Rehabilitation Counseling

The purpose of the RSA Scholars Program is to increase the number of qualified rehabilitation counselors with specialized training in rural vocational rehabilitation counseling, working with deaf and hard of hearing population and school to work population. The RSA Scholars Program consist of three Rehabilitation Services grants for Department of Education: vocational rural rehabilitation (60 credit masters in rehabilitation counseling emphasis on VR public sector), deaf and hard hearing (60 credit masters in rehabilitation counseling emphasis on deaf and hearing), transition (60 credit masters in rehabilitation counseling with emphasis on transition).

Program components include: (1) a scholarship program to provide incentives for individuals pursuing employment with vocational rehabilitation as rehabilitation counselors in rural vocational rehabilitation setting (RSA Rural), deaf and hard of hearing (RSA Deaf), or working with transition population; (2) knowledge and skills specific to rural rehabilitation counseling, deaf and hard of hearing, or transition in State agencies; (3) required practicum/internship in a state vocational rehabilitation setting in rural VR setting, deaf or hard of hearing caseload, or transition caseload; and (4) knowledge and skills specific to working individual who are deaf and hard of hearing (RSA Deaf), transition population or rural vocational rehabilitation clients.

All coursework and program options will be available in distance education format with scholarship options for both in-state and out-of-state students. The recruitment program targets (1) employees of vocational rehabilitation who require a master’s degree to enhance their skills and to advance their careers within the public vocational rehabilitation sector in areas of rural VR, deaf and hard of hearing or transition and (2) undergraduate seniors or (3) individuals who are interested in working with persons with severe disabilities in rural vocational rehabilitation setting, deaf and hard of hearing, transition.

The scholars program has been established to provide scholarships and stipends to support students who make a commitment to working for state vocational rehabilitation agency or vendor of state vocational rehabilitation. This financial aid component covers all tuition and provides an additional monthly stipend for full-time students to assist with other expenses and travel allowances to conferences. The tuition, stipend, and travel amounts based on the amount of funds available from the RSA grants. All scholarship recipients are required to fill out a FASA form to receive any tuition.

Scholarship recipients are required to fulfill employment obligation or payback the received support for rural vocational rehabilitation and deaf and hard of hearing options. The employment obligation entails working in a state vocational rehabilitation agencies or approved state vocational rehabilitation vendor serving individuals with severe disabilities who live in rural area, deaf and hard of hearing population, or working with transition caseload. Scholarship recipients on Deaf and Rural VR grant will serve two years working for VR for each academic year of support was received.

Lastly, the Rehabilitation Counseling Program is increasing the availability of coursework through distance education modalities to make the program more accessible to workers already residing in rural areas, enabling them to enhance their qualifications for working with persons with disabilities. Activities are centered on the use of the Internet, which minimizes cost and maximizes accessibility.

Rehabilitation Service Administration Manual

Rehabilitation counselors work in diverse settings: State and federal departments of rehabilitation services, independent living centers, special education/transition programs, psychiatric rehabilitation programs, developmental disability programs, substance abuse programs, hospitals, disability management programs in business and industry, and other agencies in both the private and public sectors.

Rehabilitation counselors assist individuals who, because of disabilities, are unable to obtain competitive employment and/or achieving independent living goals. Rehabilitation counselors have a multifaceted role that includes vocational services, case management, job development, and placement counseling. For additional information about the rehabilitation profession, visit Careers in Vocational Rehabilitation.

The Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE), the accrediting body for graduate level rehabilitation counseling programs, has fully accredited WSSU’s MSRC through 2018.

Admission priority will be given to applicants who currently work as rehabilitation counselors, work in the field of rehabilitative services, or plan to seek employment as rehabilitation counselors.

The purpose of the organization is to promote the lives of individuals with disabilities, including the maximization of disability awareness, equal access and rights for individuals with disabilities, and potential for independence, as well as the minimization of all forms of barriers encountered by individuals with disabilities. The organization provides services to individuals with disabilities by participating in disability-related fundraising events and service projects, as well as by providing disability awareness training to individual and groups on Winston-Salem State University's campus and in the greater Winston-Salem area. The organization is open to all graduate rehabilitation counseling students currently enrolled in either the on-campus or distance-learning programs at Winston-Salem State University who are in both good academic and professional standing.

Rehabilitation Associations

• American Counseling Association (ACA)
• American Rehabilitation Counseling Association (ARCA)
• National Rehabilitation Association (NRA)
• Job Accommodation Network (JAN)
• International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals
• National Council on Rehabilitation Education
• Vocational Evaluation & Career Assessment Professionals

Accreditation and Certification

• Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities
• Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification
• Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs

U.S. Government

• National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research
• Rehabilitation Services Administration
• Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services

The Department of Rehabilitation Counseling masters program is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP) under the rehabilitation counseling specialty. The program is fully accredited until March 31, 2028.

Information concerning the status of this program, contact:

Council on Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs
1001 North Fairfax Street, Suite 510
Alexandria, VA 22314

703-535-5990 (p)
703-739-6209 (f)

Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination administered by the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC) after completing 75% of program coursework. The CRC exam is the program’s comprehensive exam. After successful completion of this examination, the individual will be credentialed as Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC). The CRC exam is one of exams for North Carolina Board of Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC). Please note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the CRC or attain state licensure.

Information concerning CRC certification can be obtained through CRCC at:

Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification
1699 E. Woodfield Road Suite 300
Schaumburg, IL 60173

847-944-1325 (p)
847-944-1346 (f)
info@crccertification.com

Information concerning state licensure can be obtained at:

North Carolina Board of Clinical Mental Health Counselors Licensed Professional Counselors (NCBLCMHC)
P.O. Box 77819
Greensboro, NC 27417

844-622-3572 (p)
336-217-6007
LCMHCinfo@ncblcmhc.org