Work & Career
Supported Employment
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Supported employment provides community-based assessments to determine a client’s skills and interests, learning style, behavioral characteristics, and support needs so that employment and support decisions can be made. Job-site training is an important element of supported employment. An Employment Specialist or Job Coach is an important part of job-site training. This person works one-on-one with the individual with brain injury to provide individualized and consistent support services. Employment Specialists play many roles and must be skilled job developers, job analyzers, job organizers, instructors, case managers and advocates.
When an Employee with brain injury begins a new job, the Employment Specialist accompanies the Employee to the job site and stays with him or her until job performance is stabilized. Depending on the needs of the Employee, the Employer, and the job site; this may take weeks or even months of daily or weekly intervention. The Employment Specialist provides skills training to the new Employee and also makes certain that all job duties are completed to the company’s standards. This later point is extremely important because, as part of supported employment, the Job-Training Specialist guarantees to an Employer that job duties will be completed to company standards. The goal of supported employment is to achieve regular, competitive employment for the person with the brain injury.
The likelihood of supported employment resulting in full-time competitive employment depends on a good match between the Employee’s skills and abilities and the Employer’s needs. The supported employment experience should be preceded by objective vocational testing and possibly sheltered workshop assessment. The Job Coach must have a full understanding of the job expectations and duties of the Employer and aid the person with disability in acquiring the necessary skills. A strong interest and motivation for the work on the part of the person with disability is necessary for long-term job success.
Therefore the Job Coach may develop a supported employment situation for the person with disability keeping in mind the interest of that individual.
There are steps that will enhance the probability of success in a supported employment. Some of these steps include the following:
1. On the first day the Employment Specialist should assign the worker one or more tasks with which he is familiar
2. The Employment Specialist should organize a daily routine for the worker to follow at the job site
3. An Employment Specialist may diagram the work station and provide training on routes to staff restrooms, exits, supervisor’s office and lunchroom
4. The Employment Specialist should modify, adapt or restructure the work demands, if possible, to meet the Employee and Employer needs
5. Memory prompts and cues should be provided as necessary.
Individuals who sustain severe brain injury may have a number of cognitive deficits. These deficits -- which may include reduced memory, reasoning, orientation, attention, visual perception and discrimination – vary among individuals and represent areas in which the Employment Specialist must provide individualized training. Neuropsychological testing may be utilized to determine the best strategies for modifying the work schedule and environment to meet the needs of the new worker. Reinforcement and immediate feedback will help the injured worker develop new work skills while dealing with problems as they occur.
It is important that the worker know what his earnings will be. Some supported employment options may offer less than minimum wage during a training period or wages that are compensated in part by state or federal programs. The goal for supported employment should be competitive wages on par with the other workers in a similar job.
Ms. Willard is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC), Certified Vocational Expert (VE), Certified Disability Management Specialist (CDMS), Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), and Certified Case Manager (CCM). She serves as a vocational expert for the Office of Hearings and Appeals, Social Security Administration. Her company, Willard Rehabilitation, Inc. provides rehabilitation evaluations to assist individuals in developing life goals, rehabilitation plans and vocational options compatible with physical, cognitive, and or psychological abilities.