Southern Ohio Vocational Services can help with work incentive planning, job and resume development, practice job interviews face to face and virtually. We believe that people who want to work can work.  Our organization helps individuals with mental illness, addictions and other types of disabilities who want to work find and keep jobs! These services address vocational training, education and support for adults who have been diagnosed with a severe mental illness. Although services are primarily provided to people living in Adams, Lawrence and Scioto Counties, we also provide them to people with severe mental illness who live in surrounding counties and have been referred by the Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation. Our professional coordinators work with Summer Youth Career Exploration and Youth Work Experience.

Our program is based on the supported employment model, which is an evidence based approach to employment. The seven principles of this model are:

• Zero exclusion (anyone who wants to work can be admitted to the program, regardless of severity of symptoms)
• Consumer preferences drive the plan
• Treatment is integrated
• Rapid job search
• Competitive employment is the goal
• Follow along supports are time limited
• Personalized benefit planning

People with severe mental illness who work report less symptoms and a higher quality of life.