Job placement and rehabilitation counselors in the state-federal system

The authors address issues relating to the job placement function as accomplished by vocational rehabilitation counselors who are employed in the state-federal rehabilitation system. Some of these issues result from conflicting expectations concerning the rehabilitation counselor's role and involvement in job placement. Other issues result from environmental changes that include an increased focus on serving people with severe disabilities, societal pressures for cost-effective services, and an increased emphasis on consumer choice and control. Employer expectations of workers with disabilities and the role played by community rehabilitation providers have also shifted over the last decade. To ensure the success of rehabilitation participants, vocational rehabilitation counselors must now be skilled in such areas as supporting consumer choice, identifying natural supports and funding resources, and providing culturally relevant services, as well as in those areas traditionally associated with the rehabilitation counseling profession.