President's Message Amos Sales, Ed.D. • NCRE President The Fall NCRE/RSA/CSAVR conference proved to be the largest and best managed conference to date. Its success can be attributed to, in large part, the efforts of Drs. Don Dew and Garth Eldredge. NCRE had a lively, productive general membership meeting there which validates our needs to more proactively state our positions, to strengthen our role as partner with RSA, and to enhance our legislative impact. I pledge to help facilitate NCRE membership action in these areas this year. Given the backdrop of leadership changes in RSA, the federal administration and Congress that will result from the Presidential and Congressional elections, NCRE will develop appropriate legislative and other action plans for the year during our January Board Retreat and our February National Conference scheduled in Tucson, Arizona. Please mark your calendars for the following dates: • January 19-21, 2001: NCRE Board Retreat, Sheraton Tucson Hotel and Suites, Tucson, AZ • February 22, 2001: 11am – 2pm, NCRE Executive Committee Meeting, and 2:30 - 4:30pm, NCRE Board Meeting • February 24, 2001: 3:15 - 4:30pm, NCRE General Membership Meeting • February 25, 2001: 10:30am - 12:00pm, NCRE Executive Committee Meeting, Sheraton Tucson Hotel and Suites, Tucson, Arizona • October 2001: NCRE/RSA/CSAVR Conference, Washington D.C., Executive Committee, Board Meetings, and General Membership Meeting I look forward to working with you through NCRE this year to increase NCRE's visibility and its impact legislatively. To these ends, please plan to attend the NCRE Conference, February 23-25, 2001 in Tucson, Arizona. This first stand-alone NCRE conference is appropriately titled "New Visions." See you there. ? Procedures for Applying for NCRE Participation in Research Margaret Glenn, Ed.D. • NCRE Research Committee Chair The NCRE Board has approved the following guidelines. The purpose is to organize the process of applying for approval of research activities that will involve the membership of NCRE. These are established for the protection of the researcher and our members, as well as the association. Step 1: Develop research project proposal and forward an initial copy to the Research Committee for review. The proposal should reflect a brief literature review, research questions, data collection and analysis sections. Step 2: Forward the approval of the Internal Review Board for research from the affiliated institution of higher learning. If the university does not require this process, the reasoning should be submitted in writing with documentation from the institution. Step 3: The Research Committee will review the proposal for content and correspondence with the mission and goals of NCRE. The committee members will forward their recommendations to the committee chairperson. Step 4: The committee will review all recommendations and determine that either (1) approval will be granted to the research to go forward with contacting NCRE membership; (2) provisional approval will be granted pending receipt of a proposal that has addressed concerns or recommendations for changes; or (3) the request is denied. Step 5: The committee chair will contact the relevant NCRE officials as to the outcome of the decision. Step 6: The researcher will forward a report of the outcome of the project to the committee upon completion. Appropriate citation of NCRE support is appreciated. So, the next time you open a survey or respond to a request for an interview or information, look for the "This research project has obtained permission to gain access to the NCRE membership for purposes of furthering the mission of the association." For the New Researcher Look for information in upcoming newsletters about funding sources and other resources to support your efforts as a new rehabilitation educator and researcher! To start, you might want to check out the National Institute on Mental Health's Research Training and Career Development page at http://www.nimh.nih.gov/grants/training.cfm. ? In Consideration ofDisability Studies Susanne M. Bruyθre, Ph.D. • CRC Editor's note: This is an excerpt from Dr. Bruyθre's presentation on behalf of NCRE at the NIDRR- sponsored "Disability Studies: A Global Perspective Conference" in Washington, DC, October 2000. How much is Disability Studies already a naturally integrated topic within the discipline [of rehabilitation]? As a representative from the National Council on Rehabilitation Education, I am going to define the "discipline" that I am representing in this discussion as the professional practice of rehabilitation counseling. Graduates from rehabilitation counselor education programs can be both practicing professionals and deliverers of rehabilitation services at the masters and bachelors degree level, but also individuals who work as researchers, doctoral level clinicians in health care facilities, administrators in state, federal, and private rehabilitation service delivery, or policy-making organizations. The disciplinary area or professional specialization of rehabilitation in this country contains many of the elements of what I understand is in graduate and bachelors level preparation programs in disability services professional preparation in other countries, which may be called Disability Studies abroad. So, for purposes of this discussion, I would say when one looks at it from a global vantage point, there is a great deal of similarity between what is offered as a professional practice degree and disciplinary area in the United States and that which is termed "Disability Studies" at the professional level in other countries. What is the process for defining standards, adoption of practice guidelines, and quality indicators? Within the United States, the profession of rehabilitation counseling, preparation of rehabilitation counselors, and accrediting of organizations delivering services to individuals with disabilities are governed by national standard-setting organizations. For preparation of rehabilitation counselors, there is an accreditation body called the Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE)1 that requires that Masters level training programs for rehabilitation counselors follow a prescribed curriculum. The components that must be included in an accredited rehabilitation counseling program include the following: Foundations of Rehabilitation Counseling, Counseling Services, Case Management, Vocational and Career Development, Assessment, Job Development and Placement, and Research. In addition, rehabilitation professional preparation programs must include 600 hours of supervised internship practice prior to graduation. There are currently 86 accredited rehabilitation counseling programs nationally in the U.S. In terms of credentialing of the practicing professionals themselves in the United States, we have also established a certification process for rehabilitation practicing professionals. Individuals must pass a national examination that covers the disciplinary areas related to the field of rehabilitation counseling. This examination covers the following content areas: Vocational Counseling and Employer Consultation Services, Medical and Psychosocial Aspects of Disability, Individual and Group Counseling, Program Evaluation and Research, Case Management and Service Coordination, Family, Gender, and Multicultural Issues, Foundations of Rehabilitation, Workers' Compensation, Environmental and Attitudinal Barriers, and Assessment. In addition, to be eligible to sit for the examination, the applicant must qualify by virtue of their prior formal preparation and or related job experience, which includes graduate preparation in rehabilitation counseling and/or three years of qualifying directly related experience, or a combination thereof of formal preparation and related experience. The national standards organization that governs this examination and credentialing process is the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification.2 There are 14,640 CRCC certified rehabilitation counselors at this time. In addition to accreditation for rehabilitation counselor education programs and certification credentialing for individual professional practitioners, the field of rehabilitation in the U.S. also has accreditation processes for the service delivery programs that provide direct services to people with disabilities. One such accrediting organization is The Rehabilitation Accreditation Commission3 (CARF), which accredits over 20,000 employment and community services, adult day services, assisted living services, behavioral health, and medical rehabilitation programs. Does the mission of the organization already inherently include Disability Studies? Certainly many of the content areas required in rehabilitation counseling preparation program accreditation and the content areas included in the national certification examination for practicing professionals cover components seen in programs which are titled disability studies within other countries. However, disability studies as it has evolved in the United States, has often emphasized a much more multi-disciplinary approach to the conceptualization of disability, than currently evidenced in professional preparation programs for rehabilitation counseling. As I've mentioned previously, if we are talking about the mission of the National Council on Rehabilitation Education, its focus is to enhance the quality of rehabilitation services provided to individuals with disabilities, therefore contributing to enhancement of the quality of life of the individuals served. One can make the case, therefore, that the mission of the organization that I am representing (NCRE) is very similar in alignment to the field of disciplinary studies, in that both focus on people with disabilities and contributing to the achievement of their maximum potential. Which factors can be brought to bear to focus interest on Disability Studies (special interest group, caucus, or division)? The National Council on Rehabilitation Education can be a natural ally for contributing to the body of emerging knowledge in disability studies. The model used for professional preparation for rehabilitation counselors is often multidisciplinary in nature. Graduate and undergraduate academic degree programs often draw faculty from counseling, education, allied health fields, sociology, psychology, communication, and others. The field of Disability Studies can contribute, particularly I think at the doctoral level of preparation, in encouraging an expansion of conceptualization of what is a multi- disciplinary model for study of disability issues, including contributions from policy, political science, literature, humanities, law, and others. One of the hallmarks of disability studies in the United States is that it increasingly has drawn from many diverse perspectives to examine the contextual and environmental factors that contribute to our understanding of disability. The National Council on Rehabilitation Education has an annual conference and also contributes to the development of a curriculum for advancing professional practice that would lend itself as a forum for discussion on integration of Disability Studies in the professional preparation of rehabilitation counselors. Are the stakeholders' concerns inherently a part of studies within the organization? The field of rehabilitation counseling has evolved in its perspective since its earliest roots in U.S. Legislation in the 1920's. The initial impetus of vocational rehabilitation in this country was founded on an attempt to address the vocational reintegration needs of U.S. soldiers returning from World War I. Our earlier model often took a more medicalized approach, with the focus on the disablement and limitations of the individual, rather than on the person's capabilities. In addition, the health care provider or rehabilitation professional often was the person who drove the rehabilitation process and governed the decision-making that led to vocational outcomes for a given individual. In the past ten to twenty years, we have incrementally moved to an approach that highlights the skills and abilities of the individual rather than that person's disability or limitations. In addition, the profession of rehabilitation counseling emphasizes a person-centered approach where the individual is encouraged and empowered to drive the goal planning and job placement process. This approach has been taken down to the school level, where self-determination has become a part of the goal planning process for youth with disabilities. Involvement of the stakeholders in the professional preparation of rehabilitation counselors is also evidenced in the fact that these professional preparation programs are more actively recruiting students with disabilities for their programs. ? 1 Council on Rehabilitation Education contact information is: 1835 Rohlwing Road, Suite E, Rolling Meadows, IL 60008; phone (847) 395-1785; fax (847) 394-2108; website www.CORE-rehab.org. 2 For further information contact the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification: 1835 Rohlwing Road, Suite E, Rolling Meadows, IL, 60008; phone (847) 394-2104; fax (847) 394-2172; website www.crccertification.org. 3 For further information contact The Rehabilitation Accreditation Commission (CARF): 4891 East Grant Road, Tucson, AZ 85712; phone/TDD (520) 325-1044; website www.carf.org/. Region I News Thomas Ruscio • Regional Representative Assumption College: Assumption College is currently completing the first year of its first CSPD training grant for Region I with 30 students- employees from the New England VR state agencies participating. The structure and format of the program incorporates on- campus classroom instruction with distance learning components that are designed to address the needs of the student-VR counselors in New England. Under the current model, the students are on campus for an intensive seven-day period followed by the distance learning component. Internet resources, email, and other distance learning methods are being utilized. A second cycle modified into a less intense 3-year cycle is scheduled to begin in January 2002 with 45 students from state VR agencies in New England. Boston University: A Professional Development Program in Psychiatric Rehabilitation is being offered at BU. A curriculum was developed specifically for Psychiatric Vocational Rehabilitation. Two classes of twenty Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors recently graduated and earned PDP hours for their course participation. In addition to two PDP Internet courses developed and offered last year, two new PDP Internet courses are being offered this year. Ten workshops were offered by the Department of Rehabilitation Counseling and the Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation in the 1999-2000 year and another eight are being held in 2000-2001. Dr. William Anthony completed the second edition of his book, Psychiatric Rehabilitation, and Dr. Artor Dell Orto had Brain Injury and the Family, 2nd Edition, published last May 2000 and numerous presentations and national committee work has been accomplished by various other faculty in the department over the past year. University of Maine at Farmington: Dr. Karen Barrett, Coordinator of the Undergraduate Rehabilitation Services Program in the Department of Health and Rehabilitation reports that UMF was recently voted #1 public liberal arts college in the Northeast by U.S. News and World Report. The undergraduate program in rehabilitation services currently has 90 students in the major with four full-time faculty. The program will be applying for the CORE Undergraduate Registry in the next cycle of applications. Springfield College: The Department of Rehabilitation and Disability Studies has recently achieved national CORE re-accreditation of its graduate programs in rehabilitation counseling and services and national registry recognitions of its undergraduate programs in rehabilitation and disability studies. As part of training commitment to meeting the CSPD needs of the state VR agencies in New England, graduate course work is provided to New Hampshire VR counselors at the colleges Manchester NH site. Faculty have also taught in the Assumption College Regional CSPD offerings. In addition, two courses are being offered for Western Massachusetts VR counselors of the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission. Additional courses are expected to be offered in the Spring 2001 for Vermont VR and Connecticut BRS. In addition, several VR counselors in Massachusetts and Connecticut are currently enrolled in and completing the part-time, late afternoon/evening, on-campus, work-study, graduate program in rehabilitation counseling. ? National Council on Rehabilitation Education National Conference " N E W V I S I O N S " February 22 - 25, 2001 • Tucson, Arizona Sheraton Tucson Hotel & Suites For more information, contact Dr. Amos Sales at sales@u.arizona.edu NCREcalendar February 22-25, 2001 NCRE Spring Conference Tucson, AZ February 22, 2001 NCRE Executive Committee Meeting Tucson, AZ February 22, 2001 NCRE Board Meeting Tucson, AZ February 24, 2001 NCRE General Membership Meeting Tucson, AZ February 25, 2001 NCRE Executive Committee Meeting Tucson, AZ March 15-20, 2001 American Counseling Association (ACA) National Conference San Antonio, TX May 23-25, 2001 Canadian Association of Rehabilitation Professionals (CARP) National Conference Halifax, Nova Scotia Please submit calendar items with date, event name, location, and contact information to: halcain@cc.usu.edu .? Mary Switzer Memorial Seminars and Monograph Series Available L. Robert McConnell • DPA Director Michael J. Leahy, Ph.D. • University Liasion The Mary Switzer Memorial Seminars and Monograph series of the National Rehabilitation Association is now embarking on its 22nd program year. For each year of its operation the program has convened a group of 18-20 national experts of diverse backgrounds and experiences to address a topic of current significance in rehabilitation. In each of the last two years the topic and ensuing Monograph has been especially germane to rehabilitation education. Those issues published in the 1999 and 2000 monographs respectively were "Accountability from Several Perspectives" and "Disability Policy: Issues and Implications for the New Millennium." The format of the monograph is to include five major papers from scholar/authors on sub-themes of the major topic, brief reaction papers from other scholar/discussants, and a set of recommendations and implication statements from the collective group of scholars. Because of the content and the format of the monograph, it may be especially useful as a resource, stimulus and discussion document in graduate Rehabilitation Education programs. The 1999 authors and papers on "Accountability" are: • Carolyn Vash, "Responsibilities of People With Disabilities" • Michael J. Leahy, "Practitioner Accountability: Professional Credentials and Regulations" • Donald E. Galvin, "Accreditation as an Accountability Strategy" • James L. Mason, "Vocational Rehabilitation and Cultural Competence, Considering Accountability" • John D. Westbrook, "Research: Areas of Accountability" The writers and papers on "Disability Policy" are: • Richard K. Scotch, "Disability Policy: An Eclectic Overview" • Paul K. Longmore, "Disability Policy and Politics: Considering Consumer Influences" • Susanne M. Bruyθre, "Civil Rights and Employment Issues of Disability Policy" • Glenn T. Fujiura, "The Implications of Emerging Demographics: A Commentary on the Meaning of Race and Income Inequity to Disability Policy" • John F. Kosciulek, "The Implications of Consumer Direction for Disability Policy Development and Rehabilitation Service Delivery" • Special Invited Guest Reaction Papers included: "The Disability Paradigm," David Pfeiffer; "A Summary of Important Themes from the Seminar on Disability Policy," Rochelle V. Habeck; "The Political Implications of the Disability Construct in Public Policy," Kay Schriner; "Disability Policy, Social Research and the Social Movement," Corinne Kirchner; and "Government, Politics and Disability Policy," Thomas G. Stewart. Copies of the 1999 and 2000 monographs are available for $10 and $15 respectively from the National Rehabilitation Association, 633 S. Washington St., Alexandria, VA 22314. Further information on the Switzer Seminars is available at www.mswitzer.org or may be directed to lrobertmccon@ voyager.net. ? Announcement: Rehabilitation Education Editors Needed The five-year term of office of the current editors of Rehabilitation Education will expire on December 31, 2001. The current editors have expressed a desire to pursue other academic endeavors, leaving a vacancy in the editorship of the journal. This announcement is to seek nominations for the editorship of the NCRE journal, Rehabilitation Education. We invite individuals to self-nominate or nominate others whom they think could fulfill the responsibilities of editor(s). In the past, the organization has had some very competent editors, and the Board would like to see that tradition continued. The responsibilities of the editor(s) are coordinating activities related to the publisher, selection of associate editors, recommendations to the NCRE Board for editorial advisory board members, writing of editorials, peer review of articles (including selecting peer reviewers for articles), recommendations for special issues, conducting at least one annual editorial advisory board meeting, and reporting to the NCRE Board of Directors on progress of the journal at both the spring and fall meetings of the NCRE Board. The editor(s) receives funds to cover the cost of one trip to an NCRE Board meeting, funds for necessary office supplies, and funds to cover the cost of assistant editor/secretarial support. Deadline for Applications: July 1, 2001 Applications may be obtained from: John J. Benshoff, Ph.D., CRC 1st Vice President, NCRE Professor Rehabilitation Institute Southern Illinois University at Carbondale Carbondale, IL 62901-4609