Community Employment Services at Seminole Community Mental Health Center are designed to assist clients with mental illness achieve their personal goal of entering the work force whether it is for the first time or a reentry after a period of unemployment. By partnering with Seminole Community College (SCC) and the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), these programs offer the opportunity for individuals to refine skills that will allow them to seek out and maintain a job.

The Job Store component is offered through Turning Point, a recovery based day program. Job Store is a time limited program that provides education specific to work habit development paying special attention to such relevant topics as communication skills, expectations of employers and time management. In addition, work stations are used to assist clients in developing Receptionist Skills, Retail Skills, Food Service Skills and Janitorial Skills. Once skills have been mastered, clients may be offered Transitional Employment Opportunities with the Job Store. These positions reinforce the practical aspects of being on time, learning how to interact with a supervisor and helps clients begin to understand how to budget their income.

The Job Store also offers on sight GED and Adult Basic Education classes run by staff from SCC. This affiliation with SCC helps clients access these educational opportunities in an environment that allows them to learn more comfortably and with more individual attention.

Our Supported Employment Job Coaches work with clients to determine their unique employment goals. By working with DVR, we are able to obtain financial assistance for educational assessments and specific training programs as well as practical needs such as bus passes and appropriate work clothing. Supported Employment counselors help clients apply for jobs, attend interviews and learn specific skills for their new jobs. They continue to monitor clients in the community to ensure they are able to maintain their employment.