Medical Aspects of Disability: Course 3

Course Description:

In this course, we will explore various chronic conditions and their potential impact on employability. The conditions covered include:

• Painsome text
  • Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
  • Chronic Low Back Pain
• Fibromyalgia
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Carpal-Tunnel Syndrome
• Chronic Illnesssome text
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Diabetes
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • Asthma
  • Arthritis
  • Respiratory Disease
  • Allergies

The Medical Aspects of Disability series is based on the Disability Handbook.

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Course Objectives:

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Understand the impact of chronic conditions on employability.
• Use specific questions and considerations to assess chronic conditions in vocational terms.
• Develop effective Individualized Plans for Employment (IPE) with disability-related considerations.

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Note from the Author, Jason Andrew, Ph.D.:

This course is written specifically for State Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors, but it is highly applicable to anyone working with persons who experience disabling conditions. The purpose of the course is to provide pertinent information about specific disabilities that will aid counselors in providing appropriate services to their clients. An attempt was made in this series to cover all the primary disabilities encountered by professionals in vocational rehabilitation.

Under each specific disability, there are additional questions for the initial interview, along with several other subsections designed to provide information that will allow the counselor to assess the medical condition in vocational terms. These subsections include typical considerations for the disability being addressed. However, the counselor should select and use only those questions that are appropriate for the client’s situation. There is also a subsection dealing with specific disability-related items that should be considered on the Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE).

Finally, some sources are listed at the end of chapters to which the counselor can refer for more information concerning a specific disability.

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This course aims to provide VR counselors and professionals with valuable insights into chronic conditions and their implications for vocational rehabilitation, supporting effective client service and tailored interventions.