Employment Services

The Right to Paid Employment

We believe that individuals with developmental disabilities have the capacity and right to paid employment. Our supported employment services professionals work with the individual to help them identify areas of interest and potential paid employment. Through job sampling, assessments and training sites we can assist the customer with gaining new skills and developing positive work habits which are important steps towards permanent positions. When a customer is offered a position, we provide a job coach for on the job support to help the customer maintain their paid employment. The job coach is present with the customer as long as it is necessary to help them achieve success, independence, and to help our customers develop natural supports at their place of employment. Customers are also supported in creating their own business or micro-enterprise. This model of employment can be quite successful allowing flexible hours and job tasks that match the individual’s interest.
Working at the grocery store

Identifying Goals

We work with customers to identify goals to maximize their abilities on the job, and help them work towards independence at the job site. Examples of goals could be:

  • Arriving to work on time
  • Managing a job task with minimal prompting from the job coach
  • Interacting with co-workers in a positive manner

We continually monitor progress on goals and make changes when the customer has mastered a skill, the goal is no longer relevant or if a new approach needs to be adapted to help the customer be successful.

Working with the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, we can provide a combination of supports to ensure the customer receives the help necessary to be successful on the job or in their own business.

For Employers

For employers considering employing an individual with disability, trial periods can be set up to see if the employee is a good fit for their business at no cost to the employer. We help structure the positions to maximize performance and productivity.

Because they can…

  • be loyal employees
  • be good performers
  • be long-term employees who can get the job done
  • bring tax credits for your business
  • be trained at little or no expense

An employee with a developmental disability should not be treated any differently than a typical employee. This includes hiring, termination, attendance, and job performance.

Adults with developmental disabilities are adults and should be treated as such. We will assist you in training the individual to meet all requirements of the job including safety. People with disabilities are no more at risk for injury than anyone else.

People with disabilities have the same health concerns that we all do. Most persons with a disability are in good health. Recent studies show that people with disabilities reliably attend work and have a lower turnover rate than average.

Supported Employment Values

A conviction that people with disabilities:

  • Have the capability and right to paid employment
  • Are best employed within the local labor market in regular community businesses
  • Gain personal satisfaction when they choose and control their own employment supports and services
  • Should earn wages and benefits equal to that of coworkers, when doing the same work
  • Should be offered employment because of their abilities to do the job
  • Benefit from community relationships both at and away from work, leading to mutual respect and acceptance
  • Must determine their personal goals and receive assistance in assembling the supports necessary to achieve their ambitions