Perceptions of State Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors, Supervisors, and Administrators of Core Competencies for Professional Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to identify the core knowledge and skill based competencies which State Vocational Rehabilitation counselors, supervisors, and administrators thought would best prepare professional VR counselors for practice in State Divisions of Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies in HEW Region VIII. A non-random sample of 243 VR counselors, 44 VR supervisors, and 68 administrators responded to a forced choice survey of questionnaire which contained 11 major competency categories and 128 subject items. The respondents generally agreed that all of the major competency categories were important. Also, the results of the study indicated that Vocational Rehabilitation counseling is based upon an interdisciplinary core of knowledge and skill based competencies. A continuum model of education including undergraduate, graduate, and in-service training is required to be competent at the professional level. Furthermore, the findings indicated that government rehabilitation agencies and vocational rehabilitation counselor education programs can best prepare manpower through joint training efforts.