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Project FIRST

Project FIRST aims to address the shortage of qualified vocational rehabilitation (VR) counselors and pre-employment transition service (Pre-ETS) specialists working with transition-age youth (14 to 22 years old) with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) by engaging employers in in-demand fields and STEM. Project FIRST will develop an innovative in-service training program that is: 
 
Click here to read more on the Project FIRST initiative.

Published Research

• Mackay, M. E., Suedmeyer, E., Schiro-Geist, C., West, S. L., & Strohmer, D. C. (2018). Closure rates and counselor education: An exploration of why counselors with MRC degrees do not have better client outcomes than other master’s-level counselors. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 49(3), 389–400.

• Mackay, M. E., Dunn, J. P., Suedmeyer, E., Schiro-Geist, C., Strohmer, D. C., & West, S. L. (2020). Rehabilitation Counselor Degree Type as a Predictor of Client Outcomes: A Comparison of Quantity Versus Quality in Closure Rates. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 63(2), 91–101. 

• Yu, X., Schiro-Geist, C., Harmon, M. J., Zhang, X., Kansakar, Y., Krolik, P., Williams, M., Goodwill, M., & Cozort, S. (2021). The outcome-based perspective: Benefits of field-specific rehabilitation counselor (RC) education. Journal of Forensic Vocational Analysis, 21, 45–56. DOI: /umid/pdfs/outcomes_based.pdf

• Harmon, M., Yu, X., Schiro-Geist, C., Zhang, X., Kansakar, Y., Krolik, P., Williams, M., Goodwill, L., & Cozort, S. (2022). Having a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling leads to higher closure rates among persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities from the outcome-based perspective. Journal of Applied Rehabilitation Counseling, 53(1), 27–37. DOI:

• Yu, X., Schiro-Geist, C., Zhang, X., Krolik, P. J., Cai, J., & Harms, B. A. (2025). Association Between Case Volume of Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors and Their Clients’ Employment Rate at Closure. Journal of Applied Rehabilitation Counseling, 56(4), 387–404. 

• Yu, X., Schiro-Geist, C., Zhang, X., Krolik, P., Cai, J., Harms, B. A., & Tippireddy, J. R. (2024). The Impact of Caseload on Case Closure Rates for Clients with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Journal of Forensic Vocational Analysis. Vol. 24(1), 6-22.

• Yu, X., Schiro-Geist, C., Zhang, X., Krolik, P., Cai, J., Tippireddy, J. R., & Nandiki, S. Differences in the Quality of Employment Placement for Vocational Rehabilitation Clients with Disabilities by Counselor’s Certified Rehabilitation Counselor Status. Journal of Forensic Vocational Analysis, Vol. 25 Spring, 5-19.

Conference Presentations

• Schiro-Geist. (2025, June 9^th). Inclusive Higher Education, United Nations, New York, NY

• Schiro-Geist, C., Yu, X., Krolik, P. (2025, May 21–23). Project FIRST: Scoping review. RCPAA Conference, Oaklawn, Hot Springs, AR.

• Schiro-Geist, C., & Krolik, P. (2025, March 25). AI CoP Lunch & Learn: AI for Good: Building bridges to every learner. Presented at the AI Community of Practice, University of ÃÛÌÒµ¼º½, ÃÛÌÒµ¼º½, TN.

• Schiro-Geist, C. (2025, March 12–16). Unveiling the complexity: Intersectionality of disability in multicultural rehabilitation. Presented at ABVE Conference, Asheville, NC.

• Schiro-Geist, C. (2025, February 24–25). Unveiling the complexity: Intersectionality of disability in multicultural rehabilitation. Presented at ARRPE, Savannah, Georgia.

• Schiro-Geist, C. (2024, November 14–15). ´¡»å»å¾±³¦³Ù¾±´Ç²Ô²õ–I¶Ù¶Ù–E³¾±è±ô´Ç²â³¾±ð²Ô³Ù. Presented at the 4th International Conference on Neuroscience and Psychiatry, Bangkok, Thailand (Virtual).

• Schiro-Geist, C. (2024, November 7–9). Differences in the quality of employment for VR clients with disabilities by counselor's CRC status. Presented at the IARP Conference, San Francisco, California.

• Yu, X., Krolik, P., Nandiki, S (2024, October 31-November 3). Exploring the intersectionality of disabilities: Multifaceted challenges and multidimensional solutions [Poster presentation]. American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (ACRM).

• Schiro-Geist, C., Yu, X., Krolik, P. (2024, August 27). CRC differences in the quality of employment placement for vocational rehabilitation clients with disabilities between counselors with a certification in rehabilitation counseling versus counselors without the certification [Conference proposal]. NRA Virtual Presentation.

• Schiro-Geist, C., Yu, X., Krolik, P. (2024). Differences in the quality of employment for VR clients with disabilities by counselor's CRC status [Poster presentation]. IARP Fall Forum.

• Schiro-Geist, C., Yu, X., Krolik, P. (Spring, 2024). Differences in the Quality of Employment for VR Clients with Disabilities by Counselor’s CRC Status. Paper presented at the American Board of Vocational Experts (ABVE) Spring Conference, ÃÛÌÒµ¼º½, TN

• Schiro-Geist, C. (Winter, 2024). Addiction/IDD/Employment. Paper presented at the Hawaii International Conference on Education, Honolulu, Hawaii

• Schiro-Geist, C., Yu, X., Krolik, P. (Spring, 2024). Differences in the Quality of Employment for VR Clients with Disabilities by Counselor’s CRC Status. Paper presented at Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSVAR). Virtual

   

Conference Posters

American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (ACRM). Oct 31-Nov 3, 2024 - Xinhua Yu, MD, PhD, MS. and Patrick Krolik, MBA

American Public Health Association Conference Fall 2023 - Xinhua Yu, MD, PhD, MS.

American Public Health Association Conference Fall 2023 - Xinhua Yu, MD, PhD, MS.

Project First: Finding Innovative Rehabilitative Services Training