Department of Rehabilitation Counseling receives Department of Education grant
Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) Department of Rehabilitation Counseling recently received a grant from the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), Rehabilitation Service Administration, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
Dr. Keisha Rogers and Dr. Tammara Thomas, who are associate professors in the Department of Rehabilitation Counseling, developed the Vocational Rehabilitation and Co-Occurring Mental Health Counseling Virtual Training Initiative and received funding in the amount of $983,845.00. This initiative was developed in partnership with the North Carolina Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services, the North Carolina Division of Services for the Blind, and Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services. This five-year grant will address the shortage of diverse rehabilitation counselors trained to address the needs of persons with disabilities who also have co-occurring mental health disorders.
Funding awarded through the DOE’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services will pay for tuition, stipends, and professional development activities, such as attending and presenting at professional conferences (e.g. state, local, national). Prospective students who may not have otherwise had the financial resources to further their education in rehabilitation counseling will have the opportunity to pursue admission into the Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling program.
The Vocational Rehabilitation and Co-Occurring Mental Health Counseling Virtual Training Initiative is aimed to recruit and train students who are interested in pursuing a career in rehabilitation counseling who will also be prepared to competently address the unique needs of individuals with a range of disabilities, including those with co-occurring mental health disorders from diverse cultural backgrounds.
WSSU’s program has a strong reputation throughout the Southeast as a premiere training of rehabilitation counseling graduates for over 16 years. Over 95 percent of students are employed prior to graduation by state vocational rehabilitation services or other qualifying agencies in North Carolina and other various states. The Department of Rehabilitation Counseling is part of the School of Health Sciences, an ethnically diverse school that embraces health equity in education, research and service.
Students who are interested in rehabilitation counseling, with a specialized training in working with individuals who experience co-occurring disorders can apply though the graduate admissions website. Classes start in the Spring of 2021. For more information, visit the Department of Rehabilitation Counseling website.
About Winston-Salem State University
Winston-Salem State University fosters the creative thinking, analytical problem-solving, and depth of character needed to transform the world. Rooted in liberal education, WSSU’s curriculum prepares students to be thought leaders who have the skills and knowledge needed to develop innovative solutions to complex problems. Founded in 1892, WSSU is a historically Black constituent institution of the University of North Carolina with a rich tradition of contributing to the social, cultural, intellectual, and economic growth of North Carolina, the region and beyond. Guided by the motto, “Enter to Learn, Depart to Serve,” WSSU develops leaders who advance social justice by serving the world with compassion and commitment.
