Rehabilitation Counselors picture    Rehabilitation Counselors image

Rehabilitation Counselors

Rehabilitation counselors help people with disabilities cope with personal, vocational and social problems that are associated with their disability. They assist individuals that have physical and emotional disabilities. Rehabilitation counselors make arrangements for medical care, job placement and vocational training. They prepare and implement individual rehabilitation programs for their clients. A rehabilitation counselor may coordinate the activities for individuals living in care and treatment facilities.

Some sample job titles are vocational rehabilitation counselor, human services care specialist, rehabilitation specialist, vocational services specialist, vocational counselor, employment instructional associate and work counselor.

Responsibilities

  • Interview clients and evaluate their situation, problems and capabilities to determine the appropriate services
  • Refer clients to community resources
  • Help clients cope with their problems
  • Prepare reports and maintain case history records
  • Observe and record their clients' progress to make sure that objectives are met
  • Consult with clients and discuss their objectives and option in order to develop rehabilitation programs and plans for accessing appropriate services
  • Prepare rehabilitation plans that fit clients' education level, aptitude, career objectives and physical abilities
  • Develop and maintain relationships with community referral sources such as community groups and schools

Job Characteristics

They typically work 40 hours per week. A rehabilitation counselor should have a strong desire to help others. Good interpersonal and communication skills are important for the occupation.

Employment Outlook

Education, Certification, and Licensing

Some employers prefer candidates that have a bachelor's degree in rehabilitation services, psychology, counseling or related subjects. However, many employers require candidates to have a master's degree in rehabilitation counseling, counseling psychology or counseling and guidance.

The Council on Rehabilitation Education accredits graduate programs. A number of employers require rehabilitation counselors be certified. Standards have been set by the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification.

Most states require rehabilitation counselors pass a written examination and work for a specific number of supervised hours in order to acquire the licensing necessary to work independently in the field. Some states require rehabilitation counselors obtain certification in addition to licensure. Certification is provided by the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification.

Resources

Major Employers

The top employers are state government agencies, local government agencies and colleges.

Schools for Rehabilitation Counselors are listed in the Browse Schools Section.

Rehabilitation Counselors Skills

Below are the skills needed to be rehabilitation counselors according to their importance on the scale of 1 to 5 (1 being lowest and 5 being highest) and competency level on a scale of 1 to 7 (1 being lowest and 7 being highest).

   
Skill NameImportanceCompetence
Active Listening4.124.12
Social Perceptiveness44.88
Monitoring3.884
Speaking3.884
Critical Thinking3.753.88

Rehabilitation Counselors Abilities

Below are the abilities needed to be rehabilitation counselors according to their importance on the scale of 1 to 5 (1 being lowest and 5 being highest) and competency level on a scale of 1 to 7 (1 being lowest and 7 being highest).

   
Ability NameImportanceCompetence
Oral Comprehension44.38
Oral Expression44.12
Speech Clarity43.88
Written Comprehension43.88
Written Expression44

Rehabilitation Counselors Knowledge

Below are the knowledge areas needed to be rehabilitation counselors according to their importance on the scale of 1 to 5 (1 being lowest and 5 being highest) and competency level on a scale of 1 to 7 (1 being lowest and 7 being highest).

   
Knowledge AreaImportanceCompetence
Therapy and Counseling4.615.51
Customer and Personal Service4.065.26
Psychology4.035.29
Education and Training4.014.68
English Language3.593.92

Rehabilitation Counselors Work activities

Below are the work activities involved in being rehabilitation counselors according to their importance on the scale of 1 to 5 (1 being lowest and 5 being highest) and competency level on a scale of 1 to 7 (1 being lowest and 5 being highest).

   
Work ActivityImportanceCompetence
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work4.465.32
Assisting and Caring for Others4.294.3
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships4.285.04
Getting Information4.244.11
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.123.91

Rehabilitation Counselors Work styles

Below are the work styles involved in being rehabilitation counselors according to their importance on the scale of 1 to 5 (1 being lowest and 5 being highest).

   
Work StyleImportance
Integrity4.83
Dependability4.8
Concern for Others4.79
Self Control4.76
Cooperation4.74

Metro Areas Sorted by Total Employment for
Rehabilitation Counselors

Listed below are the 10 largest metro areas based on the total number of people employed in Rehabilitation Counselors jobs , as of 2019

   
Metro AreaTotal EmploymentAnnual Mean Salary
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim4,800$36,890
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue1,930$48,180
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario1,640$34,420
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn1,610$41,190
Pittsburgh1,480$37,050
Columbus1,260$33,350
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale1,220$33,260
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson1,190$36,480
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward1,170$50,320
Rochester1,130$30,430

Compare Total Employment & Salaries for Rehabilitation Counselors

Use our handy tool to see what employment and salary numbers look like for two different metro areas

Select State
Select Metro Area 1
Select Metro Area 2
Please select State, Metro Area 1 and Metro Area 2
Select different Metro Areas
Employment
Salary

Total employment and salary for professions similar to rehabilitation counselors

Source : 2019 Occupational Employment Statistics and 2018-28 Employment Projections, Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS.gov; O*NET® 24.3 Database, O*NET OnLine, National Center for O*NET Development, Employment & Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, onetonline.org

We have some additional detailed pages at the state level for Rehabilitation Counselors.

Numbers in parentheses are counts of relevant campus-based schools in the state; online schools may also be available.