Self-Assessment Tool: Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor Training Needs and Competence – SAP-SASC

The goal of state-federal vocational rehabilitation (VR) systems is to provide high quality and culturally appropriate services to consumers. To accomplish this, VR counselors must be trained in both traditional and emerging practices.

The Systems Approach to Placement: Self-Assessment for Students and Counselors (SAP-SASC) is designed to measure state VR Counselors’ self-reported levels of knowledge and skill in critical areas of competency. Areas identified as critical are systems related to Clients, Health, Education, Families, Social, Employers, Placement Personnel, and Funding.

Competencies identified are based on the SAP Model, Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE) standards, current literature on rehabilitation counselor competencies, and input from focus groups. The measure is composed of 70 items. Levels of knowledge in these areas are rated on a 4-point Likert scale.

Bottom Line

This tool can be used:

• As a training need survey to develop a training agenda for state VR counselors
• To determine efficacy of training modules designed to promote professional development

Recognition

The authors of this article were recognized with the following awards for their work in this area:

• 2012 Research Award of the National Rehabilitation Association of Job Placement and Development
• 2006 Research Award of the National Rehabilitation Association of Job Placement and Development

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Source: Kundu, M., Dutta, A., Chan, F., Torres, V., & Fleming, K. (2011). Vocational rehabilitation counselor  training needs assessment and competence measure: An exploratory factor analysis.  Rehabilitation Research, Policy, and Education, 25(3), 113-126.

Learn More

Use these resources to learn more about this topic:

• Kundu, M. M., Dutta, A., & Chan, F. (2010). A systems approach to placement: A culturally  sensitive model. In F. Balcazar, Y. Suarez-Balcazar, T. Ritzler, & C. Keys.  Race, Culture, and Disability: Rehabilitation Science and Practice (pp. 319-338).  Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett.
• Kundu, M. M., Schiro-Geist, C., & Dutta, A. (2005). A systems approach to placement: A holistic  technique, Journal of Forensic Vocational Analysis, 8, 23-29.
• Abstract: A Systems Approach to Placement: A Culturally Sensitive Model for People with Disabilities

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