At Colorado Recovery, we believe that employment, education and meaningful service opportunities are essential in recovery. Our vocational staff helps clients get back to school, get into volunteer jobs or find paid employment. Some clients go out in supervised groups to volunteer their time at local nonprofit agencies, allowing us to evaluate each person’s work potential.

Colorado Recovery offers a variety of vocational services to help clients with bipolar and schizophrenia with their short-term and long-term goals such as:

• Employment readiness evaluations
• Career exploration
• Job seeking and retention skills
• Resume creation
• Educational support
• Resource coordination
• Ongoing job support and job coaching
• Assistance understanding rights as an employee or student
• help connecting to the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
• Internships

Clients entering the vocational program work with a vocational specialist to establish realistic employment goals. The specialist is guided by the client’s personal job preference. Clients can get help with developing resumes, preparing for interviews, searching for open employment opportunities, turning in job applications, and presenting themselves appropriately at hiring interviews and at work. Once employed, the client meets with the vocational counselor as needed to receive continued support and assistance in dealing with difficulties at work. In those cases where the client has told the employer about his or her disability, the vocational specialist may contact the employer to help resolve emerging problems.

Colorado Recovery is a member of the Employment Alliance that works with the Boulder Independent Business Association to locate businesses and local farms that are willing to add a special mission to their work – namely, to provide employment to people with psychiatric disabilities. The work opportunities can be unpaid internships or paid employment.   The vocational workers from the participating mental health agencies provide support to the employer and the newly placed employees. On-site job coaching is provided, when needed, to ensure the success of the placement.  Collaborating businesses are being branded and honored publicly for their community service.