Psychiatric Disabilities: The Role of the Rehabilitation Counselor A rehabilitation counselor is the central coordinator of setting up the client's services and goals. They help develop and improve the client's skills to ensure independence, employment, and functioning in the community (Garske, 2003). To be able to rehabilitate the client and establish achievable goals and a treatment plan, the rehabilitation counselor must first understand the ADA, the client's functional limitations, the challenges and obstacles he or she is facing, along with barriers that may pose a threat to success. of the customer. Rehabilitation counselors also create a support network that the client can turn to and use, as well as resources and accommodations that can help the client transition into work, school, or home. Functional Challenges/Limitations Success Rate There are many challenges and obstacles that individuals with a psychiatric disability face and as a rehabilitation counselor must find ways to overcome these obstacles and help guide the client. According to Gregory Garske (2003), “those with serious mental illness or psychiatric disability have an extremely low success rate and are the most difficult group to rehabilitate” (p. 95). One of the largest disability subpopulations with the lowest success rate did not go unnoticed and changes were made in 1992 when the Rehabilitation Act Amendments were passed. The 1992 amendments paved the way for future growth and ensured that those with more severe disabilities that limited one or more life functions received more assistance (Garske, 2003). What is disturbing is that, even as people with psychiatric disabilities seek services, the success… at the heart of the paper… in acquiring and maintaining employment among people with psychiatric disabilities. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 33(3), 203-207. doi:10.3233/JVR-2010-0528.Schutt, R., & Hursh, N. (2009). Influences on job retention among homeless people with substance abuse or psychiatric disabilities. Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, 36(4), 53-73. Retrieved from the Academic Search Complete database. Sullivan, A., Nicolellis, D., & et al., (1993). Choose-take-keep: A psychiatric rehabilitation approach to supported education. Psychosocial Rehabilitation Journal, 17(1), 55. Retrieved from the MasterFILE Premier database. Walsh, J., & Walsh, M. (2003). The role of mental health professionals in responding to employment needs. Mental health rehabilitation and practice sourcebook (pp. 105-115). New York, NY USA: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers. Retrieved from the PsycINFO database.