California State University, Sacramento
College of Education
Department of Special Education, Rehabilitation,
and School Psychology



Course Title:

EDS 263 — Case Practices in Vocational Rehabilitation


Course Description:

The formulation of individual rehabilitation plans as a joint consumer-counselor process: rehabilitation case records used to foster understanding of persons with disabilities.


Course Restriction:

This course is restricted to vocational rehabilitation counseling program students.


Text:

Extensive handout materials


Course Orientation:

This course is oriented to the principles, practices, and procedures in the rehabilitation process with specific identification of same in the various settings in which the vocational rehabilitation counselor functions.


Course Context Areas:

I. Practitioner Settings

State Agencies
Private Facilities
Enabler Programs
Private Industry
Insurance companies
Private—for—profit companies
Private practice
II. The Rehabilitation Process

Assumptions
Historical Aspects
Current Trends
Counselor Role
End Product
Placebo Effects

III. Case Recording

Legal Requirements
Purposes
Justification
Professional Ethics
Facilitative Uses

IV. Consumer Evaluation

Consumer Evaluation - Historical
Consumer Evaluation — Analysis
Job Analysis
Transferability of Skills
Functional Limitations

V. Plan Development

Consumer—Counselor Dynamics
Rationale
Market Analysis
Counselor Indicators
Legal Requirements

VI. Plan Implementation

Strategy
Follow—up
Evaluation
Modifications


Course Outcomes:

The outcome of the course relates to the practitioner-student’s knowledge of the rehabilitation process and how that process is implemented in various work settings; the practitioner—student’s intrapersonal response to the counselor role and function in each setting; and, those skills in general in the rehabilitation process and specifically for each practitioner setting.

Specifically the practitioner—student should be able to demonstrate the following:

Knowledge Variables — Knowledge of:

1. the use of the rehabilitation process in the various rehabilitation practitioner settings.

2. the rehabilitation counselor role and function in each of the settings.

3. the legal requirements and issues in each setting.

4. the professional ethics considerations in each setting.


Intrapersonal Variables — Awareness of:

1. the placebo effect on the practitioner and the consumer.

2. the burnout syndrome.

3. self—identified coping mechanisms.

4. the potential impact each practitioner setting might have on self.

5. at least, a tentative self—identified practitioner setting which is most acceptable for self.


Skills Variables — Ability to:

1. determine the appropriateness of service requested.

2. decide the adequacy of information for making decisions.

3. determine if a consumer’s situation warrants referral to special resources.

4. secure information about the existence, onset, severity, and expected duration of a consumer’s disability(ies).

5. develop intermediate rehabilitation objectives for a consumer during a convalescent period.

6. secure information to determine a consumer’s vocational skills, aptitudes, and interests.

7. assess the impact of cultural—ethnic and socioeconomic factors on a consumer’s vocational goals.

8. promote a consumer’s understanding of his/her vocational strengths and weaknesses; integrating the interpretation of vocational, psychological, and social evaluative reports as necessary

9. formulate a rehabilitation plan.

10. determine appropriate resources available to implement a rehabilitation plan.

11. evaluate consumer participation in or benefits being received from educational, training, or other program service in order to initiate or recommend necessary program modifications.


Evaluation:

You will be submitting written reports at each stage of vocational rehabilitation process from Intake to File Closure. There will be fifteen (15) written assignments in all. You will be turning in these assignments on a once a week basis. You will receive feedback from the instructor on each assignment. You are expected to correct by deficiencies and respond to any comments made by the instructor. Once these responses are completed a grade of credit will be given for that assignment.