Rehabilitation Services

Kind-hearted individuals who want to help improve the lives of people with disabilities pursue majors in rehabilitation services. Students become familiar with the many disabilities they will treat and their psychological effects. Rehabilitation practices pertaining to addiction, behavioral problems, mental trauma and developmental disabilities are learned with hands-on training. It’s also important that rehabilitation service majors know of resources that would supplement their services. Students must also gain an understanding of how they should interact with their patients. Courses within the major include rehabilitation casework, medical aspects of disabilities and principles of rehab. Many programs require that students gain credit through an internship, so they can experience the field first-hand.

After graduation, many rehabilitation service majors find careers in human service agencies. Fields of work include employment and family services, mental health partitioning, vocational rehabilitation, occupational therapy and addiction counseling. Career advancement can be made by obtaining a master’s degree. Rehabilitation services directors may earn in the range of $100,000 per year after they gain 10 or more years of experience, according to PayScale. Rehabilitation services supervisors’ average median yearly income ranges from $36,300 to $62,199. However, the most rewarding part of the job is guiding the people who suffer with disabilities to a more functional life.