Governor Proclaims Rehabilitation Professionals' Appreciation Day

Rehabilitation Professionals’ Appreciation Day

2025

By The Governor Of The State Of North Carolina

A Proclamation

Whereas, rehabilitation professionals across our state provide vital counseling, guidance, and support services to help individuals with disabilities increase their independence and self-sufficiency, while achieving their unique goals for competitive integrated employment and active community participation; and

Whereas, North Carolina has several accredited graduate programs for rehabilitation counseling and, according to the United States Bureau of Labor and Statistics, there more than 2,500 rehabilitation counselors in our state; and

Whereas, demand for rehabilitation counselors is expected to grow with the increase in the older population and with the continued rehabilitation needs of other groups, such as veterans and people with disabilities; and

Whereas, on March 22, 1983, the president of the National Council on Rehabilitation Education testified before the House Education and Labor Subcommittee on Select Education, bringing attention to the need for qualified rehabilitation counselors to the United States Congress; and

Whereas, the efforts of the National Council on Rehabilitation Education led to the enactment of laws that require rehabilitation counselors to have proper credentials so they may provide a higher quality of service to those in need of rehabilitation; and

Whereas, rehabilitation counselors play an important role in fulfilling the promise of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by supporting people with disabilities as they pursue their goals for employment and independence and promoting understanding of ADA provisions regarding equal opportunity and treatment in the workplace; and

Whereas, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services employs hundreds of rehabilitation counselors who are committed to increasing opportunities for people with disabilities to achieve their employment goals and supporting the State of North Carolina's Employment First efforts to become a model employer of workers with disabilities; and

Whereas, rehabilitation counselors should be commended for their hard work and dedication to individuals in need of rehabilitation;

Now, Therefore, I, Josh Stein, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim March 22, 2025, as “Rehabilitation Professionals’ Appreciation Day” in North Carolina, and commend its observance to all citizens.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Great Seal of the State of North Carolina at the Capitol in Raleigh this thirteenth day of February in the year of our Lord two thousand and twenty-fifth and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.