For Immediate Release:
May 2, 2013
For Information Contact:
Dr. Hursh 617-353.2709
Bruce Adams 847-657.6964
GLENVIEW, IL -- The International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals (IARP) today announced the merger of two key disciplines in the private rehabilitation career path. Case Management and Disabilities Management have been combined to become IARP's Rehabilitation & Disability Case Management (RDCM) section.
“We are very excited about this merger,” said Dr. Norman Hursh, chair of the RDCM section and member of the IARP Board of Directors. “It has great potential to strengthen IARP’s value to the industry and membership. RDCM will become the largest discipline in the IARP community, and, with enhanced resources and expertise, will boost the career paths of many rehab specialists. We are targeting especially those launching private rehabilitation careers.”
Professionals involved in the new IARP discipline coordinate multi-disciplinary rehabilitation services and provide direct services that include: job placement and return-to-work coordination, vocational counseling and career assessment, catastrophic injury management, independent living and community integration, benefits assistance, and ergonomic and assistive technology implementation.
“The field is large and growing,” said Dr. Hursh, an associate professor in the Department of Rehabilitative Counseling at Boston University. “These professionals can interface with older workers who want to continue and improve productivity, military veterans who face return-to-work and productivity issues, and adults with injuries and disabilities, to name just a few areas of focus.”
On the employer side, IARP specialists offer expertise on regulation compliance, disability policy issues and corporate best practices to improve productivity.
“There is financial reward to having a laser-sharp office whose personnel grasp the benefits program that returns employees to productive work quickly,” said Dr. Hursh. "IARP members provide the tools and knowledge to re-establish the workforce fast and effectively.
“The new IARP section will better serve pressing concerns of private and non-profit rehabilitation institutions, such as hospitals, schools, corporations, insurance companies, government and other agencies,” he added.
"The merger makes good IARP’s promise of providing an enriched career path for a lifetime," said IARP President Steve Shedlin, owner of Rehabilitation Experts of Maryland, Inc. in Rockville. "Experience in RDCM is an important foothold in the private rehabilitation field and may lead to further opportunities in vocational expertise, forensics and life-care planning.
“At IARP we want to build the member’s professional identity and career by exposure to a rich mix of opportunity. We do that through exemplary education and certification coursework, a singular mentoring program and an innovative and welcoming community of professionals.”