vocational rehabilitation
A coordinated set of services aimed at enabling individuals with disability or illness to return to, retain, or obtain gainful employment.
Full Definition
Vocational rehabilitation (VR) encompasses assessment, counselling, training, and workplace modification services designed to help people with physical, cognitive, or psychiatric disabilities re-enter or remain in the workforce. In rehabilitation documentation, it is distinct from occupational therapy, which focuses on daily function rather than employment specifically. Editors should note that 'vocational' modifies the type of rehabilitation and should not be omitted or replaced with 'occupational' in this context. VR reports often include functional capacity evaluations, workplace assessments, and return-to-work plans, each with their own terminology conventions.
Usage
Usage note: Do not substitute 'vocational' with 'occupational' in this phrase; the two disciplines differ in scope and focus.
In Context
- "The patient was referred to vocational rehabilitation to assess her capacity to return to her pre-injury administrative role." — Discharge planning documentation
- "Vocational rehabilitation outcomes were measured using return-to-work rates at six and twelve months post-program." — Health economics research paper