Forensic Rehabilitation

Provides the student with an understanding of the purpose of forensic rehabilitation, vocational expert practice, and the reasons for referral of individuals for services. Additionally the course gives insight as to the roles and functions of professionals who provide forensic rehabilitation services in matters of litigation i.e. Workers’ compensation, personal injury, product liability, medical malpractice, and others; a review of forensic interviews, the use of vocational assessments, labor market issues, job analysis and transferable skills analysis utilized in forensic rehabilitation.

A continuation of topics covered in workers’ compensation, social security, and personal injury as it relates to the socioeconomic impact of acquired disabilities on individuals and their families. Estates and data sources, models for determining costs of lost earnings, fringe benefits, home service, and life care planning needs will also be covered. Students will build and complete a complete assessment, using a valid assessment tool.

Provides the student with an understanding of the purpose of forensic rehabilitation, vocational expert practice, and the reasons for referral of individuals for services. Additionally, this course covers legal terminology, procedures, precedents, and venues applying to forensic rehabilitation consultation. It will also cover case law as it apply to ethical practices, admissibility, rules of evidence (Rule 702), discovery, deposition and trial testimony, direct/cross examination, case research, and details of other areas of litigation requiring rehabilitation opinions and consultation will be.

Provides the student with an understanding of the purpose of forensic rehabilitation, vocational expert practice, and the reasons for referral of individuals for services. Additionally, this course will cover areas of practice opportunity such as social security, marital dissolution, personal injury, workers' compensation and introduction to forensic report writing. An overview of ethical standards, practices, common situations found in the litigation process, and business aspects of establishing a professional practice.

The Rehabilitation Counselor (RC) as forensic "expert" is designated by an attorney as an expert who testifies in court after performing evaluations for purposes of civil litigation, as an aspect of functioning loss due to a physical, mental, or emotional disability.
Upon referral of a vocational case, the RC review a variety of medical data, for example, treating physician reports, functional capacity evaluations, independent medical evaluations and if available psychological data like psychometric testing, psychological evaluations, and psychiatric evaluations provided as a part of a file.

During a litigated claim that involves functional loss it is important to understand the individual’s medical situation based on the data contained in supportive documents provided.

The RC may provide Forensic Expert services in matters of litigation, such as worker's compensation, personal injury, product liability, medical/professional malpractice, catastrophic injury, and others.

The RC may serve as an expert in one or more of the areas of vocational/medical rehabilitation, vocational and earning capacity, and lost earnings.

The RC identifies what the person could have earned prior to the incident, compared to what they are likely to earn following the incident.

[Reference: International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals (IARP)]

The Post Baccalaureate Certificate in Forensic Rehabilitation Counseling (PBCFRC) addresses the need to provide values-based training, collaborative opportunities for the community, and graduate specialist education to enhance counseling, forensic rehabilitation services, and opportunities for individuals with disabilities and those in need of special rehabilitation services. This program supports the State of Maryland’s goal to educate and train qualified counseling professionals to meet the growing demand for rehabilitation counselors to serve as forensic specialists, and to gain meaningful and economically rewarding employment for counseling professionals. Competencies are obtained via education, theory, and application-oriented field-based activities gained from community programs, and other community services. The program emphasis responds to the documented training needs and certification requirements for personnel in rehabilitation settings, private agencies, and particularly in state agencies and community-based programs.

The certificate responds to the ever-increasing demand for a workforce that understands the change that occurs related to rehabilitation and the legal system. Rehabilitation counselors provide direct services to people with disabilities (that include physical, mental, and emotional) by providing assistance in finding jobs that is consistent with their functioning abilities. However, their skills and expertise are now at the forefront and there is a growing demand in vocational forensics.

Students who have an interest in interacting and testifying within with the legal system and serving to support individuals with work related, accident related, or illness related impairments or limitations are candidates for the FRC certificate. Qualifications to testify in court as an expert in the field of vocational rehabilitation are strict and related to State certification and licensure. Typically, a graduate degree in counseling or psychology plus – the FRC certificate, or certification/licensure will suffice. Most Rules of Evidence relating to the qualifications of an expert witness are based on the Federal Rules.

Attorneys and the various court systems call on forensic experts to provided forensic testimony. Forensics experts are sought by companies, organizations, local, state, and federal agencies to provide opinions related to the various fields. A RC provides opinions utilized by the court in determining the extent of losses (physical, mental, familial, economic, etc.), potential for future employment, and the economic value of measurable losses incurred (both past, from date of incident until trial, and future, from date of trial until the individual’s death).

Although most rehabilitation counseling graduate programs include coursework on the basic legal, ethical, and professional issues pertaining to their practice, most rehabilitation counseling students get little practical education or training in the skills needed in providing testimony in the courts or the practice of forensics in their field.

This graduate certificate is designed to prepare rehabilitation students, practicing counselors and other related professionals for contemporary forensic issues e.g., relationships between legal and rehabilitation entities, personal injury, medical malpractice, life care planning, marital dissolution, product liability and catastrophic injury. The certificate further provides the student with the skills to understand the evidence presented in a court and to determine the facts in an issue, as a witness using the required knowledge, skills, experience, training, and education provided.

The program supports CSU’s mission and provides educational access and diverse opportunities for students whose promise may have been hindered by a lack of social, personal, or financial opportunities. The program is designed to meet the individual professional development needs of students with special emphasis on the recruitment of students from diverse populations. In keeping with the university’s mission to provide services to the community, graduates will be able to offer services and related training within the community and at their employment sites. The program applies its resources to meet urban needs, especially those of Baltimore City.