Achieve employment success with a job coach

Supported Employment

Many individuals with significant disabilities who have been unable to secure employment or to maintain employment have achieved employment success by securing services from a Job Coach.  Job Coaching services have been so successful in working with people with significant disabilities many community programs such as Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), Veteran Programs, older workers Programs, School-to-Work Transition programs, Ex-Offender Re-entry Programs, and others have begun to utilize the talents and skills of job coaches.

What supports do job coaches provide?

Supports will vary from person to person and it is the role of a job coach to provide some or all the following supports for an individual based on their individual needs.

  • Advocacy with employers, service providers, and funding agencies
  • Identification of individual interests and skills
  • Identification of needed workplace accommodations
  • Job development, job placement, and marketing services to businesses
  • One-to-one, on-the-job training and instruction to meet company standards
  • Ongoing follow-along job retention services
  • Identification of natural workplace supports
  • Assistance to coordinate transportation
  • Close coordination and collaboration with referral sources

Who pays for job coach services?

Funding sources for supported employment services are varied. In Virginia, SE Services are funded by the following:

  • The Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (VA DARS)
  • The Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired (VA DBVI)
  • The Medicaid Developmental Disability (DD) Waiver Program administered jointly by The Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) and the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS).

The benefits to businesses who utilize job coaches

Businesses want to know if they invest in a program which offers training from a job coach will help to increase their bottom line and productivity.  Hiring people with disabilities is an investment for an employer as it is with their recruitment and hiring of all personnel. Therefore it is important to share the benefits with the employer. Here are some!

  • Job Coaches reduce the time it takes businesses to locate workers by giving the business access to a pool of pre-screened candidates.
  • The up-front work of a Job Coach will complement the screening and hiring process of the business.
  • Training and staff support from the Job Coach will dovetail with the style of the company.  The job coach will ensure this continues until the new employee is completely up to speed.
  • Job Coaches can assist with the identification of other accommodations for the company and be a resource for their diversity efforts.
  • Job Coaches can assist the employer with possible tax credits such as the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) and the Disabled Access Tax Credit for small businesses.
  • Job Coaches will be at the business to provide ongoing supports and job retention services.