State agency rehabilitation counselors' perceptions toward the use of vocational evaluation

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the perceptions of the use of vocational evaluation by state rehabilitation counselors and to identify what their needs are related to the types of assessments they are looking for. In addition, this study will examine use of and follow through of recommendations from vocational evaluations in employment plans. This study will also look at trends in the use of specific types of evaluations and for specific populations and reasons why counselors my not be referring for vocational evaluation services. With the shift toward client empowerment and informed choice, vocational evaluations are moving toward a focus on community-based assessments and within this process, there is often reluctance on the part of the rehabilitation counselor, as well as the evaluator, to change to satisfy the needs of the time. The importance of this study is to determine how the values of rehabilitation counselors are affecting clients’ access to services, specifically vocational evaluation, which could have an impact on the outcomes of the rehabilitation goal. This study will play a role in determining what rehabilitation counselors perceive to be their needs for vocational evaluation following the 1992 Reauthorization of the Rehabilitation Act and the 1998 Rehabilitation Amendments and how this affects their utilization of these services. Results of this study will assist in identifying changes in the provision of services that may be needed to support the move toward client empowerment and potential related to employment.