Employment / Education / Vocational support:

Community Employment and Education Opportunities

Work is integral to self-esteem and recovery. It is often difficult to enter the job market when a psychiatric disability has disrupted a person's employment history, education or both. Elm Brook Place provides person-centered career services that can include:
  • Career interest evaluation and counseling
  • Job placement in Transitional or Supported employment
  • Assistance with independent employment
  • Job search skills
  • Resume writing
  • Job application assistance
  • Interviewing skills
  • On-the-job training/coaching
  • Transportation to work
  • Off-site job support
  • Social Security counseling for work-incentives and reporting
  • Supported Education: assistance with obtaining GED, college and certificate program applications, disability accommodations, and financial aid

    Elm Brook Place offers a variety of job opportunities for its members, and supports individual needs.

Transitional Employment (TE) enables members to return to work without going through job interviews or other screening processes. TE provides time-limited entry-level employment placement with on the job training and coverage for absences.
TE is ideal for those who are just starting to go back to work, and at completion, provides a recent work history and reference to go onto other work.
Supported Employment (SE) assists members with obtaining their own permanent job in their field of interest/expertise. Supports can include transportation, job leads, introduction to employer, assistance with training and benefits counseling.
Independent Employment (IE) assists members with finding employment independently.
**All working members are encouraged to attend our weekly Workers Night Dinners held on Monday evenings from 4:00 - 7:00pm for peer support and celebratory dinner.
**Weekly Job Club meetings are open to all members and held every Wednesday from 1:00 - 2:00pm in the 2nd floor Employment Office. A variety of topics are covered each week including job seeking skills, resume writing, on-line job application mastery, interviewing skills, job-keeping strategies and dressing for success.
**Job seekers should meet with the Community Employment Coordinator by appointment at extension 19.

Ticket To Work – what is it?

You may have heard about the Ticket to Work program through Social Security. A "Ticket" is generally used by those beneficiaries whose goal is to work full time and become self sufficient through their own earnings. The “Ticket” allows you access to vocational rehabilitation, training, job referrals and other supports and services from a variety of providers, called EN’s (Employment Networks). Most social security beneficiaries receiving either SSI or SSDI have a "Ticket to Work"; your ticket number is your social security number.

Your ticket may be "activated" by assigning your ticket to a vocational rehabilitation agency or an Employment Network (EN). Elm Brook Place is an EN (employment network) and provides a full spectrum of employment services such as resume writing assistance, job search instruction, online employment preference testing through the Massachusetts Career Information System, job placement, job coaching etc.

While you are actively participating in the Ticket to Work program, you can get the help you need to find the job that is right for you and you can safely explore your work options without losing your benefits.

  • You can easily return to benefits if you have to stop working (known as "expedited reinstatement of benefits);
  • You can continue to receive healthcare benefits; and
  • You will not receive a medical disability continuing review (CDR) while using your Ticket

    Call Andrea or Carrie at 781-687-0993 for more information.