​​​​​​​Adult: California Mental Health Cooperative Programs Employment with Support 

Values | Program Services | Links | Outcome Accountability | Technical Assistance

California's Mental Health Cooperative Programs provide collaborative employment services to assist people with severe psychiatric disabilities enter or re-enter their community workforce. These community-based collaborations between local county mental health and Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) field offices provide improved access and specialized ​employment services and mental health supports for consumers historically un-served or under-served in vocational rehabilitation.

Accountability is monitored annually, and Technical Assistance is offered to maintain program fidelity. 

Values​

The Cooperative Programs adhere to core values of:

• Consumer career choice
• Comprehensive service linkages
• Job placement in competitive and integrated employment
• Reasonable accommodations
• Pro-active ongoing support 

​Program Services

Consumers are central to all decision-making and service selections. Twenty-five cooperative agreements jointly negotiated and maintained by county mental health and local DOR field offices provide individualized services that include:

• Counseling and guidance
• Vocational exploration
• Specialized employment assessments
• Vocational training
• Transportation
• Tools and equipment
• Assistive technology
• Coordination in getting services from other agencies
• Benefits planning and counseling
• College and university education
• Job search and placement assistance
  Employment support on and off the job site
• Work clothing 
  

For more information on DMH – supported programs please call (916) 654-2147

Links

Qualifying for and Maintaining Benefits:

• Working with a Disability in California  (Non-DHCS)
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI) questions on eligibility and benefits ​(Non-DHCS)
  
• Social Security Disability Insurance SSDI) questions on eligibility and benefits (Non-DHCS)
  
• How to protect your benefits if you begin/resume employment  (Non-DHCS) 
  

Career Training and Exploration:

• California’s EDD Eligible Trainer Providers List​ Search statewide by program type, name, location or occupation for certified training programs)
• Search for California One-Stop Career Center in your city or county  (Non-DHCS)
  

National Resource Links:

• WID is a nonprofit research, training and public policy center promoting the civil rights and the full societal inclusion of people with disabilities
• Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment for Veterans (Chapter 31 Program)  (Non-DHCS)

Outcome Accountability

The Department of Mental Health and Department of Rehabilitation review each cooperative program annually to assess the quality and effectiveness of services, assure compliance with written agreements, and provide input opportunity for staff. Consumer satisfaction surveys reflect strong support for the cooperative programs and reinforce the importance of employment services and supports..

Technical Assistance

Training and technical assistance is available to the local cooperatives as well as other local Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) / public mental health partnerships that emphasize collaborative employment services and supports. Consultants and Trainers contract with DMH through a competitive application process to:

• Offer training and technical assistance that represent best services practices
• Meet the individual needs of local programs
• Maximize successful employment outcomes for the consumers served.
  

Training is customized to meet geographic and special needs of individual cooperatives, as well as those of regional cooperative partnerships in multiple counties.