Referral Process

If you are a mental health service provider and your client expresses the following feelings or emotions:

“I want to go to work.”
“I feel discouraged about working.”
“Is there a job for me out there?”
“I haven’t worked in a long time and don’t know how to get back.”
“I’m motivated to work but lack skills.”

CVE can help!
At CVE, your client can participate in training programs, seminars, and workshops to help them feel prepared to go to work.

Clients can earn a paycheck and still receive SSI/SSDI benefits.

We believe there is a job for everyone! Since 1986, we have helped hundreds of people with mental health disabilities find and keep jobs.

In order to ensure your client’s success in our program, we encourage you to communicate with the client’s CVE counselor. We will keep you informed of the client’s progress on a monthly basis, but we also encourage providers to ask us questions as often as needed.

To Qualify, Clients Must Be:

• 16 years of age or older
• A resident of San Francisco
• Currently receiving mental health services from the City and County of San Francisco’s Community Behavioral Health System

Steps to becoming a CVE client:

Open Orientation
Orientations are held at CVE every two weeks and last about one hour. To sign up, the client calls our receptionist and provides information so we can verify eligibility. If the client is eligible, a CVE staff member will call back to schedule him/her for an Open Orientation. During the Orientation, the client will learn about our programs and have an opportunity to ask questions. The client will receive a CBHS Vocational Referral Form to have his/her mental health provider fill out and return to us.

Intake Interview
Once the Intake Coordinator has received the CBHS Vocational Referral Form from the client’s mental health service provider, he/she will call to schedule an Intake. During the Intake Interview, the Intake Coordinator and the client discuss the client’s work interests and, with the help of the client, design a Vocational Plan that best suits his/her needs. If the client is not sure or does not know what he/she wants to do, we talk about all available options.

Follow-Up
During the Intake Follow-up meeting, the client meets with the coordinator and the supervisor or counselor of the program or business he/she is interested in pursuing. The Intake Coordinator and the client will review his/her Vocational Plan and agree on the next steps at CVE.

If you are interested in receiving services, or referring someone to receive services at CVE, please call Paula Boaz at 415.544.0424, ext 110.