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!