[nfbmi-talk] rehab counselors

Fri Apr 15 03:59:29 UTC 2011

You ought to teach a class! Your advice is wise and useful.  Thank you.

Cheryl
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <christywitte at sbcglobal.net>
To: "NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List" <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, April 14, 2011 3:22 PM
Subject: Re: [nfbmi-talk] rehab counselors

> Cheryl,
>
> I am so glad that you have such questions; I believe you are on your way 
> to becoming a thoughtful and consienscious rehabilitation counselor. I 
> think you should spend the majority of your time working with individuals 
> who are seriously looking for work and have the legitimate skills to 
> actually obtain and maintain a job. As far as being a rehab counselor and 
> disclosing the client's disability, that would be up to the client. 
> Eventually, the employer is going to find out anyway and the client and 
> you really have to sit down and analyze the job situation to assess 
> weather or not your client has the abilities and the requirements to 
> perform his or her responsibilities. This is crucial because the during 
> the interview process, the client is going to have to explain how he or 
> she can perform the duties of the job.
>
> I'm not sure what the commission's policy is on vocational goals you need 
> to see what the client wants to do. If you are trying to get the client 
> "any job" and he or she is not motivated or doesn't want to work in a 
> certain profession, then he or she is going to be less likely to attempt 
> to maintain employment in that arena. You should obtain the client's input 
> as to what he or she wants their career to be. Yu should then assess the 
> availability of jobs in this area and explain it to the client. You should 
> see if the client is medically well enough to perform the job. One good 
> way to due this is by having some clients volunteer in their field so that 
> they know what the work entails.
>
> For example, I have a blind friend who wishes to be involved in music but 
> obviously doesn't have the talent to be a hit artist in my opinion.
>
> You should know what the client's philosophy is on blindness, as well, as 
> it relates to him and herself. You should be honest with your client about 
> how much work you will be able to do with him or her and what is 
> available. As far as obtaining accessible equipment, they obviously need 
> to familiarize themselves with the equipment but should also agree to 
> pursue his or her goals in preparation for work.
>
> As far as utilizing other career services through other agencies, it is 
> very situational and all agencies are different. My personal experience is 
> that they are clueless about blindness and don't was to readily work with 
> blind people, referring them for the Commission for the blind. Many such 
> people don't know what the Commission is there for and think that they 
> have an endless amount of money and due everything for blind people. Many 
> generic programs for the blind, if they don't get paid on commission or if 
> the blind person isn't interested in the field, then it is a waist of time 
> and money.
>
> You should also know that many schools do not equip blind people for work 
> and neither do universities. Many parents don't make their blind children 
> do chores around the house and therefore the blind person may be very 
> booksmart but low on actual work experience. I've seen many successful 
> people who went through the NFB centers, and in the end, it isn't a waist 
> of money because it actually puts the blind person out in the real world 
> to gain confidence, which many blind people who have never been employed 
> lack.
>
> I received a degree in English and psychology, which both really require 
> further education to get a real job these days. My work experience has 
> been limited to phone work and teaching Braille and tutoring sighted 
> people. My case was eventually closed because of my ongoing medical 
> problems which prevented me from maintaining jobs.
>
> I know there are plenty of blind folks who are successful workers or have 
> been and have the experience and motivation to do great things. My 
> knowledge has been limited to my and others' experiences. College isn't 
> necessary for everyone and I would encourage all college students to do as 
> much paid work and volunteer work as possible. Blind people aren't really 
> different from other people. There are lazy ones and motivated ones, 
> varying levels of intelligence etc.
>
> I am totally blind which can be a different experience for one who has 
> gone blind or who has some usable vision. I hope this doesn't anger anyone 
> on the list but it is my honest assessment.
> Christy hope this is helpful to you and others on the list.
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Cheryl Wade" <wadecher at msu.edu>
> To: "NFB of Michigan Internet Mailing List" <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Thursday, April 14, 2011 9:42 AM
> Subject: Re: [nfbmi-talk] rehab counselors
>
>
>> Hello, all.
>>
>> I have read a bit on these posts about rehab counselors. I don't read 
>> many of the posts but I gather there's a good deal of discontent about 
>> these folks. As a rehab counselor trainee -- seeking a master's right 
>> now -- I'm very interested in what you think about counselors. I do, 
>> however, want to pose some questions. I do this not to stick up for 
>> counselors, but to say that rehabilitation is a two-way street. Please 
>> don't poke me in the eye too hard over this.
>>
>> First, rehab counselors have many duties and, because of case loads and 
>> funding cuts, those duties are likely to spike. Not only do counselors 
>> need to help people find jobs, but they need to take detailed case notes, 
>> fill out reams of paperwork, travel to various places to meet with 
>> clients, evaluate clients in various ways so the counselor knows their 
>> career interests and aptitudes, and ensure our profession's ethics are 
>> maintained scrupulously. If we also are job developers, there are many 
>> business and other relationships (which means lots of meetings) to attend 
>> to.
>>
>> Here are some questions I wish we could discuss:
>> * What makes a good counselor -- or a bad one, for that matter -- and 
>> what makes a good or a bad client?
>> * How much help should a counselor provide, and what should the client 
>> contribute?
>> * Does the presence of a counselor put a client in jeopardy when the 
>> counselor talks to a possible employer? The counselor, ethically, must 
>> mention that he/she is, indeed, a rehabilitation counselor. That signals 
>> to the employer that the client is a person with a disability. Now, the 
>> employer is waiting to see what kind of disabled person will show up. How 
>> does this impact the client's right to disclose that information when he/ 
>> she chooses?
>> * Should a client take a job simply to take a job, or should he/she 
>> refuse a job? Under what circumstances?
>> * How does the level of computer access help or hinder persons who are 
>> blind when they seek jobs?
>> * What are ways in which counselors and clients can learn about their 
>> communities so they know where to look for job opportunities?
>> * How many hours a week should a person who is unemployed spend looking 
>> for work?
>> * Is it appropriate to seek help from other agencies besides MCB? Why or 
>> why not?
>>
>> Now that I've short-circuited my brain and a few others', have a great 
>> day.
>>
>> Cheryl Wade
>> Michigan State University
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "joe harcz Comcast" <joeharcz at comcast.net>
>> To: <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Monday, April 11, 2011 2:35 PM
>> Subject: [nfbmi-talk] at last mpas sues someone
>>
>>
>>> Group says Detroit Public School officials hindering assault probe
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Mark Hicks / The Detroit News
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> The Michigan Protection and Advocacy Service is suing Detroit Public 
>>> Schools, claiming the district hindered the nonprofit's investigation of 
>>> a special
>>>
>>> education student's alleged sexual assault last year.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> According to the suit filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court, the victim's 
>>> legal guardian filed a complaint with the group in March 2010 alleging 
>>> the student,
>>>
>>> who has a disability, was assaulted by another student at an unnamed DPS 
>>> school.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> The guardian "had reported numerous previous incidents of assault and 
>>> bullying" before the incident, the suit said.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Text DETNEWS to 64636 to get breaking news alerts on your phone.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> When MPAS requested documents related to the alleged assault over the 
>>> next year, DPS officials did not produce them, attorney Chris Davis said 
>>> in the suit.
>>>
>>> MPAS is charged with the responsibility under federal and state law to 
>>> investigate allegations of abuse and neglect against people with 
>>> disabilities
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> The group is calling for a judge to force the release of the records as 
>>> required by law as well as pay attorney fees.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Steve Wasko, a spokesman for DPS, said the district hadn't seen the 
>>> lawsuit and he couldn't comment on the allegations.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> "DPS has consistently assisted (MPAS) and will continue to do so in 
>>> accordance with the law," he said, adding: "The district just recently 
>>> passed a new
>>>
>>> bullying policy and we are focusing on educating student and staff in 
>>> regard to bullying and harassment."
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> http://www.detnews.com/article/20110405/METRO/104050434/1361/Group-says-Detroit-Public-School-officials-hindering-assault-probe
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>
>>
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>
>
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