Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor

Occupational therapy is a profession that is currently growing faster than anyone would have expected. Because of the increase in demands for occupational therapy services, therapists are having larger caseloads, needing the help of more occupational therapists. Occupational therapy in the mental health setting is one environment that has grown in popularity over the last decade. Knowing the benefits of occupational therapy in this setting, and the expansion of clients needing occupational therapy services, more funding needs to be established in this setting.

We have recently contacted you by mail to inform that your case has been released from the waiting list. Please note that is imperative that you contact the office of Vocational Rehabilitation at 239.593.2543 ext. 104 to schedule your next appointment. The next step is the psychological evaluation discussion and employment planning, once this has taken place you will be ready to obtain services. If your call is not received by January 13th, 2016 the case may be closed. Best

The author is affiliated with Mississippi Department Rehabilitation Services (MDRS). MDRS is the largest state agency committed solely to helping students/people with disabilities achieve their independence through employment. MDRS provides services designed to improve economic opportunities for consumers with physical and mental disabilities. The programs under the umbrella of MDRS includes the following: (a) Vocational Rehabilitation, (b) Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind, (c) Supported Employment, (d) Transition Services, (e) AbilityWorks Inc., and (f) Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services. These centers provide vocational assessment, job training, and work experience for consumers with disabilities.

As an Autistic Behavior Therapist Trainee, I am constantly teaching Makena, the girl with Autism, life skills and hope that one day they will stick with her. Each day at work I interact with Makena and am able to see the progress she has made. One day in November, I arrived at work and started the therapy with Makena. To my surprise, she acknowledged me and said "Hi Ashley" without any prompting! Knowing that I was able to successfully teach Makena a new, seemingly insignificant, life skill, made me so proud of her. The feeling of successfully teaching is

While the struggle to find employment in today’s society is difficult for everyone, the chances are nearly impossible for disabled adults. For example, 1 in 3 high functioning young adults

provide the appropriate transition service to all students with disabilities; applying numerous and challenging programs and strategies. “Students learn to manage their time and money, network with professionals, and prioritize work and school assignments”. Besides, the executive director state that these training motivate and prepare students to insert into society, learning a trade and receiving a salary for their efforts; understanding the meaning of the work, developing social skills, adopting appropriate behaviors, and adequate work’s habits (Virtual Job Shadow, 2016).

Firstly, during our group session, we discussed that some of the professional rehabilitation counselors’ culture and identity, have been founded on “counseling theories”, which most of them, have been developed in a western culture by white men. Members of the dominant culture are the developers of policies, laws and institutions and the power to construct hierarchies. Therefore, the goals and expectations of most counselors in The United States, reflect the values and standards of the majority society that are also reflected in the process of counseling.

4)Long-term outcomes “Independence and a higher salary for individuals with disabilities will reduce the financial burdens and stress for family members and caregivers,” the following must be met to achieve this outcome.

Having workers with disabilities can be beneficial to organizations. Sotoa & Kleiner, 2013, recommend to incorporate disability into the agency’s diversity statement, increase supervisor knowledge of the employment of people with

It is with great pleasure that I offer my support for Mr. Stanley Cedant as he pursues his goal of becoming a Mental Health Counselor. In the two and half years since I have known him, I have gained so much respect for his admirable character traits and his high level of professionalism.

Without occupational therapists, millions of people would struggle to live their everyday lives. Occupational therapists give specialized assistance to people with physical, developmental, social or emotional problems. This assistance is used to live productive and independent or semi independent lives. Occupational therapists can be used, and is effective for people of all ages. Many people have not heard of occupational therapy and are not aware of the positive impact it has on members of our society. With this paper I want to spread the knowledge that I have on occupational therapy. Many people that could benefit from occupational therapy do not even know that it exists. This career is difficult for everyone involved, but the impact it has

Students need to take responsibilities for their education. They should learn and know how to continue to receive support and services available to them (as cited in Hughes & Carter, 2012, p.12) At the meeting, the teacher can recommend and advise the family about different service offered at their local developmental disability agency. In California, the agencies used are Regional Center and the Department of Rehab. At this time, the teacher and developmental service coordinator can provide information to the family about what the agencies are offering, the specific requirements and the person who they need to contact. After being accepted into the program, the student will be provided with a case manager to help facilitate their needs. It is vital to have these agencies involved in the meetings because of information and resources they can share/provide. This will be a great benefit for the student. The vocational counselor can arrange and assist the student/parents through this process, but in order to be eligible for VR services the student must fit the criteria. The first criterion is the student has a physical or mental impairment which can have a large effect on employment. For example, a student who has a physical impairment and needs accommodations for a specific job, he/she can

I adore the elderly and their perspective on life. Up until the point I left for college I have volunteered at Pelican Pointe Assisted Living, a nursing facility. For five years I accompanied residents through their daily adventures and activities. Assuredly I made several friend who I still exchange letters with. Each resident has varying degrees of required assistance in continuing their daily activities. Among those that aid are occupational therapists. Because each patient's needs are so different, a high level of creativity is needed to provide the most effective care. My career aspiration is to work with the aging populous as an occupational therapist. Currently I am majoring in Public Health and will be adding a major in kinesiology

This inventory was created to measure vocational interests of individuals with disabilities, ages 12-62, in a reading-free format. This test can be used with people who may have physical, intellectual, and or specific learning disabilities. This inventory is also appropriate for individuals whose first language is not English, those who have a mental health diagnosis, or economically disadvantaged populations. The test consists of a series of 55 sets of three drawings each illustrating different job tasks; the individual chooses the most preferred activity in each set. This inventory can be used in multiple settings such as junior and senior high schools, vocational and career training programs, career counseling centers, colleges and can be used by various qualified professionals for example psychologists, counselors, teachers, and paraprofessionals.

A literature review illustrates how vital job placement services have been found to be in the job employment assistance endeavors. The review of previous studies reveals the “receipt of placement services” to be the “strongest predictor of employment outcomes” (Fleming et al., 2014, p. 7). A 2006 study characterized job placement as “the driving force behind the vocational rehabilitation program” (Fleming et al., 2014, p. 7). According to the researchers, the public Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services have attained the status of “the most important vocational programs for persons with disabilities” (Fleming et al., 2014, p. 7). The authors cite the number of “new applicants [registered] nationally” as 564,908, in the 2011 Fiscal Year alone, as proof of the organization’s heavy caseload of new clients (Fleming et al., 2014, p. 7). These numbers indicate that rehabilitation services have been in high demand. Considering the importance of the vocational programs in assisting the disabled clients who are in need of employment, the authors determined that it was appropriate to examine the different ways these services can be rendered.