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Career Support Systems is Growing!
Welcome three new Employment Consultants! Sarah Branch and Keeya Majors in the Central Region, and Detrick Feilds in Emporia.
As CSS continues to grow, we are still looking for an additional Employment Consultant in Tri-Cities, Roanoke, and Richmond.
Try out our new security protected electronic referral form here! |
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CSS Prepares for it's Fourth CARF Accreditation
CARF stands for "Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitative Facilities." But what does that mean, and why is it so important?
CARF Accreditation is both a seal of quality assurance as well as quality improvement. Quality Assurance is "is an indicator of an organization of consistent and high quality." The quality improvement occurs naturally as an organization prepared to meet CARF's guidelines in preparation for the CARF survey visit, can continues in the years between survey visits.
DRS is required by federal and state mandates to establish and monitor standards of employment service organizations being providing supported Employment Services to People with disabilities. In September of 1998, DRS established that CARF's national standards would be used for Virginia's ESOs serving consumers with disabilities.
CSS is currently preparing for our fourth site survey. Surveyors will be visiting our sites for a three day period in July or August. Between now and then, CSS will be preparing customer and employer satisfaction surveys as well as carefully reviewing all CARF requirements to ensure another three year accreditation! |
CSS Trains Walmart Management in Diversity
An individual with physical disabilities was hired for a greeter position in a Christiansburg Wal-Mart. This individual was able to secure employment without the help of a job coach some time ago, however, she had a DRS counselor for some time. As this time went on, the employee wanted to explore other employment opportunities within the store, but was having a difficult time being heard by her employers. At this point, the employee was assigned to an employment consultant through Career Support Systems as a way to advocate for the employee. As the employment consultant was on site with the consumer, he identified a few workplace accommodations that needed to be made in order for her to be successful in her new role as a Fitting Room Attendant.
At this point Career Support Systems, in conjunction with a community disability specialist, was asked to provide diversity training for the management at WalMart. The regional manager, Sara Tolley and Employment Consultants Daniel Shertz and Kama Weatherholt, provided managers with information on supported employment, diversity in the workplace as well as what workplace accommodations are and what constitutes a "reasonable accommodation."
The consumer is now answering phones and performing the duties of a Fitting Room Attendant as well as still working as a greeter. DRS was able to provide her the accommodations necessary for her to perform her duties which included a desk, phone attachment, and a walkie talkie attachment.
So what is a "reasonable accommodation?" The Department of Labor describes it as "a job accommodation is a reasonable adjustment to a job or work environment that makes it possible for an individual with a disability to perform job duties... Accommodations may include specialized equipment, facility modifications, adjustments to work schedules or job duties, as well as a whole range of other creative solutions." Most accommodations cost less than $500 and can be developed specifically for the individual being served. |
