Due to the pandemic, Mike* lost his job in April of 2020. In his past work history, he had experience as a prep cook and dishwasher, but was struggling to find jobs on his own. It was assumed he was often overlooked for jobs he was perfectly qualified for due to his presentation.
That’s where the Partnering for Jobs Employment Specialist came in to assist Mike in his exploration.
Many individuals with mental health disabilities have difficulty holding jobs due to the cyclical nature of their illness or insufficient coping and work-related skills. Yet, employment plays a significant role in recovery from mental illness. Canvas Health provides vocational services to help these individuals seek and attain employment, and to develop skills to help them maintain employment.
For Mike, our Employment Specialist was able to communicate directly with employers to inform them of Mike’s skills, experience, and suitability for the job. One of those conversations landed him a job interview at Red Robin, where he was hired on the spot for a dishwasher/prep cook position.
Thanks to Mike’s persistence and his Employment Specialist’s support, he is able to work in an environment he enjoys and with people he thinks of as family. He often tells his Employment Specialist how thankful he is for the support he has received from his employer and the Partnering for Jobs program.
“I’m just so speechless. I’ve never had this much support in my life from anyone… and I’m not going anywhere!” – Mike, Canvas Health client*
Learn more about our Vocational Services for Adults and Youth to see how our specialists can help with:
- Job placement, coaching, and support
- Vocational counseling
- Benefits counseling
- Job retention and follow-along supports
- Integration of mental health care with Partnering for Jobs services
Partnering for Jobs services are funded by Minnesota Vocational Rehabilitation Services and are provided at no cost to participants. This program is offered in collaboration with Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.