19 March 2015
Agency Paper In the vast and encompassing field of Human Services the sub-field of rehabilitating counseling has captured my attention above all other areas. The chance to help others as I have once been helped is surely a motivating factor. Knowing firsthand the monumental change that can occur as a result of seeking and receiving help is an equally important driving force that has led me to focus on the counseling aspect. I believe the uniqueness of each individual client and the different challenges each one will present is very appealing to me also. To begin helping those in need, becoming a certified rehabilitation counselor (CRC) is a logical position to strive for. At entry level, the job responsibilities and day to day obligations are basically what one would imagine. You should expect to work one on one or with a group to help the client(s) maximize their full potential, evaluate their current situation and/or progress, help develop and set goals with the patient that are suitable to their individual needs. Also, professionally, you should bear in mind the agencies philosophy and mission, strive for excellence, contribute to the team effort, show respect for the patients, their families and your co-workers. As of 2010, there are 130,000 CRC employed and working in the field. CRC jobs are expected to grow by 28%; much faster than any other occupation! While the salary for a CRC can vary widely, the national median is $61, 507. (www.salary.com) CRC’s can be found in a wide variety of places. There are numerous private practices and they can obviously be found in rehab facilities. In addition, they can be found throughout hospitals, universities, and prisons just to name a few. While no specific undergrad degree is required, to become certified, one must obtain a master’s degree at minimum. The majority of rehabilitation counseling grad students have undergrad degrees in rehabilitation services, psychology, sociology, or other human service related fields. CRC students are trained at the graduate level with the majority earning a masters and a few continuing on to the doctoral level. CRC’s are readily trained in a variety of areas; individual / group counseling, psychosocial information, evaluation and assessment, caseload management, and job development and placement are some of the more common of these. Most CRC education programs typically involve sixty credit hours of academic and clinical training. Clinical training consists of at least one semester of practicum and six hundred hours of supervised internship experience. Upon completion, you may take the exam which indicates your competency and ability to succeed as a CRC. Once the exam is passed, the CRCC, or Commission on Rehab Counselor Certification will grant your certification. As social work continues to shift to a more psychotherapy orientated convention, such as vocational services, some states allow