Doctoral Dissertations

Date of Award

8-1986

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

Education

Major Professor

Luther M. Kindall, Schuyler W. Huck

Committee Members

John W. Lounsbury

Abstract

This study was done (1) to determine whether there was bias against of Tennesssee Division of Rehabilitation Services clients, (2) to determine whether cost/benefit analyses (in terms of expenditures and client incomes at closure) revealed adequate use of funds, and (3) to ascertain counselors* perceptions of service equity and effectiveness as well as recommendations for improving service delivery.

Questionnaires were sent to all rehabilitation counselors employed by the Tennessee Division of Rehabilitation Services in July 1985 to determine the frequency of specific counselor behaviors and to ascertain their perception of the effectiveness and equity of the program. Computer data from the official counselor reporting system was used to determine the amount of income at closure, the types of disabilities served, and the work statuses of rehabilitants. Computer data was also used to determine expenditures, the number of rehabilitants earning minimum wage and the number of SSDl/SSI clients earning SGA.

It was determined that bias existed in terms of counselor creaming (ignoring manual guidelines and choosing only those clients with the greatest and easiest potential for rehabilitation in order to create impressive statistics) and counselor bias from maintaining stereotypical beliefs regarding clients due to their gender, race, or severity of disability classification. The cost/benefit analyses indicated that all client subgroups' incomes improved substantially from application to rehabilitation. The average cost of rehabilitation per client is generally repaid to taxpayers in less than five years of the rehabilitant's employment. Eighty percent of the counselors who responded to the questionnaire indicated more effective services would be provided if they did not have to worry about meeting the quota for Status 26 closures. Recommendations were made for enhancing the rehabilitation process as well as for areas of future research.

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