success Stories

    Michael Smith -   From Dependency to 
             Self-Sufficiency and Home  Ownership

Michael lives in northern Vermont. He has a chronic mental illness, depression, and severe anxiety. In 1992, at the time he was referred to a supported employment program, he seemed set for a life of dependency on government benefits and the community mental health system. His illness left him so debilitated that his counselor suspected a diagnosis of mental retardation. He was twenty-three years old and had never held a job.

The supported employment program assisted Michael access his first job ever, as a stock person in a retail store for six hours per week. Michael suffered from acute anxiety regarding the manager’s expectations so overwhelming that it left him immobilized.

Therefore, the employment specialist worked along side him to structure a routine and build his confidence. Gradually, his anxiety decreased and within a month he was able to do the job alone.

In time Michael felt ready to take on more substantial employment. He was placed in a twenty hour per week position as a custodian in a growing manufacturing company. Again the employment specialist worked along side him, thoroughly teaching him job tasks and helping him learn to manage his anxiety. After six months he was promoted to a full-time custodial position. The employment specialist continued to work with him on an occasional basis to help him incorporate new tasks and provide support. Michael just had his third year anniversary with the company. He receives medical and retirement benefits. Also, he was able to purchase his mother’s house. Not only is Michael supporting himself, he is making a monthly mortgage payment.

After graduation in another part of the state, Lisa moved with her mother to central Vermont. Lisa has a label of mental retardation. She could have tried to get into a day program through a community agency; however, Lisa and her mother decided what she really needed was a job. So, she was referred to a supported employment project. Her choice was to work in a restaurant.

The staff from her old school, though supportive, felt this was an unrealistic goal. Lisa has difficulty following more than two step instructions. She can recognize some words, but cannot follow written directions. In particular, school staff did not feel she could work at the speed necessary to do the job as most jobs in restaurants require staff to make quick judgments. They felt this type of routine problem solving was simply beyond Lisa.

Lisa was placed at a local restaurant. The employment specialist quickly realized for Lisa to become independent on the job she would need some adaptations in the way she did the job. For example, Lisa had difficulty judging how much mayonnaise to put on a sandwich or how much salt to put on a burger. So, she had her own supply of measuring spoons for this purpose. The restaurant manager put picture stickers on the shelves in the walk in freezer because Lisa could not read labels. The employment specialist created picture instructions on how to make a salad and other items. These and other job modifications got the job done to the standards of the restaurant.

Lisa has worked at the restaurant for over a year now. The employment specialist still checks in with Lisa for a short time each day; however, she expects to fade this support over the next few months. At that point Lisa will be completely independent on the job.

    JOHN MALONE - GOING TO WORK, AFTER
                     TWENTY YEARS OF UNEMPLOYMENT!

John, a resident of the Northeast Kingdom, is deaf. This alone need not be a substantial barrier to employment. However, he also has a severe learning disability. This combination caused school professionals in the 1970's to misidentify him as having mental retardation. As a result he received very little formal education.

After leaving school in the 1970's and through the 1980's, John lived off SSI and other state benefits. He periodically was able to get entry level jobs; however, his learning disability and his inability to communicate resulted in him losing these jobs within a few months. His difficulties with communication, even with other people who are deaf, left him socially isolated.

In 1995, he was referred to a supported employment project. It was immediately apparent to the staff that he needed support around both communication and learning. After an initial placement at a supermarket, the project placed John in a job as a baker in a growing small business working the night shift. Every day for the first two months he had on-site support from an employment specialist. He could not read directions or follow menus, so the employment specialist developed picture directions. He could not identify ingredients, so the employment specialist color coded them. Most importantly, John and the employment specialist had to work out a method of communication with the supervisor and coworkers.

After eight months John is taking over the day shift. This means more recipes and additional responsibilities. It also means a pay raise. He will need some additional support but now he has the confidence in himself to get the job done. After twenty years of unemployment, he is completely off SSI benefits and is a tax-payer. He was recently married and bought his first new car.

    AN EMPLOYER’S EXPERIENCE 
OF SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT

Otter Creek started up in 1991. In 1993 they began bottling beer. Otter Creek was expanding very rapidly as a successful small business. They were very short-handed, with three employees bottling beer nights and weekends.

It was at this time that Lawrence Miller was approached by Employment Associates, a supported employment project based in Middlebury. The project took the time to get to know the operation and understand the staffing needs. Together, they identified a position making boxes and hired a supported employee. Employment Associates was on-site to provide direct training and support.

Over time Otter Creek brought the original supported employee onto the bottling line and into other areas. As she has taken on new responsibilities, Employment Associates has been available to provide training and support as necessary. Lawrence Miller noted that she has grown and evolved with the company. However, the support from Employment Associates was essential in making this successful for Otter Creek and the supported employee.

Otter Creek has hired two other people through Employment Associates and now has a total staff of thirty-five. Lawrence Miller commented that the systematic training approaches of Employment Associates helped him understand his general training schemes. Supported employment provided a framework for training all Otter Creek's employees, not just supported employees.

There is sometimes a perception that only large companies can accommodate people with severe disabilities. However, this story illustrates how, even in the most competitive settings, supported employment makes sense for the business and the employee.

For further information, contact:

Glen McClintock
Supported Employment Coordinator
Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
Osgood 2, 103 South Main Street
Waterbury, Vermont 05671-2303
Telephone: 802-241-2195(v)
E-mail: glenm@dad.state.vt.us

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