Policy & Legislative Updates
Current events in rehabilitation counseling
Refocusing on Equity: Bioethics, Vulnerability, and Access in the Time of COVID-19 (download full text below)
Andrea Perkins Nerlich & Sarah Johnston
Andrea Perkins Nerlich & Sarah Johnston
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RCEA's Response to Request for Information on the
Future of the Rehabilitation Training Program (download full text below)
Future of the Rehabilitation Training Program (download full text below)
Given the limited amount of funding available to prepare rehabilitation professionals to work in state vocational rehabilitation agencies, the National Rehabilitation Counselors and Educators Association (RCEA) respectfully requests this important training to continue, given the increasing number of individuals who will be eligible to receive the individualized services and supports by qualified rehabilitation counselors. It is critically important to have qualified rehabilitation counselor with master’s degrees in Rehabilitation Counseling, serving people with disabilities. To that end, we believe that funding in support of the training of master’s level rehabilitation counselors is key to maintaining a counseling workforce prepared to assist people with the most significant disabilities obtain self-sufficiency. Furthermore, it will be important to fund rehabilitation capacity building at the bachelor’s level to provide ongoing opportunities to improve and maintain competencies for those supporting the rehabilitation process through a variety of roles.
Currently, there are CACREP accredited rehabilitation counseling masters programs preparing students for jobs in state-federal vocational rehabilitation counseling programs, community rehabilitation programs and other private non-profit and for profits organizations that have received no recent long or short-term training grant funds. These programs, along with programs eligible for renewal, must be provided the opportunity for to apply for funding to assist their students in becoming professional, qualified providers of rehabilitation counseling services in support of people with disabilities. The profession of rehabilitation counseling has a long and successful history of assisting people with disabilities to obtain opportunities to better their lives. Money invested in this profession, and the professionals our rehabilitation counseling masters programs produce, is a good investment in assisting people to become self-sustaining tax- payers.
Currently, there are CACREP accredited rehabilitation counseling masters programs preparing students for jobs in state-federal vocational rehabilitation counseling programs, community rehabilitation programs and other private non-profit and for profits organizations that have received no recent long or short-term training grant funds. These programs, along with programs eligible for renewal, must be provided the opportunity for to apply for funding to assist their students in becoming professional, qualified providers of rehabilitation counseling services in support of people with disabilities. The profession of rehabilitation counseling has a long and successful history of assisting people with disabilities to obtain opportunities to better their lives. Money invested in this profession, and the professionals our rehabilitation counseling masters programs produce, is a good investment in assisting people to become self-sustaining tax- payers.
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NRA's recent statement on language used in the media:
"NRA is a nonpartisan organization and will never condone the use of disparaging language that is derogatory toward persons with disabilities. Any comments made by public officials or private citizens should be respectful toward others. The recent highly visible use of "crazy" and "psycho" to describe another human being is both offensive and carried negative connotations toward people with disabilities including individuals with mental illness. The NRA strongly suggests that we use this unfortunate incident to enter into a healthy discourse on the topic of living with a disability."
"NRA is a nonpartisan organization and will never condone the use of disparaging language that is derogatory toward persons with disabilities. Any comments made by public officials or private citizens should be respectful toward others. The recent highly visible use of "crazy" and "psycho" to describe another human being is both offensive and carried negative connotations toward people with disabilities including individuals with mental illness. The NRA strongly suggests that we use this unfortunate incident to enter into a healthy discourse on the topic of living with a disability."