CCM - Certified Case Manager Exam Certified Case Manager Rehabilitation and Vocational Concepts 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the purpose of a Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE) in vocational rehabilitation?
- To determine a worker's psychological readiness to return to work
- To objectively assess a worker's physical abilities and limitations in relation to job demands (Correct answer)
- To calculate the monetary value of a worker's lost wages
- To identify transferable skills from previous employment
Correct answer: To objectively assess a worker's physical abilities and limitations in relation to job demands
An FCE is a standardized assessment used to objectively measure a worker's physical capabilities (e.g., lifting, sitting, standing) and compare them against the physical demands of a target job, guiding return-to-work planning.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes 'work hardening' in a rehabilitation context?
- A psychological conditioning program to reduce fear of re-injury
- A multidisciplinary, work-simulated program that restores physical, behavioral, and vocational function (Correct answer)
- A legal process to determine employer liability for workplace injuries
- A short-term stretching regimen prescribed by a physical therapist
Correct answer: A multidisciplinary, work-simulated program that restores physical, behavioral, and vocational function
Work hardening is a structured, individualized, work-simulated program that addresses the physical, functional, behavioral, and vocational needs of a worker to facilitate return to employment.
Question 3: What does a labor market survey (LMS) assess in vocational rehabilitation?
- The injured worker's pre-injury salary history
- The availability and wages of specific jobs in a defined geographic area (Correct answer)
- The number of weeks of disability benefits an injured worker has received
- An employer's compliance with OSHA safety regulations
Correct answer: The availability and wages of specific jobs in a defined geographic area
A labor market survey documents the existence, availability, and prevailing wages of identified occupations in the worker's local or regional job market, supporting earning capacity determinations.
Question 4: Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), what is a 'reasonable accommodation'?
- Any modification that eliminates all essential job functions for a disabled employee
- A modification or adjustment that enables a qualified individual with a disability to perform essential job functions without undue hardship to the employer (Correct answer)
- A mandatory paid leave of absence provided to all workers with disabilities
- A financial penalty imposed on employers who fail to hire disabled individuals
Correct answer: A modification or adjustment that enables a qualified individual with a disability to perform essential job functions without undue hardship to the employer
Under the ADA, a reasonable accommodation is any change in the work environment or job process that allows a qualified person with a disability to perform the essential functions of the job, as long as it does not create undue hardship for the employer.
Question 5: What is 'loss of earning capacity' (LEC) in a vocational rehabilitation context?
- The total medical costs incurred as a result of a workplace injury
- The difference between a worker's pre-injury earning capacity and their post-injury earning capacity (Correct answer)
- The amount of time a worker is absent from work during recovery
- The cost of vocational retraining programs recommended by a rehabilitation counselor
Correct answer: The difference between a worker's pre-injury earning capacity and their post-injury earning capacity
Loss of earning capacity measures the economic impact of an injury by comparing what the worker was capable of earning before the injury versus what they can earn after, accounting for their residual functional abilities.
Question 6: Which term describes a formal rehabilitation plan developed collaboratively between the vocational counselor and the injured worker that outlines goals, services, and timelines?
- Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) (Correct answer)
- Return-to-Work Protocol (RWP)
- Disability Management Agreement (DMA)
- Occupational Therapy Directive (OTD)
Correct answer: Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE)
An Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) is the formal, written document developed with the client by a vocational rehabilitation counselor that outlines the employment goal, services needed, and timeline to achieve it.
What is the purpose of a Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE) in vocational rehabilitation?