Partner Title
NameTitleCompany
benjamin-franklin-bridge.jpg
Abilities Center of Southern New Jersey, Inc.
Regional Solutions for Southern New Jersey’s Veterans
Comprehensive Vocational Rehabilitation Services
SNJVeterans@Home:
“Work Where You Live”
He left southern New Jersey to serve our country.
He’s home again - but there’s no job waiting.
He wants to work where he lives, back in southern New Jersey.
Southern New Jersey’s veterans need SNJVeterans@Home
Homeless Veterans How Many Need Vocational Rehabilitation?
Estimates show at least 6000- 8000 homeless veterans in New Jersey.
Veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq are falling into homelessness sooner than veterans of earlier conflicts. 160 appeared at “Stand Down” in Cherry Hill, NJ in May 2009.
How many more need jobs?
Southern New Jersey’s Veteran Population Needs Resources at Home – Especially the Homeless
SNJ Veterans@Home Mental Health Problems
Veterans returning after more than one tour of duty present more mental health problems.
Veterans returning from Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) frequently present with multiple psychological and physical symptoms.
This population needs to access the VA Five-Track Service Delivery System without delay.
Depression Alcohol Depen-dence
PTSD Depression, Alcohol or
PTSD
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
2.3
6.64.2
14.1
6.6
9
14
25.4
No previous tours One or more previous tours
Preliminary Findings from the Pre-Deployment Survey of the New Jersey National Guard 2007-2008 Department of Military and Veterans Affairs VA, New Jersey Health Care System, Bloustein Center for Survey Research, Rutgers University
PROBLEM: Veterans face barriers to employment services and job placement
Southern New Jersey veterans face barriers in accessing services that require appearance in Philadelphia, from transportation to time required to participate.
Veterans with disabilities are even more burdened, whether physically impaired or diagnosed with mental health disorders which may impair capacity to travel to Philadelphia.
Opportunities to find work in southern New Jersey are intrinsically less available when veterans receive services out of the area where they live.
Numerous eligible veterans may overwhelm the Regional VA services when they return from active duty and face unforeseen delays.
Homeless veterans number in the thousands; it is a tragedy best remedied with services close to home.
SOLUTION: Tell Southern New Jersey’s Veterans You CAN
Abilities Center of SNJ has conceptualized a dynamic program for veterans – SNJVeterans@Home.
Through SNJVeterans@Home, the Regional VA Office will have a competent partner with nearly 50 years of experience delivering vocational rehabilitation services and a network of resources throughout southern New Jersey.
Abilities Center SNJ has a proven capacity to deliver this program and collaborate with the VA.
Abilities Center SNJ can be part of delivering the VA’s Five-Track Service Delivery System.
“Work Where You Live”
SNJVeterans@Home
Philadelphia VA -Makes Referral
SNJVeterans@Home
Vocational EvaluationServices
Coordinate with VA
Job Placement or Training Follow-up
SNJVeterans@Home demonstrates Abilities Center’s capacity to bridge the gap in delivering skilled services for veterans who live in southern New Jersey, contracting as a collaborative partner with Veterans Affairs Philadelphia Regional Office (medical
and benefits).
“Work Where You Live!”
SNJ Veterans@Home: Measurable Benefits to Veterans in Southern New Jersey
Mobile services for Veterans who face transportation barriers in accessing services;
SNJ@Home skilled staff to meet identified Regional VA demand in southern New Jersey and increase participation of eligible Veterans;
Capability to reach homeless veterans as referred;
Culturally competent services address populations’ needs;
Demonstrated capacity to effectively provide job placement ;
Ready to reach more veterans as those deployed come home to southern New Jersey;
Realistic opportunity for southern New Jersey veterans to pursue program goal to
“Work Where You Live”.
Abilities Center SNJ: History and Mission
Abilities Center of Southern New Jersey (SNJ) is a 501c3 nonprofit corporation which opened its doors nearly 50 years ago to provide employment services for people with disabilities.
The Center forged a strong relationship with our nation’s veterans early on, providing evaluation and job placement services to Viet Nam veterans.
The Center now provides workforce development services to people with disabilities and other disadvantages which may be barriers to employment.
Abilities Center SNJ is responsive to regional needs and has augmented its services during its nearly 50 year history.
Services now include vocational evaluation (short and long-term), center-based transitional services, community-based and competitive employment in hundreds of businesses across the region and youth programs in conjunction with school districts.
Abilities Center SNJ: Our Organizational Capacity
Abilities Center SNJ has increased its consumer population by 800 percent over the past 15 years and diversified its services to meet community need;
From one site, the Center has expanded to deliver services in the eight counties of southern New Jersey;
It has developed relationships for job placement throughout the region.
Abilities Center SNJ provides CARF-accredited services.
NISH affiliate (2009)
Ticket-to-work provider
SNJ Veterans@Home: Program Highlights SNJVeterans@Home’s skilled, experienced staff is qualified to meet vocational rehabilitation services for veterans who live in southern New Jersey;
SNJVeterans@Home may launch a secure web site for veterans as a regional resource among the eight counties of southern New Jersey;
Advisory board for SNJVeterans@Home will include local members of veterans’ fraternal organizations.
Vocational rehabilitation services will be customized to Veterans Affairs’ requirements;
Vocational evaluation services may be short-term or long-term, on site at Center or mobile locations in SJ convenient to the veteran;
Access to Abilities Center’s network of community partners to meet veterans’ preferences for training and job placement in southern New Jersey, making it possible to say
“Work Where You Live”.
Meeting Needs of Veterans: PTSD, TBI and Mental Health
Abilities Center SNJ, through SNJVeterans@Home is prepared to coordinate services to ensure veterans diagnosed with PTSD, TBI and mental health diagnosis receive appropriate services.
Stigma and self-stigma are barriers to employment that SNJVeterans@Home seeks to overcome.
SNJVeterans@Home can be part of an integrated system of care in which primary care providers, polytrauma specialists, Abilities Center’s vocational rehabilitation specialists, and mental health clinicians work together.
Coordination of Services with Philadelphia’s Regional VA
SNJ Veterans@Home/Abilities Center of SNJ may complement or replicate, as required, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Service Division (VR&E) within the VBA Regional Office (RO), including initial evaluation of the Veteran to determine his or her entitlement for these services and assistance and develops, in cooperation with the Veteran, an Individualized Written Plan of Services. (Determination of entitlement remains with VA.)
Alternatively, Abilities Center is prepared to step in at various points congruous with VA Regional Office requirements.
Rehabilitation plans may include all of the following, depending upon Regional VA requirements:
Individualized Written Rehabilitation Plans (IWRP) that outlines training and job placement services needed to achieve employment goals; employment placement under an Individualized Employment Assistance Plan (IEAP); Individualized Extended Evaluation Plan (IEEP) to determine feasibility for employment.
SNJ Veterans@Home: Connecting to other Services
With direction of the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs (Health and Benefits Administration) offices, Abilities Center , in addition to current range of services, is prepared to facilitate veterans’ participation in other programs, as indicated but not limited to:
Compensated Work Therapy (CWT)
REALifelines
Transitional Assistance Program
Complementary services through county Veterans’ offices
SNJ Veterans@Home: Referral to Evaluation
• Assign Abilities Center/SNJ Veterans@Home Specialist
REFERRAL FROM PHILADELPHIA VA
• SNJVeterans@Home contacts veteran
• Ensure transport in place or mobile contact to veteran’s location
INITIATE CONTACT • Coordinate with
VA ancillary providers
• Meet at Center or other location
• Evaluation (L or S)
PROVIDES SERVICES
SNJ Veterans@Home: Evaluation to Job Placement
• Short-term• Long-term • On site or
mobile. Mobile Team Travels Throughout the Region
EVALUATION
• Transitional. Center-based
• Community Partners
• Behavioral Health Partners As Needed
TRAINING • Regional Employment
• Coordinated With Philadelphia VA
• Follow-up As IndicatedJOB PLACEMENT
& FOLLOW-UP
SNJVeterans@Home: “Work Where You Live”
Welcoming veterans home –to South Jersey!