People with disabilities are the nation’s largest minority, and the only one that any person can join at any time. If you do not currently have a disability, you have about a 20% chance of becoming disabled at some point during your work life. People with disabilities cross all racial, gender, educational, socioeconomic, and organizational lines. That’s why DiscoverAbility works everyday to help these individuals access the training, resources, and services they need to succeed.
Discover Our Services
Employment
Traditional Employment Services
This individualized service helps individuals uncover, secure and maintain employment that aligns with their abilities and goals. Services consist of pre- and post-placement activities, such as resume building, interview skills training, networking, uncovering of job leads, job development, on-the-job coaching, support and more.
Supported Employment Services
Supported Employment Services provide individuals with a customized job search and extended on-the-job coaching and follow along services to encourage long-term success on the job. Supported employment services are typically offered to Vocational Rehabilitation participants with the most significant disabilities that may require intensive, extended services to maintain their employment success.
On-the-Job Training
Our Participant’s Perspective
On-the-Job Training is a program designed to give participants short term work experience to learn and build employability skills. Participants work one-on-one with an Employment Specialist to find a job experience that fits the individuals interests and job goals. The participant is trained by the Employment Specialist, including check-ins, to ensure the participant is learning the skills necessary to progress into competitive employment. On-the-Job Training is usually followed by a referral to employment services where an Employment Specialist will help the participants find long-term, competitive employment.
The Employer’s Perspective
Businesses in the community are invited to participate in DiscoverAbility’s On-the-Job Training program by hosting participants at their places of business. Participants learn valuable skills, while employers receive the benefit of an employee with a Job Coach to support them with training.
On-the-Job Training is of no cost to employers and participants are covered by liability insurance. Employers may offer long-term employment upon completion of On-the-Job Training and will be eligible for tax breaks for doing so.
Training
Pre-Placement Training
Pre-Placement Training has been developed to help participants learn and refresh their job-seeking skills. This class places a heavy emphasis on interview preparation and culminates in a mock interview. Throughout the class, social skills training and assistance is provided. Students will graduate with a portfolio of material to assist in their job search and career. This class is provided to those looking for their first job, making a career change or looking to brush up on the job-seeking process. This can be offered in a classroom setting or via web-based platforms.
Self-Advocacy Training
Self-Advocacy is geared toward high school students and individuals under the age of twenty-two. Students will work through the process of defining what self-advocacy means to them and how they can be a stronger self-advocate in their academic, vocational and personal life. Other topics covered are career exploration, goals and strengths, personal disability awareness and social skills training.
and Psychological Evaluations
Comprehensive Vocational Evaluations
Comprehensive Vocational Evaluations (CVE) are a great exploratory tool to assist individuals in assessing and recognizing aptitudes, vocational interests and academic strengths and abilities. Individuals will complete a customized testing battery that is created specifically to fit his or her needs. A personally tailored report will be written for the individual that will give in-depth interpretations of the testing summary, career guidance and labor market information.
Community Based Situational Assessments
Community-Based Situational Assessments, or Work-Site Evaluations, are specialized assessments consisting of the traditional CVE as well as an assessment in a community work setting. Individuals will be asked to complete a short, half-day work shift in a real-world working environment, accompanied by a Vocational Evaluator. The Vocational Evaluator will observe the individual interacting and carrying out the essential functions of a job in competitive, community employment.
Discovery
The intention of Discovery is to provide the Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor with information about the participant based on observations and interviews, rather than traditional tests and assessments. During Discovery, the provider meets with the participant for approximately ten hours, typically over the course of three meetings. An additional 10-15 hours includes writing, phone interviews and a final planning meeting. It is at this planning meeting, which takes place at a vocational rehabilitation center, where the next steps and / or job goals are determined as a collaborative group. The outcome of Discovery can be supported employment, customized employment, On-the-Job Training and / or further training programs.
Psychological Evaluations
A psychological evaluation helps determine the exact nature and extent of a person’s mental illness. Using a variety of evaluation tools, mental health professionals can gain insight into a person’s personality. Results of this evaluation will help participants understand and manage any issues or symptoms impacting their life, including employment.
Mental Health Counseling
One-on-one sessions for participants who are struggling with reaching employability due to any mental health, transitional, or adjustment barrier. Supplemental sessions for existing employment services participants who need support securing or maintaining employment. Topic-specific groups for existing employment services participants including social interaction in the workplace, managing anxiety, maintaining motivation, and more.
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Audience
DiscoverAbility is dedicated to promoting employment opportunities for the deaf and hard of hearing. If you are someone who would benefit from working with an employment specialist, who is empathetic to your individual needs, please contact us to learn more about these services. Our deaf and hard of hearing employment specialists are trained to administer all of our employment-related services, to include traditional employment servicers, supported employment and on-the-job training.
