Rehabilitation and Human Services (RHS)

Social and cultural contexts of disability on both a micro and macro levels will be examined.

Creative projects, including research and design, that are supervised on an individual basis and that fall outside the scope of formal courses.

Formal courses given infrequently to explore, in depth, a comparatively narrow subject that may be topical or of special interest.

This course serves as an introduction to Rehabilitation and Human Services practice settings. The course reviews the human services profession, including introductory information about social problems within a socio-political context to show how culture and ideology influence experiences and perspectives. The foundation of the human services profession is explored by examining educational standards and professional requirements: its roots as a helping profession within the history of social welfare provision, its ethical standards, theoretical underpinnings, and the nature of the generalist practice model, with an emphasis on helping people with disabilities.

Overview of the counseling theories that are often used in human service and rehabilitation practices.

Provides a practical understanding and skills to utilize assessment in the helping process.

An overview of essential elements and dynamics for conducting groups and various team-related activities will be the major focus.

Formal courses given infrequently to explore, in depth, a comparatively narrow subject that may be topical or of special interest.

Principles and practices of obtaining, recording, evaluating, and utilizing case data in rehabilitation planning; implementation of rehabilitation plans.

Community mental health roles, historical points, current trends, and ethical standards; funding and impact on service provision.

Contemporary family issues, child development, legal considerations, cultural and familial factors within rehabilitation and human services practice will be addressed.

Common disabling illnesses, injuries, and congenital defects; their symptomatology, prognosis, and treatment; implications for personal, social, and vocational adjustment.

Develop knowledge, skills, and resources necessary to understand and practice effective employment strategies in working with people with disabilities. This course is designed for students to develop knowledge, skills, and necessary resources to understand and practice effective employment strategies in working with people with disabilities, including individuals from culturally diverse backgrounds. Students will develop skills on networking with employers (e.g., social media, professional organizations, interviewing employers, etc.) for building professional contacts and networks. Various forms of labor market information will be analyzed to identify both challenges and opportunities for people with disabilities in different sectors of the labor market (primary and secondary). Throughout the course, students will learn about disability issues in the workplace (e.g., laws, policy, stigma, accommodations, etc.). A strong emphasis will be on understanding how laws and policies impact employment for people with disabilities, and students will identify legal and illegal practices. Best employer practices will be identified regarding mitigating disability impact on both employees (current and future) and employers. This course will incorporate Assistive Technology (AT) applications so students will be able to identify appropriate AT devices to assist people with disabilities in obtaining and retaining employment along with applicable strategies for working with employers in developing employment opportunities in today's changing world of work. Students will understand how disability is a critical component of workforce diversity and strengths people with disabilities bring to the workplace. Students will identify how people with disabilities should prepare for the employment process including training opportunities (formal and informal), resume development, interview preparation, and initiatives to promote increased employment outcomes. Different disability populations (e.g., youth, Veterans, aging workers, etc.) will be discussed including common barriers for employment as well as how to create opportunities in different employer settings.

Study aspects of culture and disability through lecture, visiting Irish disability service agencies, and guest speakers from various disability agencies. This course is designed to increase student awareness of disability from a cross-cultural comparison between the United States and Ireland including: personal, interpersonal, and societal aspects of disability, including how disability can be defined and understood differently in varied individual, institutional and cultural contexts. Students will learn models of disability that will help (a) clearly distinguish different ways of conceptualizing disability and (b) critically think about how disability is represented and understood in varied cultural contexts. Students will examine ethical, economic, and social implications of disability. Dynamics of group, family and individual behavior that impact interactions between people, with and without disabilities, will be addressed. Interactions and assignments will aid in the introduction of students to interpersonal communication and interaction issues among international cultures. A strong emphasis will be placed on understanding disability from a variety of cultural perspectives and assessing the impact of racial, ethnic, gender, socioeconomic, and socio-political factors on disability status. Throughout the course students will engage with various service providing agencies (which may include sensory disabilities, intellectual/cognitive disabilities, and physical disabilities). Class time will be allotted to prepare for engagement and reflection as well as providing background information for understanding global policy and how to make comparisons. Students will participate in a culminating activity, such as attending the International Disability Summer School that equips students with the insights and skills necessary to translate the generalities of international positions on disabilities into tangible reform for persons with disabilities and understand disability from a global perspective. This course meets the requirement for RHS 100 (RHS majors and RHS minors and honors students), and/or up to 6 credits toward 400 level elective requirements for RHS minors. SPLED students can earn up to 6 credits towards the SPLED minor

An overview of rehabilitation in different correctional settings focusing on history, classification, risk assessment, intervention strategies, and community reentry.

Full-time practicum in rehabilitation and related human services agencies and institutions providing psychosocial, vocational, educational, and/or residential services to people with disabilities.

Creative projects, including research and design, that are supervised on an individual basis and that fall outside the scope of formal courses.

Formal courses given infrequently to explore, in depth, a comparatively narrow subject that may be topical of of special interest.