Occupation · SOC 21-1015
Rehabilitation Counselors
Counsel individuals to maximize the independence and employability of persons coping with personal, social, and vocational difficulties that result from birth defects, illness, disease, accidents, aging, or the stress of daily life. Coordinate activities for residents of care and treatment facilities. Assess client needs and design and implement rehabilitation programs that may include personal and vocational counseling, training, and job placement.
Median wage
$46,110
$34,480–$77,200
Projected growth
+1.4%
Slower than average
Annual openings
130
per year
Employed (US)
88,930
Job Zone 4
Typical preparation
Considerable preparation
Stackable credential programs
53 mapped
Core skills
SpeakingSocial PerceptivenessService OrientationActive ListeningMonitoringReading ComprehensionWritingCritical ThinkingCoordinationJudgment and Decision MakingTime ManagementSystems EvaluationSystems AnalysisPersuasionLearning StrategiesInstructingComplex Problem SolvingActive LearningNegotiationOperations AnalysisManagement of Personnel ResourcesScienceMathematicsOperations MonitoringTechnology DesignProgrammingManagement of Financial ResourcesManagement of Material ResourcesQuality Control AnalysisOperation and ControlTroubleshootingRepairingInstallationEquipment SelectionEquipment Maintenance
Knowledge areas
Customer and Personal ServiceTherapy and CounselingPsychologyEducation and TrainingEnglish LanguageAdministrativeComputers and ElectronicsSociology and AnthropologyPersonnel and Human ResourcesAdministration and ManagementPublic Safety and SecurityLaw and GovernmentCommunications and MediaMedicine and DentistryMathematicsTelecommunicationsTransportationSales and MarketingPhilosophy and TheologyEconomics and AccountingGeographyProduction and ProcessingHistory and ArcheologyEngineering and TechnologyBiologyDesignForeign LanguageFood ProductionMechanicalChemistryFine ArtsBuilding and ConstructionPhysics
Technology & tools
Adobe Acrobat ReaderBudgeting softwareChart LinksClient information database softwareData input softwareElectronic medical record EMR softwareEmail softwareEncryption softwareFanatic Software InformantGlobal positioning system GPS softwareMicrosoft ActiveSyncMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Internet ExplorerMicrosoft Mobile Explorer MMEMicrosoft Office MobileMicrosoft Office OutlookMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WordNetscape NavigatorScheduling softwareSkillTRAN Job Browser ProSkillTRAN OASYSSpreadsheet softwareTest interpretation softwareVirus protection softwareVoice recognition softwareWeb browser softwareWord processing softwareWord recognition software
Representative tasks
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsDocumenting/Recording InformationCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationGetting InformationWorking with ComputersOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsScheduling Work and ActivitiesProcessing InformationTraining and Teaching OthersMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicAssisting and Caring for OthersResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersCoaching and Developing OthersThinking CreativelyDeveloping and Building TeamsUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesPerforming Administrative ActivitiesGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersAnalyzing Data or InformationIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsSelling or Influencing OthersMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesStaffing Organizational UnitsEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationOperating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsHandling and Moving ObjectsPerforming General Physical ActivitiesControlling Machines and ProcessesDrafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and EquipmentRepairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Client case files and eligibility documentation — compile and organize under direct supervision using document management software in a rehabilitation services setting.Client intake information — gather and record through structured interviews following established protocols in a community rehabilitation agency.Rehabilitation program options — describe and explain to new clients under supervisory guidance in an outpatient counseling environment.Educational, medical, and diagnostic records — review and summarize key findings with direction from a senior counselor in a clinical or agency setting.Client progress notes — draft and enter into case management databases following agency documentation standards under close oversight.Employment barriers such as transportation and scheduling conflicts — identify and list during initial client assessments with guidance from a supervising counselor.Rehabilitation plan templates — apply to individual client profiles under direction, aligning basic aptitude and education data in a vocational services office.Family communication regarding client rehabilitation goals — support by preparing meeting materials and taking notes under supervisor direction.Employer contacts and job placement databases — research and compile candidate leads using approved agency tools with supervisory review.Active listening and social perceptiveness skills — demonstrate during observed client interactions in structured role-play and supervised counseling sessions.
developing
Client case files and narrative contact records — maintain and update independently across an assigned caseload using document management and scheduling software in a rehabilitation agency.Individualized rehabilitation plans — develop in collaboration with clients by matching aptitudes, physical abilities, and career goals to available services with limited supervisory input.Client progress toward rehabilitation objectives — monitor and record at regular intervals, adjusting service approaches based on observed outcomes in a community services environment.Employment barriers including inaccessible worksites and inflexible employer schedules — analyze and address by coordinating client-specific strategies in partnership with vocational specialists.Diagnostic evaluations, medical records, and professional consultation data — synthesize to assess client eligibility and service needs across routine and moderately complex cases.Job development activities — conduct by contacting prospective employers and matching qualified clients to open positions in a regional labor market.Rehabilitation plan implementation — coordinate with clients' families to align behavioral, residential, and employment goals with the overall service plan.Client service correspondence and professional reports — compose clearly and accurately using standard agency formats and English language writing conventions.Calendar and scheduling software — use to manage appointment workflows and prioritize caseload activities within established agency time management expectations.Community and social service resources — identify and refer clients to appropriate support programs by applying working knowledge of local provider networks.
proficient
Complex client case files spanning multiple service domains — manage autonomously, ensuring documentation integrity and regulatory compliance across a full caseload in a vocational rehabilitation program.Individualized rehabilitation plans for clients with multifaceted disabilities — design and implement independently, integrating psychological, educational, medical, and labor market data to achieve measurable outcomes.Non-routine employment barriers including systemic access challenges — analyze and resolve by developing creative, client-centered strategies that coordinate employer, community, and government resources.Client eligibility determinations for state and federal rehabilitation programs — conduct through rigorous analysis of diagnostic, educational, and interview data, applying relevant law and policy standards.Employer partnerships for job placement — cultivate and manage proactively, evaluating placement success and adjusting strategies based on data-driven outcome monitoring.Family systems and social networks — engage strategically to reinforce residential, behavioral, and employment components of rehabilitation plans across diverse client populations.Critical thinking and complex problem-solving skills — apply to ambiguous client situations, integrating information from multiple professional disciplines to reach sound, timely decisions.Rehabilitation outcomes data — evaluate using systems analysis methods to identify service gaps and recommend program modifications within the agency or facility.Medical and specialty software tools — use proficiently to access, interpret, and document clinical and functional assessment information relevant to rehabilitation planning.Counseling sessions requiring high-level social perceptiveness and persuasion — facilitate with full autonomy, guiding clients through resistance and ambivalence toward agreed rehabilitation goals.
advanced
Agency-wide rehabilitation program frameworks and service delivery standards — design and champion, aligning policy with emerging research and state or federal vocational rehabilitation mandates.Caseload management practices and documentation protocols — standardize and continuously improve across a team of counselors, ensuring quality, compliance, and equitable client outcomes.Staff professional development and clinical supervision — lead by mentoring junior and mid-level counselors, modeling advanced counseling competencies and ethical decision-making in complex cases.Strategic employer engagement and community partnership programs — build and sustain at an organizational level, expanding placement opportunities and reducing systemic barriers for clients with disabilities.Interagency collaboration networks spanning healthcare, education, and employment sectors — orchestrate to create integrated service pathways that address multidimensional client needs at population scale.Rehabilitation services outcome evaluation systems — design and oversee, using data analytics to measure program effectiveness and inform evidence-based policy recommendations to leadership and funders.Organizational responses to emerging legal, regulatory, and public safety changes affecting rehabilitation services — anticipate and lead, translating law and government requirements into updated operational procedures.Resource allocation and budgetary planning for rehabilitation programs — direct, applying administration and management principles to maximize service capacity and fiscal accountability.Knowledge dissemination in counseling psychology, sociology, and therapy — drive through internal training programs, publications, or conference presentations that advance the profession.Organizational culture of empathy, cooperation, and client-centered values — model and institutionalize by setting leadership expectations, performance standards, and recognition practices across the rehabilitation services workforce.
Also known as
63 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Blind Rehabilitation SpecialistCare NavigatorCareer NavigatorCertified Rehabilitation CounselorClassification CounselorClient NavigatorClient TrainerCounseling PsychologistDevelopmental Disabilities SpecialistDirect Care CounselorDirect Care SpecialistDisability ConsultantDisability CounselorDisability Program NavigatorDisability Service CoordinatorEligibility Referral SpecialistEmployment AdvisorEmployment Case ManagerEmployment Instructional Associate (EIA)Employment NavigatorEmployment Services Case ManagerEmployment SpecialistEmployment TrainerGroup CounselorGroup Home CounselorHomemaking Rehabilitation ConsultantHousing NavigatorHuman Services Care SpecialistJob CoachJob DeveloperLicensed Professional Counselor (LPC)On-Site Services SpecialistOptions AdvisorPlacement CoordinatorPsychiatric Rehabilitation CounselorPsychiatric Rehabilitation Services Coordinator (PRSC)Psychosocial Rehabilitation CounselorPsychosocial Rehabilitation SpecialistQualified Developmental Disability Professional (QDDP)Rehabilitation Counselor