The Valley Employment Services (VES) program has had a Case Service Cooperative Contract with the State Department of Rehabilitation in collaboration with the County Department of Mental Health since 1998. It remains one of the largest case service contracts in Los Angeles County. The program is for adults just beginning to seek employment or re-entering the work force after an absence due to mental illness, and who are motivated to work. The VES program provides support in order to both obtain and maintain employment.
The process begins with a pre-vocational assessment with a Rehabilitation Liaison where each consumer has an opportunity to assess and identify his or her current skill level, and to identify barriers to obtaining and maintaining employment while developing vocational goals. Comprehensive services promote skill acquisition, opportunities for “in-vivo” practice, and assist the consumer in “smoothing out” rough edges in order to be employment-ready. An Employment Specialist works with each consumer, and together they develop steps toward employment based on the consumer’s employment goals.
