The demographics of individuals applying for rehabilitation services have changed in the last several decades (Lee, Chronister, Tsang, Ingraham, & Oulvey, 2005).
This shift in the applicant population has required rehabilitation service providers to re-evaluate not only the services they are providing, but also to develop new skills in order to serve their customers.
For instance, Certified Rehabilitation Counselors (CRCs) surveyed in 2001, as compared those queried in 1993, reported that knowledge requirements for effective practice had expanded to also include the ability to work with persons with substance-related disabilities, persons with psychiatric disabilities, and the related information regarding mental health concepts (Leahy et al., 2003).
Specifically, the needs and challenges posed by persons with mental health, cognitive, or substance-related issues may differ from their peers with physical or sensory disabilities.
Further, the increases in applications from these populations of persons with disabilities pose unique challenges to rehabilitation professionals.
Complicating rehabilitation efforts is the notion coursework in master's programs has focused on service provision geared toward individuals with physical and developmental disabilities (Chan, et al., 1998) and have resulted in rehabilitation counselors and related service providers feeling ill-prepared to work with persons with psychiatric or substance-related disabilities (Cardoso, Chan, Pruett, & Tansey, 2006; Lee at al.; Tansey, Chan, Chou, and Cardoso, 2005). > > > > >
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