[EXHIBIT 5.1]

                [LETTERHEAD OF THOMPSON COBURN LLP]


September 7, 1999


RehabCare Group, Inc.
7733 Forsyth Blvd., 18th Floor
St. Louis, Missouri 63105

Re:  Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement on Form S-8 (Reg. No.
     333-11311) -- 1,000,000 Shares of RehabCare Group, Inc. Common
     Stock, $.01 par value
     ------------------------------------------------------------------

Ladies and Gentlemen:

With reference to the Amendment No. 1 (the "Amendment") to Registration
Statement on Form S-8 (Reg. No. 333-11311) to be filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, on September 7, 1999, by RehabCare Group, Inc., a
Delaware corporation (the "Company"), pertaining to the proposed
issuance by the Company of up to 1,000,000 shares of the Company's
common stock, $.01 par value (the "Shares"), as provided in the
RehabCare Group, Inc. Amended and Restated 1996 Long-Term Performance
Plan (the "Plan"), we have examined such corporate records of the
Company, such laws and such other information as we have deemed
relevant, including the Company's Restated Certificate of Incorporation,
as amended, By-Laws, and resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors
relating to such issuance, certificates received from state officials
and statements we have received from officers and representatives of the
Company.  In delivering this opinion, we have assumed the genuineness of
all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as
originals, the conformity to the originals of all documents submitted to
us as certified, photostatic or conformed copies, the authenticity of
originals of all such latter documents, and the correctness of
statements submitted to us by officers and representatives of the
Company.

Based solely on the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:

1.   The Company is duly incorporated and is validly existing under the
     laws of the State of Delaware; and

2.   The Shares to be issued by the Company pursuant to the Amendment
     have been duly authorized and, when issued by the Company in
     accordance with the Plan, will be duly and validly issued and will
     be fully paid and nonassessable.

We consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Amendment.
We further consent to the filing of copies of this opinion with agencies
of such states and other jurisdictions as you deem necessary in the
course of complying with the laws of the states and jurisdictions
regarding the sale and issuance of the Shares in accordance with the
Amendment.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Thompson Coburn LLP