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The Supported Employment program is part of the Employment Services Division at Mountain State Centers for Independent Living (MTSTCIL).
The supported employment coordinator serves as a job developer and job coach for people with disabilities seeking employment. The supported employment coordinator works diligently to help people locate jobs and to match the "right" person with the "right" job.
Once a job match has been made, the employee is assigned a job coach who will provide on-site coaching at the workplace and help set up a natural support system (support from people within the workplace) for as long as necessary. Experience has shown that natural supports make fitting into a job site easier.
To that end, the job coach will work with the management and employees of a job site to help them work more efficiently with the supported employee. The ultimate goal is to find co-workers who will provide on-going support for the supported employee, in order to include the employee fully in the work environment.
The employer also benefits from this program by having an extra person to provide on-the-job training to a new employee. Experience with supported employment through the years shows that additional benefits to the employer are:
The employee benefits from this program by having an opportunity to work that before may not have been an option. In addition, the employee may no longer have to rely on public assistance or his/her family for income and may, for the first time, be able to think about living independently.
MTSTCIL would like to recognize and thank some of the local businesses who currently provide employment and promote integrated work experiences for people with disabilities.
If you are interested in learning more about our Supported Employment program contact Georgetta Stevens, Vice President, Corporate Operations for Mountain State at 304-525-3324 or by email gstevens@mtstcil.org.
Supported Employees participate in Walk and Roll 2007 in Huntington, WV.
