Differences in Service Delivery Between Transition VR Counselors and General VR Counselors

Abstract

Rehabilitation counselors are critical service providers for young adults with disabilities transitioning from high school to adult environments. However, the investigation of whether rehabilitation counselors in the state–federal vocational rehabilitation (VR) program are providing maximum services deserves more attention. Current literature suggests that there have been high levels of variability in how counselors in the state VR system are providing services to transition-age youth. In this study, we examined the relationship between primary job role (i.e., transition-focused or general caseload) and the counselors’ perceptions of the importance of, frequency of, and preparation for providing a set of transition activities. The results indicated that there were significant differences between groups in their ratings of the importance, their preparedness for, and the frequency of with which they engaged in the transition activities. The most notable between-group differences related to the frequency of engagement. Implications for counselor training and service provisions are discussed.