Scott A. Sabella

Research and Clinical Interest:
• Program management within rehabilitation agencies
• Counselor supervision
• Support needs for people with brain injuries
• The removal of barriers to community participation for individuals with disabilities
• Counseling strategies and techniques

Scott Sabella, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Counseling, School and Educational Psychology (CSEP) within UB’s Graduate School of Education. His primary research agenda focuses on program management, counselor supervision, and leadership within public rehabilitation agencies. Additionally, he has recently authored articles related to the removal of barriers to community participation of people with disabilities and the support needs of people with brain injuries. His clinical counseling interests include group work, motivational interviewing, and existential counseling strategies and techniques to enhance quality of life for individuals with disabilities.

• BS, St. Lawrence University, Psychology
• PhD, University of Northern Colorado, Rehabilitation
• MA, University of Northern Colorado, Psychology (neuropsychology track)

• Sabella, S. A., Schultz, J. C., & Landon, T. J. (2020). Validation of a brief form of the Supervisory Working Alliance Inventory. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 63(2), 115-124
• Sabella, S.A., Landon, T., Lizzotte, M., Bernacchio, C. (2020). How do supervisors assess and develop professional dispositions among counselors in public rehabilitation agencies: A qualitative inquiry. The Clinical Supervisor. Advance online publication https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07325223.2020.1729919
• Sabella, S. A., & Bezyak, J. L. (2019). Barriers to public transportation and employment: A national survey of individuals with disabilities. Journal of Applied Rehabilitation Counseling, 50(3), 174-185. doi: 10.1891/0047-2220.50.3.174
• Sabella, S. A., Bernacchio, C., Boland, E., & Schultz, J. (2019). The conceptualization and assessment of professional dispositions in rehabilitation counselor education. Rehabilitation Research, Policy, and Education, 33(3), 198-211. doi: 10.1891/2168-6653.33.3.198
• Bezyak, J. L., Sabella, S. A., Hammel, J., McDonald, K., Jones, R., & Barton, D. (2019). Community participation and public transportation barriers experienced by people with disabilities. Disability and Rehabilitation. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2019.1590469
• Sabella, S. A., & Suchan, C. S. (2019). The contribution of social support, professional support, and financial hardship to family caregiver life satisfaction after traumatic brain injury. Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 34(4), 233-240. doi: 10.1097/HTR.0000000000000471.
• Ososkie, J. N., & Sabella, S. A. (2018). Experiential counselor supervision for rehabilitation counselors-in-training. Rehabilitation Research, Policy, and Education, 35(3), 156-167.
• Sabella, S. A., Markve, M. E, Groomes, D. G., & Shoemaker, M. (2018). Competencies for effective program evaluation and quality assurance in vocational rehabilitation. Journal of Rehabilitation, 84(3), 66-74.
• Sabella, S. A., Andrzejewski, J., & Wallgren, A. (2018). Financial hardship after brain injury: A brief scale for family caregivers. Brain Injury, 32(7), 926-932.
• Bezyak, J.L., Sabella, S.A., & Gattis, R.H. (2017). Public transporation: An investigation of barriers for people with disabilities. Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 28(1), 52-60.
• Sabella, S.A. (2017). Stratified leadership components and needs within public rehabilitation. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 61(1), 41-53.

• Sabella, S. (2017, July, October; 2018, February). Program evaluation and quality assurance in state vocational rehabilitation. A four part series presented to New York State ACCES-VR. Buffalo, NY.;
• Sabella, S., Vandergoot, D., Shoemaker, M., Matrone, K., Groomes, D., & Collins, S. (2015, September). Summit navigators: Perspectives to improve our community of practice. Breakout presented at the 8th Annual Summit on Performance Management in Vocational Rehabilitation.;

• Landon, T., Sabella, S.A., Bernacchio, C., & Lizotte, M. (April, 2019). Rehabilitation counselor supervisors’ perceptions of counselor professional dispositions for rural service delivery. Paper presented at the Spring 2019 National Council on Rehabilitation Education (NCRE) conference, San Diego, CA.;
• Sabella, S. (September, 2018). Leadership structure, competencies, and recruitment. Paper presented at the 11th Annual Summit: Performance Management in Vocational Rehabilitation.;
• Sabella, S.A., Markve, M.E., & Shoemaker, M.T. (2016, September). Competencies for effective program evaluation and quality assurance. Paper presented at the 9th Annual Summit Conference on Program Evaluation and Quality Assurance. Richmond, VA.;
• Sabella, S.A., Shoemaker, M.T., and Groomes, D. (2017, April). Competencies for effective program evaluation and quality assurance. Paper presented at the National Council on Rehabilitation Education Spring Conference. Anaheim, CA.;
• Bezyak, J. & Sabella, S. A. (2016, April). Transportation access and experiences: An investigation of accessibility of public transportation. Paper presented at the biennial National Council on Rehabilitation Education conference, Newport Beach, CA.;

• Continued service as a "summit navigator" which provides leadership and guidance for the Summit Group on Performance Management in Vocational Rehabilitation, a national community of practice consisting of over 450 members.
  06/01/2018-05/31/2019
• Content expert for the federally funded National Clearinghouse of Rehabilitation Training Materials. This 5-year project will continue until 2020.
  05/26/2017-05/21/2018
• I served as a Summit Navigator for the Summit Group on Performance Management in Vocational Rehabilitation. In this capacity I reviewed conference applications for years 2015 to 2018, collaborated with RSA technical assistance center projects, assisted with community of practice strategic planning, and implemented a research project investigating the competencies for program evaluation specialists in state VR agencies.
  05/26/2017-05/21/2018
• Research consultant for the Rocky Mountain Americans with Disabilities Act Education Center. This is a National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research project funded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
  05/26/2017-01/01/2018
• Content expert for the federally funded National Clearinghouse of Rehabilitation Training Materials. This 5-year project will continue until 2020.
  05/11/2016-06/07/2016
• I am serving as an advisory board member for the Workforce Innovation Technical Assistance Center. This is a federal Department of Education grant led by the Interwork Institute at San Diego State University which provides technical assistance and training to state vocational rehabilitation agencies in order to meet the requirements of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.
  02/29/2016-06/07/2016
• I served as a Summit Navigator for the Summit Group on Performance Management in Vocational Rehabilitation. In this capacity I reviewed conference applications for years 2015 to 2018, networked with Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA; within the Department of Education) personnel, collaborated with RSA technical assistance center projects, developed needs assessment surveys, assisted with community of practice strategic planning, and implemented a research project investigating the competencies for program evaluation specialists in state VR agencies.
  06/01/2015-08/08/2017
• From 2014-current, I have served as a research consultant for the Rocky Mountain Americans with Disabilities Act Education Center. This is a National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research project funded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
  12/01/2014-06/07/2016