Treatment - Rehab | Sanctuary Psychiatric Centers of Santa Barbara

VOCATIONAL/EDUCATIONAL COUNSELING

Community integration and self sufficiency is an excellent way for our client’s to gain a sense of control, consistency and purpose in their lives.

Sanctuary Psychiatric Centers’ offers comprehensive and personalized Vocational and Educational Counseling services across the range of programs in order to assist clients in their educational and vocational pursuits. We strongly believe in providing the clients with an optimum level of support tailored to the unique needs of the client in order to promote client success and independence.

Services range from pre-vocational groups, trainings and supports to full-time employment out in the community based on the client’s level of need and desired support. The clients also receive “One on One” vocational counseling and support throughout their participation in vocational and educational programs to ensure that their needs and goals are being met. The overall focus of Vocational and Educational Services is to empower clients and provide them with the knowledge and resources to achieve the highest level of vocational functioning possible.

Vocational and Educational Rehabilitation Program Goals:

To provide clients with the vocational and/or educational tools necessary to become empowered, self sufficient, and proactive in setting and obtaining goals for their future.
To provide the clients with a continuous and solid support system in order to reduce the fear and anxieties associated with re-integration into the community, and teach clients necessary skills to alleviate their fears and concerns.
Educate clients about the variety of educational and employment related resources available to them within the community.
Create an Individualized Plan for Employment or Individualized Education Plan for each client based on their primary interests, aptitudes, skills, abilities, and symptoms.
Identify clients’ main challenges to obtaining or maintaining employment and create and implement a plan for accommodations or coping strategies to reduce or eliminate those challenges.
Reduce stigma and negative perceptions of persons with mental illness within the community by integrating clients in a variety of educational and work related settings to demonstrate their individual strengths, talents, and abilities.
Increase clients' self-efficacy within the framework of their demonstrated capacities to assume responsible self-support.

Pre-Vocational Groups:
The pre-vocational groups’ curriculum assists clients in determining their skills, interests, values, and realistic career goals. Individual treatment plans are developed and implemented with assistance in the following areas:

Career exploration
Identification of personal strengths, values, and talents
Resume writing
Job seeking skills
Interviewing skills
Job placement
Job retention
Symptom management in the workplace

These and other vocationally related topics are offered on a weekly rotating basis with an emphasis on practical, experiential learning.
The intent of these structured learning experiences is to actively involve clients in identifying and developing their own positive work identities. From pre-vocational training, clients are assisted and encouraged in beginning work in the community. The focus of the program is to find employment settings that match the client's interests, abilities, aptitudes, strengths and individualized goals.