Supported Employment and Pacific Clinics, Pasadena

Pacific Clinics
909 S. Fair Oaks
Pasadena, Ca. 91105
626 795 8471

Supported employment for people with mental disabilities can improve their quality of life both financially and emotionally. Seventy per cent of people with pchizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or chronic depression live on less than $20,000 a year and more typically on the eight or nine hundred dollars that SSI provides. Supported employment adds to their incomes, provides structure, and promotes self-esteem. Due to a new generation of medications more people are able to work and mental health professionals feel that working is good therapy. They point out, however, that no one should be made to feel that she has to work. Some people are just not able to.

People with mental disabilities are often reluctant to work for fear of losing their SSI and/or their Medicaid. Social Security is starting some new programs that will allow people to earn a regular salary without losing their benefits

Pacific Clinics provides supported employment under state CAL WORKS Supported Services. An individual receiving these services must meet requirements in activities such as work experience, community service and/or vocational and educational training. Mental health supportive services count toward the weekly hours required which are from 32 to 35 hours.

Pacific Clinics provides individual, group, and family counseling and psychiatric medication support. It also provides very traditional employment supports such as job skills development, preparation of resumes, appropriate job attire, and job placement support. All of these activities count towards the 32 to 35 hours per week requirement.