By Christina Gray, Media Relations Specialist

Langston, Okla. – A new study conducted by the Langston University Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (LU-RRTC) on Research and Capacity Building for Minority Entities concluded that African-American and female veterans were significantly less likely to return to work compared to non-Latino White and female veterans after their military service.

“Historically, individuals from these minority populations have experienced differential treatment in the federal/state vocational rehabilitation program,” said Dr. Corey Moore, professor and chairman of rehabilitation counseling at Langston University. “These findings implicate that such differences persist and agencies remain vigilant in ensuring that all individuals have fair access to needed return-to-work services.”

With case records used from the Rehabilitation Services Administration, a sample of 11,603 people who were served by state vocational rehabilitation agencies was extracted and re-sampled across multiple trials to assess the relationship between race, gender, education level and their return-to-work. This study received national exposure as it was recently published in the Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation.

Researchers at Langston University will use the information gathered from this analysis for a more comprehensive study to examine co-service best practices between vocational rehabilitation agencies and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Langston University’s Department of Rehabilitation Counseling and Disability Studies (DRCDS) administers three different academic serving programs and the LU-RRTC. The Department averages an annual student enrollment of about 120 students. The academic units include graduate programs in Rehabilitation Counseling and Visual Rehabilitation Services (Orientation and Mobility [O&M] and Rehabilitation Teaching) and undergraduate Rehabilitation Services Program. The Rehabilitation Counseling Program is accredited by the Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE) and helps prepare students to become certified rehabilitation counselors.