Master of Science in Clinical Rehabiliation Counseling
MSCR Program
The mission of the Masters of Science Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling (MSCR) program at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center forwards the mission of the University by providing a practitioner training program focused on the unique needs of diverse communities, especially in rural settings. We are committed to preparing entry-level clinical rehabilitation counselors to work competently and ethically through the mastery of evidence-based practices. Our focus centers on empowering people with disabilities to make informed choices, build viable careers, and live more independently within the community.
The goal of the program is to prepare students with the counseling and rehabilitation knowledge and skills to assist people with a wide range of physical and psychiatric disabilities, chronic conditions or diseases, and social disabilities in achieving their education and career goals. To accomplish this, the program provides educational and clinical experiences that allow students to meet thefollowing knowledge and outcome expectations: The objectives of our program are linked to our mission statement. They are to provide:- Educational experiences that facilitate the development of knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary to practice as qualified rehabilitation counselors with a diverse population in a wide variety of contexts.
- Learning opportunities to support the ability to implement culturally responsive and ethically sound rehabilitation counseling practices throughout their careers, and to advocate for individuals with disabilities and the profession.
- Clinical training experiences focused on translating acquired knowledge, attitudes, and skills to evidence-based practice in a wide range of real-world environments.
The field of rehabilitation counseling and the discipline of rehabilitation counseling are premised by a set of underlying values. Articulated by the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC), these values provide an underpinning for the provision of services to persons with disabilities. These values include: - Facilitation of independence, integration, and the inclusion of people with disabilities in employment and the community.
- Belief in the dignity and worth of all people.
- Commitment to a sense of equal justice based on a model of accommodation to provide and equalize the opportunities to participate in all rights and privileges available to all people; and a commitment to supporting persons with disabilities in advocacy activities to achieve this status and empower themselves.
- Emphasis on the holistic nature of human function which is procedurally facilitated by the utilization of such techniques as:
1. interdisciplinary teamwork
2. counseling to assist in maintaining a holistic perspective
3. a commitment to considering individuals within the context of their family systems and community
- Recognition of the importance of focusing on the assets of the person
- Commitment to models of service delivery that emphasize integrated, comprehensive services that are mutually planned by the consumer and the rehabilitation counselor.
The MSCR program is dedicated to the education of competent practitioners and leaders in Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling. The curriculum is designed to involve the learner as an active participant in the essential knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for competent practice in the field. Program faculty are drawn from a variety of disciplines within the Department of Clinical Counseling and Mental Health in the TTUHSC School of Health Professions. The intent of the program is to reflect the truly interdisciplinary nature of rehabilitation counseling and to facilitate the sharing of knowledge across health professionals and counseling specialties.
The curriculum conforms to the stated requirements for the graduate education of rehabilitation counseling professionals as set forth by the accrediting body, the Council on Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).While ensuring conformity to the curricular and skill requirements as established by the accrediting bodies, it is the intent of the program to graduate students who are:1. Ready to acknowledge the importance of rehabilitation counseling in ensuring dignity, independence, and wellness for persons with disabilities;2. Dedicated to key values, standards, and codes of ethics involved in the practice of clinical rehabilitation counseling, as set forth by state and national licensing and certifying bodies;3. Engaged in reflective, creative problem-solving;4. Responsive to the needs of persons with disabilities;5. Sensitive to the collaborative therapeutic/helping relationship;6. Involved in leadership roles to develop and enhance the discipline of clinical rehabilitation counseling;7. Aware of,and able to respond to, the needs of their communities;8. Able to act as an advocate for quality of life issues for persons with disabilities. The curriculum will provide the personal and professional development learning processes necessary for students to acquire both competence and leadership abilities.
The goals of the MSCR program are to ensure that graduates have the knowledge, skills, knowledge and attitudes necessary to provide the highest quality clinical rehabilitation counseling services.
To achieve this goal, the MSCR program provides students with the opportunity to:
- Acquire an advanced education in clinical rehabilitation counseling.
- Enter the public and private clinical rehabilitation counseling fields with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to provide effective services to individuals with disabilities, including those with the most severe disabilities.
- Assist individuals with disabilities to identify and use resources to meet their developmental, vocational, independent living, and educational goals.
- Develop a life-long commitment to the profession of clinical rehabilitation counseling.
- Keep their skills updated through continuing education throughout their careers.
- Engage in ethical practice, and exercise their skills and competencies with personal integrity.
- Develop as lifelong learners and critical thinkers.
- Develop a commitment to the profession of counseling, and the rehabilitation counseling specialty.
- Facilitate the full integration of persons with disabilities into society, and the acceptance of persons with disabilities as valued and contributing members of society.
- Participate in the program without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, or marital status.
The MSCR program will contribute to the development of practitioners, educators, and researchers through its program academic instruction and clinical educational experiences. Learning Objectives for MSCR Program
The MSCR program has identified the following ten learning outcomes for coursework and completion of the degree: 1. Students will develop a professional identity in the field of counseling, specifically clinical rehabilitation counseling, including knowledge of the history, philosophy, laws; counselor roles and responsibilities; advocacy; ethical standards; general and professional scopes of the field; individual, professional and institutional accreditation, licensure, and certification; and the principles of disability-related practice.
2. Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the social and cultural diversity issues in the field of clinical rehabilitation counseling including psychosocial, cultural, racial, gender, sexual orientation, family, and disability differences; sensitivity to social and cultural issues; multicultural counseling competencies; effects of discrimination and bias; and application of strategies for intervention, self-awareness, and self-development based on psychological and social theory.
3. Students will be able to demonstrate a working knowledge of human growth and development/lifespan theory including physical, emotional, cognitive, behavioral, moral, learning and normal/abnormal personality development; human sexuality and disability; spirituality; social and learning needs across lifespan including transition and ethical/legal issues.
4. Students will be able to demonstrate a working knowledge and integration of employment and career development theories including barrier reduction, occupational alternatives, job modification, job placement and retention, and follow-up procedures, as well as a functional knowledge of the various assessments, skills, and services needed to ethically practice.
5. Students will be able to demonstrate, in theory and practice, knowledge and integration of counseling and consultation skills and techniques required by the profession, including various counseling theories, practical experience, knowledge of the field, group work expertise, crisis intervention, trauma-informed, and community-based strategies, and the ability to work with clients to meet the various clinical rehabilitation counseling goals.
6. Students will be able to demonstrate, in theory, and practice, knowledge and integration of group/leadership skills required by the profession including group dynamics in counseling theory, characteristics and functions of group leaders, interdisciplinary teamwork, and evaluation methods.
7. Students will be able to demonstrate a working knowledge of assessment practices in the clinical rehabilitation field including measurement and statistical concepts; methodology; ethical selection, administration, and interpretation of assessment measures; and assistive devices.
8. Students will be able to demonstrate the ability to ethically apply research and program evaluation in both coursework and practice through application of research literature to practice, research methodology, basic statistics, participation in research activities, use of data in literature development, and analysis of research articles.
9. The student will be able to demonstrate working knowledge of the medical, functional, and environmental aspects of disability in regard to rehabilitation including physical, psychiatric, developmental, cognitive, substance abuse, and emotional disabilities.
10. Students will be able to demonstrate the necessary knowledge of rehabilitation services and resources needed in the field of clinical rehabilitation counseling, including planning, case documentation, transition to work, substance abuse, diagnosis, treatment planning, psychopharmacology, resource selection and other rehabilitation specific services. Codes of Ethics
Students enrolled in the Master of Science in Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling program are expected to undertake all activities related to their program of study in accordance with the highest standards of professional and ethical conduct. The Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC) Code of Professional Ethics and The American Counseling Association (ACA) Code of Ethics are in effect immediately when you become a clinical rehabilitation counseling student. The program faculty and students operate within the standards of ethical conduct as set forth by the CRCC and ACA codes of professional ethics. All clinical rehabilitation counseling students are responsible for knowing and following the CRCC and ACA Codes of Professional Ethics.Students can maximize their professional potential by joining a professional organization. The American Counseling Association (ACA) represents the diverse field of counseling and includes specialty-focused divisions and regional/state chapters.More information on ACA can be found here: https://www.counseling.org/
Students can join ACA and participate in their home state’s ACA chapter as a way to meet and network with other local counseling professionals. Students can further advance their professional identities by joining a division of ACA, https://www.counseling.org/about-us/divisions-regions-and-branches/divisions ACA has a division focused on rehabilitation counseling, the American Rehabilitation Counseling Association, http://www.arcaweb.org/ Certification and Licensure
Upon completion of the MSCR program, graduates will possess the competencies and experiences necessary to pursue national certification or state licensure as a counselor. These credentials are essential to furthering the graduate's career. As with most professional credentials, these credentials are not automatically acquired by completion of the academic program. Rather, the completion of scholastic work and attainment of the Master of Science in Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling makes the graduate eligible to apply for various national certifications and state licensure as a counselor.
National Certified Counselor (NCC): The NCC is offered by the National Board for Certified Counselors. Board certification demonstrates to colleagues and the public that you have voluntarily met high national standards for the practice of counseling. NCCs may also hold specialty certifications such as the Master Addictions Counselor (MAC), Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor (CCMHC), and National Certified School Counselor (NCSC). Further information is available about the NCC by contacting:
National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC), Inc. and Affiliates
3 Terrace Way
Greensboro, NC 27403
336-547-0607
https://www.nbcc.org/Certification/NCC State Licensure- Graduates of the MSCR program will also be eligible for licensure in many states. Various examples of professional counseling licenses that graduates may qualify for are: Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC), or Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC), depending upon the state. For more information about specific requirements and qualifications, please contact your respective state counselor licensure board.The following website provides helpful resources and links: https://www.counseling.org/knowledge-center/licensure-requirements
National Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC): The CRC is considered the leading national rehabilitation counseling certification. The certification is offered by the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC) https://www.crccertification.com/
Academic and Clinical Behavior:
Department-Student Agreement
Department of Clinical Counseling and Mental Health,
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
Students are expected to conduct their behavior in accordance with the following regulations:
1. The use of unauthorized written or oral references during examinations (cheating) is prohibited. This applies to all forms of electronic communication (e-mail, instant messaging, texting, etc.) for web-based examinations.2. The inadequate citation of references or assistance on papers or class presentations (plagiarism) is prohibited.3. Habitual tardiness, unexcused absences and lack of participation in class activities is prohibited.4. Students will behave in accordance with the Code of Ethics set forth by the School of Health Professions and respective program/professional organizations.5. Students will comply with all rules and regulations of the clinical facilities to which they are assigned.
I certify that I have received a copy of the Department of Clinical Counseling and Mental Health Student Handbook for my personal use and reference.I assume responsibility to read, review and thoroughly understand the rules, regulations, code of ethics and honor code as outlined in this Student Handbook. I agree to abide by all rules, regulations and codes while I am a student in the Department of Clinical Counseling and Mental Health at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center.Within one week after receipt of this handbook, I agree that I am responsible for writing an inquiry to the Program Director for clarification of any information in this handbook, including inquiry about consequences for my failure to comply. If I do NOT write an inquiry within one week after receipt, I am declaring that I fully understand my responsibilities and any consequences for my failure to meet those responsibilities.By entering a web-based course, you are signifying that you have read and agree to all applicable guidelines, policies, regulations and rules set forth in the TTUHSC School of Health Professions, Department of Clinical Counseling and Mental Health Student Handbook and the TTUHSC Information Technology Policy.
