SMR Vocational Services

• Referral/intake: SMR reviews background materials to determine eligibility for program participation. Upon intake, the individual's personal information is learned through interviews, his/her preferences for desired vocational services are reviewed, and special needs and vocational goals are identified.
• Assessments: some individuals may participate in various assessments to determine abilities, work awareness and other vocationally related issues. Assessment results are considered in customized individual program development. It is determined upon assessment completion whether the individual enters additional advanced employment services or enters pre-employment training or volunteer work in the community.
• Pre-employment training such as work ethic, skills mastery, work/social ability, and those particular tasks that the individual may need to work on for success in the work place, the community, and in his/her personal life occur.
• Job search activities focus on application and resume/cover letter development, the individual's network expansion for successful job search, effective interviewing proficiency, appropriate "dress for success" training, and other things the individual needs to get ready to enter the world of work.
• Placement activities include assistance with various work related issues such as successful work relationships, budget development and maintenance, wardrobe/safety equipment, transportation issues, benefits planning (especially how work may affect monetary, housing, and food assistance), and other needs the individual may have that needs to be addressed in order to be a success in the workplace.
• On the job supports, also known as supported employment, provide a more intense program for the job seeker. Practicing job search and placement activities for longer periods of time at the individual's own pace occur. If needed, special job shadowing of occupations and work sites that may be of interest to the individual is provided, with a debriefing of each job shadow event. Task/job analysis is available for those who need more intense assistance to learn a new job. Job coaching for those participants is provided, with the hope that natural supports (i.e., the individual's co-workers) eventually take over the responsibility of assuring the work is to the employer's standard. Follow along after placement occurs as long as the individual is in SMR services. During this time, mediation and/or negotiation of work and relationship issues, quality control assurance, ADA concerns, and accommodations and education of co-workers are provided as needed and also as requested by all involved parties.
• Post employment services are provided those individuals whom the referring agency believes need a closer attention to the work and the worker to ensure successful employment.