Partnership for Preparing Rehabilitation Counselors for Public Rehabilitation Employment: A Long Term Training Program

As the only master's degree Rehabilitation Counseling program in the Commonwealth of Kentucky the University of Kentucky Rehabilitation Counseling Program (UK-RCP) has a tradition of a strong collaborative partnership with Kentucky's two State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies, the Kentucky Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OW) and the Kentucky Office for the Blind (OFB) as well as related facilities and agencies. The UK-RCP is committed to maintaining its strong relationship with Kentucky's State yR agencies, and to meeting their significant recruitment and training needs through collaborative efforts to increase the number of graduates who seek employment in State VR agencies. Through the many student opportunities for partnering with the state rehabilitation agencies, and the continued active program participation of the state agencies and related rehabilitation programs, the UK-RCP works to increase the knowledge of our students of the roles and responsibility of the VR counselor, and of the benefits of counseling in state VR agencies based on a social justice model. In the US New survey we are ranked # 18 overall and # 16 among comprehensive universities. The UK-RCP is committed to recruiting and training individuals so as to reflect the population of the United States and the state of Kentucky. As part of this effort, the UK-RCP has consistently taken affirmative steps to increase the number of applicants with disabilities and the number of applicants who are from culturally or linguistically diverse backgrounds. These efforts are evidenced in the University Scholars Program and the Endorsement Curriculum, both of which are programs we have developed with Kentucky State University (KSU), the Historically Black University in Kentucky. We have developed a state-of-the-art web-based distance learning capacity to enhance the accessibility of our program for students with disabilities, students in rural areas, and students across a broad geographical region. The UK-RCP has consistently worked to assist Kentucky's yR agencies and their community partners to achieve their employment goals related to the Comprehensive System of Personnel Development (CSPD) and to ensure the quality of personnel who provide yR services. This project includes experiential and educational components aimed at the preparation of qualified yR counselors through collaboration between the UK-RCP and State VR agencies to ensure the project is meeting their needs in accomplishing the mission of state-federal rehabilitation services program. Only students committed to participating in field work in state VR and related agencies as well as employment in such agencies will be awarded scholarships. We anticipate training 40-45 RSA scholars using first year funds and University resources. In this application we describe (a) how state VR agencies will participate in the project; (b) partnering activities for students with yR agencies, including experiential, practicum, and fieldwork activities; (c) the plan for evaluating these activities; and (d) methods by which we plan to use distance learning (DL) and other means to enhance outreach to non-traditional students, students from a broad geographic area, minority and students with disabilities; and (e) plans for recruitment and placement of students in careers with the state yR agencies.