Rehabilitation counsellors support individuals with achieving recovery goals by offering counselling, case management, and career guidance services.
Responsibilities of rehabilitation counsellors
Rehabilitation counsellors support individuals with disabilities, health conditions, or social disadvantages in achieving their personal goals, such as returning to work or daily activities.
They offer counselling, case management, and career guidance, working with clients and their support teams to develop tailored rehabilitation plans.
Their responsibilities include assisting with job placement, negotiating with employers, and coordinating with various community agencies.
They also refer clients for medical or psychological assessments and provide information and advisory services to relevant organisations.
What issues do rehabilitation counsellors address, and how?
Rehabilitation counsellors address a variety of issues, such as vocational, social, medical, and psychological challenges faced by individuals after injury or illness. They help clients navigate the complexities of career, education, and social integration by assessing their needs, creating personalised plans, and providing practical support.
These professionals also connect clients to essential resources like employment, training, healthcare, and financial aid, while evaluating and adjusting rehabilitation plans to ensure continued progress. Their focus is on removing barriers to recovery and empowering clients toward independence.
A rehabilitation counsellor's role in workplace rehabilitation
In workplace rehabilitation, a rehabilitation counsellor plays a key role in helping clients return to their pre-injury life, with a focus on achieving return to work (RTW) goals.
These responsibilities include:
- Attending case conferences and liaising with stakeholders to facilitate RTW outcomes.
- Securing suitable employment for injured workers by working closely with employers.
- Conducting comprehensive assessments, including functional assessments, workplace assessments, ergonomic assessments, and activities of daily living (ADL) assessments.
- Developing personalised RTW plans addressing the individual's physical, psychological, and social needs.
- Identifying and addressing barriers to returning to work through tailored interventions and ongoing support.