Traumatic brain injury vocational rehabilitation counselor competencies: Implications for training and practice

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Bennett, Keri^a | Dillahunt-Aspillaga, Christina^{b; *} | Lasley, Carla^c | Trexler, Laura C.^d | Schmeeckle, Will^e | Walker-Egea, Connie^f | Gonzalez, Cristina M.^g | Trexler, Lance E.^h

Affiliations: [a] Program Director for Acquired Brain Injury, Nebraska VR, Nebraska Department of Education, Kearney, NE, USA | [b] Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling Program, Child and Family Studies, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA | [c] Program Director of Community Services, Nebraska VR, Nebraska Department of Education, Lincoln, NE, USA | [d] ACL Grant Clinical Program Manager, Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana, Indianapolis, IN, USA | [e] Schmeeckle Research, Lincoln, NE, USA | [f] Senior Social and Behavioral Researcher, Department of Child and Family Studies, College of Behavioral and Community Sciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA | [g] Doctoral Student, Counseling and Counselor Education, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA | [h] Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA

Correspondence: [*] Address for correspondence: Christina Dillahunt-Aspillaga, PhD, CRC, CVE, CLCP, CBIST, FACRM, Full Professor, Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling Program, Child and Family Studies, University of South Florida, 13301 Bruce B Downs Blvd. # 1632, Tampa, FL 33612, USA. E-mail: [email protected].

Abstract: BACKGROUND:The Administration for Community Living (ACL) TBI State Partnership Program grants support states by providing funding to build capacity and infrastructure to support and maintain a system of services and supports to maximize the independence, well-being, and health of persons with traumatic brain injury (TBI). A Transition and Employment (T&E) workgroup identified competencies needed by Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors (VRC) to support people with TBI to obtain and maintain employment. OBJECTIVE:To: (1) identify self-perceived VRC TBI competence and (2) inform individual state VR training activities and competency goals. METHODS:A self-assessment online survey was employed. RESULTS:A total of 269 VR professionals across four states completed the VRC Self-Assessment between December 2020 and February 2021. The T&E workgroup identified TBI competencies across four domains (1) brain injury medical and rehabilitation, (2) employment, (3) state and local systems, resources, and service coordination, and (4) national systems, research and best practice. The results by TBI competency and the overall score for all participants show that state and local systems, resources, and service coordination is the highest area of competency, placing them close to the proficient level of knowledge. CONCLUSIONS:Future VR education and training opportunities may be informed by the results of this study.

Keywords: Brain injury, employment, vocational rehabilitation, capacity building, training

DOI: 10.3233/JVR-221198

Journal: Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, vol. 57, no. 1, pp. 53-64, 2022