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Employment Education Support |
Highlighting Success: Four County Mental Health Center |
| Four County Mental Health
Center has an outstanding Vocational Support program, offering client focused
services to individuals who for various reasons have experienced difficulty in
getting and keeping gainful employment. Services through this program are
diverse and customized to each individuals needs. This program works in
conjunction with Kansas Rehabilitation Services to help individuals assess
their skills and interests and locate suitable employment situations for
them. The program services are intended for the Severely Mentally Ill, as
well as others who may have less severe mental illness but just as limited
work histories due to their barriers.
Over the long term, more and more of our clients are achieving their dreams
of living normal, productive and self-sufficient lives. Not only is
the client winning, but the employer, and society wins when the idle talents
of those written off fifteen years ago are put to use in the workplace
today. |
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THE JOB MATCH Staff work
to help clients identify their own unique gifts and talents, then find
suitable employment situations that are a good fit. Sort of "from the
inside out" approach. The EES program does not keep lists of
jobs, or employers. The critical element is what each client has to
offer...then finding the environment that is the most conducive to success
for both client and employer.
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- JOB SEEKING SKILLS
TRAINING Before a client begins the search for a position that matches
their skills, time is spent in training the individual in proper job seeking
strategies and requirements such as; resume writing, getting references, how
to fill out a job application, getting I-9 employment I.D.s together,
discussing the issues of disclosure and the Americans with Disabilities Act,
and anticipating the issues of transportation, work clothing, and related
work ethic. The intent in this phase is that individuals are not only
learning the skills they need to land a job now...but also lifetime skills
for the next job they may desire.
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- JOB DEVELOPMENT Clients
may choose to have their EES specialist in the background offering support,
encouragement, job leads and transportation in the job search. Others may
choose to have their Specialist speak to employers for them. If this is
their choice, Specialists will contact employers, offer positive input as to
the strengths of the client, but also offer the support of the program to
help with any personnel issues with the client that may arise, also assist
with workplace training and facilitate the acquisition of federal tax
credits available for working with the potential employee.
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- MAINTAINING EMPLOYMENT
Over the years, many of our clients have found that keeping the job is the
most difficult, but the EES program does not stop just because a job has
been found. When a client is offered a position, the Specialist may become
a JOB COACH to help everyone in the workplace get off to a good start. Even
when things are going well on the job, the program supports continue. The
Specialist will stay in touch, monitoring and following up for an indefinite
period of time, depending on the employer, and employee's needs.
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