FergusFalls, Moorhead, Breckenridge & Detroit Lakes: 218.233.7438 Fax: must have 1-218-216-8075
Services
Overall Work Time
- 65% Direct Service
- 20% Indirect Service 10% Administrative
Vocational Service (Direct and Indirect of overall work time)
- 15% Collaboration with non-voc mental health agency staff (case managers, psychiatrists,
- other treatment team members) and other collaborators, including Vocational Rehabilitation counselors, family and friends
- 15% Pre-Employment Counseling and Support (prior to job obtainment)
- 30% Job Search
- 30% Job Support (after job obtainment)
Work Location
- 60% Community (minimum time spent out of agency setting)
Caseload
- 25 clients or less on individual caseload.
Vocational Services
- Provide only vocational services.
- Don't assume role of case manager, residential worker, or other staff positions.
Vocational Generalists
- Conduct all phases of vocational service (engagement, assessment, job search, job support).
Vocational Unit
- Provide services for each other's clients as part of backup and support.
- Weekly vocational group supervision.
Integration of Vocational and Mental Health Treatment
- Participate in regular team meetings for each client. Talk to other service providers frequently.
Vocational Assessment
- Based on competitive job experiences NOT on a battery of tests or other pencil and paper evaluations.
Job Search
- Start search directly (without lengthy evaluation and assessment) making first employer contact within one month of client beginning in the vocational program, and at a pace comfortable to the client.
- Discuss disclosure of disability with client and determine employment specialist's role with employers.
- Seek permanent, competitive jobs.
- Conduct client-specific search based on client preferences, skills, and experiences.
- Less than 10% of jobs will be in same job category or with the same employer as others on employment specialist's caseload.
- Search is often conducted by making networking contacts (employer network, client's personal network, etc.).
- Help find another job experience after one has ended, utilizing principle of ongoing assessment.
Job Supports
- Provide ongoing, individualized job supports.