Vocational Rehabilitation in Today’s World
Author: | Monday November 28, 2005
A Florida rehab professional looks at the state of rehab and offers some advice.
Vocational Rehabilitation in Today’s World
That’s My Opinion
By Susan Lazarus, CRC, CVE, CDMS, CCM
Vocational Rehabilitation, in its ideal sense, is a field that attempts to assist individuals with disabilities by assessing their ability in returning to employment that maximizes their interests and aptitudes as well as utilizing their achievement level.
In turn, vocational rehabilitation counselors provide job seeking skills training, do job development and placement, as well as follow-up and assistance so these individuals can keep their jobs once obtained.
Many of the current private rehabilitation counselors and vocational experts started their careers in the non-profit sector. Some worked for the State Agency, some at agencies like Goodwill or Jewish Vocational Services, working with individuals with physical and/or psychiatric disabilities.
In this setting, there is little doubt about the client focus. Return to work is the key, doing “whatever it takes” to get an individual to that level. Competitive employment is not a suitable goal for everyone and “sheltered” work may be the best option for some individuals.
Some people say that is where the “real” rehabilitation work is able to take place. The success of a counselor in any setting is contingent on a variety of factors including the physical and/or mental capacities of the individual, the cooperation and motivation of the client and the labor market where this person is going to work. Other factors such as age, education, work history, transferable skills, transportation, grooming and personality can affect an outcome, either positively or negatively.
In the private sector, legal proceedings can interfere with a successful return to work, in fact, a successful outcome for that client may be something other than work. Sometimes the issues that an injured worker has with a previous employer, an insurance company or defense attorney, their attorney, the various physicians, the rehabilitation nurse, vocational counselor and the adjuster may all have input with the client and differing “agendas”.
Many times, years after a client has exhausted their workers compensation benefits, but have held off working either because they can’t or are told not to, the client becomes “handicapped” regarding a return to work. This is because of many years out of the work force, possibly worsening of their medical condition and overall, they are resigned to the fate of their disability. These individuals either do not have the means or inclination to move on with their life in a productive manner.
Opportunities for training can provide a motivated and academically inclined rehabilitation client some benefit when competing with others who may have skills that our clients had never had the opportunity or inclination to pursue. The training and education portion of the rehabilitation process, in the right situation can change a person’s life and usually for the better.
As counselors, we take pride in our work, even when the “system” gets us down. In these sometimes frustrating times, remember the following:
•Treat each client as an individual. Do not judge the current individual based on past experience. Everyone you meet with deserves the utmost in respect and your objective opinion utilizing your experience and skills, regardless of who is hiring you.
•Keep ethics at the forefront of your work. If you are asked to participate in something that doesn’t feel right or you know is not right, use that as an opportunity to educate that person to your role. Remember, you are not an investigator or an adjuster and certainly not an attorney. Keep within the parameters of your field and you will come out “okay”.
•Keep yourself educated and involved. When you are self-employed or even work for a company, your job can be isolating and narrow. Be sure to go to many local and even national conferences that your time and budget will allow. There are free seminars in related fields. Go to a conference that is outside your normal arena, for example a workshop related to spinal cord or brain injury. The academic stimulation and networking is well worth the time and effort.
The field of rehabilitation provides a unique opportunity to help others. We can try to build our profession to be the best it can be by making sure we exemplify what is best about our work and how we originally became a part of this field. Let’s not give up on our clients or ourselves and remember, the client is the disabled worker you are asked to assess.
Ed. Note: Susan Lazarus is a rehabilitation counselor and consultant, a board member of IARP and frequent contributor to the Voice. She can be reached at slazarus@mindspring.com or at www.vocationseeker.com.
