“contemporary guidance services, inc.: promoting employment & vocational training for people...

CONTEMPORARY GUIDANCE SERVICES, INC.

[CGS] Promoting Employment Opportunities &

Vocational Training

AGENCY OVERVIEW Since 1974, Contemporary Guidance Services, Inc. [CGS] has offered creative,

personalized programs and services to help individuals with special needs to learn, grow and thrive in all aspects of their lives.

CGS is a proud provider agency for Adult Career and Continuing Education

Services-Vocational Rehabilitation [ACCES-VR], Office for People With Developmental Disabilities [OPWDD] & the New York State Education Department [NYSED].

CGS offers a wide variety of services for differently-abled individuals. This

includes but is not limited to the following programs: • MEDICAID SERVICE COORDINATION

• DIAGNOSTIC VOCATIONAL EVALUATIONS • DAY HABILITATION “WITHOUT WALLS” • LICENSED CAREER SCHOOL • DIRECT JOB PLACEMENT

• WORK READINESS • SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT • SCHOOL HOLIDAY RESPITE • ENTRY SERVICES • TICKET TO WORK

AGENCY OVERVIEW

CGS is located at:

• 52 Broadway, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10004

Website:

• www.cgsnyc.org

Main Phone:

• 212-577-5512

Main Fax:

• 212-991-6652

http://www.cgsnyc.org/

CGS’ CAREER SCHOOL


• CGS has a Career School that is licensed by the New York State Department of Education-Bureau of Proprietary School Supervision [BPSS].

• CGS offers a comprehensive Career Training Center that provides vocational training, counseling, job placement and support to individuals with disabilities.

• CGS participants graduate with the job-specific and social skills needed to thrive in a challenging workplace environment.


Our licensed Career School offers four different comprehensive training courses for eligible students. This includes:

- Pet Care Technician

- Child Care [Levels I & II]

- Office & Computer Technology [OCT]

- Custodial Careers

CGS also offers a 20-day or 40-day Work Readiness Program with specialization in Retail, Food & Mailroom/Clerical Support Services as well as Soft Skills Training.

• Both programs include a dedicated number of classroom instruction and internship hours.


Eligibility for each program is determined by a Diagnostic Vocational Evaluation [DVE] and/or authorization from the client’s ACCES-VR Counselor.

Each program has different Admission Requirements which include but are not limited to:

- High School Diploma Status

- Math & Reading Level on the TABE

- Test Scores on Applicable Entrance Exams

- Situational Assessment Findings

- Legal/Criminal History

- Physical Health

- IEP Status

CGS’ MEDICAID SERVICE COORDINATION [MSC] PROGRAM


Medicaid Service Coordination provides a wide variety of support services to Medicaid clients and their families. Through MSC, an eligible individual may receive: * Employment Services * Respite services * Clinical Services * Transportation * Medical Services * Residential Placement * Vocational Training * HCBS Waiver Services


• A very special feature of this program is the circle of support that every MSC individual has; family, friends, a special teacher, a clergy-member are all possible “circle of support” members.

• They provide support, practical help and the

encouragement that makes all the difference for individuals learning to be more independent and to handle the challenges of community life.


To be eligible for Medicaid Service Coordination, an individual must have:

Medicaid

And Met the OPWDD eligibility criteria: have a diagnosis of Intellectual Disability or Developmental Disability

And An ongoing and comprehensive need for Case Management [Medicaid Service Coordination] services.

CGS’ DAY HABILITATION “WITHOUT WALLS” PROGRAM

CGS’ DAY HABILITATION “WITHOUT WALLS” PROGRAM

• Our Program Model is based on Three Key Principles: 1. Hands-On Learning

2. Vocational Instruction

3. Recreational; Communication; Socialization

CGS DAY HAB MODEL

A Typical Week: Monday through Wednesday: Hands-on learning in a community-based job training/work setting Thursday: Vocational instruction at the local library which focuses on work skills:

1. Soft skills 2. Communication with

employers 3. Communication with co-

workers 4. Filling out resumes 5. Interviewing

CGS DAY HAB MODEL

Friday: Recreation Day in the community where the individuals can relax and reward themselves for the hard week

• Playing basketball at the local Parks and Recreation Centers

• Going to the Movies or Plays

• Taking part in free outings around NYC (ex: Bike Expo, Macy’s Flower Show, etc)

• Dave & Busters; Bowling; Amusement Parks

STAFFING FOR SUCCESS

CGS believes in small group learning opportunities

Each Day Hab Group consists of two Day Hab Assistants (Direct Service Professionals) and one Case Manager (Senior Direct Service Professional).

Each Day Hab Group consists of no more than 12 individuals, therefore keeping the staff-to-individual ratio low for optimal job coaching/supervision.

CGS’ PRE-VOCATIONAL DAY HAB MODEL

One of our Day Hab Sites is specifically for individuals who may not need as much time in a job training site before transitioning over to our Supported Employment Program [SEMP].

All individuals in that program have to be travel-trained, as it makes the transition faster and smoother over to SEMP

That program has a different model to enhance Vocational Training:

• Monday to Thursday – Job Training Days

• 2 Fridays a Month - Recreation Days

• 2 Fridays a Month- Vocational Instruction

CGS’ JOB TRAINING EXPERIENCE

Person-Centered Approach – CGS currently provides 2 different Day Hab sites in the Bronx, 4

in Manhattan, and 3 in Brooklyn;

– During the intake process, the CGS staff assess what the individuals likes/dislikes/interests are and tailor options for different opportunities in the Day Hab sites to fit their interests/needs;

– Once placed in a Day Hab site, the Case Manager finds a job training opportunity in the community for our participant to volunteer. The opportunity must be based on what they want to do and want they want to learn.

CGS’ JOB TRAINING SITES

CGS has job training sites at many different places around NYC such as:

• Hospitals

• Retail Stores

• Food Banks and Pantries


Each site has an array of different areas in which to learn:

• HOSPITALS:

– Kitchen

– Maintenance

– Patient Escort

– Hospital Messenger


RETAIL: – Stock

–Maintenance

– Customer Service

– Floor Sales


Food Banks/Pantries: – Food prep

– Maintenance

– Dish washer

– Stock

– Library intern

– Light office work

PROGRAM GOALS

Goal of Job Training Sites:

• Some sites that CGS works with use the time to train the individuals and then hire them after 6-9 months or whenever they are ready to work on their own.

• Additionally, the goal is that each individual will have real work experience to put on their resume when they transition over to Supported Employment [SEMP].

• Lastly, each individual is encouraged to try and to learn each different aspect of the different job training opportunities at each site in order to enhance learning experiences.

PROGRAM GOALS On each individual’s Day Hab Plan, there is an area for working on Employment Skills;

When an individual is showing more independence at work and is expressing interest in employment, the Day Hab Assistants and Case Manager work closely to get them ready for employment by:

– ASSISTING THEM WITH TRAVEL TRAINING

• In Day Hab, we start small with travel training by encouraging the individuals to travel independently one day a week (after they learn the route) and increase incrementally from there on;

• Review subway maps and bus routes & schedules during classroom instruction days;

• Using the community as a learning tool when out and pointing out different safety hazards and travel opportunities.

– ASSISTING WITH RESUME WRITING:

• Using the classroom instruction time to work one-on-one to draft a resume.

ENHANCED SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM [E-SEMP]

• Enhanced Job Development/Job Coaching for individuals currently enrolled in our Day Hab:

– Individuals get one-on-one job development/job coaching at least twice a week;

– If an individual is not travel trained, they can still be in ESEMP and work on travel training with their Job Developer;

– Individuals can choose to continue to go to Day Hab and work on their skills/communication/socialization on days that they are not working or going to job development;

– Once the individual has been working and established community resources and does not need as much individualization in job coaching, they can transition over

to Supported Employment.

SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT


• The CGS Supported Employment Program enables individuals with the most significant disabilities to gain and keep competitive employment in an integrated setting, via practical, hands-on support and assistance.

• Supported Employment trainees work in the community, engage in daily contact with non-disabled co-workers and customers and ease into their new jobs secure in the knowledge that a Job Developer/Coach is there to support them.

• Adapting to the myriad of challenges in competitive employment can be overwhelming to individuals with disabilities. Within Supported Employment, skilled team members help break down those challenges into small, manageable components. This enhances the capacity for true success.


To be eligible for Supported Employment, an individual must have:

• A diagnosis of an Intellectual Disability, Developmental Disability or Learning Disability.

• Functional limitations must be severe enough to seriously limit her or his ability to function on the job in three or more of the following areas: Mobility, Self-Care, Communication, Self-Direction, Interpersonal Skills, Cognition, Work Tolerance and Work Skills


The Supported Employment Program of CGS Includes:

• Creating an Individualized Plan for Employment for each participant of Supported Employment Services:

The interdisciplinary team of the Adult Career and Continuing Education Services – Vocational Rehabilitation (ACCES-VR), includes an Evaluator, the Medicaid Service Coordinator (when eligible for waiver services), a Social Worker, and the Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor. The team all work closely with the person to develop an Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) which lists Valued Outcomes and the services needed to attain them.



Ensuring that a person’s choices and preferences are key when planning for Supported Employment:

CGS uses a person-centered approach; vocational choices and decisions always take into account the person’s own personal preferences, choices, strengths and experience. As such, the trainees play a crucial role in every step of developing his or her Supported Employment Individual Service Plan.



Striving for competitive employment in an integrated setting:

The Job Developer/Coach focuses on appropriate jobs in the community; the job must pay minimum wage or above, and may be part-time (at least 20 hours per week) or full-time.



The Job Developer/Coach begins the job search shortly after a person expresses an interest in Supported Employment: The Job Developer/Coach also begins working with the person to practice interviewing skills, fill out applications, write a résumé and review the basics of appropriate workplace behavior.



For the initial phase of employment, our trainees receive intensive support: During the Intensive Phase, CGS’ Job Developer/Coach works closely with the newly-placed person to provide advocacy, on-site training of specific skills and hands-on assistance as needed.



Follow-up support is provided and is always available:

When the person is stabilized on the job and the Job Developer/Coach now provides 20% or less of his/her initial-phase services, the trainee will enter the Extended Phase of Supported Employment. At this point, it is expected that the person no longer needs constant job-coaching, but still has the reassurance of regular contact with an Extended Phase Job Coach, as well as the knowledge that more active advocacy is available when and if it is needed.

CGS PROGRAM CONTACTS

• CGS Program Director: Dawn Mastoridis, 646-214-1255; [email protected]

• CGS Associate Director, Abiba Kindo, 646-214-1317; [email protected]

• CGS Director of Vocational Services, Debbie Merav, 646-214-1278; [email protected]

• CGS Career School Director, Angela Bruen, 646-214-1305; [email protected]

• CGS Director of MSC, Anice Cox, 646-214-1273; [email protected]

• CGS Director of Day Services, Rachel Wolff, 646-214-1295; [email protected]

• CGS Director of Supported Employment, Crystal Medlin, 646-214-1311; [email protected]

• CGS Outreach Coordinator, Leonidas Lee, 646-214-1315; [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]








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