Supported Competitive Employment for Individuals with Mental Illness
Upcoming offerings:
| Cost: |
$250 per individual $1000 for 5 individuals |
Overview of the Course
There are six lessons in this course, each lasting two weeks. Please note that the information for a specific lesson will be available by 9:00 am E.T. on the lesson's start date. Each lesson will consist of audio lectures, a discussion question, and a quiz or homework assignment. You must finish the assignments for a lesson within the specified time frame in order to receive a certificate of completion from Virginia Commonwealth University. Sessions will include information on these topics:
- evidence-based practice and research base,
- career development,
- customer choice,
- cultural competency,
- marketing and job development,
- developing business partnerships,
- interagency collaboration,
- self-employment,
- workplace supports / computer supports,
- social security work incentives, and
- funding
Lesson 1: Overview and Research Base of Supported Employment
Individual Placement and Support Model
Lesson 2: Building Relationships with Business
Marketing Analysis
Educating Employers
Lesson 3: Establishing a Career Direction
Formal and Informal Assessment Strategies
Customer Involvement in the Career Identification Process
Cultural Competency
Lesson 4: Job Development
Job Analysis
Pre-employment Process (e.g. interviews, disclosure, etc.)
Self-employment Options
Lesson 5: Employment Support
Natural Supports and Building Coworker Relationships
Job Coach Intervention
On-site vs. Off Site Support
On-going Support and Follow-along services
Lesson 6: Benefits Counseling and Other Special Topics
SSI and SSDI
Work Incentives
Sample Course Lectures:
- Supported Employment: Dr. Robert Drake & Dr. Paul Wehman
- The Supported Employment Fidelity Scale: Dr. Gary Bond
- The Employment Intervention Demonstration Program: Dr. Judith Cook
- Customer Profile & Establishing a Career Direction: Dr. Katherine Inge & Dennis Born
- The Customer's Perspective, Interviews from the Individual's Viewpoint
- Marketing & Job Development: Pam Targett and Dr. Amy Armstrong
- Workplace Supports & Compensatory Strategies: Laurie Ford
- Funding: Grant Revell & Dan O'Brien
- Social Security Work Incentives: Jennifer McDonough
- Cultural Competency: Dr. Ernest Quimby
Course Structure: The course consists of six lessons, each of which lasts two weeks, giving participants ample time to complete the assignments. A new lesson is made available every other Monday morning by 9:00 a.m. ET. The course web site is always available, and you may log into the course at any time in order to view content, listen to the lectures, and complete the assignments. Transcripts are posted for all online audio lectures. Each lesson will require 6 - 8 hours of staff time to complete. Please note that our online offerings are intensive, and we do not recommend taking more than one of these courses concurrently.
Course Credit: Participants can earn 3.5 CEUs or 35 CRCs upon course completion. Also, a certificate of completion will be issued to all participants who complete all course assignments.
System Requirements: Your computer must have a sound card, speakers, Adobe Acrobat Reader (free software), and RealPlayer or RealAlternative (free software). Each participant MUST have his or her own e-mail address and Internet access. We cannot correspond with participants through an e-mail address that is assigned to another person. If the individual does not already have an account, a free one can be set up through Hotmail. We send updates on the course activities and feedback on course activities through email contact. Participants must be able to receive and send messages in order to benefit from this online experience.
Technical Support: VCU-RRTC staff are available to provide technical assistance on how to use the Internet for distance education. If you have questions about the technology applications, please contact Doug Erickson at (804) 827-0760. If you have content questions, please email Katherine Inge.
