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

Harmon, M., Yu, X., Schiro-Geist, C., Zhang, X., Kansakar, Y., Krolik, P., Williams, M., Goodwill, L., & Cozort, S. 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. DOI: 10.1891/JARC-2021-0020
Yu, X., Schiro-Geist, C. Harmon, M.J., Zhang, X., Kansakar, Y., Krolik, P., Williams, M., Goodwill, M.L., Cozort, S. (2022). The Outcome-Based Perspective: Benefits of Field-Specific Rehabilitation Counselor Education. The Journal of Forensic Vocational Analysis, Vol. 21 (2)/ Vol. 22(1)
Xinhua Yu, Chrisann Schiro-Geist , Xiaofei Zhang, Patrick Krolik, Jun Cai Beth A. Harms. (2023). A moderate caseload among Vocational rehabilitation counselors achieved the best closure rates for clients with disabilities. Journal of Rehab, Research, Policy, Education.
Yu, X., Schiro-Geist, C., Zhang, X., Krolik, P., Cai, J., Harms, B. A., & Tippireddy, J. R. 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., Goodwill, M., & Tippireddy, J. R. (2024). Disparities in the quality of employment placement and live wage employment by counselor’s training and caseload among their clients with disabilities. Journal of Forensic Vocational Analysis. Vol 24,5-19.
Yu, X., Schiro-Geist, C., Zhang, X., Krolik, P., & Cai, J. (in press). Disparities in the subminimum wage employment among vocational rehabilitation clients: Roles of vocational rehabilitation counselors. The Journal of Rehabilitation.
Yu, X., Schiro-Geist, C., Zhang, X., Krolik, P., Cai, J., Tippireddy, J. R., & Nandiki, S. (in press). 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. Journal of Rehabilitation Bulletin
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. https://doi.org/10.3233/jvr-180982
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. https://doi.org/10.1177/0034355218806378

Conference Presentations

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 Memphis, Memphis, 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). Addictions–IDD–Employment. 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 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. NRA Virtual Presentation.
Schiro-Geist, C., Yu, X., Krolik, P (2024, June 1). 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. West TN Counseling Summer 2024 Conference.
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, Memphis, TN
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