History of Vocational Rehabilitation

The history of vocational rehabilitation can be traced back in the early 19th century. The Perkins Institute was the first rehab started in Boston in 1829. In this institute, blind people were trained so that they could get jobs in the manufacturing industry. However, such types of training programs were very few. More such programs were started towards the end of the century, when Progressivism started to gain strength. The highlight of this movement was social justice for people. During this movement, many such rehabilitation programs and centers mushroomed in the nation. Some such centers were the Salvation Army rehab center, Goodwill Industries, the Jewish Vocational Service Agencies, and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. These institutes were funded by the religious organizations.

Owing to the efforts of some good Samaritans, many other programs also came up. Some such programs include the National Society for Crippled Children and Adults (the Easter Seals Society) in Elyria, Ohio; Sunbeam Circle (Vocational Guidance and Rehabilitation Services) in Cleveland, Ohio and the Red Cross Institution for Cripple and Disabled Men (ICD) Rehabilitation and Research Center in New York City.

The greatest need for vocational rehabilitation was felt after World War I, when too many disabled soldiers returned home from overseas battleground. The private institutes could not accommodate so many soldiers. The private community support was not enough to support the millions of dependents during this era. These reasons forced the Smith-Hughes Act of 1917 to pass, which formed the Federal Board for Vocational Education of Soldiers. Later, in 1918 the Soldier Rehabilitation Act was passed to offer vocational training to disable veterans. Two years later, the approval of the Vocational Rehabilitation (Smith-Fess) Act extended services to disabled veterans. Finally in thirties, the Vocational Rehabilitation marked a noteworthy milestone, when the Social Security Act of 1935 was passed.

In the year 1944, Servicemen's Readjustment Act or the G.I. Bill was introduced, which provided vocational training programs to those war disabled veterans who returned from World War II. This bill was later amended and later proved very beneficial for many soldiers. Chapter 31 vocational rehabilitation program of the G.I. Bill aims at serving the "servicemembers" who have had service related disabilities. There are various criteria for individuals to qualify for the vocational training program.

During 1950s and throughout the 1960s, the Public Vocational Rehabilitation program grew significantly. There was an increase in the federal expenditures from $23 million in 1954 to $600 million by 1970. During 1970s; the vocational rehab became the main attraction of the business community, when California state governments began to make it compulsory part of the declaration of worker's compensation cases. By the early 1990s, the annual national costs crossed over $60 billion due to the exploitation of the worker's compensation system.

The Timeline of the History of Vocational Rehabilitation

1918: Congress passed a vocational rehabilitation act on June 27, 1918, which sated every person who is disabled under circumstances entitling him to compensation.

1920: Congress passed the Civilian Vocational Rehabilitation Act encouraging states to offer rehabilitation services to the disabled veterans.

1954: Eisenhower signed the Vocation Rehabilitation Act, with Switzer, Rockefellers, Rusk and EB Whitten.

1973: A substitute bill was introduced in April 1973, which provided proper help to people who needed help.

1989: The rehabilitation and integration of the disabled act was published on May 2, 1989.

1992: The Maza Oyate Vocational Rehabilitation Program started providing services to the Native Americans.

2004: Vocational Rehabilitation Maintenance Allowance and Vocational Rehabilitation Temporary Disability benefits are no longer available to the new applicants.

2010: July 26, 2010 is an important date in disability history and success of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The history of vocational rehabilitation is a struggle to establish self-respect and opportunity as a right of a disabled individual.