CLIENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (CAP)
CAP advocates represent consumers receiving services from the State of California Department of Rehabilitation by helping to restore communications between the consumer in a vocational program and DR staff. Here's a recent example:
Freddie is a bright, very friendly, forty-three-year old man with a cognitive disability. He lives in his own apartment in the Venice area. Thanks to assistance from the CAP program, Freddie became a Department of Rehabilitation consumer three years ago and since that time had been working as a stock clerk in a local grocery store as part of a "Supported Employment" program.
"Supported Employment" is a specialized program the Department of Rehabilitation makes available for some people with disabilities like Freddie's in which a highly trained "Job Coach" works with the individuals while they perform assigned tasks at their new workplace. Once the employee's particular job responsibilities have been mastered and a routine is developed, the employee can enjoy a productive and successful work life.
Because of a series of misunderstandings between Freddie and his Job Coach, Freddie dropped out of the "Supported Employment" program. His DR Counselor decided to close his case, believing that Freddie was no longer interested in being employed.
Freddie explained his situation to a CAP advocate and requested the advocate to investigate the issues between them. Freddie and his counselor then got together to discuss what had happened. With the assistance of the CAP advocate, the two soon resolved their differences. Freddie's DR case remains open and his counselor is hard at work looking for a new Job Coach and a new job for Freddie.
