maximum functioning in their environment of choice. This scholarship pays for the recipient's tuition and provides a modest stipend each semester. If you are awarded and accept this scholarship, you must work in a State vocational agency, a non-profit rehabilitation agency, or a related agency, including a professional practice group through which the individual has a service arrangement with the State vocational rehabilitation agency (two years in such settings for every year of full-time scholarship support).

Financial Aid: RSA Long-Term Training Grant

• Students interested in seeking RSA scholarships should contact the

director of the Rehabilitation Counseling program.

• Jeong Han Kim, Ph.D., CRC

• Assistant Professor

• Director of Master’s Program in

• Rehabilitation Counseling

• Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

• Ball State University

• Email: jhkim@bsu.edu

• Phone: 765-285-8042

Resources

• Department Website:

• http://cms.bsu.edu/Academics/CollegesandDepartments/Teachers/Departments/CounselingPsych/Academic/Masters/

MACounseling/Rehab.aspx

• O’net Online:

• http://www.onetonline.org/