Chesterfield Employment Services (CES), Developmental Disabilities

At Chesterfield County Department of Mental Health Support Services, Chesterfield Employment Services (CES) assists people with developmental disabilities to find and keep jobs. Job coaches help individuals decide what kind of job they would like and where to apply. The job coaches attend the interview and provide training and support while the employee learns all parts of the job. Once the employee can do the job without help, the job coach backs lessens their involvement, so that consumers are independent at their job. The job coach maintains contact to see if the employee wants or needs further assistance and to see if the employer is happy with their work.

Chesterfield Employment Services recognizes that some people need more help keeping a job than what is described above. For these individuals, the program offers group employment options. With group employment, a staff person supervises a group of individuals with disabilities working at a community business. The employment assistant trains and supports workers until their work is satisfactorily completed. 

Chesterfield Employment Services can provide workers with daily transportation if they do not have any other way to get to work. There is a monthly fee for this service, but if a worker has a Medicaid Waiver, it pays for their transportation.

Chesterfield Employment Services offers a prevocational program. In the prevocational program, a combination of classroom training and actual work experiences provides opportunities for individuals to build their employment skills.