Posted by Bill Yolton on March 07, 2001 at 21:25:54:
In Reply to: Representation of employers on planning councils posted by Melanie Lewis on March 07, 2001 at 13:06:54:
The MHPC of VA has the happy distinction of bringing the Laurie Mitchell Employment Center into its membership through Ray Bridge. The Center has now expanded its work to three sites. As a consumer run employment preparation and support center it brings to us a sensitivity to the situation of consumers who trying to enter or reenter the work force.
With recognition that they are trying to do their best, I see professional who are "employment specialists" failing to understand the needs of consumers to go to work, and wasting everybody's time and adding to depression from repeated failures.
What would help us, it what you describe, someone who is an employer who has discovered how to be supportive to persons with mental disabilities and who knows how to help a person move beyond the 4 Fs in consumer employment.