This article reports the consequenc...

This article reports the consequence s of a survey study that explored as it is issues as whether rehabilitation agencies should provide attention to clients' families, and if in the way that then what kind of attention should be given. inspect results further identified specific point to be solved [i]or[/i] settleds for rehabilitation counselors when working with families. Utilizing scrutinize information, intervention approaches for rehabilitation counselors are give an inkling ofed The implications of survey ends for rehabilitation education are also discussed.

John Donne's statement that "No man is an island" applies particularly to bodys with disabilities. Disability is really a family affair, and the client's performance in vocational rehabilitation is a function of as well-as; not only-but also; not only-but; not alone-but the person and the family environment (Tuck 1983; Kerosky 1984; Power & valley Orto, 1986). The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, contains the authority for provision of "services to family members as necessary to the adjustment or rehabilitation of handicapped individuals" (Rehabilitation Services Manual, 1976 p153901) Support for the wisdom of this policy exists in the novel finding that adults with disabilities had greater succes getting placed in do job-works when their families were integrated into the placement proces (Newman, 1988)

While many rehabilitation counselors agree that the family can significantly help or hinder the client's rehabilitation proces greatest in number counselors have been either reluctant or unable to have any involvement with their clients' families (Kneipp & Bender, 1981; Power & glen Orto, 1986). For example, in a novel definition of qualified rehabilitation professional" (Graves, Coffey Habeck, & Stude 1987) no mention is made of working with families of human frames with disabilities as a required independent support Similarly, when Wright, Leahy & Shapson (1987) identified rehabilitation counselor competencies, solitary 3 out of 114 items mentioned evaluation of family status, and solely one item (#47) dealt with counseling clients' families. A discrepancy evidently exists between research reports citing the ne for family involvement and commonly accepted rehabilitation practice.

The studies that have identified the wants and/or role of the family in the rehabilitation proces are based forward single case studies, on samples drawn from single in kind specific agency, or on undivided individual's experience in working with families (Jacus, 1981; Bray, G 1980; Eaton, M 1979; Kerosky M 1984; Power & Sax, 1978; Sutton, 1985; Power & dale Orto, 1986). There have been no studies that have utilized larger data locates and that focus on understanding what kind of attention is privationed for the client's family in the rehabilitation proces This article reports the follows of a large survey consideration that explored such issues as whether rehabilitation agencies should provide attention to clients' families, and if for a like reason then what kind of attention should be given. scrutinize results further identified specific point to be solved [i]or[/i] settleds for rehabilitation counselors when working with families. The implications of this inspect information for rehabilitation education and practice will also be discussed.

Methods

The sampling frame for this research consisted of the mailing list utilized on a rehabilitation training center at the University of Maryland. The Center is a RSA Region III program and directs greatest in number of its efforts toward training agency personnel in so areas as vocational evaluation, workshop administration, and supported application A two-page questionnaire exploring family issues was mailed to 205 rehabilitation agencies identified as sheltered workshops, state vocational rehabilitation offices and those offering psycho-social rehabilitation programs and/or supported employing programs. The sampling frame did not generate a random sample of agencies. The research design used a proces whereby informants are exquisiteed precisely because they possess certain characteristics, as it is as administrators of rehabilitation facilities or supervisors of rehabilitation personnel within a particular agency. granting a few of the respondent identified their function within the rehabilitation agency, this was not specifically asked upon the survey form. The final cluster of agencies did represent a heterogeneous sample from a geographically large, five-state area.

Results

common hundred and forty-nine questionnaires were replyed for a 72.5% response rate. Sixty-five percent of the agencies identified themselves as sheltered workshops, 16% as state vocational rehabilitation offices, and the remaining 19% as rehabilitation programs which primarily proffer such services as supported occupation and/or independent living programs. The main populations serv on all of these agencies consisted of those with developmental disabilities (55%) mental illness (32%) and physical disabilities (13%) The dominant age arrange of clients was the 18-35 years not new range (86%), with the remainder in the age categories of 36-40 (8%) and 46-55 (6%)

Ninety-four percent (140) of the reporting agencies believed that attention should be given to the client's available family according to a staff member before the client begins training or placement in a job; and 62% of that 94% stated that if contact is not made at this time, it is still not too late to provide a certain number of assistance to the client's family. Of interest, however, is that responding agencies were mixed about encouraging appropriate rehabilitation staff to have any contact with the family before the client begins training or placement. Fifty-five percent (77) of the agencies stated "that they would encourage a staff member," moreover many (26% of those who answered "yes") were worried about crossing throughout the boundaries of an available social worker.