Prologue: The Future of Rehabilitation Counseling Professional Associations

Abstract

Professional associations are the primary instrument for meeting the interests of a profession. However, the steady decline of membership that began in the 1970s in rehabilitation counseling associations has reduced their resources and limited their ability to advocate for the discipline (Phillips & Leahy, 2012). In 1981, in the early years of membership decline, the Journal of Applied Rehabilitation Counseling published a special issue focusing on the potential consolidation of rehabilitation counseling associations. The special issue concluded with a call to survey rehabilitation counselors for their perspectives on the topic (Emener, 1981). Despite the special issue becoming the “benchmark publication” intended (Field & Emener, 1981, p. 59), no decisive action was taken following its publication and no survey conducted. In the articles that follow, we present information about the current and future state of rehabilitation counseling professional associations, relying heavily on the quantitative and qualitative responses of 2,608 rehabilitation counseling professionals. More concisely, this special issue finally answers the call from over 40 years ago to seek the input of rehabilitation counselors on the question of consolidation. In addition to introducing the articles in this special issue, we provide a historical sketch of rehabilitation counseling associations and membership trends that is key to understanding the debate around consolidation.

Predicting Membership in a Consolidated Association: If We Build It, Will They Come?

“…In 2022, membership numbers across the American Rehabilitation Counseling Association (ARCA), the National Rehabilitation Counseling Association (NRCA), and the Rehabilitation Counselors and Educators Association (RCEA) are at 1,043 combined. This number is far below the membership numbers from the 1970s and 80s and represents only a small fraction of practicing rehabilitation counselors (Phillips, Boland, et al, 2022). There is a desperate need to increase association membership if rehabilitation counseling is to be represented in these turbulent times of professionalization and deprofessionalization.…”

“…The most proposed solution for declining membership has been to seek and promote a benefit that will entice membership (Phillips, Boland, et al, 2022). However, this quest has proven elusive for associations that rely on membership numbers for generating value.…”