Therapeutic Overview

The Veterans Industries program at Coatesville VA Medical Center is a subdivision of the Work Restoration Section of Mental Health Services.


The Work Restoration Section provides the following therapeutic treatment programs for our nations' veterans:


Work Assessment/Conditioning


Incentive Therapy
Veterans Industries
Compensated Work Therapy
Transitional Work Experience




Incentive Therapy provides work in a variety of jobs within the medical center paid on an hourly basis. Pay can be offered for up to one half of the federal minimum wage as mandated by Congress. Patients prescribed to this therapy generally are those unable to function on an acceptable level in Compensated Work Therapy or Transitional Work Experience placements.


Veterans Industries is a name used for the business aspect of Compensated Work Therapy and Transitional Work Experience programs. Operational tools, equipment, and supplies for these programs are provided through negotiated contracts with business and industry. This greatly reduces the cost of providing efficient, high quality therapeutic treatment creating a true "win-win-win" outcome for veterans, business/industry, and taxpayers!


Compensated Work Therapy clinics are therapeutic sheltered workshop environments where veterans are paid on a piece-rate basis (based on the current federal hourly minimum wage) for work performed on contracts negotiated with private businesses. Patients work in a realistic, non-institutional working environment to further develop work tolerances and prevocational skills while promoting effective work habits and social skills. Patients work in this therapy up to 6.5 hours daily.


Transitional Work Experience offers challenging vocational therapeutic experiences for veterans within local industry and in various departments within our medical center. Work experiences include landscaping, manufacturing, computer maintenance, food service, messenger services, and janitorial experiences. Patients work in these programs for up to 8 hours daily as designed.




Career Planning Program


The career planning program assists clients with their preparation for community employment in the areas of:


          Aptitude/Interest Testing
          Computer Classes
          Job Seeking Skills Classes
          Resume Development




Career Placement Programs




Job Search/Placement
Assisted Job Search/Placement
Supported Employment




Job Search/Placement program assists clients with finding competitive employment in the community. The client is required a treatment team referral and a medical clearance to participate.


The program is designed to focus on the client’s employment choices and assists the client with finding sustainable community employment.


Assisted Job Search/Placement program assists clients with mobility difficulties and or who may have felony background records find competitive employment in the community. The client is required a treatment team referral and a medical clearance to participate.


The program is designed to focus on the client’s employment choices and assists the client with finding sustainable community employment. The program offers an option to assist the newly employed client with their job retention goal by providing additional bi-weekly or weekly contacts.


Supported Employment program assists clients with severe mental illness in finding competitive employment in the community. A client’s interest in competitive employment is required and takes precedence over the client’s current or past adjustment or emotional problems. The veteran is required to have a medical clearance from a physician prior to participating in supported employment.


The program is designed to focus on the client’s employment choices; seeking employment directly without pre-employment training. Clients will receive the support they need to maintain their employment. A vocational rehabilitation specialist will assist the client in maintaining their work consistency/performance, whether it is two hours a week or forty hours a week. Research has shown that consistent work improves self esteem, provides for better control of psychiatric symptoms and increases satisfaction with finances and leisure time. 70% of clients with severe mental illness want to work. (1)


The supported employment staff will also incorporate support of family, friends, or any support system identified by the client to provide support to the client.


References:


1. SAMHSA'S National Mental Health Information Center
    Evidence-Based Practices: Shaping Mental Health Services Toward Recovery