A Survey of Current Disability Management Practice

This article summarizes the results of a recent role and function study completed in 2004 to determine the prevailing domains of disability management practice. The study also sought to establish an empirical basis for a certification exam for disability management specialists consistent with evolving standards of practice. Based on the expert panel's input, we developed a survey instrument and distributed it to a stratified, random sample of 1,500 disability management specialists. The results supported the subject matter experts' process of analysis and identification of three knowledge domains: (a) disability case management, (b) disability prevention and workplace intervention, and (c) program development, management, and evaluation. Survey results are provided, as well as implications for disability management practice.