riwc_para_a165 competencies needed for return to work (rtw) professionals for successful employment...

Competencies Needed for Return to Work (RTW) Professionals for Successful Employment Outcomes for

People with Disabilities

Madan M. Kundu, Ph.D., CRC, NCC, LRC, FNRCAChair, Work and Employment Commission, RI

Chair, Department of Rehabilitation and Disability StudiesSouthern University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA

[email protected]

RI 23rd World CongressInternational Convention Center

Edinburgh, Scotland, UKOctober 26, 2016

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=bDbjRG_V5M0FaM&tbnid=YwOxfg2VyasXQM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://law-school.findthebest.com/l/62/Southern-University&ei=vYFkUZL0GMuO2QXXw4HgCA&bvm=bv.44990110,d.aWM&psig=AFQjCNHBNQ_-WHHkdMevFgBv-6-BO-41dw&ust=1365627559637246

Learning Objectives

• At the end of the presentation, participants will:• learn the challenges of implementing Article 27:

Work and Employment of the UN CRPD• comprehend the important role of an RTW professionals in the lives of

people with disabilities,• possess a general understanding of the roles and responsibilities of an RTW

professionals,• identify with a list of core competencies of an RTW professionals, and• be knowledgeable of the structure of existing accredited training programs

in BS, MS, and Ph.D. levels in the U.S. A. , and • be knowledgeable of other academic programs in Australia, Canada, South

Korea and Taiwan.

Dr. Madan M. Kundu, Department of Rehabilitation and Disability Studies, SUBR

CRPD Article 27: Work and Employment

• Prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability in all forms of employment, recruitment, hiring, retention, career advancement, and safe and healthy working conditions.• Access to general technical and vocational guidance programs, placement services and

vocational and continuing training• Promote opportunities for self-employment & entrepreneurship • Promote employment opportunities in the public and private sectors through appropriate

policies and measures – affirmative action, incentives, tax breaks, etc.• Promote vocational and professional rehabilitation, job retention and return-to-work (RTW) 2 Challenges: 1. To enhance employment outcomes for PWD by imparting, knowledge, skills, and competencies to be competitive in the labor market. 2. To enhance competencies of RTW professionals and provide quality services to PWD,

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Focus• There has been a worldwide increased

focus on VR services to assist in the management of social and economic costs of disability and injury.

• Vocational Rehabilitation has shifted from medically focused to workplace and employer driven which emphasizes the role of the professionals’ in promoting successful RTW.


Role of a RTW Coordinator •A key element of Return to work (RTW) interventions is the active involvement of a RTW coordinator. •Employed by insurers, employers, and governmental agencies, RTW coordinators facilitate the process of integrating workers with disabilities back into workforce.•Their professional backgrounds range from human resources, physical therapy, occupational therapy, nursing, vocational rehabilitation counseling, physician, psychiatrist, etc.

Pransky et al. (2010)

An Overview: RTW Coordinator/Professional• A Return to Work Coordinator is the key person in the workplace who assists

workers with disabilities or chronic or acute conditions to remain at or return to work as soon as safely possible post-onset.

• The responsibilities of a RTW Coordinator are to:• Plan the worker's return to work if they require time away from work to recover and

make decisions to progress their return.• Consult with the worker, their treating health practitioner, vocational rehabilitation

provider, and other community base services coordinators.• Monitor the progress of a worker's recovery.• Take steps to prevent a recurrence or aggravation of the injury.• Act as a point of contact for a the employer.• Help resolve any issues or disputes related to return to work.


Competencies Related to RTW

• Competencies can be defined as the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors of the RTW coordinator • In the past, the role of an RTW coordinator has been poorly described, and

minimal information on the specific skills knowledge, and attitudes needed for success was available.


From Research to Reality: Highest-Rated Attributes

• Active listening - especially the ability to elicit concerns about RTW from workers, employers, health care providers, and others; • Ability to communicate well in person and in writing with the full range of

individuals involved in the RTW process; • Ability to relate well to a wide range of personalities; • Effective problem-solving skills around common issues that arise in returning to

work; and • Respecting and maintaining confidentiality and effectively informing each

involved party about the types of information that will be exchanged in the RTW process.

• Source: Demou et al., 2014; Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety, 2012


Challenges•Developing Academic and Professional Preparation Programs

in colleges and universities:•Certificate•Diploma•Associate Degree•Bachelor’s Degree•Master’s Degree• Ph.D. Degree• State Licensure: LRC, LPC, … LRTWS•National Certification: CRC, CDMS, …..• Evidence Based Research InfrastructureDr. Madan M. Kundu, Department of Rehabilitation and Disability Studies, SUBR

Need for Pre- and In-Service Training• There exists a positive relationship between perceived self-efficacy

and quality of job performance.•One of the variables affecting personal competence in discharging job-

related responsibilities is knowledge of topics relevant to performance. • Education is a significant deciding factor in the attainment of

competency in core areas of allied health professions. • Effective training and professional development enhance employee’s

personal motivation and self-efficacy, assist professionals to keep up with rapidly changing practice environment, and help them to become more aligned with the requirements for career growth.

• Sources: Hasson, 2006; Roessler & Mullins, 1995; Truitt, 2011; Wheaton & Granello, 2002


Training Standards for RTW Professionalsor Rehabilitation Counselors or Job Placement Specialists

• There is a positive correlation between level of professional preparation of the VR practitioner and quality of VR outcome/degree of client satisfaction with services.• Development of academic degree granting programs at B.S. and M.S. levels.

• Accreditation: The goal of accreditation is to ensure that education provided by programs and institutions of higher education meets acceptable levels of quality.• Accrediting agencies, develop evaluation criteria and conduct evaluations to

assess whether or not those criteria are met. • Institutions and/or programs that request an agency's evaluation and that meet

an agency's criteria are then "accredited" by that agency.Dr. Madan M. Kundu, Department of Rehabilitation and Disability Studies, SUBR

Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE), USACurriculum Standards for B.S. in Rehabilitation Services

Last 2years of 4 years of college major

• C1. Lived Experience of Difference• C2. Service Delivery Systems, including Allied Occupations and Professionals• C3. Community Inclusion and Integration• C4. Interpersonal and Professional Communication• C5. Advocacy and Self-Determination• C6. Ethics and Professional Practice• C7. Field Experiences• C8. Concentration or Specialty Areas: (Substance Abuse, Assistive Technology, Vocational

Evaluation, Independent Living, Supported Employment, Transition, or Job Coaching) Dr. Madan M. Kundu, Department of Rehabilitation and Disability Studies, SUBR

Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE), USAStandards for M.S. in Rehabilitation Counseling

C1. Professional Identity and Ethical BehaviorC2. Psychosocial Aspects of Disability and Cultural DiversityC3. Human Growth and DevelopmentC4. Counseling Theories and TechniquesC5. Group Work and Family DynamicsC6. Rehabilitation Assessment and EvaluationC7. Research and Program EvaluationC8. Medical, Functional, and Environmental Aspects of DisabilityC9. Rehabilitation Services, Case Management, and Related ServicesC10. Employment and Career Development TheoriesD1- D3. Clinical Experience


National Institute of Disability Management and Research (NIDMR), CanadaCertification Competencies in 9 domains

1.Demonstrate Knowledge of Disability Management Theory and Practice2.Apply Legislation and Benefits Programs3.Labour/Management Relations4.Utilize Communication and Problem Solving Skills5.Disability Case Management6.Return-to-Work Coordination7.Health, Psycho-social, Prevention, and Functional Aspects of Disability8.Development of Program Management and Evaluation Activities9.Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Conduct


• Vocational Counseling• Instruct client in job search skills• Determine level of intervention necessary

• Workplace Disability Case Management• Utilize ergonomic strategies to reduce work injury risks • Understand industrial relations issues and possible impact on RTW planning for clients

• Workplace Intervention and Program Management• Develop worksite procedures for injury/disability management programs and RTW activities• Facilitate joint worker-management collaboration to develop and implement injury/disability

management programs

Australian and German Study (Mathew, et al. 2015)The Vocational Rehabilitation Competency Survey (VRCS)

- 113 knowledge and kills statements3 common domains were identified by Principal Axis Factor Extraction & Varimax Rotation


• Pransky et al. (2010) defined over 100 competencies relative to RTW coordination (Australia, Canada, & USA). Through affinity mapping, each defined competency was assigned to one of the following categories:

AdministrationIndividual personal attributesInformation gatheringCommunication Professional credibilityEvaluationProblem-solvingConflict management

A Systems Approach to Placement – Self-Assessment for Students and Counselors (SAP-SASC)

Measured 80 knowledge, skill and competency areas Cronbach’s alpha internal consistency reliability coefficients

Kundu et at. (2005), Dutta, Kundu et al (2015), Yaeda, Kundu, & Nishimura (2013)

Subsystems USA: N=117 Taiwan: N=116 Japan: N= 479Client .91 .88Health .94 .96 Varying betweenEducation .89 .88Family .92 .91 .85 - .98Social .95 .93Employer .87 .96Placement Personnel .93 .92Funding .93 .74


Internal Consistency Reliability - SAP: SASCKundu, Dutta, & Chan (2011)

• The questionnaire was administered to 275 caseload carrying rehabilitation counselors in state-federal vocational rehabilitation agencies in Alaska, Hawaii, Louisiana, New York, Guam, Saipan and Puerto Rico, and in American Indian TVR programs in Alaska, Louisiana, and Oklahoma.• Factor analysis identified six domains that sufficiently explained Rehabilitation Counselors

competency areas and eliminated 10 items.• Cronbach’s alpha was calculated on these six domains (sub-systems) as a measure of internal consistency:

Factor 1: Employer Subsystem = .96Factor 2: Job Placement Subsystem = .95Factor 3: Health and Education Subsystem = .95Factor 4: Social and Contextual Subsystem = .93Factor 5: Funding Subsystem = .93Factor 6: Client Subsystem = .90


Implications for Research and Practice• Roles and functions of RTW professionals employed at Public vs. Private

Sectors.

• Impact of education and training (BS and MS) in Rehabilitation and Disability Studies, Disability Management, etc. from accredited institutions of higher education for RTW professionals in the quality service delivery.

• Efficacy of licensure, certification, and continued education for RTW professionals in maintaining competencies.

• Trans-national knowledge, skill, and competency studies for RTW professionals to develop a universal minimum standard and standard for specializations to meet local needs.


Research

Practice

Theory

Better Rehabilitation Outcomes

Better EmployabilityDr. Madan M. Kundu, Department of Rehabilitation and Disability Studies, SUBR

riwc_para_a165 competencies needed for return to work (rtw) professionals for successful employment...

Presentations & Public Speaking